Artemisia borotalensis Poljakov (1954: 425)

Jin, Guang-Zhao, Sheludyakova, Mariya, Abduraimov, Ozodbek, Feng, Ying & Ge, Xue-Jun, 2025, A Taxonomic Revision of Artemisia Subgenus Seriphidium (Asteraceae-Anthemideae) in China, Phytotaxa 686 (1), pp. 1-103 : 10-12

3. Artemisia borotalensis Poljakov (1954: 425) ≡ Seriphidium borotalense (Poljakov) Ling & Y.R. Ling in Ling (1988: 120). Type:— CHINA. Xinjiang: Bole, Bolotara River basin, 6 August 1878, A. Regel s.n. (holotype: LE00052850!).

Perennial herbs, 12–20 cm tall. Stems often tufted, erect, branching from the upper part, branches 1–2 cm long, obliquely upward and slightly adpressed. Lower stem leaves elliptic, 2-pinnatisect, 1–3 cm long, 0.8–2 cm wide, petiole 0.5–1.5 cm long, with 3–5 segments per side, segments further pinnatisect, lobules narrowly linear, 3–5 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, with obtuse tips. Middle stem leaves pinnatisect, 1–1.5 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, nearly sessile, with linear pseudostipules. Upper stem leaves pinnately dissected, 0.5–1 cm long, 0.5–0.8 mm wide. The grayish-white tomentum on the stems and branches partially sheds at maturity, while the tomentum on all leaves persists and the leaves have a slightly soft texture. Capitula oblong-ovoid, erect, 2–4 mm long, 1.5–2 mm in diameter. Synflorescence a narrow spike-like panicle. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, outer phyllaries small, ovate or broadly ovate, densely covered with gray-white cobwebby tomentum on the back, middle and inner phyllaries elongate-ovate or elongate-elliptic, with a minutely pubescent or nearly glabrous back. Bisexual florets 5–7, corollas yellow. Anthers linear, with linear-lanceolate apical appendages, rounded at the base. Styles short, slightly bifurcate at the apex, with ciliate tips. Achenes with inconspicuous fine longitudinal lines, 0.8–1.5 mm long, 0.3–0.8 mm in diameter, obovoid or obovoid-ellipsoid. Figure 3 .

Distribution and habitat:—This species is distributed in northern Xinjiang, China ( Figure 4 ). Filatova (2007) and Urgamal et al. (2014) reported its presence in the Mongolian Altai and Dzungarian Gobi regions of Mongolia, but no voucher specimens from these regions were examined in this study. It grows in desert and semidesert steppes, on rocky slopes, and terraces at elevations of 400–2100 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Taxonomic notes:— Artemisia borotalensis is similar to A. rhodantha Ruprecht (1869: 52) in height, branching position, length and spread, but can be easily distinguished by its elliptic, 2-pinnatisect (vs. suborbicular or broadly ovate, 2–3-pinnatisect) lower stem leaves and 1-pinnatisect (vs. 2-pinnatisect) middle stem leaves.

Specimens examined:— China. Xinjiang: Karamay , near the city, 550 m, 12 July 1974, Y.R. Ling 74-1265 ( IBSC) ; Jinghe , nearby gobi desert, 450 m, 13 July 1974, Y.R. Ling 74156 ( IBSC) ; Bole, near Sayram Lake , 2020 m, 13 July 1974, Y.R. Ling 74166 ( IBSC) ; without precise location, s.a., 7 August 1992, CQ Xinjiang Exped. 349 ( IBSC) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Artemisia borotalensis (photographed by Guang-Zhao Jin). A. habit; B. habitat; C. root; D. capitula; E. stem leaves (from top to bottom: lower, middle and upper leaf).

FIGURE 4. Distribution map of Artemisia borotalensis in China.