Artemisia kaschgarica Krascheninnikov (1937: 350)

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 : 26

15. Artemisia kaschgarica Krascheninnikov (1937: 350) ≡ Seriphidium kaschgaricum (Krasch.) Poljakov(1961b: 175) . Type:— CHINA. Xinjiang: near Daban in the eastern Tianshan Mountains, 4 September 1929, M. Popov 479 [first-step lectotype designated by Filatova (1982); second-step lectotype designated here: LE01018125!; isolectotypes: LE 01018126!, LE 01018127!].

Subshrubs, 30–35 cm tall. stems numerous, often tufted, slightly curved upwards in the lower part, often with numerous short nutritional stems, branching from the lower part, branches 10–25 cm long, spreading. Lower stem leaves long-elliptic or oblong-ovate, 1–2-pinnatisect, 1–2.5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide, petiole 0.5–1 cm long, with 2–3 segments per side, lobules lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide, acuminate at the tip. Middle stem leaves pinnatisect, 1–1.5 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, subsessile, with linear pseudostipules. Upper stem leaves undivided, with linear lobules. The grayish-white tomentum on the stems and branches partially sheds at maturity, the tomentum on all leaves persists, and the leaves have a rigid texture, while the lower and middle stem leaves usually wither. Capitula oblong-obovoid or ovoid-ellipsoid, 2–4 mm long, 2–3 mm in diameter. Synflorescence a somewhat broad panicle. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, outer phyllaries short, ovate, abaxially conspicuously elevated, middle and inner phyllaries slightly longer, elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, outer and middle phyllaries abaxially initially pilose, glabrescent, margins membranous, inner phyllaries semi-membranous, abaxially glabrous. Phyllaries often unfold outward after anthesis, almost wholly detaching when fruit is ripe. Bisexual florets 4–6, corolla red. Anthers linear, apex appendages lanceolate or linear, with an obtuse base. Style short, slightly forked apically, ciliate. Achenes with inconspicuous fine longitudinal lines, 0.8–1.5 mm long, 0.3–0.8 mm in diameter, ovoid or obovoid. Figure 17 .

Distribution and habitat:—This species is distributed in Xinjiang, China ( Figure 18 ). It grows in slopes, gobi desert, dry valleys, rocky hills, and roadsides at elevations of 500–2400 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Taxonomic notes:—In the protologue of Artemisia kaschgarica, Krascheninnikov (1936) cited the gathering M. Popov s.n. as the type, without specifying the herbarium. Filatova (1982) later designated M. Popov 479 from LE as the type for A. kaschgarica . We have traced three sheets of this gathering at LE, all containing the information given in the protologue and matching the original description. According to Arts. 7.10, 7.11, 9.12 and 9.17 of the ICN ( Turland et al. 2018), Filatova’s (1982) lectotypification should be further narrowed. Therefore, sheet LE01018125 has been designated as lectotype, and the other two sheets as isolectotypes.

“ Artemisia kaschgarica var. dshungarica ” was described as a variety of A. kaschgarica by Filatova (1964: 69). This taxonomic treatment was accepted by Chinese taxonomists ( Ling 1988, 1991 b, Wei 1999, Ling et al. 2011). However, Filatova (1993) later reduced this name to a synonym of A. kaschgarica . Nevertheless, neither author recognized that the name “ Artemisia kaschgarica var. dshungarica ” was not validly published, because Filatova (1964) did not designate a type in the protologue, which does not comply with Art. 40.1 of the ICN ( Turland et al. 2018).

Artemisia kaschgarica is easily distinguished from other species in A. subg. Seriphidium by its involucral phyllaries that are completely shed at maturity.

Specimens examined:— China. Xinjiang: Turpan, Dabancheng, Gobi edge, 1500 m, 21 September 1980, Ling et al. 80-447 ( IBSC, PE) ; Fukang, way from Urumqi to Tianshan Tianchi , 2500 m, 30 August 1997 Y.R. Ling 97-064 ( IBSC) ; Urumqi, Martyrs Cemetery , 1000m, 2 October 1974, Y.R. Ling 74-1438 ( IBSC) ; ibid., 1000m, 2 October 1974, Y.R. Ling 74-1439 ( IBSC) ; ibid., 1000 m, 2 October 1974, W.Z. Zhang et al. 4686 ( XJBI) ; Jinghe, red soil hillside 40 km south of Jinghe , s.a., 2 September 1957, K.J. Guan 4100 ( PE) ; ibid., s.a., 2 September 1957, K.J. Guan 4095 ( PE, XJBI) ; without precise location, s.a., s.d., T.N. Liou 3902 ( PE) ; Yiwu, wasteland 30 km east of Yiwu , s.a., 29 September 1957, K.J. Guan 4987 ( PE, XJBI) ; Urumqi, vicinity of Salt Lake , 1000 m, 9 September 1931, T.N. Liou 3735 ( PE) ; Urumqi, near Urumqi River Beach, 1000 m, 15 September 1931, T.N. Liou 3794 ( PE) ; Qitai, gobi desert beach in Jibuku , 1100 m, 10 August 1964, Xinjiang Drug Exped. 152 ( XJBI) ; Urumqi , near the airport, s.a., 1 September 1964, Anonymous 221 ( XJBI) ; Qitai, desert near Heishantou , 1180 m, 9 August 1964, Anonymous 147 ( XJBI) ; Gongliu , arid grassland of the forest farm, 1800 m, B. Wang & M.M. Ti 91-1217 ( XJA) ; Usu, near Jiangjun Temple on Duku highway, 1700 m, 28 August 1991, B. Wang 91-319 ( XJA) ; ibid., 1700 m, 28 August 1991, B. Wang 91-894 ( XJA) ; ibid., 1700 m, 28 August 1991, B. Wang 91-324 ( XJA) ; Shawan , nearby desert beach, 480 m, 17 September 2020, G.Z. Jin & C.F. Lu jgz-38 ( XJBI) ; Shawan, valley near the west of Shawan , 494 m, 18 September 2020, G.Z. Jin & C.F. Lu jgz-45 ( XJBI) ; ibid., 814 m, 18 September 2020, G.Z. Jin & C.F. Lu jgz-51 ( XJBI) ; Jinghe, roadside of Bayinamu Mountain , 465 m, 22 September 2020, G.Z. Jin & C.F. Lu jgz-53 ( XJBI) ; ibid., 1405 m, 22 September 2020, G.Z. Jin & C.F. Lu jgz-57 ( XJBI) .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Artemisia kaschgarica (photographed by Guang-Zhao Jin). A. habit; B. capitula; C. stem leaves (from top to bottom: lower, middle and upper leaf).

FIGURE 18. Distribution map of Artemisia kaschgarica in China.