Saussurea austrotibetica Y. S. Chen, 2014

Chen, You-Sheng, 2014, Six new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae) from eastern Himalaya, Phytotaxa 177 (4), pp. 191-206 : 191-193

1. Saussurea austrotibetica Y. S. Chen , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 , 7A & 7B )

Type:— CHINA. Xizang: Cona, Langpo , sandy grassy slope, 27°53’ N, 92°0’ E, 4020 m, 11 August 2013, FLPH Tibet Exped. 13-0894 (holotype PE; isotypes PE) .

Herbs up to 40 cm tall, perennial, caespitose. Caudex usually branched, apically covered with remains of petioles. Stems usually numerous, simple, whitish, erect, sparsely tomentose. Rosette leaves long petiolate, chartaceous; petiole to 5 cm long; lower leaves lanceolate, 10–15 × 1–1.5 cm, margin sinuate-dentate to shallowly pinnately lobed, lobe margin usually entire, rarely with 3–4 small teeth, adaxially greyish green and white tomentose, abaxially densely white tomentose, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Capitula solitary, terminal on stem. Involucre campanulate, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter. Phyllaries in 4–5 rows, purplish brown, pubescent, apex acuminate, usually reflexed; outer phyllaries triangular-lanceolate, 13–14 × 3–4 mm; middle phyllaries ovate-elliptic, 13–15 × 2.5–3.5 mm; inner phyllaries linear, 15–16 × 1.2–1.5 mm. Receptacle bristles subulate, 4–8 mm, greyish white. Corolla blue purplish, 1.7–1.9 cm long, tube 8–9 mm long, limb ca. 7 mm long, lobes ca. 4 mm long. Anther ca. 7 mm long, tails lanate, ca. 1.5 mm long. Achene brown, cylindric, 5–5.3 mm long, ribbed, glabrous, apex shortly crowned. Pappus pale brown; outer bristles 4–6 mm long, scabrid; inner bristles 1.2–1.3 cm long, plumose.

from FLPH Tibet Exped. 13-0894 ( PE).

Distribution and habitat: — Saussurea austrotibetica is currently known only from Cona, Gyaca and Yadong Counties in southern Xizang, China. It grows on alpine sandy grassy slope at altitudes of 3670–4020 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from July to September.

Etymology: —The specific epithet is derived from its distribution range in southern Tibet, China.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — CHINA. Xizang: Gyaca, Longda Shan, 4210 m, 25 July 1975, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 750695 ( PE); Yadong , Kangbo , 27°39’ N, 88°57’ E, 3670 m, 24 August 2013, FLPH Tibet Exped. 13-2040 ( PE) .

Discussion:— Saussurea austrotibetica belongs to S. subgen. Saussurea sect. Strictae because of its pinnately lobed leaves and solitary capitula. Saussurea austrotibetica is very similar to S. roylei subsp. stenophylla Lipschitz (1968: 225) , from which it differs in its leaf margin never entire, receptacle bristles 6–8 mm, phyllaries shorter and narrower. Saussurea austrotibetica is also similar to S. lanata Y. L. Chen & S. Yun Liang ( Chen et al. 1981: 96) in its long stem, pinnately lobed leaves and reflexed phyllaries. Saussurea lanata was once treated as synonym of S. semilyrata Bureau & Franchet (1891: 76) , but the present author thinks it is good species. In fact S. lanata is distinct because of its leaves pinnately lobed, lobes margin coarsely dentate, phyllaries apically not herbaceous, phyllary apex acuminate, uppermost stem leaves not subtending capitula; whereas S. semilyrata differs by its leave blade lyrate, with terminal lobe much larger than lateral lobes, lateral lobes margin entire, apex obtuse to acuminate, phyllaries usually apically herbaceous and reflexed, uppermost stem leaves subtending capitula. Saussurea lanata is different from S. austrotibetica by its leaves adaxially deep green, hispidulous to glabrous, leaf blade usually larger, 9–28 × 1.5–4.7 cm, lyrate, with terminal lobe much larger than lateral lobes, lobe margin coarsely dentate, capitula solitary or 2–3, while S. austrotibetica is characterized by its leaves adaxially greyish green and white tomentose, leaf blade 10–15 × 1–1.5 cm, margin sinuate-dentate, lobe margin usually entire, capitula always solitary. A comparison of S. austrotibetica , S. lanata and S. roylei subsp. stenophylla is given in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Saussurea austrotibetica. A. Habit. B. Style branches. C. Achene. D. Phyllaries (from left to right, outer to inner series). E. Anther. F. Floret. G. Inner pappus. H. Floret, with pappus removed. I. Outer pappus. J. Adaxial leaf section. K. Abaxial leaf section. All

FIGURE 7. Saussurea austrotibetica (A, B) and S. langpoensis (C, D) in the wild and living plants.