Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J.Scott, Fedd. Repert. 89(2-3): 108 (1978)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 99-100

1. Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J.Scott, Fedd. Repert. 89(2-3): 108 (1978)

≡ Chenopodium scoparium L., Sp. Pl.: 221 (1753). Lectotype (designated by Jafri and Rateeb 1978): Herb. Linn. 313.20 (LINN! image available at http://linnean-online.org/3145/).

≡ Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad., Neues J. Bot. 3(3-4): 85 (1809). Comprehensive list of synonymic names of B. scoparia is presented in Sukhorukov (2014). Here we add an additional synonym.

= Bassia fiedleri Aellen in Hegi, Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur., ed. 2, 3(2): 713 (1961) syn. nov. Aellen (in Hegi 1961) stated a new name instead of Bassia divaricata (Kar. & Kir.) Kuntze (1891) [now Grubovia dasyphylla (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Freitag & Kadereit], non Bassia divaricata F. Muell. (1882). The name Bassia fiedleri was accepted as a synonym of Grubovia dasyphylla ( Kadereit and Freitag 2011). However, the analysis of the material in G collected by O. Fiedler in Germany (as an alien plant) and treated by P. Aellen clearly shows that Bassia fiedleri is conspecific with Bassia scoparia .

Description.

Erect annual up to 150(200) cm; stem and branches green or sometimes reddish, moderately to densely covered by long, soft, simple multicellular hairs. Leaves flat, 20.0-50.0(80.0) × 1.5-7.0(10.0) mm, subpetiolate at base, narrowly oblong to lanceolate or linear, three-nerved, densely pilose. Bracts longer than flower clusters. Inflorescences spiciform, foliose, axes with fine spreading hairs. Flowers mostly in clusters of 2-5, unisexual or hermaphrodite, surrounded by basal tufts of hairs or not. Perianth fused halfway, ciliate or glabrous, with small horizontal wings or tubercles at the fruiting stage, sometimes without any projections. Fruit compressedly ovoid, ~2.0 mm long, dark brown. Seeds with horizontal embryo.

Habitat.

Disturbed areas at elevations of 2500-3500 m, stony slopes or sands; rare.

Phenology.

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

Distribution.

See Fig. 42 .

Specimens examined.

CHINA: Xizang: Nyingchi Prefecture: Nang (Lang) County, Zhongda, 3150 m a.s.l., cultivated, 3 Sep 1972, Tibet Chinese Herbal Medicine Survey Team 4520 (PE00526535);

INDIA: Jammu & Kashmir: Srinagar, 1856, Schlagintweit s.n. (BM); Ladakh, Kargil, 2800 m a.s.l., 4 Sep 1975, M.V. Viswanathan 55634 (BSD); Ladakh, 3450 m a.s.l., 30 Jul 1979, H. Hartmann 2739 (G, MSB160571) [var. trichophylla; probably escaped from cultivation]; Ladakh, Suru region, Kargil, 2670-2690 m a.s.l., 18 Sep 2004, L. Klimeš 4967 (PRA).

NEPAL: Western: Dhaulagiri Zone: [Mustang Distr.] Tukuche, Kali Gandaki river, 8500 ft a.s.l., 12 Jun 1954, J. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 1072 (BM); Mustang [Distr.], Jomosom vill., 2800 m a.s.l., 26 Sep 2009, A. Sukhorukov s.n. (E, MW).

General distribution.

Most likely, originated in Central Asia (Kazakhstan to West China and Mongolia), alien elsewhere in the temperate parts of Eurasia, Australia and Americas.

Figures

Figure 42. Distribution map of Bassia scoparia (stars) and B. odontoptera (circles).