Thalictrum fortunei Moore (1878: 130)

Yuan, Qiong, Ren, Chen & Yang, Qin-Er, 2018, Thalictrum argyi (Ranunculaceae) is conspecific with T. fortunei, not T. javanicum, Phytotaxa 346 (2), pp. 197-200 : 198-199

Thalictrum fortunei Moore (1878: 130) . Figs. 1 , 2 .

Type:— CHINA. Zhejiang: Ningpo (= Ningbo), C. W. Everard s.n. (lectotype designated here K 000694061!, isolectotype K 000694060!). Remaining syntypes: CHINA. Without precise locality, R. Fortune 28 ( BM 000559555!, K 000959812!, K 000959813!, P 00147391, P 00147392!, P 00147393!, P 00852558!). Fig. 2 .

Heterotypic synonym:— Thalictrum argyi Léveillé & Vaniot in Léveillé (1906: 504), syn. nov. Type: CHINA. Kiang-Sou (= Jiangsu): Gong-Chan, C. d’Argy s.n. (holotype E 00386260!, isotype GH 00038598!). Fig. 1 .

Phenology:—Flowering March–May; fruiting April–June.

Distribution and habitat:— Thalictrum fortunei is distributed in southern and western Anhui, southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, eastern China. It grows in forests on mountains or shady, moist places on hills at altitudes of 100–1500 m above sea level.

Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Anhui: Huang Shan, T.N. Liou & P.C. Tsoong 2642 (PE); Huoshan, M. Liu et al. A50124 (PE); Jinzhai, Anonymous 287 (PE), G. Yao 9033 (NAS); Jixi, M. Liu A100062 (KUN, PE); Shexian, M. Liu A110025 (KUN,PE); Shitai, M.B. Deng 116 (NAS); Tongling, Z.H. Zhang s.n. (PE); Yuexi, X.L. Liu 484 (PE), D.Q. Wang et al. 5561 (PE). Jiangxi: Jiujiang, Anonymous 364 (PE), R.C. Ching 10129 (PE), R.C. Ching 11312 (LBG), K.C. Kuan 77082 (PE), Y. Liu 3 (PE), H. Migo s.n. (NAS), M.X. Nie 92051 (PE), M.X. Nie 94022 (PE), C.M. Tan 95215 (PE), M.J. Wang 146 (LBG, SZ), M.J. Wang 236 (PE), C.Y. Wu L143 (KUN); Wuning, C.M. Tan 97536 (KUN). Jiangsu: Jiangpu, Z.Y. Wang et al. 188 (NAS), J.S. Yue 206 (NAS); Jurong, Anonymous 206 (NAS), B. Chen 403008 (PE), M.B. Deng 2919 (NAS), K.C. Kuan 150 (PE), C.L. Tso 139 (NAS, PE), S.J. Yang et al. 259 (NAS); Liyang, Q.X. Liu et al. 95 (NAS); Nanjing, J.J. Gong 560 (NAS); Suzhou, P.P. Ling & S.S. Sun 68 (IBSC, KUN, NAS, PE, SZ), C.T. Ting & Y.C. Wang 219 (NAS); Wuxi, W.X. Wu 5041 (NAS); Yixing, Q.X. Liu et al. 210 (NAS), W.X. Wu 8557 (NAS). Zhejiang: Anji, M.B. Deng 90179 (PE), Y.M. Fang & M.B. Deng 975064 (PE); Chun’an, Zhejiang Plant Resour. Exped. 27731 (PE); Jiande, L. Hong s.n.

(HHBG); Lin’an, Anonymous 116 ( PE), Anonymous 225 ( HHBG), M. B. Deng et al. 3884 ( HHBG, PE, WUK), Y. Y.Ho 20878 ( HHBG, IBSC, NAS, PE), Y. Y. Ho 21160 ( HHBG, PE), Y. Y. Ho 21730 ( HHBG, PE), Y. Y. Ho 22755 ( HHBG, PE), Y. Y. Ho 29043 ( HHBG, PE), K. C. Kuan 75593 ( PE), H. Migo s.n. ( PE, WUK), B. L. Qiu 343 ( HHBG) ; Longquan, Anonymous 5461 ( HHBG), S. Y. Chang 4494 ( HHBG, KUN, PE, WUK), J. X. Wang 1449 ( PE) ; Ningbo, Anonymous 942 ( PE), K. K. Tsoong s.n. ( PE) ; Suichang, M. L. Sheh 25686 ( NAS), Zhejiang Plant Resour. Exped. 25686 ( PE) ; Xianju, R. C. Ching 1673 ( E, IBSC). Without precise locality, R. Fortune 28 ( BM, K, P; syntypes) .

Notes:— Li et al. 2016) referred four Thalictrum collections from eastern China to T. fargesii Franchet ex Finet & Gagnepain (1903: 608) , a species otherwise distributed only in central and southwestern China (southern Gansu, northern Guizhou, southwestern Henan, western Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan). These include M.B. Deng 116 (NAS) and G. Yao 9033 (NAS) from Anhui, H. Migo s.n. (NAS) from Jiangxi, and Y.Y. Ho 20878 (HHBG, IBSC, NAS, PE; wrongly cited as Y.Y. Ho 30878 by Li et al. (2016)) from Zhejiang. We have checked these specimens and determined that they all belong to T. fortunei . In general aspect T. fargesii is rather similar to T. fortunei , but differs by having straight styles and obvious stigmas. In fact, Wang & Wang (1979) placed them in different sections, suggesting that they considered the two species to be only distantly related to each other. It is also worth mentioning that the previous records of the occurrence of T. javanicum in western Zhejiang (Tiantai, Tianmu Shan) by Wang & Wang (1979), Fu & Zhu (2001), Lin (1992), and Zhao & Liu (2010) should be wrong, very likely resulting from misidentification of specimens of T. fortunei as T. javanicum . We have not as yet seen specimens of T. javanicum from Zhejiang.

Chen et al. (2005) described a variety under Thalictrum fortunei from Baohua Shan in Jurong, Jiangsu, i.e. var. bulbiliferum Chen et al. (2005: 281) . It differs from the typical variety, var. fortunei , only by the presence of bulbils in axils of most of the cauline leaves at fruiting stage. The authors stressed that this character was very stable within and between populations on Baohua Shan. If this variety is worthy of recognition, the flowering specimens from that mountain which we cite above, should be referred to it. The significance of this variation remains to be assessed through further field observations in other areas.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotype (A) and isotype (B) sheets of Thalictrum argyi (= T. fortunei).

FIGURE 2. Lectotype (A), isolectotype (B-in part, the lower specimen) and two syntype (B-in part, the upper two specimens) sheets of Thalictrum fortunei.