Taraxacum renosense Soest in Acta Bot. Neerl. 6: 418. 1957

Štepánek, Jan & Kirschner, Jan, 2013, A revision of mountain species of the genus Taraxacum F. H. Wigg. (Compositae) in Corsica, Candollea 68 (1), pp. 29-39 : 34-35

Taraxacum renosense Soest in Acta Bot. Neerl. 6: 418. 1957

( Fig. 1C ).

Lectotypus (designated by JEANMONOD, 2010): CORSE: “ Monte Rotondo, rochers de la Calanca di Rinoso ”, 2600 m env., 13.VIII.1908, R.de Litardière s.n. ( G [ G00000906 ], n° det. 23212).

Syntypus: “ Monte Renoso , rochers du sommet”, 2357 m., 16.VII.1907, R. de Litardière s.n. ( G [ G00000905 ], n° det. 23211).

= Taraxacum gamisansii Soest in Candollea 29: 53. 1974.

Typus: CORSE: “ Massif du Rotondo , couloir rocailleux dominant vers le SE le lac de Scappaccioli”, 2410 m, substr. siliceux, 3.VIII.1967, J. Gamisans 2512 (holo-: G [ G00000790 ], n° det. 23226).

Description. – Plants medium-sized, usually 10-18 cm tall. Rosettes ± rich, plant base ± covered with dry blackish remnants of old petioles, pale hairy among petiole bases. Leaves variously erect-patent, usually 5-8 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, probably light green, ± glabrous; leaf blade spatulate to oblanceolate in outline, pinnatipartite to pinnatisect; terminal segment usually conspicuous, triangular to helmet-shaped, slightly sagittate at base, 1.5-2.5 cm long, 1.2-2.5 cm wide, subacute to almost rounded, distal margin ± sigmoid to convex, entire or with 1-2 short broad teeth, basal lobules ± patent to recurved, proximal margin ± straight to ± concave, entire; lateral lobes 2-3(-4) pairs, ± narrowly triangular or similar to a short and broad bird wing, 7-12 mm long, ca. 10 mm wide at base, ± recurved, acute, distal margin convex or ± sigmoid, entire or ± regularly dentate with 3-5 teeth, proximal margin ± straight or ± concave to sigmoid, entire; interlobes relatively short and broad, usually 1-8 mm long, 4-8 mm wide, entire or sparsely denticulate, sometimes irregularly dentate with one tooth bigger, margins ± raised, not spotted; midrib probably pale; petioles narrow to narrowly winged, probably pale. Scapes usually 1-4, overtopping leaves, to 13-18 cm long, probably pale at base, almost glabrous, sparsely aranose just below capitulum. Capitulum medium-sized, 3.5-4 cm in diam., probably flat, deep yellow. Involucre ± rounded at base, ca. 7 mm in diam. Outer involucral bracts 13-18(-23), ovate to broadly oblong, sometimes to narrowly elliptical, the outermost ones often only linear, 5-8 mm long, 2.5-4 mm wide, erect, loosely appressed to erect-patent, conspicuously coloured (similar to T.calocephalum Hand.-Mazz . in their colour), withy a broad dark green to blackish ± narrow middle part, with a gradual transition into a very conspicuous pale border to 1 mm wide, margin distally sparsely ciliate; inner involucral bracts 11- 12 mm long, of ± equal width, probably ± pruinose. Outer ligules long and not dense, broadly striped dark outside, apical teeth dark; inner ligules narrow, canaliculate. Stigmas long, medium dark discoloured (originally probably greenish, later getting brownish when dry), pale pilose outside. Pollen developed, irregular in size. Achenes medium deep cinnamonbrown, 4.4-5.3 mm long, 1.1-1.3 mm wide, achene body densely covered with low squamules, otherwise ± smooth, very gradually narrowing into a broadly conical cone (0.4-) 0.5-0.7(-0.8) long; rostrum 7.5-10 mm, pappus dirty white, 6-7 mm long. Agamosperm.

Comment on the synonymization of the names T. renosense and T. gamisansii . – When the protologues of the two names are compared, it is possible to find differences that usually are considered as important and diagnostic. However, a detailed examination of the original material of both names proved that in reality the differences do not exist, and probably were recorded as a result of mistake or a careless examination of the material by J. L. van Soest . Most importantly, the alleged pollen absence in T. renosense is surely a mistake as both syntypes (and all the other T. renosense specimens with flowers) have pollen abundantly developed. Moreover, the protologue of T. gamisansii includes two mistakes of potential diagnostic importance, i.e., “stigmata lutea” (the holotype of T. gamisansii has stigmas discoloured), and “folia … petiolis roseolis” (petioles of the holotype are pale, only two old remnants of last year’s scapes are purplish, perhaps as a reaction on damage). When the type materials of the two names are compared, it is obvious that all the plants belong to a single distinct species, with a unique combination of leaf, involucre, flower and achene characters.

Distribution. – Endemic to Corsica.

Specimens studied. – CORSE: Capo al Berdato , versant N, éboulis frais, 2100 m, substr. siliceux, 6.VIII.1968, J. Gamisans 2518 ( G [ G0000 0816 ], n° det. 23214) ; Massif du Cinto, Punta Minuta , versant ENE, rocailles fraîches (rhyolites), 2550 m, 1.9.1975, J. Gamisans 5187 ( G [ G00000820 ], n° det. 23216) ; Massif du Cinto , versant N du Capo Falo, “couloir Wodl”, éboulis frais, (Doronicetum-Oxyrietum), rhyolites, 2400 m, 31.VII.1974, J. Gamisans 3681 ( G [ G00000814 ], n° det. 23215) ; Entre cote 2182 et Pta Latiniccia , 2300 m, 12.VII. 1978, J. Gamisans 7425 ( G [ G00000805 ], n° det. 23225) ; Monte Rotondo , rochers de l’arête, silice, 2600 m, 6.VIII. 1906, E.Burnat, J. Briquet, A.Saint-Yves, F.Cavillier & E.Abrezol ( G-BU [ G0000 0827 ], n° det. 23259) ; Monte Rotondo: au-dessus du lac Scapuccioli , rochers, silice, 2100-2500 m, 6.VIII.1906, E. Burnat, J. Briquet, A. Saint-Yves, F. Cavillier & E. Abrezol ( G-BU [ G00001419 ], n° det. 23257) ; Massif du Rotondo , couloir rocailleux dominant vers le SE le lac de Scappaccioli, 2410 m, substr. siliceux, 3.VIII.1967, J. Gamisans 2512 ( G [ G00000790 ], Holotypus of T. gamisansii , n° det. 23226) ; Monte Rotondo , versant N, couloir terminal, éboulis, 2500 m, substr. siliceux, 8.VIII.1968, J. Gamisans 2520 ( G [ G00000792 ], Paratypus of T. gamisansii , n° det. 23223) ; Massif du Rotondo, Capo alle Forcelle , versant W, pelouse, 2020 m, 4.VII.1970, J. Gamisans 2524 ( G [ G00000818 ], n° det. 23217) ; Plantes de Corse. Mont Rotondo , env. 1500 m, 31.VII.1909, C. Houard ( G [ G00000825 ], n° det. 23219) ; Monte d’Oro , versant Est, rochers, silice, 2100 m, 9.VIII.1906, E. Burnat, J. Briquet, A. Saint-Yves, F. Cavillier & E. Abrezol ( G-BU [ G00001420 ], n° det. 23265) ; Monte d’Oro , versant Est, rochers, silice, 2100 m, 9.VIII. 1906, E.Burnat, J. Briquet, A.Saint-Yves, F.Cavillier & E.Abrezol ( G-BU [ G00000829 ], n° det. 23262) ; Monte Renoso , rochers du sommet, 2357 m., 16.VII.1907, R. de Litardière ( G [ G00000905 ], Syntypus of T. renosense , plant “g” = Lectotypus, n° det. 23211) ; Monte Renoso , versant NE, pelouse fraîche (Geeto-Phleetum), 2100 m, substr. granitique, 29.VII.1974, J. Gamisans 3631 ( G [ G00000793 ], n° det. 23218) ; Secteur Renosu, Lac de Bastiani, massif du Renosoo , près du Lac de Bastiani [42°04’N 9°08’E], silice, 2000-2100 m, 8.VIII.1974, R.Deschâtres ( G [ G00178579 ], n° det. 23221) ; Monte Renoso, graviers du sommet versant de Bastelica , 2350 m, 16.VII. 1907, R. de Litardière ( G [ G00178037 ], n° det. 23213) ; Versant N-E du Monte Renoso , [42°04’N 9°08’E], silice, 1900-2000 m, 8.VIII. 1974, R. Deschâtres ( G [ G00178581 ], n° det. 23220) ; Massif du Renoso, crête entre le col de Rina (ou Pruno) et le monte Torto , versant SE, 2200 m, pelouse, arènes granitiques, 23.VII.1968, J. Gamisans 2516 ( G [ G00000791 ], Paratypus of T. gamisansii , n° det. 23222).

Uncertain determination. – CORSE: Massif du Cinto, Punta Minuta , versant ENE, rocailles fraîches, 2540 m (rhyolites), 1.9.1975, J. Gamisans 5201 ( G [ G00000813 ], n° det. 23227) ; Monte Rotondo , rocailles près du sommet, 2615 m, 2.VII.1971, J. Gamisans 415 ( G [ G00000794 ], n° det. 23224).

Figures

Fig. 1. – chenes. A. Taraxacum cucullatiforme Soest; B. T. litardieri Soest; C. T. renosense Soest. [Scale bar = 1 mm].