Homostylium albescens var. salignum (Franch.) Z. X. Fu, 2025

Chen, Xinyu & Fu, Zhixi, 2025, Resurrection of the genus Homostylium Nees for the former Aster ser. Albescentes Y. Ling (Astereae, Asteraceae), with an updated generic synopsis, PhytoKeys 259, pp. 27-66 : 27-66

1.4. Homostylium albescens var. salignum (Franch.) Z. X. Fu comb. nov.

≡ Inula cuspidata var. saligna Franch. , Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., sér. 2 10: 37. 1888. ≡ Aster albescens var. salignus (Franch.) Hand. - Mazz. , Acta Horti Gothob. 12: 207. 1938. Type: India, George Forrest 2508 (lectotype, designated here, E 00385621!) (Suppl. material 1: fig. S 7).

= Sinosidus albescens var. salignus (Franch.) G. L. Nesom , Phytoneuron 2020-64: 13. 2020. Type: Xizang. J. P. A. David s. n.

Type.

India, George Forrest 2508 (lectotype, designated here, E 00385621!) (Suppl. material 1: fig. S 7).

Diagnosis.

Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, abaxially brown pubescent on veins or sometimes totally, glandular, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Phyllaries outer narrowly lanceolate, puberulent. The main differences from the type variety include leaves long-elliptic-lanceolate, base attenuate, apex acuminate, abaxially brown tomentose along veins or entirely, stem often more robust.

Distribution.

China (W and N Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan); N India. 1900 to 3900 m.

Habitat.

Subalpine.

Etymology.

The varietal name “ salignum ” is derived from the Latin “ salix ”, meaning “ willow ” and the neuter suffix “ - gnum ”, meaning “ pertaining ” or “ resembling ”. The name likely refers to the resemblance of this variety to willow leaves, particularly in shape.

Specimens examined.

China • Sichuan: Baoxing, T. P. Soong 38993 (PE), 39214 (PE); Daofu, S. Jiang et al. 2351 (PE); Jinchuan, X. Li 76838 (PE), 78065 (PE), 78362 (PE), 78490 (PE), 78611 (PE); Kangding, S. Jiang et al. 9763 (PE); Meigu, Sichuan, Econ. Pl. Exped. 1677 (PE); Muli, T. T. Yu 6605 (PE 00274903, PE 00274904), 14100 (PE); Xiaojin, G. Z. Liu 408 (PE), S. S. Chang & Y. X. Ren 5875 (PE), 6715 (PE), 6798 (PE), 6994 (PE); Yajiang, Z. Y. Luo et al. 527 (PE), Precise locality unknown, C. W. Wang 65280 (PE), 66060 (PE), K. L. Chu 7595 (PE 00274885, PE 00274886), Min. Forest. s. n. (PE); • Xizang: Precise locality unknown, J. P. A. David s. n.; • Yunnan: Binchuan, T. N. Liou 22098 (PE), 22103 (PE); Deqin, T. T. Yu 9438 (PE 00274956, PE 00274957), 9858 (PE 00274926, PE 00274927), 10535 (PE 00274906, PE 00274907), K. M. Feng 5535 (PE), 5644 (PE 00274917, PE 00274918), C. W. Wang 64762 (PE), 69994 (PE), H. T. Tsai 54400 (PE), 54416 (PE); Gongshan, C. W. Wang 67082 (PE), K. M. Feng 8391 (PE); Heqing, R. C. Ching 23614 (PE), 23937 (PE 00274910, PE 00274933); Lanping, H. T. Tsai 56284 (PE); Lijiang, T. T. Yu 15239 (PE), R. C. Ching 30994 (PE 00274912, PE 00274913), K. M. Feng 21327 (PE); Shangri-la, T. T. Yu 11550 (PE 00274919, PE 00274920), 12390 (PE 00274958, PE 00274959), 12522 (PE 00274914, PE 00274915), K. M. Feng 2749 (PE), Zhongdian Exped. 1508 (PE 00274937, PE 00274938); Precise locality unknown, T. T. Yu 15239 (PE 00274908, PE 00274909), 19693 (PE), 20823 (PE), 20925 (PE 00274953, PE 00274954), 22617 (PE), K. M. Feng 1210 (PE), H. T. Tsai 52981 (PE), Zhongdian Exped. 1413 (PE 00274939, PE 00274940); India • Unknown: Precise locality unknown, George Forrest 2508 (E 00385621).

Notes.

In Nesom (2020 g), the type specimen for this variety was designated as “ Xizang. J. P. A. David s. n. ”, with neither a collection number nor a specimen number specified. According to the protologue, the holotype specimen number for Homostylium albescens var. salignum was also not seen. A careful search was conducted at the PE Herbarium. More than 190 specimens of this variety were found, but still no holotype was designated. Among them, the specimen E 00385621 (George Forrest 2508) (Suppl. material 1: fig. S 7) closely matched the illustration in the original publication. Therefore, this specimen was designated as the lectotype of this variety.