Halogeton glomeratus (M.Bieb.) C.A.Mey. in Ledeb., Fl. Altaic. 1: 378 (1829)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 118-120

1. Halogeton glomeratus (M.Bieb.) C.A.Mey. in Ledeb., Fl. Altaic. 1: 378 (1829) Fig. 50

≡ Anabasis glomerata M.Bieb., Mém. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 1: 110 (1808). Lectotype (designated here by Sukhorukov): Ex Sibiria [From Siberia], Salesow [Zalesov] (LE!).

= H. tibeticus Bunge, Anabas. Rev.: 94 (1862). Lectotype (Sukhorukov, designated here): [probably N INDIA or NW Xizang] In regione temperata regni Tibetani occidentalis, alt. 12[000] –14000’ [ft a.s.l.], T.T. Thomson s.n. (K! isolectotypes G00177348! G00177349!).

= H. kashmirianus Grey-Wilson & Wadhwa, Kew Bull. 42(2): 473 (1987). Holotype: INDIA, Jammu & Kashmir, Leh, towards Indus river, 3505 m a.s.l., Aug 1976, Wadhwa 59345 (K, not found; isotype - BSD000000040!).

Taxonomic notes.

The differences between H. glomeratus , H. tibeticus and H. kashmirianus are not clearly expressed. The plants growing in the mountainous areas of Pamir northwards through Karakoram to Ladakh are finely papillate-pubescent ( H. tibeticus s. str.) compared with the populations from the Central Asian plains. A distinct trait indicated in the protologue of H. tibeticus ( Bunge 1862), the arachoideous stems in young plants, is characteristic for H. glomeratus and the stems are glabrescent at maturity. The triangular, erose-dentate perianth wings of H. tibeticus compared with H. glomeratus ( Iljin 1936) rather refer to the wing variability of H. glomeratus (as in many Salsola s. str.) and such a wing shape is indeed rare in the examined specimens. The same characters are reported as differences between H. kashmirianus and H. glomeratus , but the name and characters of H. tibeticus are not mentioned and discussed in the description of H. kashmirianus ( Grey-Wilson and Wadhwa 1987). Interestingly, the specimens kept at Kew, especially those collected at different stages and mounted on to one herbarium sheet, were identified differently. The younger, pubescent plants were identified by Grey-Wilson and Wadhwa as H. kashmirianus , but the glabrescent plants collected at the fruiting stage are labelled as H. glomeratus . The isotype of H. kashmirianus (BSD!) represents a part of the plant without papillae on the stem and both the papillate and non-papillate plants are present in Himalaya and Tibet. Due to the absence of the clear characters that allow H. glomeratus , H. kashmirianus and H. tibeticus to be separated, we prefer to treat H. glomeratus in a broader sense.

The specimens of H. glomeratus from the deserts of adjacent Xinjiang (China) are not morphologically uniform and have much smaller perianth segments and wings (0.7-1.5 mm in diameter [H. kunlunense Sukhor. (nomen)]) than those (1.3-1.6 mm long) of H. glomeratus .

Description.

See genus description.

Habitat.

Rocky or sandy, often disturbed places at altitudes of 3200-4500 m. Common in Ladakh.

Phenology.

Flowering: July-September; fruiting: August-October.

Distribution.

See Fig. 51 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Ngari Prefecture: Rutog (Ritu) County, Lake Bangong (Pangong Tso), 4250 m a.s.l., 3 Sep 1976, Qinghai-Tibet Team 76-9140, 76-8741 & 76-9142 (PE00540886, PE00540889, PE00540893, KUN0587507, KUN0587509, KUN0587511); Zanda (Zhada) County, Zanda valley, 3600 m a.s.l., 31°29'58"N, 79°45'56"E, 6 Sep 2012, FLPH Tibet Expedition 12-0260 (PE01967943), 12-0262 (PE01967946), 12-0263 (PE01967925);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir (selected specimens): Nubra valley, 1 Aug 1848, T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); Shayuk valley, 15 Sep 1848, T.T. Thomson s.n. (K); Ladakh, Leh to Nurla, 1856, Schlagintweit 1603 (LE, P04558968); Ladakh, 11000 ft a.s.l., Aug 1934, Kohli s.n. (K); Ladakh, 10000-16000 ft a.s.l., Sep 1942, R.R. Stewart s.n. (K); Ladakh, 11500 ft a.s.l., 24 Aug 1928, F. Ludlow 500 (BM, E); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sona, 12 Sep 1970, U.C. Bhattacharyya 41130 (BSD); Leh, Phyang, 3500 m a.s.l., 13 Aug 1975, M.V. Viswanathan 54606 (BSD); Ladakh, Mulbek, 20 Jul 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 58823 (BSD); Ladakh, Khaltse, 22 Jul 1976, B.M. Wadhwa 58916 (BSD); Ladakh, nr Leh, 3380 m a.s.l., 17 Jul 1992, H. Hartmann 4011 (MSB137933); Ladakh, Nubra valley, Panamik, 3230 m a.s.l., 5 Aug 1995, H. Hartmann 5034 (G, MSB137935); Ladakh, 15 km W of Pangong Tso [lake], 4200 m a.s.l., 14 Aug 1997, H. Hartmann 6079 (MSB137931, MSB137932); Ladakh, Indus valley, Stot (E) [Stod river valley], 4180 m a.s.l., 16 Aug 1999, L. Klimeš 541 (PRA); Ladakh, Rupshu, Tso Moriri, 4690-4740 m a.s.l., 20 Aug 1999, L. Klimeš 591 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Zhung (Leh), Gya to Lato, 4060-4070 m a.s.l., 5 Sep 2001, L. Klimeš 1556 (PRA); Ladakh, Shyok Region, Wari La, 3980-4000 m a.s.l., 15 Sep 2001, L. Klimeš 1855 (PRA); Ladakh, Leh, 3480 m a.s.l., 2 Aug 2002, L. Klimeš 2004 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Domkhar Da, 29 Aug 2002, L. Klimeš 2440 (PRA); Ladakh, Lukung, 4300 m a.s.l., 9 Sep 2002, L. Klimeš 2677 (PRA); Ladakh, Pangong Region, 4300 m a.s.l., 10 Sep 2002, L. Klimeš 2699 (PRA); Ladakh, Indus valley, Sham, 3420-3500 m a.s.l., 24 Sep 2005, L. Klimeš 6518 (PRA).

General distribution.

Central Asia, Siberia, North Himalaya and Tibet; as alien in North America.

Figures

Figure 50. Halogeton glomeratus at blooming stage. Photograph by Dr. Oyuntsetseg Batlai (between Khavtag mountain and Baitag mountain range, Altai sum, Khovd province, Mongolia, 10 August 2017).

Figure 51. Distribution map of Halogeton glomeratus.