平枝蒲公英 ping zhi pu gong ying

Type: China. Xinjiang: "Tian Shan [天山], pars montium Borohoro Shan [婆罗科努山], situ occid. a lacu Sayram Hu [塞里木湖]," 2109 m, 29 Sep 2004, P. Sekerka, P. Hanzelka & I. Bulánková 04/27, cultivated as JŠ 7957 (holotype, PRA; isotypes, MO, PE, PRA).

Plantae agamospermae, mediocres, foliis laete viridibus, pinnatisectis, lobis lateralibus 4 vel 5 utrinque, interlobiis maculatis, lobo terminali triangulari vel late triangulari, petiolis perlate alatis, phyllariis involucralibus exterioribus 15 ad 20, pallide viridibus, lanceolatis vel ovato-lanceolatis, irregulariter patentibus vel erecto-patentibus usque arcuato-patentibus, stigmatibus sordide luteo-virescentibus, antheris polliniferis, acheniis plerumque 3.6-3.8 mm longis et conspicue latis, superne dense spinulosis, in pyramidem conicam ca. 0.5 mm longam subabrupte abeuntibus.

Herbs 15-20 cm tall. Petiole light green to faintly pinkish, very broadly winged; leaf blade yellowish green and usually with a faintly brownish purple midvein, oblanceolate, 11-20 × 4-5.5 cm, sparsely arachnoid, regularly pinnatisect; lateral lobes 4 or 5 pairs, ± narrowly triangular, to 2.5 × 1.5 cm, patent to subrecurved, distal margin slightly convex or ± sigmoid and usually entire, apex acute; interlobes evident, with purplish brown spots, margin dentate; terminal lobe triangular to broadly triangular, 1.5-2.5 × ca. 1.5 cm, margin entire, apex subacute. Scapes light brownish green, subequaling leaves, usually densely arachnoid. Capitulum ca. 4.5 cm wide. Involucre 1-1.2 cm wide, base ± rounded. Outer phyllaries 15-20, abaxially light green suffused pinkish and with a slightly darker middle part, adaxially slightly glaucous-green, ± not imbricate, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, outermost ones 10-12 × (3-)4-5 mm and ca. 3/4 as long as inner ones, ± irregularly patent, erect-patent, or arcuate-patent, laterally with gradual transition into a whitish green border to 2 mm wide and a membranous fringe 0.2-0.3 mm wide, margin sparsely ciliate, apex ± flat; inner phyllaries ca. 1.5 cm. Ligules deep yellow; outer ligules ± flat, outside striped purplish gray; inner ligules with grayish purple teeth at apex; ligule tube pubescent. Stigmas grayish greenish yellow. Anthers polliniferous; pollen grains irregular in size. Achene light grayish straw-colored brown, 3.6-3.8 × 1.2-1.4 mm; body subdensely spinulose-squamulose above, subabruptly narrowing into a conic ca. 0.5 mm cone; beak 8-10 mm. Pappus dirty white, 6-7 mm. Fl. late spring. Agamosperm.

● Montane meadows and pastures; 2000-2200 m. W Xinjiang.