Synotis carnosifolia Y. S. Chen

Jin, Zi-Chao, Song, Zhu-Qiu, Guo, Yong-Jie & Chen, You-Sheng, 2024, Synotis carnosifolia (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species from Yunnan, China, Phytotaxa 660 (2), pp. 171-180 : 172-175

Synotis carnosifolia Y. S. Chen , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4 & 5 )

Type: — China, Yunnan, Baoshan City, Longyang District, Shuizhai Xiang , growing on dry grassy slopes, elev. 2026 m, 11 December 2023, Z. C. Jin & Z. Q. Song 2023014 (holotype: IBSC; isotypes: IBSC, PE) .

Description: —Herbs perennial, 20–40 cm tall. Stems erect, unbranched, scapiform, with sparse or dense white tomentum. Leaves rosulate at the base of fertile shoots; petioles 1–3 cm long, unwinged; blades elliptical, orbicular or obovate, 4–7 × 2–6 cm, carnose, abaxially arachnoid or subglabrous, adaxially glabrous, base rounded, margin entire, shallowly crenate or serrate, apex obtuse. Upper leaves sessile, bract-like, linear. Capitula radiate, numerous, arranged in panicle or corymb; peduncles 1–3 cm long, tomentose, 1–2-bracteate; bracts below capitula linear, 1–2 cm long. Involucres cylindric-campanulate, ca. 15 mm long, ca. 5 mm broad, bracts of calyculus linear, 4–5 mm long, purple or green, with sparse tomentum; phyllaries ca. 9, lanceolate, 7–9 mm long, with sparse tomentum, apically acute. Ray florets 4–6; corolla tube 4–5 mm long; lamina yellow, oblong-lanceolate, 12–15 mm long, 3–5 mm broad, apically obtuse, 3-denticulate. Disk florets numerous, yellow; corolla ca. 7 mm long, with tube and funnelform limb ca. 3.5 mm long; lobes revolute. Anthers ca. 3 mm; anther tails 1/2–2/3 as long as antheropodia; antheropodia slightly dilated. Style branches recurved, apically obtuse, papillose. Achenes brown, striate, 3–4 mm long, ca. 0.6 mm wide, with sparse pubescence. Pappus white, ca. 7.5 mm long.

Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from December to February of the second year.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘ carnosifolia ’ refers to the carnose leaves. The Chinese name is given as “m 叶Ġfffi” (rou ye he er ju).

Distribution and habitat: — Synotis carnosifolia is currently only known from the Shuizhai Xiang, Longyang District, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, China ( Figure 6 ). It grows mainly on grassy slopes at elevations 2026 m above sea level.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): —Same origin as the type locality, 13 February 2024, Y. J. Guo 24CS26737 (IBSC, KUN).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Synotis carnosifolia in the wild (Shuizhai Xiang, Baoshan city, Yunnan, China). A. habitat; B. habit; C. leaves; D. habit; E. synflorescences (flowering stage); F. synflorescences (fruiting stage); G. capitulum in front view; H. capitulum in side view. Photographed by Zi-Chao Jin, Zhu-Qiu Song and Young-Jie Guo based on Z. C. Jin & Z. Q. Song 2023014 (IBSC) and Y. J. Guo 24CS26737 (IBSC, KUN).

FIGURE 5. Synotis carnosifolia. A. plant; B. leaves; C. leaves; D. stem; E. capitulum; F. longitudinal section of capitulum; G. ray floret; H. disc flower; I. capitulum; J. bracts of calyculus; K. achene and pappus; L. achene; M. phyllaries; N. anthers; O. anthers; P. style arms. Photographed by Zi-Chao Jin and Zhu-Qiu Song based on Z. C. Jin & Z. Q. Song 2023014 (IBSC) and Y. J. Guo 24CS26737 (IBSC).

FIGURE 6. Distribution of Synotis carnosifolia (red circle).