Adonis chrysocyathus Hook. f. & Thomson ex Hook. f.

Kubentayev, Serik, Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj, Alibekov, Daniyar, Son, Dong Chan, Tsegmed, Zagarjav, Myrzagaliyeva, Anar, Zhumagul, Moldir, Rustemova, Assel, Mukhtubayeva, Saule, Kubentayeva, Balsulu & Choi, Hyeok Jae, 2025, A taxonomic revision of Adonis (Ranunculaceae) in Kazakhstan, Italian Botanist 20, pp. 45-76 : 45-76

Adonis chrysocyathus Hook. f. & Thomson ex Hook. f. , Fl. Brit. India [J. D. Hooker] 1 (1): 15 (1872)

Fig. 5

≡ Adonanthe chrysocyatha (Hook. f. & Thomson) Sennikov in Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 31: 84 (1998)

≡ Chrysocyathus falconeri Chrtek & Slavíková in Preslia 50: 24 (1978)

Type.

Lectotype: India. Kashmir, Nagam , 16 July 1838 Falconer 34 ( K 000694234 [digital photo!]); image of lectotype is available at https://records.data.kew.org/ (accessed on 8 July 2025). [desighnated here by Alibekov D. T.]

General distribution.

China ( Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Tajikistan, Tibet, Uzbekistan, West Himalaya ( POWO 2025).

Distribution in Kazakhstan.

Trans-Ili Kungey Alatau, Ketmen-Terskey Alatau.

Habitat and ecology.

This species grows on fine-earth slopes and meadows near snow patches in the upper mountain belt.

Conservation status.

The estimated EOO is 7,271 km 2 and estimated AOO is 32 km 2. Therefore, the conservation status of A. chrysocyathus has been assessed endangered [EN B 2 a (ii)]. In addition, this species was included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan under category III ( Baitulin 2014).

Phenology.

Flowering in June – July; fruiting in August.

Chromosome number.

2 n = 16 ( Shlangena 1976).

Notes.

When searching for the type specimen of this species, we discovered that it had not yet been designated ( Sennikov 2023). Wang (1994 a) cited syntype K and isosyntype P as 00164137 S. We chose the lectotype as per the aforementioned information, from the specimens housed at Kew (K), collected by Falconer. From the collector information given in the protologue of A. chrysocyathus – “ Western Alpine Himalaya, in Chamba and Kashmir, Jacquemont; Western Tibet, Deotsu and Guge, Strachey and Winterbottom ” – we found collections by V. Jacquemont from Punjab (P 00164139) and Kashmir (P 00164140), as well as collections by Strachey R. & Winterbottom J. E., Trollius No. 3 (K 004387932). Hooker and Thomson (1855) used these specimens to construct protologue of Adonis pyrenaica Hook. f. & Thomson , nom. illeg. Indirectly, via a duplicate (P 00164141), we established that the specimens Strachey R. & Winterbottom, J. E., Trollius № 3 were collected in 1843. However, lectotype K 000694234 was collected on 16 July 1838. A year later, Falconer (1839) described the genus Chrysocyathus Falc. from Kashmir for the first time in a letter to Dr. Royle ( Chrtek and Slavíková 1979). The following year, Falconer’s letter with the description of the genus was published again, without any changes ( Royle 1839, Chrtek and Slavíková 1979). In 1872, Hooker and Thomson (1872) first mentioned the genus Chrysocyathus and used Falconer’s generic name for the species epithet. This is possibly because Falconer’s collections, according to the label inscription “ Distributed at the Royal Gardens, Kew in 1864, ” only became available to them in 1864. Furthermore, this specimen (K 000694234) possesses both flowers and mature fruits, corresponding to the diagnosis “ achenes not angular, turgid; style tapering, revolute ”. The herbarium sheet also bears the inscription “ Adonis chrysocyathus H. f. et T. 1870 ” — dated two years before the species’ valid publication in 1872.

According to Wang (1994 a), A. chrysocyathus belongs to subg. Adonanthe (Spach) W. T. Wang sect. Ancistrocarpium (Spach) W. T. Wang. The first finds of this species were mistaken by Hooker & Thomson for A. pyrenaica , because specimens collected by V. V. Jacquemont and Richard Strachey & J. E. Winterbottom lacked fruits. The species was subsequently described by Hooker J. D. & Thomson T. from specimens of H. Falconer from Kashmir. Later, Chrtek and Slavikova (1978) proposed a new classification of Adonis L., in which the following genera were distinguished: Adonis , Adonanthe Spach , and Chrysocyathus Falc. Adonis chrysocyathus Hook. et Thoms. was selected as the type genus Chrysocyathus . According to this classification A. chrysocyathus was reclassified as Chrysocyathus falconeri Chrtek & Slavíková. The delimitation of the new genus Chrysocyathus by Chrtek and Slavikova (1978) was based on the morphology of fruits and leaves. Fruits of the genus Chrysocyathus are more or less glabrous, spout more or less erect, curved at the end, and all species of the genus have petiolate root leaves. According to the observation of Sennikov (1998), differences in the shape of the fruit spout are also noted among annuals, where they are the only completely reliable diagnostic characters. Furthermore, the difference in shoot structure between the perennial genera Adonanthe and Chrysocyathus cannot serve as a basis for separation of the genus Chrysocyathus and all perennial species form a separate genus with the priority name Adonanthe ( Sennikov 1998) . According to Sennikov’s classification of Chrysocyathus falconeri a new combination Adonanthe chrysocyatha (Hook. f. & Thomson) Sennikov is given. Nowadays, the author adheres to and uses this combination in his work ( Sennikov and Tojibaev 2021). The first finds of this species in Central Asia were described as A. margaritae Butkov ( Butkov 1934) .

Specimens examined.

Ketmen-Terskey Alatau. Near the Tien Shan, Ketmen Ridge, Karatau Mountains, upper reaches of the Sumbe River , 19 Jul 1962, Arystangaliev s. n. ( AA!) ; near the Tien Shan, Ketmen Ridge, Trekh Shcheley Tract , 19 Jul 1963, Arystangaliev s. n. ( AA!; LE!) . Trans-Ili Kungey Alatau: Near the Vostochny Talgar River , 14 Jun 1936, Bykov s. n. ( AA!) ; near the Issyk River, upper reaches of the eastern ravines (on the pass to Turgensky Tesken-su) , 14 Jul 1937, Popov s. n. ( AA!; LE!) ; near the basin of the Karga-Uldy [Kyrgauyldy] River (interfluve of Aksay and Kaskelen) , 5 Jul 1936, Goloskokov s. n. ( AA!) ; near Pryamaya Shchel , 30 Jun 1936, Popov s. n. ( AA!) .

Figures

Figure 5. Adonis chrysocyathus in Kazakshtan A general habit B – D flowers, front view. (Photos by I. Otradnykh).