Artemisia sublessingiana Krasch. ex Poljakov (1954: 395)

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 : 46-47

27. Artemisia sublessingiana Krasch. ex Poljakov (1954: 395) ≡ Seriphidium sublessingianum (Krasch. ex Poljakov) Poljakov (1961b: 174) . Type:— KAZAKHSTAN. Almaty Oblast: southern region of Lake Balkhash, 7 September 1934, I. & O. Linczevsky 3195 (holotype: LE01281416!; isotypes: A00002812!, MW0595101!, PE202108!, US 01819194!, W19400017509!). = Artemisia gorjaevii Poljakov (1954: 419) ≡ Seriphidium gorjaevii (Poljakov) Ling (1991a: 23) ≡ Artemisia sublessingiana var. gorjaevii

Poljakov (1961a: 597). Type:— KAZAKHSTAN. Sarkand District : 20 km northeast of Sarkand, 14 August 1950, P. Poljakov 14

( lectotype designated here: LE00053711 !; isolectotypes: LE00053715 !, LE00053716 !, LE00053717 !) .

Perennial herbs, 30–45 cm tall. Stems few or numerous, erect or lower curved upward at the base, branching from the upper part, branches 2–4 cm long, obliquely upward. Lower stem leaves oblong-ovate or broadly ovate, 2-pinnatisect, 3–4 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, petiole 3–4 cm long, with 3–5 segments per side, segments further pinnatisect, lobules narrowly linear, 5–12 mm long, 0.3–0.5 mm wide, with blunt apices. Middle stem leaves 1–2-pinnatisect, subsessile, with pinnatifid pseudostipules. Upper stem leaves pinnatisect, with narrowly linear lobules. The grayish-white tomentum on the stems and branches partially sheds at maturity, the tomentum on the leaves persists and the leaves have a slightly soft texture, while the lower and middle stem leaves usually wither. Capitula cylindric-ovoid or ellipsoid-ovoid, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 1–2 mm in diameter. Synflorescence a narrow or somewhat broad and elongated panicle. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, outer phyllaries small, oblong-ovate or elliptic, gray-green tomentose, margins membranous, middle and inner phyllaries oblong-ovate, nearly glabrous. Bisexual florets 2–8, corolla yellow. Anthers linear, apex appendages lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, with a mucronate base. Style short, apex slightly forked at anthesis, tips truncate, ciliate. Achenes with inconspicuous fine longitudinal lines, 0.8–1.5 mm long, 0.3–0.8 mm in diameter, ovoid or obovoid.

Distribution and habitat:—This species is distributed in Xinjiang, China ( Figure 40 ). It grows in rocky slopes, gobi desert, dry valleys, semidesert steppes and dunes at elevations of 800–1300 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Taxonomic notes:—This species is similar to A. gracilescens in habit and narrowly spicate or spicate-paniculate inflorescences. However, it is primarily distinguished from A. gracilescens by its lower leaves: 2-pinnatisect, 3–4 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, petiole 3–4 cm long (vs. 2–3-pinnatisect, 1–2 cm long, 0.5–1.5 cm wide, petiole 0.3–0.5 cm long) and ovate (vs. ellipsoid) capitula. Additionally, this species also bears some similarity to A. lessingiana in habit, branching position and degree of dispersion, but can be distinguished by its 2-pinnatisect (vs. 1–2-pinnatisect) lower leaves, ovate (vs. ovoid) capitula and yellow (vs. red) corolla.

Specimens examined:— China. Xinjiang: Tacheng , without precise location 1310 m, 7 August 1957, Sheng 681 ( LE) ; Tacheng, 15 km north of Tacheng , s.a., 12 August 1957, Sheng 1496 ( LE) ; Tacheng , without precise location, s.a., s.d., Anonymous 8995 ( PE) ; Fuyun, semi-desert sandy soil between Wuqiagou and Xibodu , 900 m, 20 August 1956, R.C. Ching 2260 ( PE) ; Huocheng, Sangong , 1050m, 6 September 1962, S.Q. Lin & P.H. Ma 1053 ( PE) ; Tacheng, Basbozidak village , 602 m, 29 May 2022, G.Z. Jin jgz20220529 ( XJBI) .

Figures

FIGURE 40. Distribution map of Artemisia sublessingiana in China.