Artemisia elongata Filatova & Ladygina

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 : 13-14

6. Artemisia elongata Filatova & Ladygina in Filatova (1981: 225) ≡ Seriphidium elongatum (Filatova & Ladygina) K. Bremer & Humphries ex Ling (1991a: 27) . Type:— KYRGYZSTAN. Alatau: near Issyk-Kul Lake, 25 August 1972, S. S. Ikonnikov, G.M. Ladygina & A.N. Lukasch 10469 (lectotype designated here: LE00052871!; isolectotype: LE00052872!).

Subshrubs, 25–45 cm tall. Stems numerous, often tufted, erect or slightly curved upwards at the base, branching from the middle, branches 3–8 cm long, obliquely upward. Lower stem leaves ovate or oblong-ovate, 2–3-pinnatisect, 1.5–2 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, petiole 1–1.5 cm long, with 3–4 segments per side, segments further pinnatisect, lobules narrowly linear, 2–5 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, apex obtuse. Middle stem leaves ovate, 2-pinnatisect, 1–1.5 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, nearly sessile, 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 all leaves persists, and the leaves have a slightly soft texture. Capitula ovoid, 2–3 mm long, 1.5–2 mm in diameter. Synflorescence a narrow or somewhat broad panicle. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, outer phyllaries small, ovate, middle phyllaries oblong-ovate, outer and middle phyllaries initially covered with grayish-white spiderweb-like tomentum, inner phyllaries membranous, nearly glabrous. Bisexual florets 5–7, corollas yellow.

Distribution and habitat:—This species is distributed in western Xinjiang, China ( Figure 6 ). It grows in rocky slopes at elevations of 1600–2600 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Taxonomic notes:—In the protologue of Artemisia elongata, Filatova (1981) designated the gathering S.S. Ikonnikov, G.M. Ladygina & A.N. Lukasch 10469 at LE as the type. We have found two sheets of this gathering at LE. Both sheets match perfectly the original description. According to Arts. 9.12 and 9.17 of the ICN ( Turland et al. 2018), sheet LE00052871 has been designated as the lectotype, and the other sheet as the isolectotype.

Artemisia elongata is similar to A. nitrosa in indumentum and synflorescence type but can be distinguished by its being subshrub (vs. perennial herbs) and its lower leaves, which are 1.5–2 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, with petioles 1–1.5 cm long (vs. 3–4 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, and petioles 3–7 cm long). Additionally, this species is also somewhat similar to A. borotalensis in indumentum and leaf size, but is easily distinguished by its 25–45 cm tall (vs. 12–25 cm tall) plant height and lax (vs. dense) panicle.

Specimens examined:— CHINA. Xinjiang: Tekes, descent into Takes River valley , s.a., 26 August 1957, A.A. Yunatov et al. 1598 ( LE) ; Yining, 3–4 km beyond Sarbushin settlement, s.a., 23 August 1957, A.A. Yunatov et al. 1464 ( LE) ; Yining, 89 km east of Yining , s.a., 29 August 1957, A.A. Yunatov et al. 1761 ( LE) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Artemisia elongata in China.