Phytotaxa 340 (3): 271–276 http://www.mapress.com/j/pt/ Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press ISSN 1179-3155 (print edition) Article PHYTOTAXA ISSN 1179-3163 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.340.3.7 Saussurea ramchaudharyi (Asteraceae), a new species from Nepal HUM KALA RANA1, 2*, HANG SUN1, ASHA PAUDEL2 & SURESH KUMAR GHIMIRE2* 1 Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China 2 Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal *Author for correspondence: email: humkalarana@gmail.com, sk.ghimire@cdbtu.edu.np Abstract Saussurea ramchaudharyi Ghimire & Rana, a new species from the alpine slopes of northwestern region of Nepal is described and illustrated. It is closely related to S. topkegolensis and S. gossypiphora, both of which are the members of S. subgen. Eriocoryne, but differs by having much shorter (2.5–3 cm vs. ≥4 cm) stem, greenish purple upper leaves extending half of length of capitula, broadly campanulate involucres, 4-seriate phyllaries, apically glabrous inner phyllaries, much smaller achene (≤2 mm vs. >2 mm) and inner bristles of pappus shorter than corolla. The species is categorized as Critically Endangered based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. Keywords: Alpine region, Compositae, endemic species, Himalayan flora, macro-morphology, threatened taxa Introduction Saussurea Candolle (1810: 156) is one of the largest genera in the tribe Cardueae Cassini (1819: 155) of the family Asteraceae (Shi & Raab-Straube 2011). It is represented by about 456 species (Chen & Yuan 2015), which are mainly confined to high mountains of Central and Eastern Asia, but few of them also extend into Europe and North America (Lipschitz 1979, Shi & Raab-Straube 2011). The genus shows the greatest diversity in the mountains of Siberia, Central Asia, Himalaya, and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China (Shi & Raab-Straube 2011, Chen & Yuan 2015). The genus is represented by 317 species in China (Chen & Yuan 2015), 61 in India (Hajra 1995; Butola & Samant 2010) and 41 in Bhutan (Grierson & Springate 2001). The latest revision for the Pan-Himalayas (Chen 2015) accepted 235 species of the genus, 149 of which (63.4%) are endemic to this extensive area. In Nepal, the genus is represented by 43 species, of which 7 are endemic (Press et al. 2000; Rajbhandari et al. 2016). During our expedition to the alpine region of Humla, northwestern part of Nepal, we found a distinct population of Saussurea. Detailed morphological study, literature survey and comparisons with allied species led us to the conclusion that this population belongs to a hitherto undescribed species of S. subgen. Eriocoryne (Candolle 1838: 541) Hooker (1881: 376). In this paper, we formally described and named the new species as S. ramchaudharyi Ghimire and Rana with macro-morphological characters, illustrations, color photographs, distribution map and an account of the habitat and conservation status. Material and Methods Plant specimens were collected in September 2012 during a botanical exploration in upper Chungsa Valley, Humla district, north-western region of Nepal. The species was found on a mountain summit in alpine zone (4650 m a.s.l.) on rocky and scree habitats with exposed slope. The type location and adjacent mountain summits were extensively surveyed. The study was based on the observation and measurement of the macro-morphological characteristics of the dried specimens with the help of calipers, ruler and dissecting microscope. In addition, leaf surface characteristic was also studied with the help of a handheld microscope. Habitat characteristics were recorded in the field. Morphological characteristics of the allied species (S. topkegolensis and S. gossypiphora) were compared based on literature (Hooker 1881, Lipschitz 1979, Hajra 1995, Grierson & Springate 2001, Ohba et al. 2008, Fujikawa 2010, Shi & Raab-Straube 2011, Chen 2015), and consultation of specimens and/or digitized (Appendix 1) specimen images at different herbaria (BM, E, K, KATH, TI and TUCH). Accepted by Alexander Sennikov: 11 Feb. 2018; published: 27 Feb. 2018 271 Results Saussurea ramchaudharyi S.K. Ghimire & H.K. Rana, sp. nov. (Figs. 1–3) Type:—NEPAL. Humla, upper Chungsa valley, above Seliman Lake, rocky and scree slope, 30°08.623’N, 81°42.94’E, 4650 m a.s.l., 10 September 2012, S.K. Ghimire, A. Poudel, C. Thapa, L.R. Joshi, S. Lo, & P. Subedi CHH-1247 (holotype: TUCH; isotype: KATH). FIguRe 1. Distribution of Saussurea ramchaudharyi. (A, B) Distribution map showing type locality in Nepal (A) and Humla district (B). (C, D) Type locality habitat at Upper Chungsa valley, Humla district (C–D by S.K. Ghimire). Diagnosis:—Monocarpic herb, 4–6 cm tall; caudex unbranched; stem axis short 2.5–3 cm; leaves almost prostrate on ground, upper leaves greenish purple, extending half of length of capitula; synflorescence 3.5–4.5 cm in diameter, exposed and surrounded by uppermost stem leaves; involucre broadly campanulate; phyllaries 4-seriate, inner phyllaries apically glabrous; achene much smaller ≤2 mm with glabrous apex and inner bristles of pappus shorter than corolla. Description:—Perennial monocarpic herb, 4–6 cm tall. Caudex unbranched, covered with leaf remains. Stem erect, simple, club-shaped, hollow, shorter 2.5–3 cm long with 1.5–2.2 cm broad apex. Leaves in rosette, almost prostrate on the ground, linear to narrowly oblanceolate; green or purplish green; midvein distinct, apex acute; margin sparsely denticulate to pinnatilobed in upper half; lobes 6–10 pairs, somewhat curving upward from half of length. Basal or lower leaves petiolate, narrowly oblanceolate, 8.5–10.2 × 0.5–0.9 cm, thinly pilose or glabrous; lobes 1.5–3 mm; petiole reddish purple. Upper leaves sessile, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 5–9.5 × 0.3–0.8 cm; lower part pilose (covered with woolly hairs); lobes 1–2 mm. Synflorescence 3.5–4.5 cm across, aggregated in the center of leaf rosette, terminal on stem, exposed and surrounded by densely pilose subtending uppermost stem leaves. Capitula more than 15, sessile, crowded at the apex. Involucre campanulate, 1.2–1.5 cm in diameter. Involucral phyllaries 4–seriate, imbricate, 0.8–1.8 × 0.15–0.25 cm, membranous; outer linear to lanceolate, densely pilose; inner linear or narrowly lanceolate, glabrous, apex acute. Receptacle convex, setaceous; bristles 1.5–2 mm. Corolla fused at most of its length, glabrous, dark purple, 9–11 mm; tube 4–5 mm; limb 5–7 mm including ca. 1–1.5 mm long lobes. Stamen 1–1.2 cm, head ± tapered, tail glabrous. Carpel-1, style slender, 1-1.2 cm long, stigma bilobed. Achene ≤2 mm, with curved base, glabrous apically. Pappus 2-seriate, whitish or straw-colored; outer series caducous, with scabrid bristles, 3–4 mm long; inner series persistent, plumose, 7–8 mm long, bristles shorter than corolla. 272 • Phytotaxa 340 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press RANA ET AL. FIguRe 2. Saussurea ramchaudharyi. (A, B) Reproductive plant. (C) Vegetative plant (A–C by S.K. Ghimire). (D) Synflorescence exposed at anthesis (by H.K. Rana). FIguRe 3. Saussurea ramchaudharyi (based on the holotype). (A) Habit. (B) Leaf (B1: upper leaf, and B2: lower leaf). (C) Floret with pappus. (D) Phyllaries (outer to inner from right→left). (e) Stamens. (F) Achene with pappus (drawn by H.K. Rana). SAUSSUREA RAmCHAUDHARYI Phytotaxa 340 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press • 273 Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October. Distribution and habitat:—Saussurea ramchaudharyi is currently known only from the type locality in upper Chungsa Valley, Humla district, Nepal at elevation 4640 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D). It grows on alpine rocky and scree habitat with exposed slope (Fig. 1C, 1D; Fig. 2A, 2B). Etymology:—The specific epithet is given in honor of Dr. Ram Prasad Chaudhary, a renowned Nepali plant taxonomist and professor of botany, who has made great contributions to the conservation of biodiversity in the Nepal Himalaya. Conservation status:—Saussurea ramchaudharyi is a very locally endemic species, restricted to a single mountain (Fig. 1B, 1D). We recorded less than 30 mature individuals of S. ramchaudharyi in the type locality within an area of ca. 500 m2. The main threat to the habitat and the species is related to high anthropogenic pressure, such as livestock grazing, and harvesting of caterpillar fungus and other medicinal and aromatic plants. Owing to its highly restricted distribution in a fragile and isolated alpine habitat, its small population size as well as the observed and projected decline in habitat quality due to anthropogenic pressure, S. ramchaudharyi is categorized as Critically Endangered [CR; B1ab (iii), B2ab (iii) and D] based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria version 3.1 (IUCN 2012). Discussion Saussurea ramchaudharyi belongs to Saussurea subgen. Eriocoryne because it shares the following characteristics: perennial monocarpic herb, shortly cauliferous, stemless, or sub stemless; stem hollow, club-shaped; leaves densely lanate, denticulate or pinnately lobed; capitula numerous aggregated in a densely congested hemispheric synflorescence enclosed or subtended by uppermost densely pilose stem leaves; corolla usually glabrous; achene smooth or wrinkled, usually glabrous; pappus dirty white or straw-colored, usually in 2 rows (Hooker 1881; Grierson & Springate 2001; Shi & Raab-Straube 2011; Chen 2015). TABle 1. Comparison of distinguishing characters of three species of Saussurea. Characters Stem Upper leaves Involucre Phyllaries Outer phyllaries Inner phyllaries Achene Inner bristles of pappus Saussurea ramchaudharyi Shortened 2.5–3 cm, 1.5–2.2 cm in diameter greenish purple, covered with densely white woolly hairs, extending half of length of capitula Campanulate with 1.2–1.5 cm diameter 4-seriate linear to lanceolate Linear to narrowly lanceolate, apex glabrous ≤2 mm long, glabrous apically Shorter than corolla Saussurea gossypiphora Elongated >4 cm, [1–]1.5–5 cm in diameter Green, covered with densely white or pale yellowish woolly hairs, extending 2–6 cm above capitula Cylindric to campanulate with 0.5– 1.0 cm in diameter 3–6-seriate Ovate to triangular Ovate-oblong, apex pilose 2–5 mm long, sparsely papillose or glabrous apically Equaling to or longer than corolla Saussurea topkegolensis Elongated, 4–20 cm, 0.8–1 cm in diameter Purplish black, covered with white woolly hairs, extending above or equaling to capitula Campanulate with 0.8–1.0 cm in diameter 3 or 4 seriate Narrowly ovate Narrowly ovate to linear, apex densely pilose >2 mm long, sparsely papillose apically Equaling to or longer than corolla Morphologically, Saussurea ramchaudharyi is close to two other members of the same genus and subgenus, S. gossypiphora Don (1821: 414) and S. topkegolensis Ohba & Akiyama (1992: 68). Saussurea ramchaudharyi resembles both S. gossypiphora and S. topkegolensis with respect to its short stature, unbranched caudex, linear to narrowly oblanceolate leaves, pilose leaf surfaces, sessile or nearly sessile capitula, setaceous receptacle, outer pappus caducous, scabrid and inner pappus persistent. Saussurea ramchaudharyi, however, differs from them with respect to its shorter stem axis, greenish purple upper leaves covered with densely white woolly hairs, extending half of the length of capitula, comparatively broader involucre, only 4-seriate phyllaries, narrowly lanceolate and glabrous inner phyllaries, and with its pappus which has inner bristles shorter than the corolla (Table 1). In S. gossypiphora and S. topkegolensis, stem axis are longer, inner phyllaries are narrowly ovate or ovate–oblong to linear and have sparsely or densely pilose apex, achenes are >2 mm in length and inner bristles of pappus are either equaling to or longer than the corolla (Grierson & Springate 2001; Ohba et al. 2008; Shi & Raab-Straube 2011). Saussurea ramchaudharyi further differs from S. topkegolensis but exhibits similarity with S. gossypiphora in terms of completely sessile capitula and 274 • Phytotaxa 340 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press RANA ET AL. broad stem apex. Both S. ramchaudharyi and S. topkegolensis exhibit campanulate involucre, but the involucre in S. gossypiphora is campanulate or cylindric (Table 1). Similarly, the colour of woolly hair on leaves is yellowish or whitish in S. gossypiphora, whereas S. ramchaudharyi and S. topkegolensis bear white cottony woolly hairs. For the new species, the synflorescence is totally exposed, but in S. topkegolensis partly hidden in woolly indumentum (leaving only holes in the wool to allow visit of insects) whereas in S. gossypiphora it is completely hidden in woolly indumentum (very less exposed). All the above discussed characters are indicating the aforementioned species to be a new species of Saussurea. Acknowledgements We are thankful to District Forest Office, Humla, Nepal and Department of Forest, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu for research permission. The field expedition was financially supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Nepal and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal. Laxmi Joshi, Smriti Lo, Chhabi Thapa, Prem Subedi and Shyamjor Lama are acknowledged for their help during field expedition. Alexander Robert O’Neill edited English language and grammar whereas, Santosh Kumar Rana produced map and guided throughout manuscript preparation. Finally, thanks go to anonymous reviewers and the editor for their constructive and valuable comments on the earlier version of the manuscript. References Butola, J.S. & Samant, S.S. (2010) Saussurea species in Indian Himalayan region: diversity, distribution and indigenous uses. International Journal of Plant Biology 1: e9. https://doi.org/10.4081/pb.2010.e9 Candolle, A.P. de (1810) Observations sur les plantes composées ou syngenéses. Premier Mémoire. Annales du muséum d’Histoire Naturelle 16: 135–158. Candolle, A.P. de (1838) Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, vol. 6. Treuttel & Würtz, Paris, 687 pp. Cassini, H. (1819) Sixième mémoire sur la famille des synanthérées, contenant les caractères des tribus. Journal de Physique, de Chimie, d’Histoire Naturelle et des Arts 88: 150–163. Chen, Y.S. 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Bulletin of Department of Plant Resources 38: 106–144. Available from: http://dpr.gov.np/download/publications/Plant%20Resource%202016.pdf (accessed 1 February 2018) Shi, Z. & Raab-Straube, E. von (2011) Saussurea Candolle. In: Wu, Z.Y. & Raven, P.H. (Eds.) Flora of China, vol. 20–21. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, pp. 56–149. SAUSSUREA RAmCHAUDHARYI Phytotaxa 340 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press • 275 Appendix 1. List of herbarium specimens of allied species under consultation. Saussurea topkegolensis C Nepal: Rasuwa, Jaisuli Kund-Paldol Base Camp, 4250 m–4300 m, 2nd Aug 1994, F. Miyamoto, K.R. Rajbhandari, S. Akiyama, M. Amano, H. Ikeda and H. Tsukaya, 9420119 (KATH); Rasuwa, Around Gosain Kund, 4350 m, 26th July 1995, T. Hoshino, K. Dan, H. Koba, Y. Omori, C.P. Rauniyar, M. Sato, P. Shrestha and S. Takatsuki, 9539153 (KATH). e Nepal: Sankhuwasabha, Jaljale Himal, Topkegola-Bomrang, 3570 m–4200 m, 9th Aug 1991, H. Ohba, S. Akiyama, H. Ikeda, T. Kikuchi, S. Noshiro, Y. Omori, M.N. Subedi and M. Wakabayashi, 9153380 (TI, Holotype). Saussurea gossypiphora W Nepal: Darchula, Mechchra-Kaligad, 4250 m, 23rd July 1984, P.R. Shakya, M. K. Adhikari and M.N. Subedi, 8089 (KATH); Bajhang, Nilkatti Pass, 4740 m, 26th July 1984, P.R. Shakya, M. K. Adhikari and M.N. Subedi, 8221 (KATH). C Nepal: Manang, Torung La, 5200 m, 4th August 1979, P.R. Shakya, M.K. Adhikari and K.R. Amatya, 5288 (KATH); Rasuwa, Thula Bhera Kharka-Jaisuli Kund, 4200 m, 30th July 1994, F. Miyamoto, K.R. Rajbhandari, S. Akiyama, M. Amano, H. Ikeda and H. Tsukaya, 9420081 (KATH); Rasuwa, Above Gosaikund, 4800 m, 30th 2013, S.K. Ghimire, L.R. Joshi, H.K. Rana, T.K. Thapa, H. Thapa, and N. Rana, RSG1445 (TUCH); Dolakha, Cho Ralba, 4450 m, 24th July 1977, K.R. Rajbhandari and B. Roy, 1882 (KATH); Dolakha, Yalung Kharka-Yalung La-Pam Lhang, 4300 m–5300 m, 8th Sep 1983, K. Fujikawa, 8331943 (TI). e Nepal: Sankhuwasabha, Panch Pokhari-Jata Pokhari, 14200 ft, 28th July 1978, P.R. Shakya, P. Pradhan, H.K. Saiju and N. Shrestha, 4977 (KATH); Taplejung, Topke to Chhangu Goth, 15500 ft, 30th July 1971, T.B. Shrestha and D.P. Joshi, 375 (KATH); Taplejung, Jaljale Pokhari-Tin Pokhari, 4380 m, 30th July 2000, Y. Omori et al., 20010090 (TI). unspecified region: Nepal, 1821, N. Wallich, 2910A/20 (K); Nepal, 14000 ft, 1821, N. Wallich, 2910A/20 (K); Nepal, 1821, R. Blinkwoth, 2910B (K). 276 • Phytotaxa 340 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press RANA ET AL.