Silene procera Lidén, 2023

Lidén, Magnus & Oxelman, Bengt, 2023, FLORA OF NEPAL NOTULAE IV: NEW SPECIES AND RESURRECTED NAMES IN SILENE, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 80 (367), pp. 1-28 : 14-16

5. Silene procera Lidén , sp. nov.

Silene procera differs from S. thomsonii Majumdar in having fewer and narrower cauline leaves, a less deeply divided calyx, and shorter dorsal seed papillae; from S. nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén in its larger and more rounded calyx with flat erect teeth, soft glandular hairs on calyx veins, longer dorsal seed papillae, and lower altitude preference; and from both species in having tall slender stems with thin erect branches and reticulate calyx venation. – Type : Nepal, Gorkha , Lho to Sama Gaon (28°34′33′′N, 84°41′56′′E), highly fragmented Pinus –broadleaf forest, open stony banks by pathsides, 3210 m, 2 viii 2008, H. Ikeda et al. (Manaslu 2008 expedition) 20815090 (holotype E00780081 ). Figure 5O–V .

“ Melandrium firmum ” sensu Zhou (1983) , non Rohrb. (1869).

, Laxly caespitose with few to several stems, non-glandular pubescent throughout, glandular pubescent above, at least in the inflorescence. Stems slender, erect, simple or often with thin erect branches, 40–75 cm long, with 5–7 pairs of leaves, with dense down-curved eglandular hairs 0.1 mm long, especially above. Leaves 25–70 × 8–20 mm, becoming smaller upwards; basalmost leaves withered at flowering time; basal cauline leaves shortly vaginate, elliptic to oblanceolate, acute, long petiolate; middle and upper leaves not vaginate, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, attenuate at base into indistinct petiole, upper ones sessile; veins and margins with dense short curved non-glandular hairs, otherwise lamina sparsely hairy, especially adaxially. Inflorescence lax, few- to many-flowered, irregular, with partial cymes 1- to 3-flowered. Pedicels 5–20 mm long in flower, 10–30 mm in fruit, densely pubescent with eglandular and glandular hairs 0.2–0.3 mm long. Bracteoles like bracts and upper leaves, but much smaller, with short curved non-glandular hairs 0.05–0.1 mm long and a few glandular hairs, ciliate towards the base by thin 0.2–1.0 mm long hairs. Calyx

c. 11 mm long, subcylindrical in early anthesis, later becoming more rounded, pale green with dark brown to purplish veins with some short vein-branches and lateral anastomoses, densely pubescent, especially on veins, with glandular and non-glandular hairs 0.2–0.3 mm long; divided to 1/3 into ovate subobtuse teeth slightly constricted at middle, densely ciliate with 0.2–0.5 mm long hairs. Androgynophore 1–1.5 mm long, pubescent. Petal claw obovate, exserted, 4 mm broad at apex. Petal limb 2–3 mm long, ± bifid with shallowly dentate lobes, pale greyish green or suffused with purple; coronal scales 0.5–1 mm long, whitish, entire or slightly emarginate. Anthers purple. Styles 5. Capsule not or slightly exserted. Seeds 0.8 mm long, slightly flattened with fairly long dorsal papillae.

Distribution. Endemic to a small area in West Central Nepal and neighbouring South Tibet. Altitudinal range 2150–3750 m. Flowering June to August.

Habitat and ecology. Open forest, grassland.

Etymology. Latin procerus (‘tall’): ‘‘is said of plants which are taller than their parts would have led one to expect’’ ( Stearn, 1992).

Additional specimens examined. NEPAL. Gorkha: Namrung to Lho (28°33′37′′N, 84°44′47′′E), grazed grassland, 2790 m, 1 viii 2008, H. Ikeda et al. 20811114 ( E00779925 ) ; Marsyandi: Humde – Pisang – Deorali Khanda – Bardang , 4 viii 1983, H. Ohba et al. ( TI 8331177 , TI 8331179 ) .

TIBET. Gyirong : 2150 m, 16 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 4650 ( PE 00046971 , plant in bud stage) ; ibid., 2850 m, 24 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 4747 ( PE 00046955 ) ; ibid., 3700 m, 24 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 7077 ( PE 00049696 ) ; ibid., 2800 m, 13 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 5227 ( PE 00046933 ) ; ibid., 2900 m ,

20 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 7033 ( KUN 0514128 ) ; Abies forest, 3500 m, 16 vii 1975, Qing-Zang exp. 6945 ( PE 01268460 ) ; ibid., 3300 m, 3 vii 1975, Wu Zheng-Yih et al. 75-529 ( HNWP, KUN 0514321 , PE) ; ibid., 3400 m, 22 vi 1972, Tibet herbal medicine census 488 ( HNWP, PE 00048012 ) ; ibid., (28°34′46′′N, 85°15′8′′E), birch forest, 3752 m, 5 ix 2015, Zhou Zhuo et al. ZJW-3692 ( KUN 1275266 ) ; ibid., (28°24′10′′N, 85°21′53′′E), forest, 2841 m, 6 ix 2015, Zhou Zhuo et al. ZJW-3774 ( KUN 1275034 ) ; ibid., (28°23′51′′N, 85°23′28′′E), forest, 3353 m, 6 ix 2015, Zhou Zhuo et al. ZJW-3846 ( KUN 1274796 ) ; ibid., 2350 m, 30 viii 1976, Wu Zheng-Yih et al. 5246 ( KUN) .

Figures

Figure 5. Silene nyalamensis (L.H.Zhou) Lidén, comb. nov.: A, calyx; B, petal; C, seed; D, whole plant; E, upper part of pedicel; F, calyx vein pubescence; G, calyx teeth cilia. Silene blepharicalyx Lidén, sp. nov.: H, calyx; I, petal; J, seed; K, whole plant; L, upper part of pedicel; M, calyx vein pubescence; N, calyx teeth cilia. Silene procera Lidén, sp. nov.: O, calyx; P, petal; Q, seed; R, S, whole plant; T, upper part of pedicel; U, calyx vein pubescence; V, calyx teeth cilia. Scale bars: A, B, H, I, O, P, 1 cm; C, E–G, J, L–N, Q, T–V, 1 mm; D, K, R, S, 10 cm. Vouchers: A, C–G, Tibet herbal medicine census 1832 (PE); B, Banerji & P.R. Shakya 5706 (KATH); H, L–N, K.K. Shrestha & S.K. Ghimire SP363 (KATH); I, J, S. Noshiro et al. 20106081 (E); K, A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 2197 (E); O, P, R–V, H. Ikeda et al. (Manaslu 2008 expedition) 20815090 (E); Q, H. Ikeda et al. 20811114 (E). Drawings: Magnus Lidén.