Astragalus gobi-altaicus N. Ulzyikh.

Munkhtulga, Dariganga, Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj, Nyamgerel, Nudkhuu, Park, Jong Ho, Tsegmed, Zagarjav, Tojibaev, Komiljon Sh. & Choi, Hyeok Jae, 2025, Morphological and phylogenetic analysis approach to three new species and a new section of Astragalus (Fabaceae) from Mongolia, PhytoKeys 255, pp. 51-73 : 51-73

Astragalus gobi-altaicus N. Ulzyikh. , Byull. Moskovsk. Obshch. Isp. Prir., Otd. Biol., n. s., 95 (2): 83 (1990).

Fig. 3

Diagnosis.

Astragalus gobi-altaicus was first described in East Gobi, Mongolia ( Ulziykhutag 1990). Later, this species was treated as a synonym of A. laguroides by Xu and Podlech (2010). However, based on our extensive morphological studies, A. gobi-altaicus can be distinguished from A. laguroides by its inflorescence being oblong-cylindrical (vs. globose or ovate), leaflets that are broadly elliptical or oblong-obovate, more rarely sub-oval (vs. leaflets oblong, narrowly elliptical, or lanceolate), calyx teeth 4–6 mm long (vs. calyx teeth 3–4) (Table 2 ). In addition, the phylogenetic tree supported that A. gobi-altaicus was different from A. laguroides , which was more similar to A. oyunicus and A. lupulinus (Fig. 1 ).

Type.

Mongolia. Umnugovi province, Noyon soum, Noyon-Bogd mountain , 08 September 1979, V. I. Grubov, A. Muldaschev & Sh. Darijmaa 1964 [Holotype LE 01016096 ! (Fig. 6 F )] • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Khurkh mountain , 42°43'16.6"N, 105°06'17.4"E, 1425 m, 28 June 1980, I. A. Gubanov 5941 [Paratype MW 0593122 !] • Umnugovi province, Khurmen soum, Bayan-Undur , 42°33'18.1"N, 103°54'38.1"E, 1413 m, 06 August 1981, I. A. Gubanov 3376 [Paratype MW 0593121 !, MW 0593120 !] .

Description.

Plants perennial 8–12 cm tall, acaulescent, with merely white, in vegetative parts distinctly warty hairs. Stipules whitish, 3-4 mm, triangular, nearly free from the petiole, not connate behind the stem, appressed hairy, at the margins with basifixed hairs. Leaves (– 3) 8–14 cm; petiole 1–4 cm, like the rachis slender, loosely to rather densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs 0.5-1 mm. Leaflets in 2-4 pairs, in the basal leaves often in 1–2 pairs only, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 7-18 × 5–10 mm, mucronate, on both sides densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs 1.5-2 (- 3) mm. Peduncles 3-6 cm, slightly angular-sulcate, loosely to rather densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs, partly glabrescent with age. Raceme oblong to oblong-cylindrical 3-8 cm long, densely many-flowered. Bracts whitish, 3-5 mm, narrowly linear, covered with mostly basifixed hairs. Calyx 11-14 mm, tubular at beginning of anthesis, soon ovoid-inflated, rather densely covered with subbasifixed to basifixed, rigid, spreading, straight white hairs 2-3 mm; teeth filiform, 4-5 mm. Standard (– 9) 14-18 (– 20) mm; blade c. 5 mm wide, elliptic, narrowly triangular toward the slightly emarginate tip, slightly constricted below the middle, at the base obtusely angularly passing into the claw. Wings 12–15 mm; blades narrowly oblong, obtuse, c. 5.5 × 1.5 mm; auricle 1 mm, claw 8 mm. Keel 10–12 mm; blades obliquely obovate 3.5 × 2 mm; claw c. 8 mm. Ovary sessile. Pods enclosed in the calyx, sessile, oblong, 7-8 × 3-4 mm long, with a hooked beak c. 2-2.5 mm, unilocular; covered with tangled, spreading only white hairs.

Distribution.

Endemic to Mongolia. This species is currently known from the South Gobi in Mongolia (Fig. 9 ).

Habitat.

This species grows in debris desert steppe, mountain slopes, sandy desert steppes, sayr slopes and granite slopes of hillocky areas.

Additional specimens examined.

Mongolia, Gobi Altai region: • Umnugovi province, Tsogt-Tsetsii soum, Tsetsii mountain , 43°30'48.38"N, 105°41'18.85"E, 1727 m, 28 May 1962 ( UBA) • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Baruun tsohiotiin Khudag , 42°41'14.1"N, 105°13'8.5"E, 1463 m, 17 May 1962 ( UBA) • Umnugovi province, Bulgan soum, Dundsaikhan mountain, Khaalgiin sair , 43°44'16.53"N, 103°34'10.88"E, 2229 m, 25 June 1962 ( UBA) • Umnugovi province, 20 km southeast from Khurmen soum , 43°5'55.7"N, 104°11'39.4"E, 1631 m, 06 July 1973, Ts. Jamsran ( UBU 0026387 ) • Umnugovi province, Bayandalai soum, northern part of Zuramtai mountain , 1715 m, 05 September 1976, Ch. Sanchir ( UBA) • Bayankhongor province, Shinejinst soum, Jinst mountain , 44°26'28.4"N, 99°13'36"E, 2000 m, 14 July 1979, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0593124 , MW 0593125 ) • Umnugovi province, Noyon soum, Noyon Bogd mountain , 43°12'17.35"N, 101°50'39.68"E, 2200 m, 08 September 1979, V. I. Grubov & Sh. Dariimaa ( UBA) • Umnugovi province, Sewrei soum, Zuulun mountain , 43°38'49.19"N, 102°20'57.46"E, 1900 m, 26 August 1982, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0593123 ) • Umnugovi province, Dalanzadgad soum, Khachig mountain , 42°59'35.53"N, 105°40'35.27"E, 1800 m, 01 September 1982, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0183265 ) • Umnugovi province, Khankhongor soum, Chanaijn Kharaa mountain , 44°22'48"N, 104°16'48"E, 1242 m, 22 June 1988, H. D. Knapp ( GFW 45639 ) • Umnugovi province, Bayandalai soum, Ikh Argalant mountain , 43°10'32.24"N, 103°35'24.93"E, 1910 m, 16 June 2007, Ts. Jamsran ( UBU 0030804 ) • Umnugovi province, Bayan-Ovoo soum , 42°56'57.5"N, 106°9'13.3"E, 1170 m, 08 June 2013, Ch. Sanchir ( UBU 0032442 ) • Alashan Gobi region: • Umnugovi province, Alashaa Gobi, Khalzan mountain , 42°10'18.32"N, 105°15'43.97"E, 1363 m, 31 July 1989, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0183261 ) • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Borzon govi , 42°33'35.14"N, 105°9'58.8"E, 1208 m, 2003, Ariuntuya ( UBU 0012226 ) .

Figures

Figure 1. Phylogenetic tree of Astragalus species based on ITS sequences. Newly sequenced samples are indicated with UBU specimen code. The bootstrap support values above 70 % are shown at branch level. CHN, MGL, KAZ, and RUS samples are from China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia, respectively.

Figure 3. Astragalus gobi-altaicus in Mongolia A general habit B raceme C flower D calyx E bracts F standard G wings H keel I pistil J stamens K pod L pod valve M leave, abaxial view N leave, adaxial view P leaflet, abaxial view O leaflet, adaxial view Q omission of medifixed hairs on the upper side of the leaf R stipules, outside view S stipules, inside view. (Photo credits: D. Munkhulga and B. Oyuntsetseg).

Figure 6. Type specimens of Astragalus species A A. uvsicus (UBU 0039100) B A. teshigicus (UBU 0002138) C A. oyunicus (UBU 0039102) D A. laguroides (BM 000632540) E A. tamiricus (LE 01017820) F A. gobi-altaicus (LE 01016096).

Figure 9. Distribution map of the studied Astragalus species from the sections Laguropsis and Uvsicus in Mongolia.