Centaurea hyalolepis Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Orient.

Negaresh, Kazem, 2020, Lectotypification of Boissier’s names Centaurea hyalolepis and C. laxa (Asteraceae, Cardueae), Candollea 75 (1), pp. 145-147 : 146-147

Centaurea hyalolepis Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Orient. 6: 133. 1846.

 Centaurea pallescens var. hyalolepis (Boiss.) Boiss., F 1. Orient. 3: 691. 1875.

 Centaurea pallescens f. hyalolepis (Boiss.) Gugler in Ann. Hist.- Nat. Mus. Hung. 6: 209. 1908.

 Calcitrapa hyalolepis (Boiss.) Holub in Preslia 46: 227. 1974.

Type: “Hab. In Syriâ Aucher No. 3136, inter Bagdad et Alep Olivier, inter Alep et Mossoul Kotschy herb. Mus. Vindob.”.

Lectotypus (designated here): IRAQ: “Inter Amaner et Tschalaga”, 1843, Kotschy 360 (G-BOIS [ G00758957 ] image seen; isolecto-: K [ K000794203 , K000794204 ] image seen) . Syntypi: IRAQ: “de Bagdad à Alep”, s.d., Olivier s.n. (G-DC [ G00472929 ] image seen, P [ P00703822 , P00703823 , P00703824 ] image seen) . SYRIA: sine loco, 1837, Aucher-Eloy 3136 (G-DC [ G00473282 ]!, K [ K000794205 ] image seen, P [ P00703825 , P00703826 ] image seen) .

Distribution. – Centaurea hyalolepis is widely distributed in Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, S Iran, Iraq, W Syria and E Turkey ( WAGENITZ, 2006). It is an Irano–Turanian element and grows in sandy clay plain, riverine thicket, waste, fallow and cultivated land, especially along irrigation channels, at elevations of 50– 450 m.

Notes. – Three syntypes collections were cited by BOISSIER (1846) in the protologue: Aucher-Eloy 3136, Kotschy 360, and Olivier s.n. The specimen Kotschy 360 deposited in G-BOIS is designated here as the lectotype because it is the only original material in G-BOIS and the specimen shows all the relevant characters in regard to the protologue.

On the label of the lectotype is printed: “ HRB. MUSEI PALAT. VINDOB.” and handwritten the locality as above. Another label has handwritten: “ Centaurea pallescens v. hyalolepis / Centaurea hyalolepis! Boiss. ”. On the label of the isolectotype K000794203 is printed: “ Pl. Mesopot., Kurdistan. & Mossul. Kotschy. 1841.” and handwritten: “360 Centaurea hyalolepis Boiss. ”, but the specimen K000794204 has only a printed label with: “ Pl. Mesopot., Kurdistan. & Mossul. Kotschy. 1841” indicated .

Centaurea laxa Boiss. & Hausskn. in Boiss., F1. Orient. 3: 640. 1875.

Type: “Hab. in agris et desertis Mesopotamiae inter Orfa et Kharran et ad fluv. Chabur (Haussk!), in monte Gebel Belas deserti ad Palmyram (Bl!)”.

Lectotypus (designated here): TURKEY: “in agris inter Orfa & Hkarran”, 10.V.1865, Haussknecht s.n. (G-BOIS [ G00334039 ]!; isolecto-: E [ E00383946 ]!, JE [ JE00015651 , JE00015652 ]!, W [ W0044960 ]!) . Syntypi: IRAQ: “In deserto fl. Chabur”, V.1867, Haussknecht 589 ( BM [ BM000906196 ]!, G-BOIS [ G00759563 ]!, JE [ JE00015649 ]!, K [ K000794083 ]!, P [ P00646492 , P04092726 ]!) . SYRIA: “De Hama à Palmyre. Dauch Djebel Belas”, 19.V.1857, Blanche 3409 (G-BOIS [ G00759565 ]!, JE [ JE00015650 ]!, P [ P00646493 ]!) .

Distribution. – Centaurea laxa has a restricted distribution in SE Turkey, N Syria and as occasional in the western lower steppe region of Iraq ( WAGENITZ, 1975, 2006). It is an IranoTuranian element and grows on calcareous-gypsiferous soil, at elevations of 200– 700 m.

Notes. – BOISSIER (1875) mentioned three syntypes in the protologue: Haussknecht s.n., Haussknecht 589 and Blanche 3409. Original material of all three syntype have been located in G-BOIS. Haussknecht s.n. is designated here as the lectotype because it is the best preserved collection.

The labels on the isolectotypes collections in E, JE, and W slightly differ from the lectotype, with the JE sheets noting “nº 458”; the E and W sheets stating “alt. 1000 ped.” .

The four duplicates of the syntypus Haussknecht 589 deposited in BM, K and P have similar label as the G-BOIS collection, but lacking collection number.