惊喜蒲公英 jing xi pu gong ying

Type: China. Xinjiang: "montes Altaj [阿尔泰山], situ boreal. a Qinghe [青河]," 1557 m, 23 Sep 2004, P. Sekerka, P. Hanzelka & I. Bulánková 04/06, cultivated as JŠ 7959 (holotype, PRA; isotypes, MO, PE, PRA).

Paratypes: China. Xinjiang: ibidem, P. Sekerka, P. Hanzelka & I. Bulánková 04/06, cultivated as JŠ 7958 (PRA); Korla Xian [库尔勒县], May 1999, P. Sekerka, Zhang Dao Yuan & V. Huml s.n., cultivated as JŠ 7383 (PRA); "Tian Shan [天山], Wang Mu Miao monastery near Tian Chi lake [天池湖]" [probably Xiwang Muzumiao 西王母祖庙], 1950 m, 2 Oct 2003, P. Sekerka 03/2, cultivated as JK 4947 (PRA).

Plantae agamospermae, mediocres vel subrobustae, laminis foliorum saturate viridibus, saepissime anguste oblanceolatis, pinnatisectis, lobis lateralibus (4 ad)6 vel 7 utrinque, anguste triangularibus patentibusve, interlobiis purpureo-marginatis, petiolis foliorum exteriorum late alatis, phyllariis involucralibus exterioribus 17 ad 20, lanceolatis vel ovato-lanceolatis, irregulariter patentibus, stigmatibus luteo-viridibus, antheris polliniferis, acheniis 3.9-4.1 mm longis, superne dense squamuloso-spinulosis, in pyramidem subcylindricam 0.8-0.9 mm longam abrupte abeuntibus.

Herbs 15-22 cm tall. Petiole light purplish green, broadly winged in outer leaves but narrowly so in middle ones; leaf blade deep green, narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, 10-23 × 3-5.5 cm, ± sparsely arachnoid, pinnatisect, midvein adaxially brownish purple throughout; lateral lobes (4-)6 or 7 pairs, ± narrowly triangular, 1-2.5 × 1-1.5 cm, ± patent but sometimes slightly bent upward, distal margin of upper lobes ± entire but denticulate in lower ones, apex acute; interlobes evident, bordered purplish brown and with raised denticulate margin; terminal lobe triangular to broadly triangular, 1-3.5 × 1.4-3 cm, margin entire or with 1 or 2 asymmetric incisions, apex subacute. Scapes purplish green, ± equaling leaves, usually densely arachnoid. Capitulum ca. 4 cm wide. Involucre 1-1.2 cm wide, base ± truncate. Outer phyllaries 17-20, abaxially light olivaceous green suffused brownish pink near apex, adaxially pale grayish green, ± not imbricate, ± lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, outermost ones 9-13 × 3.5-5.5 mm and ca. 2/3 as long as inner ones, ± irregularly patent to sometimes arcuate-patent, with whitish membranous 0.1-0.2 mm wide border, margin sparsely ciliate, apex ± flat; inner phyllaries ca. 1.3 cm. Ligules deep yellow; outer ligules ± flat, outside striped purplish or greenish; inner ligules with yellow teeth at apex; ligule tube pubescent. Stigmas greenish yellow, abaxially dark pubescent. Anthers polliniferous; pollen grains irregular in size. Achene grayish straw-colored brown, 3.9-4.1 × ca. 1.1 mm; body ± densely spinulose-squamulose above, ± abruptly narrowing into a subcylindric 0.8-0.9 mm cone; beak ca. 1 cm. Pappus ± white, 6-7 mm. Fl. late spring. Agamosperm.

● Submontane steppe meadows and pastures; ca. 1500 m. Xinjiang.