Synotis lhozhagensis M. Tang, 2025

Peng, Guo-Xing, Zhao, Liao-Cheng, Tang, Ming, Deng, Jun, Zhan, Hao-Ming, Zhang, Zhuo-Ni & Wang, Qiang, 2025, Synotis lhozhagensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species from south-eastern Xizang, China, based on morphological and molecular evidence, PhytoKeys 259, pp. 161-175 : 161-175

Synotis lhozhagensis M. Tang sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3

Chinese name.

“ luò zā hé ěr jú ” (洛扎合耳菊)

Type.

China • Xizang Autonomous Region, Shannan City, Lhozhag County, Lakang Town , in fertile loamy soils at the edge of forests, 28°02'41.75"N, 91°05'50.97"E, 2720.7 m elev., 23 August 2024, FLPH Expedition 24-14847 (holotype, PE!; isotype, JXAU! PE!). Fig. 2 .

Diagnosis.

Synotis lhozhagensis is similar to S. acuminata , but differs in having phyllaries number five (vs. three or four), ray floret absent (vs. one) and disc florets five (vs. two or three).

Description.

Perennial herbs. Stem solitary, erect, 100–250 cm tall, slightly curved distally, profusely branched into short inflorescence branches, white-tomentose when young, becoming glabrous with age. Leaves papery, long-elliptic to oblanceolate-elliptic, 6–13 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide; apex long-acuminate; base cuneate to attenuate; margins irregularly deeply obtuse-acuminate-serrate; adaxial surface sparsely adnate white-tomentose to nearly glabrous; abaxial surface sparsely white-tomentose; venation pinnate with 4–6 pairs of lateral veins, arcuately ascending; petiole 5–15 mm long, sparsely white-tomentose to nearly glabrous. Capitula lacking ray florets, aggregated into cymose panicles; peduncles short, 3–6 mm long, silvery-white-tomentose, bearing 1–2 basal bracts and bracteoles; bracts and bracteoles linear. Involucre terete, 4–5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide; bracts of calyculus 4–5, linear-subulate, up to 1 / 3 the length of involucre; involucral phyllaries five, oblong, 1.5 mm wide, apex acute, subleathery, margins broadly scarious, abaxially sparsely silvery-white pubescent. Disc florets five; corolla pale yellow, ca. 6–8 mm long; tube 2.5 mm long; limb funnel-form; Style branches 1–1.2 mm long, apically obtuse, covered with short papillate hairs, central hairs inconspicuous. Achenes cylindrical, 2.5 mm long, glabrous. Crown hairs 5 mm long, white.

Phenology.

Flowering July to August; fruiting September to October.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ‘ lhozhagensis ’ is derived from the type locality, Lakang Town, Lhozhag County, Shannan City, southeast Xizang Autonomous Region, China.

Distribution and habitat.

Synotis lhozhagensis is currently known only from Lakang Town, Lhozhag County, Shannan City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. This species inhabits forest edges and sparse understorey areas, primarily within mixed forests at elevations between 2,500 and 3,000 m (Fig. 5 ).

IUCN Red List Category.

Synotis lhozhagensis is currently known only from its type locality near Lakang Town, Lhozhag County, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. Several small populations (with a total of no more than 100 plants) occur on forested hillsides within this area, thriving in well-preserved habitats with minimal anthropogenic disturbance. Following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2022), we propose a provisional assessment of Data Deficient (DD) for this species, as it is newly described and additional populations may remain undiscovered.

Additional specimens of Synotis lhozhagensis examined.

Xiongqu River Valley , La Jiao Village, Lhozhag County, Xizang, 2751 m elev., 28°03'07.30"N, 91°05'25.88"E, 17 August 2013, Y. S. Chen et al. 13-1370 ( PE 01992899 !, PE 01992904 !, PE 01992905 !) .

Note.

It is noteworthy that, due to the insufficient number of samples within Synotis , the systematic position of Synotis lhozhagensis within Synotis has not been well resolved in the phylogenetic tree (Fig. 4 ). However, since the new species has loose corymbs that bear no ray florets, it can be easily placed under ser. Oliganthae (J. F. Jeffrey) C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen according to Chen et al. (2011) and Tang (2014).

During our specimen review, we characterised a novel population of particular interest, i. e. S. Noshiro et al. 9830074 ( BM 000810806 !, E 00226303 !, TI!) collected in Sankhuwasabha District, Koshi Zone, Nepal on 20 August 1998, which closely matches Synotis lhozhagensis in key features, such as plant form, leaf shape and flower clusters. However, they differ by having only two or three phyllaries. Further research is needed to confirm whether these specimens are the same as Synotis lhozhagensis or represent another new taxon never described.

Figures

Figure 1. Synotis lhozhagensis in its natural habitat in Shannan, Xizang, China. A. Habitat; B. Habit; C. Portion of stem (sparsely tomentose); D. Leaf blades (left one and two: adaxial surface and abaxial surface; left three and left four: adaxial surface and abaxial surface; left five and left six: adaxial surface and abaxial surface); E. Synflorescence; F. Capitulum, lateral view; G. Capitulum, apical view; H. Outer phyllaries (= bracts of calyculus); I. Phyllary, adaxial (left) and (right) surfaces; J. Disc floret. Photographed by H. L. Zheng & X. T. Ma.

Figure 2. Holotype sheet of Synotis lhozhagensis. Lakang, Lhozhag, Shannan, Xizang, China, FLPH Expedition 24-14847 (PE).

Figure 3. Line drawing of Synotis lhozhagensis. A. Habit; B. Outer phyllaries (bracts of calyculus); C. Capitula; D. Synflorescence; E. Disc floret; F. Corolla; G. Style; H. Stamen. Illustration by Guo-Xing Peng based on living field-collected material (FLPH Expedition 24-14847).

Figure 4. Maximum Likelihood tree for the Senecioneae based on the ITS dataset, with Synotis lhozhagensis highlighted in red font. Bootstrap values (MLBS) and posterior probabilities (PP) are indicated above the branches. Dashes (–) indicate MLBS < 70 or PP < 0.90.

Figure 5. Distribution map of Synotis lhozhagensis (red pentacle), Synotis acuminata (red round) and Synotis glomerata (red square block).