Pupalia lappacea var. lappacea

This taxon, native to Africa south of the Sahara and some countries of southern Asia (POWO 2023), is indicated in this web-database as occurring also in Saudi Arabia, based on Miller & Cope (1996). However, Miller & Cope (1996: 294) clearly stated that “All the Arabian material is referable to var. velutina (Moq.) Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 4: 724 (1885), characterized by its lanate tepals and sterile flowers with straw-coloured spines”. Chaudhary (1998: 239–240) did not specify any infraspecific taxon under P. lappacea but, according to the description and the illustration given (Plate 131), he referred to var. velutina . We did not find any plants identifiable as var. lappacea, neither in the field nor in herbaria. Moreover, no published source was found indicating P. lappacea s.str. in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we here exclude P. lappacea var. lappacea from the Flora of Saudi Arabia.