Synotis guizhouensis Jeffrey & Chen (1984: 313)

Fan, Yu, Wang, Long-Yuan, Zhang, Rui & Tang, Ming, 2022, Notes on the specific identity of Synotis damiaoshanica (Compositae, Senecioneae), with clarification of the confusing identities of S. guizhouensis and S. sinica, Phytotaxa 543 (2), pp. 150-160 : 158-159

Synotis guizhouensis Jeffrey & Chen (1984: 313) .

Senecio sinicus auct. non (Diels) Chang (1936: 155); Senecio sinicus auct. non (Diels) Hu (1968: 144); Chen & Liu (1989: 266); Chen (1999: 188); Chen et al. (2011: 497) ( Figs. 1 , 3−7 ).

Type: — CHINA. Guizhou, Guiding (Pin-fa to Kouy-tin), Cavalerie s. n. (holotype: P02538369 !) ( Fig. 3 ).

= Synotis damiaoshanica Jeffrey & Chen (1984: 298) ; Chen (1999: 178); Chen et al. (2011: 494), syn. nov.

Type: — CHINA. Guangxi: Rongshui, Xiaosang Village, Yuanbao Moutain, roadside and forest margin, 1200−1500 m a.s.l., 9 October 1958, S. Q. Chen 16788 (holotype: PE01842010!; isotypes: IBK00026370!, IBSC288324!, SZ00334999!, WUK211716!). ( Fig. 1 ).

Subshrubby herb. Stems solitary, erect, 35–180 cm tall. Stems slender, simple, glabrescent, branching, usually densely leafy or sometimes leafless except in the upper part. Leaves shortly petiolate, oblanceolate-elliptic or oblanceolate, 7– 15 × 1.5–3 cm, papery, white-arachnoid on the midrib above, sparsely shortly setulose and sometimes purplish beneath, pinnately veined, lateral veins 10–18, margin shallowly to coarsely sinuate-dentate with mucronulate teeth, attenuate at the base; petiole 0.5–1 cm, fulvous-pubescent, exauriculate; leaves of synflorescence-branches smaller, subsessile or sessile, leaves uppermost linear, bract-like. Capitula radiate, few to numerous in narrow terminal thyrses or corymbs; peduncles 6–10 mm, densely arachnoid-tomentose, 3–5-bracteolate, bracts linear-subulate, minute, 3−5 mm long. Involucres cylindrical, 6–10 × 2–3 mm, calyculate; bracts of calyculus 4–10, subulate, 2–3 mm long; phyllaries 8–12 (13), linear-oblong, 1–1.5 mm wide, puberulent, margin broadly scarious, apically obtuse or subacute. Ray florets 3–5; corolla yellowish, 8–10 mm, tube ca. 6–7 mm, lamina 3–5 × 1−1.5 mm, usually revolute, shorter than the style. Disk florets 13–24; corolla yellowish, ca. 10 mm, tube 2–3 mm, limb funnelform, ca. 7–8 mm; lobes oblong-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, apically acute. Anthers 2.5–3.5 mm; anther tails 1.2–2 times the length of the anther-collar; anther-collars rather elongated, gradually dilated towards the base. Style-arms 1.5–2 mm long, fringed with papillae, apical tuft not evidently longer than the laterals. Achenes ca. 3–4 mm long, glabrous. Pappus white, 7–11 mm long.

Distribution and habit: — Synotis guizhouensis is currently known common in Guizhou, northern and western Guangxi, and eastern Yunnan, China ( Fig. 9 ). It grows at the forest margin or under mixed forests with little understory at 1600–2200 m elevations.

Phenology: —Flowering July to September, fruiting October to November.

Additional specimens examined: — CHINA: Guangxi, Fengshan, Fengshan Expedition 4-7-46 (GXMI); Lingyun, C. C. Chang 11181, 11187 (IBSC), Z. D. Nan 5330 (IBSC); Rongshui, M. Tang & L. Y. Wang 124 (IBSC), R. Zhang & Y. Fan zrz5 (JXAU); Tianlin, M. Tang & L. Y. Wang 137 (IBSC). Guizhou, Guiding, C. Ren & L. Y. Wang 366 (IBSC), L. Y. Wang & C. Ren 2 (IBSC); Leishan, L. Y. Wang & C. Ren 31 (IBSC); Nayong, Bijie Expedition 515 (PE), L. Y. Wang & C. Ren 46 (IBSC); Panxian, Anshun Expedition 1104, 1126 (PE); Qingzhen, Chuanqian Expedition 1748 (PE); Zhenfeng, D. J. Liu 739 (HGAS). Yunnan, Wenshan, H. T. Tsai 58-8050 (KUN), Y. M. Shui 003373 (PE); Yiliang, M. Tang & J. P. Luo 96 (IBSC), Northeastern Yunnan Expedition 623 (KUN).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Type specimens of Synotis damiaoshanica. A. Yuanbao Mountain, Xiaosang village, Rongshui County, Guangxi, China, S. Q. Chen 16788 (holotype, PE). B. Duplicate (isotype, IBK). C. Duplicate (isotype, IBSC). D. Duplicate (isotype, SZ).

FIGURE 3. Holotype sheet of Synotis guizhouensis (Pin-fa (=Pingfa County, Guiding City), Kouy-tcheou (=Guizhou Province), China, M. Cavalerie s.n., P).

FIGURE 4. Synotis damiaoshanica [Rongshui, Guangxi, China]. A. Habitat. B and C. Habits. D. Adaxial surface of leaf blades. E. Abaxial surface of leaf blades. F. Inflorescence. G. Capitulum (side view). H. Capitulum (top view). I. Bracts of calyculus (left one) and phyllaries (right two). J. Ray floret (left) & disk floret (right). Notes: the leaves of d4 and e4 were taken during our field work under sunshine while the others were taken in the room under fluorescent lamp thus sheen of d4 and e 4 seems different; yellow arrows in G & H showing the inconspicuous revolute ray florets.

FIGURE 5. Synotis damiaoshanica [M. Tang & L. Y. Wang 124 (IBSC), collected from the type locality of S. damiaoshannica in Rongshui, Guangxi, China].

FIGURE 6. Synotis guizhouensis [Guiding (location of the holotype S. guizhouensis), Guizhou, China]. A. Habitat. B and C. Habit. D. Adaxial (left) and abaxial surface (right) of leaf blades. E. Inflorescence. F. Capitula (side view, noting that left with 8 phyllaries while right with 12 phyllaries). G. Capitulum (top view). Notes: Red arrow in B showing the young plant with its leaves subrosulate on the uppermost stem; yellow arrows in E, F and G showing the inconspicuous revolute ray florets.

FIGURE 7. Different populations of Synotis guizhouensis. A. Panxian, Guizhou, China, Anshun Expedition 1126 (PE). B. Lingyun, Guangxi, China, C. C. Chang 11187 (IBSC), misidentified as S. sinica by Y. L. Chen. C. Zhenfen, Guizhou, China, D. J. Liu 739 (IBSC), misidentified as S. sinica by Y. L. Chen. D. Wenshan, Yunnan, China, H. T. Tsai 58-8050 (KUN), misidentified as S. hieraciifolia by Y. L. Chen.

FIGURE 9. Distribution map of Synotis guizhouensis (☆), S. damiaoshanica (★), S. austroyunnanensis (▲) and S. sinica (●).