振铎岩参 zhen duo yan shen

Basionym: Youngia zhenduoi S. W. Liu & T. N. Ho, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 39: 554. 2001; Chaetoseris cyanea (S. W. Liu & T. N. Ho) Tzvelev (2007), not (D. Don) C. Shih (1991); C. zhenduoi (S. W. Liu & T. N. Ho) Tzvelev; Y. cyanea S. W. Liu & T. N. Ho.

Herbs 15-30 cm tall, perennial, rosulate. Rhizomes short. Stem erect, branched from base or higher up, glabrous or white pubescent. Rosette leaves glabrous or pubescent, margin ± entire. Early leaves with distinct 1.3-3 cm petiole; leaf blade triangular-ovate, 1-1.8 × 0.6-0.8 cm, base sagittate, truncate, or cuneate, apex obtuse to acute. Leaf blade of later rosette leaves elliptic to lanceolate, 4-8.5 × 0.3-0.8 cm, undivided to rarely weakly pinnatifid with few triangular lobes, base gradually attenuate, apex acute to long acuminate. Stem leaves similar to later rosette leaves, narrowly ovate-elliptic to narrowly lanceolate; uppermost leaves bractlike. Synflorescence loosely racemiform or paniculiform, glabrous or pubescent, with few to some capitula. Capitula with usually 4-7 florets. Involucre narrowly cylindric, 6-8 × 1.5-2 mm. Phyllaries glabrous or pubescent; outer phyllaries ovate to lanceolate, longest ca. 4 × 1 mm, apex acute; inner phyllaries apically blackish purple, apex obtuse. Florets blue. Achene fusiform and apically attenuate, ca. 4 mm, somewhat compressed. Pappus 4-5 mm. Fl. and fr. Sep.

● Moist slopes, riverbanks; 3600-3700 m. Qinghai (Yushu).

We have not seen material of Cicerbita zhenduoi; therefore, its inclusion follows Tzvelev (Rast. Tsentral. Azii 14b: 100. 2008), and its description is taken from the original publication. We are not convinced that Youngia cyanea, described also from the environment of Jiangxigou, distinguished chiefly by the shape of the rosette leaves and the absence or presence of pubescence, represents a different species. From the variation experienced in the subtribe, the differences in either feature may well be within the usual range found. The corresponding combination under Chaetoseris provided by Tzvelev is illegitimate as a later homonym of Chaetoseris cyanea (D. Don) C. Shih, and the epithet is also not available in Cicerbita. Until closer study of the material, we prefer to treat both as conspecific.