Pternopetalum botrychioides (Dunn) Handel-Mazzetti (1933: 718)

Tan, Jin-Bo, Ma, Xiang-Guang, Zhang, Lin & He, Xing-Jin, 2015, On the identity of Pternopetalum botrychioides (Apiaceae), introducing P. latipinnulatum comb. & stat. nov., Phytotaxa 226 (3), pp. 233-244 : 238-241

Pternopetalum botrychioides (Dunn) Handel-Mazzetti (1933: 718) ( Figs. 6 , 7 )

Basionym: Cryptotaeniopsis botrychioides Dunn (1903: 494) .

Type: China, ‘ West Szechuen and Tibetan Frontier : Chiefly near Tachienlu , at 9000–13500 feet ’ (now Kangding County, Sichuan Province), Pratt, A. E. 839 (lectotype: K-000913311, designated by Wang in 2008, Fig. 1A; isolectotype: P-00432442, Fig. 1B) .

Heterotypic synonym: Pternopetalum delicatulum (Wolff) Handel-Mazzetti (1933: 718) .—Based on the same type: Cryptotaeniopsis delicatula (Wolff) Wolff (1927: 178) .—Type: ‘ China: Sze-tchuan; Kiating-fu, Omi-schan, an Felsen, c. 3000 m ’ (now Mt. Emei, Emeishan City, Sichuan Province), H. W. Limpricht 1498 (isotype: WU-0025968; Fig. 2B ).

Description: Perennial herb, (6–) 10–35 cm high. Rhizome distinct, oblique. Stems erect, 1–3, occasionally up to 8. Basal leaves 1–4(–8), borne from rhizomes, membranous, with 1.5–12 cm long petioles, 1.5–6 × 3–10 cm in outline; ternate, leaf ultimate segments ovate or rhomboidal, 0.5–2 × 1–5 cm; leaf blades glabrous or sparsely strigose along veins and margins. Cauline leaves 1–2(–3), ternate 2-pinnate, subpetiolate, with brief and broad sheath, membranous, 3.5–15 × 5–15 cm in outline; ultimate leaf segments pinnatifid, lanceolate, rhomboidal or ovate, 0.5–3.5 × 1.5–7 cm, acute at apex; terminal ultimate segments usually long caudate at apex, and cuneate at base. Umbels terminal and lateral. Bract absent. Rays 6–35, unequal, 0.2–1.8 cm long in flowering, and 1.5–5 cm long in fruiting. Bracteole usually 1, lanceolate or linear. Umbellules 2–3-flowered. Pedicels 0.2–3 mm, unequal. Calyx teeth distinct, trilateral. Petals white, with inflexed tip. Stylopodium low-conic or viniformis. Styles erect, approximately twice the length of stylopodium. Fruits broadly ovoid or ovoid, 2–3 × 1.5–2 mm. Ribs filiform, glabrous or finely scabrid. Vittae 1–3 in each furrow; 2–4 on each commissure.

Phenology: Flowering in March to July; Fruiting in June to October.

Distribution and habitats: China: Sichuan, north Guizhou, under shady and moist forests, streamsides; Occurring at altitudes of 1700–3060 m.

Notes: Without seeing the type specimens, taxonomists misapplied the name of Pternopetalum botrychioides on the basis of the less detailed, original description.This results in the increasingly confusing identity of these related taxa. Here we clarify this long-term misapplication, re-describe its morphological features and give an accurate illustration for it. In the original description by Dunn (1903), P. botrychioides was considered as having affinity with P. vulgare (‘ C. vulgari Dunn , foliorum segementis latis affinis, segmentorum numero incisioneque distincta ’). This viewpoint was inherited by later researchers ( Wolff 1927; Shan 1940; Shan & Pu 1978). However, according to our observations on type specimens and in the wild, these two species are quite different from each other. P. vulgare usually possess creeping stolons for vegetative reproduction, numerous ternate basal leaves, one to several simplified, ternate cauline leaves, relatively fewer rays.

Both Faber 629 and Pratt 839 were cited in the original description of this species, but without unequivocal typification. Wang (2008b, 2012) deduced a conclusion from the original description that the leaf and flower characters were abstracted from Pratt 839 rather than Faber 629. Consequently, he designated Pratt 839 as the lectotype of P. botrychioides .

Additional specimens examined: China. Without specific locality, E. H. Wilson 3668 (P) ; Sichuan Botanical Expedition 1931 ( PE) ; 27 June 1960 ( NAS!). Sichuan: Emeishan City: Mt. Emei , 8000 ft, Faber 629 (K) ; Mt. Emei , c. 3000 m, H. W. Limpricht 1498 ( WU) ; Mt. Emei, Taiziping , 3060 m, 15 June 1957, Guang-Hui Yang 55361 ( PE, SZ!) ; Mt. Emei, near Taiziping , 2900 m, 9 May 1964, Ke-Jian Guan, Jin-Wu Wang & Chao-Luan Li 431 ( CDBI!) ; Mt. Emei, near Taiziping , 3000 m, 7 June 2012, Jin-Bo Tan & Hao-Yu Hu T2012060701 ( SZ!) ; the same locality, 16 June 2013, Jin-Bo Tan T2013061601 ( SZ!) ; Mt. Emei, from Xixiangchi to Jinding , 29 June 1976, s.n. 1760 ( PE). Hanyuan County: Tachsiangling , ca. 1700 m, 24 June 1934, Haryy Smith 10079 ( PE). Leibo County : Tongzigou, 2176 m, 21 May 1983, Ming-Yuan Fang 117765 ( CDBI!, SZ!). Leibo County : Laolinkou, 2000 m, 12 May 1983, Ming-You He & Qing-Sheng Zhao 116733 ( CDBI!, SZ!). Luding County : Hailuogou, Goupengzi, 2500 m, 28 June 1994, s.n. 1256 ( CDBI!). Tianquan County : Mt. Erlang , 1700–2050 m, 26 April 1986, T. Naito, K.Y. Lang, Y. Tateshi, T. Nemoto & B.S. Li 159 ( PE) ; Mt. Erlang, Dajingping , 1700 m, 25 April 1980, Ya-Bin Yang & Zhao-Guang Liu 21672 ( CDBI!) ; Mt. Erlang, near Ganhaizi , 26 June 1951, Wen-Guang Hu & Zhu He 10154 ( PE, WUK, SZ!) ; Mt. Erlang, near Maliuping , 2100 m, 25 May 2012, Jin-Bo Tan & Hao-Yu Hu T2012052510 ( SZ!) ; the same locality, 14 April 2013, Jin-Bo Tan & Xiang-Guang Ma T 2013041402, in flower ( SZ!) ; Mt. Erlang, Xingou, near Tuanniuping , 2400 m, 12 June 1990, KS0207 ( CDBI!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. A, Faber 629, cited in the original description of Pternopetalum botrychioides, stored in KEW(K-000970029); B, Limpricht 1498, isotype of P. delicatulum, stored in WU(WU-0025968).

FIGURE 6. Illustration of Pternopetalum botrychioides. A, flowering plant; B, upper part of plant; C, cauline leaf; D, fruit.

FIGURE 7. Pternopetalum botrychioides. A–B, habitat; C–E, habit; F, root; G, umbel in florescence; H–I, umbellule; J, umbel in fructescence.