Sanicula potaninii Bobrov

Li, Hui-Min, Zhou, Wei, Wu, Bao-Cheng, Ma, Xu-Dong, Wen, Jun & Song, Chun-Feng, 2025, Taxonomic studies on Sanicula L. (Apiaceae) from China (V): Revision of the Sanicula serrata H. Wolff complex: morphological delimitation from S. potaninii Bobrov, synonymization of allied taxa, and lectotypifications, PhytoKeys 265, pp. 71-104 : 71-104

2. Sanicula potaninii Bobrov , Bot. Mater. Gerb. Bot. Inst. Komarova Akad. Nauk S. S. S. R. 13: 168 (1950).

Figs 2 , 4 , 9 , 13 , 16 康定变豆菜

= Sanicula serrata var. uncinata R. H. Shan & Constance , Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 25 (1): 25 (1951), syn. nov. Type: China. Sichuan, Kangding, Cheto Valley , 1923, R. Cunningham 37 ( holotype: E 00000048 !)

Type.

China. • Sichuan, Kangding , 18 May 1893, G. N. Potanin s. n. ( lectotype: LE 01029609 !, designated by Vinogradova (2010); isolectotypes: LE 01029611 !, LE 01029608 !, LE 01029610 !, LE 01029612 !, PE 00025857 !). Fig. 2

Description.

Perennial. Rhizome, short and stout, roots fascicled, fleshy, somewhat fibrous. Stems 2–4, erect, somewhat slender, branched above, 9–45 cm tall. Basal leaves 1–15, long petiolate; petioles 1.5–9 (– 15) cm long; blade glabrous adaxially and abaxially, 1–4.5 cm long, 2–8 cm wide, rounded-cordate to cordate-pentagonal, tripartite to the base or trifoliate, the median segment cuneate-obovate to rhombic-cuneate, distinctly shallowly trilobed, the lateral segments oblique, usually bilobed shallowly, to the middle or nearly to the base, the margins irregularly crenulate-serrate with attenuated teeth. Cauline leaves few, conspicuous, tripartite nearly to the base, upper stem leaves subsessile or sessile, tripartite, resembling involucrate bract, 0.9–4 cm long, 0.8–5.5 cm wide. Inflorescence usually 3 - branched; involucrate bract usually 2, trisect, 0.2–0.4 (– 2) cm long; rays of the umbels 1–5, 3–24 mm long; involucellate bracteoles 5–7, oblong lanceolate, ca. 0.8 mm long. Umbellules 3–9 - flowered, staminate flowers 2–7 per umbellule, pedicels 1.2–1.8 mm long, petals white, fertile flowers 1–3 per umbellule, sessile; calyx teeth triangular shape with a sharp tail, 0.9–1.3 mm long; styles ca. 4.5 mm long, 2–5 times longer than the calyx teeth. Mericarps oblong-ovoid to ovoid, 1.3–2 mm long, 1.5–3 mm broad, with densely purple uncinate spines.

Distribution.

Sanicula potaninii is restricted to Shaanxi and Sichuan, China (Fig. 18 ).

Habitat.

This species grows on mountain slopes under forest or along ravine streams near rocks at elevations of 2,400 –3,400 m above sea level.

Phenology.

Flowering from later April to May, fruiting from May to June.

Etymology.

The epithet potaninii is derived from the Latinized form of the surname Potanin, in honor of the Russian explorer and botanist Grigory Nikolayevich Potanin (1835–1920).

Additional specimens examined.

China. Shaanxi Province, • Baoji City, Taibaishan , 34°00'37.4"N, 107°49'24.8"E, alt. 2,484 m, 2 June 2022, H. M. Li, C. F. Song 1200 ( NAS) ; • Baoji City, Taibaishan , 16 June 1957, Z. L. Wu 30435 ( NAS) . Sichuan Province, • Chongzhou City, Jiguanshan , 30°46'9.75"N, 103°10'11.65"E, alt. 2935 m, 16 June 2016, W. B. Ju, L. Zhang, D. K. Chen AZH 01291 ( CDBI) ; • Jinchuan County, Sayinchanggou , alt. 2,800 m, 26 April 1958, X. Li 77235 ( NAS) ; • Kangding County, Laoyulin , alt. 2,950 m, 9 May 1980, Z. Y. Chen, G. Hu, Z. J. Zhao 111918 ( SZ) ; • Kangding County, Longtougou , alt. 2,900 m, 7 May 1981, Z. J. Zhao, J. B. Shi, D. G. Fan 113916 ( CDBI, SZ) ; • Kangding County, Mount Paoma, 30°2'58"N, 101°57'48"E, alt. 2,600–2,649 m, 8 June 2020, H. M. Li, W. Zhou 1065 ( NAS) ; • Kangding County, Mount Paoma , 30°03'04.7"N, 101°57'45.7"E, alt. 2,574 m, 31 May 2024, H. M. Li, C. F. Song, J. W. Zhu 1496 ( NAS) ; • Kangding County, Mount Paoma, 30°3'4"N, 101°57'47"E, alt. 2,512 m, 17 May 2021, H. M. Li, Y. S. Zhang 1163 ( NAS) ; • Kangding County, Mount Paoma, alt. 3,400 m, 23 May 1974, J. F. Wang 6032 ( CDBI, NAS) ; • Kangding County, Simaqiao , alt. 2,700 m, 12 May 1980, G. Hu, Z. J. Zhao 111999 ( SZ) ; • Kangding County, Simaqiao Forest Farm , alt. 2,750 m, 22 May 1974, Y. T. Wu, Q. S. Zhao 11052 ( CDBI, SZ, WUK) ; • Kangding County, Yunlin Township, alt. 2,770 m, 10 May 1980, Z. Y. Chen, Z. X. Xiong 112113 ( CDBI, SZ) ; • Kangding County, 17 June 1893, G. N. Potanin s. n. ( LE) ; • Kangding County, 22 June 1893, G. N. Potanin s. n. ( LE) ; • Kangding County, 9 May 1893, G. N. Potanin s. n. ( LE) ; • Kangding County, 27 May 1893, G. N. Potanin s. n. ( LE) ; • Kangding County, 1897, R. P. Mussot 160 ( P) ; • Kangding County, A. C. Young 62 ( NAS) ; • Li County, Jiabigou, alt. 2,700 m, 5 May 1956, X. S. Zhang 1564 ( SZ) ; • Li County, Jiabigou, 4 May 1956, X. S. Zhang 1533 ( SZ) ; • Li County, Longxi Township , 10 May 1952, W. P. Fang, Z. He 12328 ( SZ, NAS, PE) ; • Markang City, Pu’er ma Village , alt. 3,160 m, 24 May 1957, X. S. Li 70819 ( KUN, NAS, PE) ; • Markang City, Wangjiazhaigou , alt. 3,100 m, 27 June 1957, Southwest Forestry University Research Lab 84 ( NAS) ; • Markang City, Yingzigou , alt. 2,800 m, 26 May 1957, X. Li 71176 ( NAS) ; • 1893, J. A. Soulié s. n. ( P) ; • 10 June 1952, Z. He , Z. L. Zhou 12686 ( NAS, PE) ; • K. L. Chiu 7003 ( NAS, PE) ; • Tang 1121 ( PE) .

Note. Bobrov (1950) described S. potaninii from five samplings collected by G. N. Potanin (9, 18, and 27 May 1893; 17 and 22 June 1893), without designating a holotype. We traced 12 specimens corresponding to these samplings at LE and PE, all matching the protologue. Vinogradova (2010) subsequently designated the May 18, 1893 collection as the lectotype, explicitly labelling LE 01029609 and listing its duplicates as isolectotypes. We follow this lectotypification.

Figures

Figure 2. Syntype sheets of Sanicula potaninii. All specimens represent original material cited by Bobrov (1950); specimen B (LE 01029609) is designated by Vinogradova (2010) as the lectotype. Arrows in B, C. indicate densely uncinate spines.

Figure 4. Holotype sheet of Sanicula serrata var. uncinata.

Figure 9. Sanicula potaninii in the wild (China, Sichuan, Kangding County, Mount Paoma, the type locality of S. potaninii and S. serrata var. uncinata). A. Habitat and habit; B. Rhizome; C. Leaf (left: adaxial surface; right: abaxial surface); D. Portion of the inflorescence (top view); E. Portion of the inflorescence (side view); F. Umbellule (side view), early fruiting, arrow indicating the involucellate bracteoles; G. Umbellule (side view), middle to late fruiting, arrow indicating the calyx teeth; H. Staminate flower (side view); I. Mericarps. Photographed by Hui-Min Li.

Figure 13. Specimen of Sanicula potaninii. Sichuan, Kangding, A. C. Young 62 (NAS). Misidentified by Shan (1936) as S. serrata. Insert arrow indicates fruits with densely uncinate spines.

Figure 16. Specimen of Sanicula potaninii. Sichuan, Markang City, Pu’erma Village, X. Li 70819 (NAS). Pu (1993) misidentified as S. serrata. Insert arrow indicates fruits with densely purple uncinate spines.

Figure 18. Distribution of Sanicula serrata var. serrata (red circles) and S. potaninii (black circles).