Artemisia scopiformis Ledebour (1845: 575)

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 : 44-46

25. Artemisia scopiformis Ledebour (1845: 575) [“ scopaeformis ”] ≡ Seriphidium scopiforme (Ledebour) Poljakov (1961b: 172) . Type:— KAZAKHSTAN. Jiangbur Province: vicinity of the Chu River, s.d., A. Schrenk 166 [lectotype designated by Filatova (1984): LE00052861!].

Subshrubs, 20–50 cm tall. Stems numerous, often tufted, erect or slightly curved upwards at the base, branching from the lower part, branches 2–15 cm long, spreading or slightly pendulous. Lower stem leaves elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 2-pinnatipartite, 2–4 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, petiole 1–4 cm long, with 3–7 segments per side, margin 2 or 3-toothed, lobules elliptic or oblong-ovate, 2–5 mm long, 1–2.5 mm wide, with rounded apices. Middle stem leaves elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 1–2-pinnatipartite, 1.5–2.5 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide. Upper stem leaves 3-partite, or entire, with elliptic or ovate lobules. The grayish-white tomentum on the stems and branches almost completely sheds at maturity, all leaves are nearly glabrous and have a rigid texture, and the lower and middle stem leaves usually wither. Capitula ovoid or oblong, 2.5–4 mm long, 2–3 mm in diameter. Synflorescence a broad conical panicle. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, outer phyllaries small, ovate, middle and inner phyllaries oblong-ovate or elliptic, outer and middle phyllaries abaxially pilose, margins membranous, inner phyllaries semi-membranous, glabrous. Bisexual florets 3–5, corolla yellow or red. Anthers linear, apex appendages lanceolate, base mucronate. Style short. Achenes with inconspicuous fine longitudinal lines, obovoid. Figure 37 .

Distribution and habitat:—This species is distributed in Xinjiang, China ( Figure 38 ). It grows in the gobi desert at elevations up to 600 m.

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from August to October.

Taxonomic notes:—This species can be easily distinguished from other species in A. subg. Seriphidium by its lower stem leaves, each having 4–7 lobes with rounded apices. The plant becomes nearly glabrous at maturity, with both the lower and middle stem leaves completely shedding.

Specimens examined:— China. Xinjiang: Hami, on the east bank of Shu Nanor Lake , s.a., 30 September 1959, Xinjiang Exped. 10137 ( PE) ; Turpan, Hongxing Farm , 130 m, 30 May 1958, A.R. Li & J.N. Zhu 5469 ( PE) ; ibid., 100 m, 7 June 1958, A.R. Li & J.N. Zhu 5553 ( PE) ; Tuokexun, Xiaocaohu , 50 m, 19 June 1958, A.R. Li & J.N. Zhu 7315 ( PE) ; ibid., 144 m, 13 October 2020, G.Z. Jin jgz-43 ( XJBI) .

Figures

FIGURE 37. Artemisia scopiformis (photographed by Guang-Zhao Jin). A. habit; B. habitat; C. capitula; D. stem leaves (from left to right: lower, middle and upper leaf).

FIGURE 38. Distribution map of Artemisia scopiformis in China.