Corispermum L., Sp. Pl.: 4 (1753)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 80-81

12. Corispermum L., Sp. Pl.: 4 (1753)

Lectotype

( Hitchcock and Green 1929): Corispermum hyssopifolium L.

Description.

Annuals, branched from the base, often forming tumble-weed habit, covered with branched hairs, usually glabrescent at the fruiting stage. Leaves sessile, filiform to ovoid, green or greyish, sometimes red from both sides. Perianth absent or of 1-3 hyaline segments. Stamens 1-3, anthers 0.2-0.3 mm long. Stylodia 2 with persistent lower part. Fruit ovoid or roundish, 1.5-6.5 mm, glabrous or covered with branched (usually caducous) hairs, adaxially plain or slightly concave, abaxially convex; marginal wing membranous, well-developed or tiny. Fruit apex roundish, triangular or emarginate. Pericarp either adherent to the seed coat or its outer layer forms wart-like or (rarely) wavy detachments; groups of dark-brown cells filled with tannins are often present in the outer pericarp layer. Seed coat of two or more thin layers.

Fruit anatomy plays the most important role in the diagnostics of the species groups. The following characters can be noted ( Sukhorukov 2007b): (1) thickness of the fruit, (2) thickness of the outer pericarp layer, (3) presence of sclereids in the medial fruit part and their quantity and orientation and (4) outline and size of the fruit wing.

The exact species number is still unknown, but it is estimated at approximately 80 ( Sukhorukov 2014).

All species encountered in our area are alpine plants growing at elevations of 2800-5000 m.