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Based on critical observations on herbarium specimens (including type materials) and living plants in the wild from its type locality, we demonstrate that Saussurea talungensis, recently described from Talung valley of Humla district, Nepal, is readily distinguishable from S. lanata by an array of morphological characters but is actually conspecific with S. roylei, a species with its type locality from northwestern India. We therefore reduce S. talungensis to the synonymy of S. roylei herein.

Isotrema guangdongense Y.S.Chen & Y.C.Xu, sp. nov. (Fig. 2). Type: — CHINA. Guangdong: Guangzhou, Conghua District, Liangkou Town, Wuzhi Mountain Scenic Area, 113°47′7″E, 23°42′28″N, forests on mountain slopes, elev. 936 m, 3 April 2022, Y. S . Chen & Y. C. Xu 22018 (holotype IBSC0889722). Woody liana. Stems terete, densely rusty villous at young twigs, glabrous when aged. Petioles 7–10 cm long, young ones densely rusty villous; leaf blade cordate, entire, 25–30 × 20–25 cm, papery, adaxially puberulous or glabrous, abaxially densely rusty villous, veins palmate, 2 pairs from base, base cordate or auriculate, sinus 2–4 cm deep, apex acute to acuminate. Flowers usually solitary, axillary; pedicels 4–7 cm long, usually pendulous, densely rusty villous; bracteoles subulate, inserted at the basis of pedicel, densely rusty villous both sides, sessile. Perianth zygomorphic, densely yellow to brown villous abaxially. Calyx tube horseshoe-shaped, externally white with purple-red stripes; basal portion of tube 20–30 × 5–7 mm, with whitish surface, densely arachnoid tomentum adaxially; upper portion 20–30 × 4–5 mm, with yellowish surface, almost glabrous; throat of tube yellow, discoid-suborbicular or oval, 10–17 mm in diam; limb adaxially white with dense big purple spinous processes on whitish surface, distinctly 3-lobed, lobes triangular and apex acute, upper two lobes forming acute angle, abaxially pale white. Stamens 6 in 1 series, fully adnate in 3 pairs to the style column to form gynostemium, opposite to the stigma lobes; filaments absent; anthers oblong, ca. 3 mm long. Gynostemium ca. 6 mm long, 4–5 mm in diam., fleshy; lobes 3, obtuse at apex; margin crisped; ovary inferior, cylindric, 10–12 mm long, 4–5 cm in diam., densely rusty villous abaxially; ovules numerous; placentation axillary. Phenology:—Flowering in April and fruiting in July to October. Etymology:—The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Guangdong Province, South China. The Chinese name is given as “ffiuẍ†®” (tu er guan mu tong). Distribution and habitat:—Through checking numerous specimens and pictures, we found that Isotrema guangdongense is currently only known from Guangdong Province and Fujian Province, including Guangzhou City, Meizhou City, and Chaozhou City in Guangdong Province and Nanjing County in Fujian Province (Fig. 3). It grows in evergreen broadleaved forests on stony mountain slopes at altitudes of 600–1000 m. Conservation status:— Isotrema guangdongense is known from a few populations on stony mountain slopes in Guangzhou City, Meizhou City, and Chaozhou City in Guangdong, and Nanjing County in Fujian Province. One population from Guanghzou is in a scenic spot, but the plant number is very small. The two populations from Meizhou and Chaozhou have been severely damaged due to exploitation by human activities. In addition, most populations are outside of protected areas and local people continue to impose strong pressure on the remaining forest patches for medicinal plants, firewood, and converting the vegetation into tea plantation. Therefore, the new species is assigned a preliminary status of Vulnerable (VU D2) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019), indicating a population with a very restricted area of occupancy (typically less than 20 km 2) or number of locations (typically five or fewer). Similar species and phylogenetic position:— Isotrema guangdongense belongs to Isotrema because its calyx strongly curved, gynostemium 3-lobed, anthers paired on the outer surface of each gynostemium segment, and capsule dehiscing basipetally. I. guangdongense is similar to I. kwangsiense (Fig. 4) in its habit, terete stems, entire and cordate leaves, palmate veins, pendulous pedicels, calyx limb with irregularly dotted dark purple, horseshoe-shaped tube and yellow throat of calyx tube, but different by its leaf blade cordate, 25–30 × 20–25 cm (vs. cordate to orbicular, 11–13 × 9–32 cm), leaf apex acute to acuminate (vs. obtuse or acute), leaf indumentum adaxially puberulous or glabrous, abaxially densely rusty villous (vs. both surfaces moderately to densely hirsute), inflorescence usually solitary flowered, usually axillary on new stems (vs. racemes 2–3 flowered, usually on old stems), pedicel 4–7 cm long (vs. 2.5–3.5 cm long), calyx limb white with dense big purple spinous processes, abaxially pale white (vs. dark purple with dense big purple spinous processes, abaxially pale yellowish green), upper two lobes of calyx limb forming acute angle (vs. flat to obtuse angle), throat of calyx tube 10–17 mm in diam. (vs. 5–6 mm in diam.) and gynostemium ca. 6 mm long (vs. ca. 3 mm long) (Fig. 5). Through further in-depth study of more specimens, we found that I. kwangsiense is mainly distributed in southwestern Guangxi and Guizhou Province. According to Huang (1987) and (Zhao 1991), Aristolochia kwangsiensis Chun & F. C. How ex C. F. Liang (= I. kwangsiense) is also distributed in Guangdong and Fujian. But according to our analyses, the specimens usually identified as I. kwangsiense from Guangdong and Fujian were the misidentifications of I. guangdongense. In conclusion, I. kwangsiense is only distributed in Guangxi and Guizhou, but I. guangdongense is currently only known from Guangdong and Fujian. Therefore, the geographical distributions of these two species are different. Isotrema guangdongense is also similar to I. austroszechuanicum (C. P. Tsien & C. Y. Cheng ex C. Y. Cheng & J. L. Wu 1987: 221) X. X. Zhu, S. Liao & J. S. Ma (2019a: 8) in its habit, terete stems, entire and cordate leaves, adaxially slightly villous, palmate veins, pendulous pedicels, and horseshoe-shaped tube, but distinguished by its white limb with dense big purple spinous processes (vs. yellowish green limb with dense, small purple warts, the pale yellowish green abaxial surface of the limb), throat of calyx tube yellow and 10–17 mm in diam. (vs. throat of calyx tube reddish brown and 6–9 mm in diam.). Morphological differences among Isotrema guangdongense, I. kwangsiense and I. austroszechuanicum are shown in Table 2. Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Guangdong Province: Chaozhou, Chao ‘an District, Fenghuang Town, Fenghuang Mountain, elev. 950 m, 25 Nov. 2009, X. F . Zeng ZXF8781 (CZH); ibid, elev. 940 m, 9 Apr. 2010, X. F . Zeng ZXF9242 (CZH); ibid, 3 Jul. 2022, T . Li & X. F. Zeng LT20220703 (IBSC); Meizhou, Meixian District, Yanyang Town, Yinna Mountain, Lingguang Temple, elev. 688 m, 1 Jul. 2022, T . Li & X. F. Zeng LT20220701 (IBSC)., Published as part of Xu, Lian-Sheng, Li, Tian, Xu, Ye-Chun & Chen, You-Sheng, 2023, Isotrema guangdongense (Aristolochiaceae), a new species from Guangdong, South China, pp. 71-80 in Phytotaxa 601 (1) on pages 74-79, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.601.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/8129483, {"references":["IUCN Standards & Petitions Subcommittee. (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee.","Huang, S. M. (1987) Aristolochiaceae Jussieu. In: Chen, F. H. & Wu, T. L. (Eds.) Flora of Guangdong, vol. 1. Guangdong Science and Technology Press, Guangzhou, pp. 47 - 62.","Zhao, X. Z. (1991) Aristolochiaceae Jussieu. In: Anonymous (Ed.) Flora of Fujian, vol. 1. Fujian Science and Technology Press, Fuzhou, pp. 501 - 507.","Wu, J. L. & Cheng, J. R. (1987) New taxa of Aristolochia from Sichuan. Journal of Wuhan Botanical Research 5: 221 - 223."]}

Xu, Lian-Sheng, Li, Tian, Xu, Ye-Chun, Chen, You-Sheng (2023): Isotrema guangdongense (Aristolochiaceae), a new species from Guangdong, South China. Phytotaxa 601 (1): 71-80, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.601.1.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.601.1.5

Aster sanqingshanicus J.W.Xiao & W.P.Li in Xiao et al. (2021: 8) Type:— CHINA. Jiangxi Province: Shangrao City, Mt Sanqingshan Scenic Area, 3 June 2020, Jia-Wei Xiao, XJW2020060304 (holotype HNNU; isotypes HNNU)., Published as part of Li, Tian & Chen, You-Sheng, 2023, A new synonym of the newly described species Aster sanqingshanicus (Asteraceae), pp. 79-80 in Phytotaxa 592 (1) on page 79, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.592.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/7835724, {"references":["Xiao, J. - W., Zhao, Q. - Y., Xie, D., Tang, Z. - B. & Li, W. - P. (2021) Aster sanqingshanica (Asteraceae, Astereae), a new species from Jiangxi, China. Nordic Journal of Botany 39: e 02990. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / njb. 02990"]}

= Aster sanqingensis G.J.Zhang & T.G.Gao in Zhang et al. (2021: 630), syn. nov. Type:— CHINA. Jiangxi Province: Shangrao City, Mt Sanqing, on the cliffs along the plank walkway, 5 June 2017, Guo-Jin Zhang350-1 (holotype PE).

2. Cirsium sichuanense Z. C. Jin & Y. S. Chen, sp. nov. Figs. 8, 11 Type:— China. Sichuan, Dayi county, Xiling Xue Shan, 16 July 2021, alt. 2100 m, Z. C. Jin & L. S. Xu XJ 20210014 (holotype IBSC0889758, isotypes IBSC0889759, IBSC0889760, IBSC0889761, IBSC0889762, IBSC0889763, PE). Fig. 11. Description: —Herbs 40–120 cm tall, perennial. Stems erect, ribbed, unwinged, with long multicellular hairs, branched in the upper part. Basal and lower cauline leaves with petioles to 20 cm long; leaf blade elliptic or ovate, 20–40 × 15–20 cm, pinnatipartite; segments 4–7 pairs, ± narrowly elliptic or triangular, with 1–3 unequal triangular teeth laterally spiny and with an apical spine 1–3 mm long. Cauline leaves sessile, amplexicaul, gradually smaller upward, elliptic, pinnatilobate to pinnatipartite; segments 3–5 pairs, narrowly elliptic or triangular, with 1–3 unequal triangular teeth laterally spiny and with an apical spine 1–3 mm long; middle segment largest. All leaves concolorous, green, with sparse long multicellular hairs. Capitula few, terminal on long branches, nodding. Involucre campanulate, 3–4 cm diam., glabrous or sparsely cobwebby. Phyllaries in ca. 7 rows, lacking marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage; outer and middle phyllaries triangular to triangular-lanceolate, 6–15 × 1.5– 3 mm, abaxially with a resinous gland, margin sparsely ciliate, apex acute and tipped with a spinule 0.5– 1 mm long, reflexed; inner and innermost phyllaries broadly linear, ca. 2.4 × 0.2–0.3 cm, apex acuminate. Florets bisexual. Corolla white, ca. 2 cm long, tube ca. 7 mm long. Achene ca. 4 mm long, many ribbed. Pappus bristles brown, ca. 1.5 cm long. Phenology: —Flowering from June to July. Etymology: —The specific epithet “ sichuanense ” is derived from Sichuan province, China; the new species is distributed in this province. Distribution and habitat: — Cirsium sichuanense is distributed in western Sichuan province, China (Fig. 10). It grows mainly on grassy slopes or in thickets at elevations of 1400–3800 m above sea level. Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Sichuan: Emei Shan, alt. 1400 m, 13 June 1941, W. P . Fang 16948 (SZ00271197); Emei Shan, 17 July 1957, S. Y . Chen et al. 3974 (SZ00271138); Emei Shan, 3 August 1951, W. P . Fang et al. 20706 (SZ00271496, SZ00271475); Emei Shan, alt 2350 m, 14 July 1935, T. H . Tu 463 (CQNM0012138, IBSC0580834, PE00455579, PE00607945, WUK0347918); Hongya, 4 June 1994, W. K . Bao et al. 1918 (CDBI0150525, CDBI0150526); Hongya, alt. 1800 m, 19 July 1994, W. K . Bao et al. 3135 (CDBI0150523); Hongya, alt. 1800 m, 19 July 1994, W. K . Bao et al. 3136 (CDBI0150530); Hongya, Z. W . Wang A00109 (CDBI0150681, CDBI0150682); Hongya, 1 July 1939, C. W . Yao 3976 (PE00455929); Meigu, alt. 3800 m, 29 July 1976, Sichuan Veget. Exped. 13282 (CDBI0149215, CDBI0149342, CDBI0149345, PE01836809); Yuexi, alt. 2700 m, 29 August 1976, Sichuan Veget. Exped. 14046 (CDBI0149333, PE01836414). Notes: — Cirsium sichuanense, with its phyllaries lacking marginal spinules, wings and scarious appendage and its leaves lacking spinules abaxially, should belong to C. sect. Cirsium. Cirsium sichuanense is currently known only from western Sichuan, China, while C. leo is widely distributed in Beijing, Chongqing, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Sichuan. but in Sichuan it occurs only in the northern part, geographically somewhat disjunctive from C. sichuanense (Fig. 10)., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Reduction of Cirsium fangii (Asteraceae, Cardueae) to the synonymy of C. leo and description of a new species, C. sichuanense, from Sichuan, China, pp. 158-172 in Phytotaxa 576 (2) on pages 163-170, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.576.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7461228

1. Cirsium leo Nakai & Kitagawa (1934: 60). Figs. 1–4, 9 Type:— China. Jehol (now Hebei province), Xinglong county, Wuling Shan, 2 September 1933, T. Nakai et al. s.n. (holotype TI00216131!, isotypes TI00216132!, TI00216133!, TI00216134!, TI00216135!). Figs. 3, 4. = Cirsium pinnatibracteatum Ling (1935: 148). Type:— China. Hopei (Hebei province), Fuping county, Yangshuta, alt. 1785 m, 28 August 1934, K.M . Liou 3469 [lectotype PE00030008!, designated by Lin (2010), isolectotypes, PE00030009!, PE00030010!]; remaining syntypes: China. Hopei (Hebei), Fuping county, Baicaotuo Shan, alt. 1975 m, 28 August 1934, K.M . Liou 3441 (PE00456122!, PE00456117!); Chakar (now Hebei province), Yuxian, Xiaowutai Shan, alt. 2000–2100 m, 13 September 1930, H.W . Kung 1274 (PE00456115!, PE00456138!); Chakar (now Hebei province), Yuxian, Xiaowutai Shan, Xijinghekou, alt. 1250 m, 13 September 1930, H.W . Kung 1286 (PE00456113!, PE00456114!). Fig. 9. = Cirsium chienii Chang (1936: 160). Type:— China. Szechwan (Sichuan province), Songpan county, 24 August 1928, W. P. Fang 4343 (holotype IBSC0580578!, isotypes CQNM0012139!, E00383892!, GH00125933!, IBSC0580826!, NAS00487125!, US021161779!). Figs. 1, 2. = Cirsium fangii Petrak (1938: 48), syn. nov. Type:— China. Szechwan (Sichuan province), Songpan county, 24 August 1928, W. P. Fang 4343 (holotype E00383892!, isotypes CQNM0012139!, GH00125933!, IBSC0580578!, IBSC0580826!, NAS00487125!, US021161779!). Figs. 1, 2. Description:—Herbs 40–100 cm tall, perennial. Stems simple or tufted, erect, branched above or rarely unbranched, ribbed, with long multicellular hairs. Basal and lower cauline leaves with petiole to 5 cm long; leaf blade elliptic, oblanceolate-elliptic or lanceolate, 10–25 × 4–7 cm, pinnatifid to pinnatipartite; segments 8–12 pairs, ± narrowly elliptic, or obliquely triangular, with unequal triangular teeth laterally spiny and with an apical spine 3–12 mm long. Cauline leaves sessile, amplexicaul, ± narrowly lanceolate, pinnatilobate to pinnatipartite; segments 4–6 pairs, triangular, with 1–3 unequal triangular teeth laterally spiny and with an apical spine 2–4 mm long; terminal segment largest. All leaves concolorous, green, with crispate multicellular hairs dense abaxially along veins but scattered elsewhere. Capitula corymbose, erect or rarely nodding. Involucre campanulate, ca. 4 cm diam., sparsely cobwebby. Phyllaries in ca. 8 rows, lacking wings and scarious appendage, all of similar length; outer and middle phyllaries 2–3 × 0.2–0.3 cm, pectinately fringed with spinules to 2.5 mm long, basal portion triangular to lanceolate, apical portion subulate tipped with a spinule ca. 3 mm long, patent or reflexed; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear, ca. 2 × 0.1–0.2 cm, apex long acuminate. Florets bisexual. Corolla purplish, rarely white, ca. 2.4 cm long, tube ca. 1 cm long. Achene dark gray, ca. 5 mm long. Pappus bristles dirty white, ca. 1.5 cm long. Phenology:—Flowering from (June–) July to September. Distribution and habitat:— Cirsium leo is distributed in Beijing, Chongqing, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and northern Sichuan, China (Fig. 10). It grows mainly on grassy slopes, at forest margins, in flooded lands, rocky crevices, wet places or along streams in ravines at elevations 700–3400 m above sea level. Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Beijng: Miyun, 10 July 1972, Miyun Exped. MI485 (PE01205337). Chongqing: Chengkou, alt. 2000 m, 1 July 2004, Yan-Sheng Chen at el. 613 (WUK0488176); Chengkou, alt 1100 m, 6 July 1959, P.Y . Li 1926 (WUK0350419). Gansu: Kangle, alt. 2450 m, 6 July 1992, Y.C . Wang 92053 (KUN0048474); Lintan, alt. 2900 m, 20 July 1936, T.P . Wang 5164 (PE00456193); Lixian, alt. 1900 m, 23 July 1936, T.P . Wang 4476 (PE00456189); Liupan Shan, August 1956, Huanghe Exped. 2221 (PE00456196); Luqu, alt. 3100 m, 10 August 1991, Taohe Exped. 534 (KUN0048473); Tianshui, alt. 2450 m, 8 August 1960, K.T . Fu 14156 (WUK0162714); Wenxian, alt. 2350–2400 m, 25 June 2006, Baishuijiang Exped. 0107 (PE01612625); Wenxian, alt. 2614 m, 8 September 2011, L.Q . Li et al. 140 (PE01914127); Wenxian, alt. 2600 m, 29 July 1959, Z. Y . Zhang 7649 (WUK0147400); Xiahe, alt. 2400 m, 7 July 1937, K. T . Fu 1099 (PE00456190); Xiahe, alt. 2500 m, 11 July 1937, K. T . Fu 1184 (PE00456209, WUK0022542); Zhugqu, alt. 2200 m, 20 July 1998, Bailongjiang Exped. 418 (PE01537055, PE01537058). Hebei: Laiyuan, alt. 960 m, 25 July 1959, Anonymous 43728 (PE00456135, PE00456136); Xinglong, alt. 1750 m, 22 July 1984, X. W . Zhang et al. 0191 (PE01258875, PE01258876); Xinglong, Wuling Shan, August 1935, Y . Liu 11690 (PE00456119); Yuxian, Xiaowutai Shan, 11 September 1951, C. K . Yang 615 (PE00456120); Yuxian, Xiaowutai Shan, alt. 1990 m, 23 July 1959, Anonymous 5392 (PE00456124, PE00456125); Yuxian, Xiaowutai Shan, alt. 1500 m, 31 July 1934, C. W . Wang 61995 (PE00456111); Zhuolu, alt. 1266 m, 2 September 2014, S . Shi et al. SZ4003 (PE02034854); Zhuolu, alt. 1445 m, 3 September 2014, S . Shi et al. SZ4026 (PE02064033). Henan: Jiyuan, 29 July 2015, C. S . Zhu et al. 150729177 (AU064869); Luanchuan, alt. 1150 m, 16 June 1984, Huangtu Exped. 2699 (WUK0455748); Lingbao, alt. 1240 m, 16 August 1958, J. Q . Fu 150 (KUN0048468); Luoning, alt. 1100 m, 11 June 1984, Huangtu Exped. 2602 (WUK0456711, WUK0456712); Lushi, 28 July 1935, K. M . Liou 4805 (PE00456168, WUK0016184); Lushi, alt. 1150 m, 15 July 1959, Anonymous 34302 (PE00456167, PE00456171); Neixiang, 15 July 2006, C. S . Zhu 20060715 (HITBC0019102); Songxian, alt. 850 m, 6 September 1983, Exped. PL . Econ. L0427 (PE00456166); Xixia, 10 July 1960, K. C . Kuan & T. L. Dai 940 (KUN0048470, PE00456169, PE00456170). Ningxia: Guyuan, alt. 2400 m, 23 June 1976, Q . Du 76-0245 (HNWP64002); Jingyuan, alt. 1800 m, 3 October 1984, J . X. Yang 5631 (WUK0451315, WUK0451316). Shaanxi: Danfeng, alt. 1900 m, 22 September 1958, S. B . He 393 (WUK0101554); Fengxian, alt. 2200 m, 19 July 1964, K. T . Fu 16153 (WUK0363575); Foping, alt. 1550 m, 22 June 1952, K. T . Fu 4679 (KUN0048479, PE00456178, WUK0059705); Huanglong, alt. 1300 m, 22 July 1983, Huangtu Exped. 0129 (WUK0441820); Huaying, 9 June 1939, T. N . Liou 1065 (PE00456184); Huaying, Hua Shan, alt. 1800 m, 8 August 1932, K. S . Hao 4006 (PE00456186); Langao, alt. 2160 m, 28 June 2004, Yan-Sheng Chen at el. 477 (WUK0488071); Meixian, alt. 1800 m, 22 July 2013, Qingling Exped. Tb-129 (BNU004962); Meixian, Taibai Shan, alt. 1700 m, 24 July 1933, T. P . Wang 1338 (PE00456156, PE00456187); Meixian, Taibai Shan, alt. 2880 m, 10 September 1937, T. N . Liou & P. C. Tsoong 752 (PE00456177, WUK0022582); Meixian, Taibai Shan, September 1938, W. Y . Hsia 4671 (IBSC0580845); Ningshan, alt. 1800 m, 27 July 1978, K. T . Fu 17632 (WUK0347148, WUK0347149); Shiquan, alt. 1400 m, 14 June 1959, J. Q . Xing 7333 (WUK0130010); Weinan, alt. 1300 m, 30 June 1952, T. P . Wang 15559 (KUN0048481, PE00456180). Shanxi: Hunyuan, 22 July 1959, X. Y . Liu et al. 10171 (PE00607959); Huozhou, alt. 1700 m, 30 Sep. 1935, T. P . Wang 963 (PE00456149); Jiaocheng, 28 June 1959, S . Ma 15157 (HNWP6437, HSIB016831, WUK0320011); Jiexiu, 12 July 1959, X. Y . Liu 5356 (HNWP142639, WUK0321568); Lingchuan, alt. 1500 m, 18 October 1982, K. T . Fu 18894 (WUK0431228, WUK0431229); Luliang, Lishiqu, alt. 1940, 5 July 1955, Huanghe Exped. 2427 (PE00456163, WUK0482858); Ningwu, alt. 1500 m, 23 August 1959, X. Y . Liu 15460 (HNWP142640, WUK0321943); Ningwu, alt. 1580 m, 12 July 1957, K. M . Liou 1496 (PE00456157); Ningwu, alt. 1900 m, 24 July 1959, X. Y . Liu 15222 (HNWP142643); Qinxian, Lingkong Shan, 18 July 1959, K. C . Kuan et Y. L. Chen 00908 (HNWP142645, PE00456143, PE00456159); Ruicheng, alt. 1560 m, 22 August 1959, S. Y . Bao 540 (HNWP142647, PE00456155, PE00456158); Tsincheng (Jincheng), Taihang Shan, alt. 720 m, 19 June 1937, K. M . Liou 7351 (PE00456160, WUK0022754); Wutai, 7 July 1959, K. C . Kuan et Y. L. Chen 2155 (PE00456162); Wutai, alt. 1730 m, 18 August 1953, Shanxi Exped. 593 (PE00456164, PE00456165); Wutai, alt. 2000 m, 28 July 1959, K. C . Kuan et Y. L. Chen 2536 (HSIB016828, PE00456142, PE00456144); Wuzhai, alt. 1900 m, 18 August 1955, Huanghe Exped. 2936 (PE00456161, WUK0099357); Xiaxian, alt. 1060 m, 29 June 1962, W. T . Liu 0335 (HNWP142650, PE00456150); Yangqu, alt. 1500 m, 14 July 1991, W. T . Liu 0053 (HSIB016830); Yuanqu, alt. 1460 m, 5 June 1960, X. Y . Liu & F. Zhao 20113 (HNWP142648, PE00456148); Yingxian, alt. 2204 m, 13 July 2014, H. C . Duan Dch 0294 (PE02035968). Yongji, alt. 1350 m, 23 May 1962, T. W . Liu 0190 (HNWP142649, PE00456145); Yuncheng, 11 July 1954, Shanxi Exped. 135 (PE01553488, PE01553489). Sichuan: Pingwu, 16 July 2007, 2830 m, X. J . He et al. 129301 (SZ01044573); Pingwu, 9 July 2013, T . Wang FSB-740 (PE01994074); Songpan, alt. 3100 m, 17 September 1937, K. T . Fu 1799 (PE00456203, WUK0022719); Zoige, alt 2450 m, 8 August 2007, D. H . Zhu et al. 4439 (WCSBG019673). Notes: —Shi (1987) reduced Cirsium pinnatibracteatum to the synonymy of C. leo. We have checked the type material of C. pinnatibracteatum and accept this treatment. Cirsium pinnatibracteatum was described on the basis of four collections, K.M. Liou 3469, K.M. Liou 3441, H.W. Kung 1274 and H.W. Kung 1286, and Ling (1935) did not designate type for this name. Lin (2010) designated a PE sheet of the collection K.M. Liou 3469 (PE00030008; Fig. 9 A) as the lectotype of this name., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Reduction of Cirsium fangii (Asteraceae, Cardueae) to the synonymy of C. leo and description of a new species, C. sichuanense, from Sichuan, China, pp. 158-172 in Phytotaxa 576 (2) on pages 159-160, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.576.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7461228, {"references":["Nakai, T. & Kitagawa, M. (1934) Plantae novae Jeholenses I. In: Nakai, T., Honda, M. & Kitagawa, M. (Eds.) Report of the First Scientific Expedition to Manchoukuo. pp. 14 - 67.","Ling, Y. (1935) Les Composees chinoises de L'Academie de Peiping. Contributions from the Institute of Botany National Academy of Peiping 3: 123 - 149.","Lin, Q. & Yang, Z. R. (2010) Lectotypifications of eighteen names of Chinese taxa in Angiospermae. Bulletin of Botanical Research (Harbin) 30: 129 - 133.","Chang, C. C. (1936) Contributions to the knowledge of Chinese Compositae. Bulletin of the Fan Memorial Institute of Biology 7: 153 - 164.","Petrak, F. (1938) U ¨ ber eine neue chinesische Cirsium - Art (C. fangii) aus der Provinz Szetschwan. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis, 44: 48 - 50. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / fedr. 19380440105"]}

Jin, Zi-Chao, Chen, You-Sheng (2022): Reduction of Cirsium fangii (Asteraceae, Cardueae) to the synonymy of C. leo and description of a new species, C. sichuanense, from Sichuan, China. Phytotaxa 576 (2): 158-172, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.576.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.576.2.2

Saussurea roylei (Candolle) Schultz Bipontinus (1847: 330). Aplotaxis roylei Candolle (1838: 538). Type: — INDIA. Cachemire (Kashmir), 1833, J. F . Royle 36 (holotype G00461025!; isotype LE!). Fig. 1 (A, B, E). = Saussurea talungensis S. K. Ghimire & H. K. Rana in Rana et al. (2021: 55), syn. nov. Type: — NEPAL. Humla district, Talung valley, between Nyalu Pass and Ning Tsho, alt. 4300 m, 13 September 2012, S. K . Ghimire, A. Poudel, L. R. Joshi, S. Lo, P. Subedi & C. Thapa CHH-1352 (holotype KATH!; isotypes TUCH, KUN!). Fig. 1 (C, D, F). Description: —Herbs perennial, 15–50 cm tall. Caudex unbranched or branched at ground level, apically covered with remains of petioles. Stems several to caespitose, erect, 5–7 mm in diameter, densely covered with whitish or brownishwhite tomentose, purplish-brown at late maturity sometimes. Rosette leaves many, petiolate; petioles to 10 cm; leaf blade lanceolate or linear to narrowly elliptic, chartaceous, 7–25 cm long, 0.5–2.5cm wide, lyrately lobed, adaxially green or grayish green, glabrous or sparsely white tomentose, abaxially greenish-white, densely white tomentose, base attenuate, margins sinuate-dentate, sometimes purplish and pinnatifid towards the base, apex acuminate to caudate, midvein distinct, sometimes purplish-green; cauline leaves few, sessile, ovate-oblong, up to 15 cm long, ca. 2.5 cm wide, pinnately lobed to pinnatisect, sometimes margin purplish, base semiamplexicaul, apex acute to obtuse; upper cauline leaves smaller, sessile, ovate, margins dentate. Capitula 1–5, shortly pedunculate to subsessile, tomentose. Involucres campanulate, 12–25 mm in diameter. Phyllaries in ca. 5 series, imbricate, sparsely tomentose. Phyllaries usually atropurpureus or apically purplish at late maturity, sometimes green, apex acute or acuminate, rarely reflexed; outer phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic or ovate-triangular, 10–18 mm long, 1.5–4 mm wide, middle phyllaries narrowly ovate-linear or ovate-elliptic, 12–19 mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide; inner phyllaries linear, 16–20 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Receptacles with bristles light brown, 3–8 mm long. Corolla purple or blue purplish, 10–25 mm long, tube 10–13 mm long, limb 6–9 mm long including 4–5 mm long lobes.Anthers blackish, ca. 8 mm long including tails; tails wooly, ca. 1.5 mm long. Achenes brown, cylindrical, 2–6 mm long, ribbed, glabrous, apex with a short crown. Pappus pale brown; outer bristles 2–5 mm long, scabrid; inner bristles 8–15 mm long. Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from August to November. Distribution and habitat: — Saussurea roylei is distributed in north Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir, northern India, and Nepal. It grows in alpine meadows, thickets, or Larix forests at altitudes of 3000–4900 m. Additional specimens examined:—N PAKISTAN: Gilgit, alt. 3350–3660 m, 1955, G. L . Webster & E. Nasir 6518 (GH). INDIA: Himachal Pradesh, Chamba, Saach pass, alt. 3960 m, 1870, G . Watt 2158 (K); Kullu, Rotang pass, alt. 3960 m, 1916, R. E . Cooper 5547 (E); Shimla, Bushahr State, Starang pass, alt. 3350–3960 m, 1891, J. H . Lace 1002 (E); Jammu & Kashmir, Kashmir, alt. 13000–14000 ft, 31 Jul. 1993, J. F . Duthie 13356 (BM011033038); Kashmir, alt. 12000–13000 ft, 26 Aug. 1992, J. F . Duthie s. n. (BM011033039); Kashmir, alt. 11400 ft, 20 Jul. 1976, C. B . Clarke 29265 (BM011033040); Kashmir, alt. 11200 ft, 15 Aug. 1976, C. B . Clarke 31301 (BM011033041); Tsurlat Pasc, Salnai Sar, alt. 13500 ft, 1969, O . Polunin 9641 (BM011033037); Lahul & Spiti, Chota Dara, alt. 3750 m, Aug. 1988, R . McBeath 2181 (E); N. W . Himalaya, Harang, alt. 11000–14000 ft, 1864, Brandis 3903 (CAL0000016949); Wangta valley above Grammon, alt. 11000–14000 ft, 1864, Brandis 3904 (CAL0000016948); Uttarakhand, Tehri Garhwal, Rudugaira, alt. 13300ft, 1952, P. P . Huggins 151 (BM011033051); Tehri Garhwal, Rhuduphera, alt. 3350– 3660 m, 1883, J. F . Duthie 857 (K). NEPAL: Dhawalagiri, Mustang, Tukucha, alt. 3050 m, 1954, J . D. A. Stainton et al. 7946 (A, BM, E); Mustang, Tukucha, Kali Gandaki, alt. 10000 ft, 15 Sep. 1954, J . D. A. Stainton et al. 7846 (BM011033049); Samargaon, alt. 4572 m, 16 Aug. 1954, J . D. A. Stainton et al. 7297 (E, KATH, BM011033047); Gandaki, Manang, Marsyandi valley, alt. 4115 m, 11 Jul. 1950, D. G . Lowndes 1179 (BM, E); Karnali, Babaria Lekh, alt. 13000 ft, 9 Jul. 1952, O . Polunin et al. 76 (BM011033046, P02687406, E00469186); Dolpa, Balangra pass, 21 Jul. 1952, O . Polunin et al. 2518 (BM, E, P02687408); Humla, Til pass, 4300 m, 12 Aug. S. R . Zhang et al. H0605 (PE); Humla, between Mane peme to Til, 4000 m, 12 Aug. 2019, S. R . Zhang et al. H0565 (PE); Jumla, alt. 10000 ft, 30 Aug. 1952, O . Polunin et al. 3101 (BM011033031, E00469185); Jumla, Bhurchula Lekh, alt. 3350–3500 m, 12 Jul. 1952, O . Polunin et al. 4604 (BM, E); Kaigaon, alt. 12500ft, 21 Jun. 1966, T. B . Shrestha 5176 (BM011033050); Kaigaon, alt. 13000 ft, 21 Jun. 1966, J . D. A. Stainton et al. 5444 (BM011033053); Tarakot, south of Lingdo and southeast of Riwa, alt. 3900 m, 11 Jul. 1973, Grey-Wilson & Phillips s. n. (BM011033045); Lumbini Pradesh, Kunawar, alt. 11000–14000ft, 1841, T . Thomson 1965 (CAL0000016950, P02687410); Seti, Bajhang, Saipal, alt. 4880 m, 19 Aug. 1954, J. E. M . Arnold 102 (BM); Guruchi lekh, alt. 3350 m, 1990, N. K . Bhattarai 90/1240 (KATH); Sudurpashchim Pradesh, Darchula, Jengla, alt. 4700 m, 26 Aug. 1973, Grey-Wilson & Phillips 739 (BM011033052). Notes: — Saussurea talungensis was described on the basis of one collection, S. K. Ghimire, A. Poudel, L. R. Joshi, S. Lo, P. Subedi & C. Thapa CHH-1352 (KATH, TUCH, KUN; Fig. A), from Talung valley, Humla district in NW Nepal. In the protologue, the author stated that the new species resembles S. roylei (Fig. 2) and S. lanata Y. L. Chen & S.Y. Liang in Chen et al. (1981: 96) (Fig. 3) in habit, but it can be distinguished in having longer leaf petioles, purplish leaf margin, 1 or 3 capitula, shorter phyllaries, shorter receptacle bristles and anthers, comparatively shorter corolla with shorter lobes. Saussurea lanata was described on the basis of one collection, Tibet Chinese Mater. Medic & Herbs Exped. 3824 (holotype, PE; isotype, PE; Fig. 4), from Mainling, Tibet, China. It is indeed similar to S. talungensis in tomentose stems and rosette leaves usually lobed, but readily distinguishable, among other characters, by having densely pubescent, reflexed or patent phyllaries and coriaceous leaves (Fig. 3). The morphological characters of S. talungensis are actually reminiscent of those of S. roylei, a species of the Himalayan region. Most notably, the type gathering of S. talungensis belongs to the geographical distribution of S. roylei. A comparison of the isotype of Saussurea talungensis against the type material and other materials of S. roylei (Fig. 5) reveals that the two taxa are not essentially different from each other in any morphological characters. Saussurea roylei was first described under Aplotaxis Candolle (1833: 330), as Aplotaxis roylei Candolle (1838: 538), on the basis of one collection, J. F. Royle 36 (G, LE; Fig.1A), from Kashmir. Through extensive herbarium survey, we found that S. roylei is itself indeed somewhat variable in the shape and size of leaves, the size and number of capitula, and the rows and size of phyllaries. It is to be noted that these characters of S. talungensis are not completely consistent with the characters that stated by Rana et al. (2021). According the description on S. roylei in Flora of Pan-Himalaya (Chen 2015), its stems are 5–7 mm in diameter, while the stems diameter of S. talungensis is> 1.3 cm in the article (Rana et al. 2021). However we found stems are ca. 6 mm in diameter in the isotype of S. talungensis, and that is inconsistent with the description in the protologue. Therefore, the stem diameter of S. talungensis falls within the range of the normal variability. Chen (2015) recorded the capitulum number of S. roylei is usually solitary or rarely 2, but Rana et al. (2021) said the capitula number of S. talungensis is usually solitary or rarely 3 (2 not seen). During our field expedition to Nepal in 2019, we found the capitulum number of S. roylei is very variable, ranging from 1 to 5 (Fig. 2). Therefore, the capitulum number cannot distinguish S. talungensis from S. roylei. In addition, Chen (2015) said that basal leaves of S. roylei are petiolate, petiole up to 5 cm, leaf blade 7.0–25.0 × 0.5–2.0 cm, margin green; the phyllaries of S. roylei are about 5 rows, but Rana et al. (2021) stated that basal leaves of S. talungensis are petiolate, petiole 9.0– 10.5 cm, leaf blade 10–15 × 2.5–4.0 cm, margin purplish; the phyllaries of S. talungensis are about 4 to 5 rows. To sum up, the above several distinctive morphological features of the two taxa considered by Rana et al. (2021) do not exactly accord with the morphological characteristics of the two taxa and belong to some overlapping traits or misdescription, which cannot separated the two species. Therefore, the characters used by Rana et al. (2021) to distinguish S. talungensis from S. roylei are inaccurate and not diagnostic. Furthermore, the flowering and fruiting time (August to November) and habitat (in alpine meadows, thickets, or Larix forests) of the two taxa are also very similar. From their morphological similarity and similar anthesis and habitat, S. talungensis and S. roylei should belong to the same species. We therefore reduce the former to the synonymy of the latter herein., Published as part of Li, Tian & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Saussurea talungensis (Asteraceae), a new synonym of S. roylei, pp. 275-282 in Phytotaxa 570 (3) on pages 275-280, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.570.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7260245, {"references":["https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / phytokeys. 176.61996 Schultz Bipontinus, C. H. (1847) Bemerkungen zu der Tribus der Cynareen Less. Linnaea 19: 321 - 336. Shi, C. & Raab-Straube, E. von (2011) Saussurea Candolle. In: Wu, Z. Y. & Raven, P. H. (eds.) Flora of China, vols. 20 - 21. Science Press,","https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 49202 Raab-Straube, E. von (2017) Taxonomic revision of Saussurea subgenus Amphilaena. Englera 34: 1 - 274. Rana, H. K., Rana, S. K., Sun, H., Fujikawa, K., Luo, D., Joshi, L. K. & Ghimire, S. K. (2021) Saussurea talungensis (Asteraceae), a new species from Humla, Nepal Himalayas. PhytoKeys 176: 55 - 66.","16: 135 - 208. Candolle, A. P. de (1833) Genres nouveaux appartenant a la famille des Composees ou Synantherees. Archives de Botanique 2: 330 - 334. Candolle, A. P. de (1838) Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis, vol. 6. Treuttel & Wurtz, Paris, 687 pp. Chen, Y. L., Liang, S. Y. & Pan, K. Y. (1981) Taxa nova compositarum e flora xizangensi (Tibetica). Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 19 (1):","96 - 97. Chen, Y. S. (2015) Asteraceae II: Saussurea DC. In: Hong, D. Y. (ed.) Flora of Pan-Himalaya, vol. 48 (2). Science Press, Beijing, 340 pp. Clarke, C. B. (1876) Compositae indicae descriptae et secus genera Benthamii ordinatae. Thacker, Spink & Company, Calcutta, Bombay"]}

Saussurea khunjerabensis Y. S. Chen, sp. nov. (Fig. 2, 3) Type: — CHINA. Taxkorgan county, Khunjerab pass, alpine scree slopes, 5000 m, 22 July 2000, Ping Yan & Hui Sun 3527 (holotype: IBSC; isotypes: SHI, XJBI). Herbs perennial, 11–25 cm high, monocarpic. Caudex stout, unbranched. Stem solitary, ca. 2 cm in diameter, erect, simple, usually hidden by reflexed leaves, basally covered with fibrous remains of petioles; stem, cauline leaves and synflorescence covered with dense white or yellowish arachnoid lanate. Rosette and stem leaves petiolate; petioles 1–4 cm long; leaf blade linear or linear-oblong, 2–9 cm long, 3–8 mm wide, both surfaces light green, base attenuate; leaf blade margin 2–8 pinnately lobed or pinnatifid, lobe linear, 1–5 mm long, apex acute. Uppermost stem leaves linear, sessile, 1–3 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, usually reflexed, both surfaces densely white or yellowish arachnoid lanate, margin entire, apex acute. Capitula numerous, densely congested on the top of stem in a hemispheric synflorescence 5–10 cm in diameter, exposed at flowering time, sessile. Involucre cylindric, 5–8 mm in diameter. Phyllaries in 3–4 rows, membranous, apex acute; outer phyllaries linear-lanceolate, 15–20 mm long, ca. 3 mm wide, purple and densely white lanate; middle phyllaries triangular-lanceolate, 13–15 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, purple and densely white lanate; inner phyllaries narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 10–13 mm long, ca. 1.5 mm wide, apically purple and densely white lanate. Receptacle bristles ca. 3 mm. Corolla purple, 10–15 mm long, tube ca. 7.5 mm long, limb ca. 8 mm long, lobes ca. 4 mm long. Achenes cylindroid, brown, obconic, 3–4 mm long, ribbed, glabrous. Pappus straw-colored; outer bristles 2–3 mm, scabrid; inner bristles 13–15 mm, plumose. Phenology Flowering and fruiting from late July to September. Etymology Saussurea khunjerabensis is named after its type locality, Khunjerab pass, Xinjiang, China. Distribution and habitat Saussurea khunjerabensis is currently only known from Khunjerab pass, Taxkorgan county, southwestern Xinjiang province, China, and adjacent Khunjerab pass area in Pakistan (Fig. 5). It grows on alpine scree slopes at altitudes of 4500~ 5000 m. Conservation status Saussurea khunjerabensis is only found in the Khunjerab pass border area between China and Pakistan. This species is severely overcollected by local people as “snow lotus”. Many species of S. subg. Eriocoryne are included in the IUCN red list due to their small geographic ranges, few and severely fragmented populations, and in continuing decline due to excessive medicinal collection. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019), the conservation status of this species should be assessed as Critically Endangered (CR, B2ab). Similar species and phylogenetic position: Saussurea khunjerabensis belongs to S. subgen. Eriocoryne because of its capitula being usually aggregated in a densely congested hemispheric synflorescence and hollow stems. In addition, the capitula is usually surrounded or half-surrounded by densely lanate subtending leaves. Saussurea khunjerabensis is similar to S. simpsoniana (Fig. 5) in its habit, distinct elongate erect flowering stems, uppermost linear stem leaves reflexed, numerous aggregated capitula exposed on stem apex, straw-colored pappus and purple corolla, but different by its stems usually unbranched and 11–25 cm tall (vs. usually branched and 2–12 cm tall), rosette and stem leaves on both surfaces light green and densely white arachnoid lanate (vs. adaxially dark green or purplish, sparsely arachnoid; abaxially grayish white, arachnoid tomentose to lanate), rosette and stem leaf margins usually pinnately lobed or divided (vs. usually dentate to pinnately lobed, revolute), capitula in a hemispheric synflorescence 5–10 cm in diam. (vs. 2–3.5 cm in diam.), white or yellowish lanate indumentum (vs. white or purple lanate indumentum), phyllaries linear-lanceolate to narrowly triangular-lanceolate (vs. narrowly triangular-ovate or narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear), ribbed and glabrous achene ca. 3–4 mm long (vs. wrinkled achene ca. 2–3 mm long). According to Flora of China (Shi & Raab-Straube 2011), S. simpsoniana is mainly distributed in Qinghai, southwestern Xinjiang, southern and southwestern Tibet. However, we found that the specimens of S. simpsoniana collected in Xinjiang are misidentified and actually belong to S. khunjerabensis. Chen (2015) considered that S. simpsoniana only occurs in Tibet of China, Nepal, India and Kashmir. Therefore, the geographical distributions of these two species are different in China and may overlap in Pakistan (Fig. 5). Saussurea khunjerabensis is also similar to S. gossipiphora (Fig. 4) in its habit, size, distinct elongate erect and unbranched flowering stems, rosette and lower stem leaves petiolate, white or yellowish lanate indumentum and purple corolla, but distinguished by its rosette and stem leaves on both surfaces light green and densely white or yellowish arachnoid lanate (vs. both surfaces green and sparsely pilose or glabrous), lower leaf blade margins pinnately lobed or divided (vs. sparsely denticulate), capitula exposed on stem apex (vs. capitula surrounded and exceeded by densely lanate bracts), phyllaries linear-lanceolate to narrowly triangular-lanceolate (vs. ovate or narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear), achenes brown and ribbed (vs. black and smooth). Morphological differences among Saussurea khunjerabensis, S. simpsoniana and S. gossipiphora are summarised in Table 2. Additional specimens examined (paratypes) CHINA. Taxkorgan county, Khunjerab pass, 4800 m, 4 September 2013, Y. S. Chen 13-2280 (PE); Taxkorgan county, Khunjerab pass, 4700 m, August 1974, K. J. Feng 1 (HNWP); Taxkorgan county, Shuibulanggou, 4520 m, 15 July 1978, Xinjiang Exped. 1465 (PE). PAKISTAN. Khunjerab National Park, Khunjerab pass, 4800 m, 4 September 2013, Y. S. Chen 13-2279 (PE)., Published as part of Li, Tian, Xu, Lian-Sheng & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Saussurea khunjerabensis (Asteraceae, Cardueae), a new species from Pamir, pp. 65-74 in Phytotaxa 561 (1) on pages 69-72, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.561.1.6, http://zenodo.org/record/7052827, {"references":["IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee.","Shi, C. & Raab-Straube, E. von (2011) Saussurea Candolle. In: Wu, Z. Y. & Raven, P. H. (eds.) Flora of China, vols. 20 - 21. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, pp. 56 - 149."]}

Synotis nyalamensis M. Tang, C. Ren, Y.S. Chen & Q.E. Yang, sp. nov., Figs. 1, 2A–C. TYPE:— CHINA. Xizang, Nyalam county, Kangshan bridge to Zhangmu town, 28°02′29.52″N, 85°45′15.97″E, ca. 3200 m a.s.l., gravelly places on mountain slope, 26 August 2013, M. Tang & C. Ren 485 (holotype IBSC, isotypes KUN, PE). Fig. 1. Synotis kunthiana auct. non (Wallich ex Candolle 1838: 169) Jeffrey & Chen (1984: 288): Tang & Yang (2013). Diagnosis:— Synotis nyalamensis is closely similar to S. kunthiana in having abaxially white-tomentose leaves and cylindric-campanulate capitula, but differs by having higher stature (45–60 vs. 20–40 cm), singular (vs. several) stems, caudate-acuminate (vs. acuminate) leaf tips, prominent (vs. obscure) nerves on abaxial side of leaves, more phyllaries (10–13, rarely 8 or 9 vs. 6–8), and more disk florets (15–24 vs. 7–12). Description:—Perennial rhizomatous subshrubs. Rhizomes thick, woody. Stems solitary, erect, 45–60 cm tall, sparsely arachnoid-tomentose, proximally leafless at flowering time. Median stem leaves ovate-lanceolate, green, papery, 6–8 cm long, 3–5 cm broad, caudate-acuminate, remotely and minutely mucronulate-denticulate, adaxially sparsely pubescent, abaxially grey-whitish arachnoid-tomentose, pinnately veined, lateral veins 8–10; petiole 0.8–1.5 cm long; upper leaves becoming gradually smaller, sessile, oblong-linear. Capitula radiate, 3–8, loosely arranged in terminal and upper axillary corymbs on inflorescence branches; peduncles (1.0–)2.0– 4.5 cm long, slender, pubescent, bearing 1–3 filiform bracteoles. Involucres cylindric-campanulate, 8–10 mm long, 4–6 mm broad, with 8–10 subulate bracteoles at base, bracts of calyculus 5 to 8, filiform, green or purple, 6–8 mm long; phyllaries usually 10–13, rarely 8 or 9, linear-lanceolate, 1–2 mm broad, green, herbaceous, sparsely pubescent, margin narrowly scarious, apically acute, pubescent. Ray florets (6–)8, yellow; corolla tube 3–4 mm long; lamina oblong, 4–5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm broad, shallowly 2- or 3-denticulate, 3 or 4 veined, apex acute. Disk florets 15–24; corolla yellow, 7–10 mm long, with 3–4 mm long tube and infundibuliform limb; lobes ovate-triangular, 6–7 mm long, apically acute. Anthers 3–3.5 mm long; anther tails ca. 1.5 times the length of anther collars; appendages ovate-oblong; anther collars slightly dilated at base. Style arms ca. 1 mm long, fringed with short papillae, the apical tuft not differentiated. Achenes cylindric, 2–3 mm long, glabrous. Pappus white, 6–7 mm long. Phenology:—Flowering from August to September; fruiting from October to December. Etymology:—The specific epithet of our new species, “ nyalamensis ”, is derived from the type locality, i.e. Nyalam county in southern Xizang, China. Distribution and habitat:— Synotis nyalamensis is currently known only from its type locality, i.e. Nyalam county in southern Xizang, China (Fig. 5). It grows in gravelly places on mountain slope at an altitude of ca. 3200 m above sea level. Its putative closest ally, Syn. kunthiana, is distributed only in northwestern India, Nepal, and Pakistan, not in China (Fig. 5). Conservation status:— Synotis nyalamensis is a locally endemic species. During our field work we tried our best to search for it around the type locality but discovered only a small population with ca. 15 mature individuals. We have also been unable to trace any herbarium specimen of this species collected prior to us. According to IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019), Syn. nyalamensis should be categorized as a Critically Endangered (CR) species. Notes:—As pointed out by Jeffery & Chen (1984), a notable feature of the genus Synotis is the occurrence of closely similar, usually vicariant but sometimes partially sympatric sets of similar species, which on experimental study may prove better distinguished at subspecific rank. They gave eight examples in the Chinese flora. It seems that Syn. kunthiana and Syn. nyalamensis are an example in the Himalayan flora. Morphologically these two species, although different in some characters, are indeed closely similar to each other (Table 1). According to Jeffery & Chen (1984), Chen (1999) and Li et al. (2018), Synotis is divisible into two well-marked sections, sect. Synotis and sect. Karelinioidei (Fedtschenko & Fedtschenko ex Schischkin 1961: 751) Ren et al. in Li et al. (2018: 9). The former is divisible into five not very clearly differentiated series, with S. kunthiana belonging to Syn. ser. Fulvipapposae Jeffrey & Chen (1984: 332). Considering the remarkable morphological resemblance between Syn. nyalamensis and Syn. kunthiana, we propose to place Syn. nyalamensis also within this series., Published as part of Tang, Ming, Ren, Chen, Chen, You-Sheng & Yang, Qin-Er, 2022, Synotis nyalamensis (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), a new species from southern Xizang (Tibet), China, pp. 278-284 in Phytotaxa 554 (3) on pages 280-283, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.554.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6831526, {"references":["Jeffrey, C. & Chen, Y. L. (1984) Taxonomic studies on the tribe Senecioneae (Compositae) of Eastern Asia. Kew Bulletin 39: 205 - 446. [https: // www. jstor. org / stable / 4110124? seq = 1]","IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 14 [EB / OL]. 2020 - 04 - 10. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Subcommittee. [https: // www. iucnredlist. org / documents / RedListGuidelines. pdf]","Chen, Y. L. (1999) Synotis (C. B. Clarke) C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen. In: Chen, Y. L. (Ed.) Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, vol. 77 (1). Science Press, Beijing, pp. 167 - 217.","Li, H. M., Lazkov, G. A., Illarionova, I. D., Tong, T. J., Shao, Y. Y. & Ren, C. (2018) Transfer of Senecio karelinioides (AsteraceaeSenecioneae) to Synotis based on evidence from morphology, karyology and ITS / ETS sequence data. Nordic Journal of Botany 32: 1 - 12. [https: // onlinelibrary. wiley. com / doi / abs / 10.1111 / njb. 01838]","Schischkin, B. (1961) Senecio L. In: Schischkin, B. & Bobrov, E. G. (Eds.) Flora SSSR, vol. 26. Akademiya Nauk SSSR Publishers, pp. 699 - 778."]}

1. Cirsium lipskyi Petrak (1911: 197). Cnicus griffithii Hooker (1881: 363). Fig. 4. Type: — CHINA. Tibet, Zayü County (originally as “ Upper Assam ”), Mishmi hills, Griffith s.n. (holotype: K000250090!). Fig. 1. = Cirsium interpositum Petrak (1938: 283), syn. nov. Type: — CHINA. Yunnan, Eryuan County, Ma chang kai valley (Majie), alt. 9000 ft., July 1913, G. Forrest 11749 (holotype: E00383888!, E00383889! [on two sheets]; isotype: PE00455820!, K!). Fig. 3. Description: —Herbs 2–3 m tall, perennial. Stems erect, stout, branched in upper half, ribbed, unwinged, sparsely cobwebby. Basal leaves with petiole to 20 cm, leaf blade elliptic, ca. 60 × 25 cm, pinnatisect; segments 9–12 pairs, narrowly lanceolate, 10–16 × 2–3 cm, basally on both sides with 1 or 2 spiny teeth, fringed with 1–3 mm spinules, apex narrowed into a 1.5–2.5 cm spine. Upper cauline leaves similar but gradually decreasing upwards, sessile, semiamplexicaul with auricles bearing 2–4 cm spines. Bracts lanceolate to linear, smaller than upper leaves, fringed with 2–2.5 cm spines.All leaves discolorous, abaxially grayish white and densely tomenta, adaxially green, rough, and sparsely to densely spinulose. Capitula corymbose, racemose, or racemose-paniculate, nodding. Involucre campanulate, 2–3 cm in diam., glabrous. Phyllaries in ca. 10 rows, lacking wings and scarious appendage, imbricate arrangement, outer phyllaries much shorter than inner ones; outer and middle phyllaries triangular to lanceolate, 8–15 × 2.5–3 mm, apex narrowed into a 0.5–2 mm spinule; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear, 1.5–2.3 × 0.2–0.3 cm, apex acuminate and scarious. Florets bisexual. Corolla yellow, ca. 3.5 cm, tube ca. 1.3 cm. Achene dark, ca. 5 mm. Pappus bristles brownish, ca. 1.8 cm. Phenology: —Flowering from September to November. Distribution and habitat: — Cirsium lipskyi is distributed in China (Tibet, Yunnan), Bhutan, India (Assam) and Myanmar. It grows in roadsides, forest edges and valleys at altitudes of 1440–2500 m. Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Tibet: Bomi, Tongmai, alt. 2210 m, 9 Nov. 2016, C . Liu et al. 16 CS11810 (KUN1462791); Bomi, Lulang, alt. 2500 m, 19 Sep. 1965, Y. T . Chang et K. Y. Lang 2794 (KUN0048371, PE00455825, PE00455826); Bomi, Tongmai, alt. 2250 m, 6 Sep. 1973, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 73-1379 (KUN0048372, KUN0048373, PE00456822); Bomi, Tongmai, alt. 2100 m, 8 Sep. 1976, C. Y . Wu 5621 (KUN0048374, KUN0048375); Bomi, Yigong, alt. 2250 m, 9 Sep. 1980, C. C . Ni et al. 1550 (PE00455821, PE00455642); Bomi, Tongmai, alt. 2000 m, 5 Nov. 1975, Xizang Exped. 91 (PE00455823); Bomi, Tongmai, alt. 2210 m, 9 Nov. 2016, C . Liu et al. 16 CS11810 (KUN1452075); Mêdog, alt. 1900 m, 28 Oct. 1992, H . Sun et al. 0926 (KUN0048892); Mêdog, 29 Nov. 1993, H . Sun et al. 3173 (KUN0048893). Yunnan: Gongshan, alt. 2100–2200 m, 1 Sep. 1940, K. M . Feng 7254 (KUN0048358, PE00455816, PE00455813); Gongshan, 18 Oct. 1940, K. M . Feng 8588 (KUN0048359, KUN0048360, KUN0048361, PE00455819); Gongshan, alt. 1900–2100 m, 3 Sep. 1982, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 9837 (KUN0048363); Gongshan, alt. 1600 m, 15 Dec. 1990, Exped. Dulongjiang 1060 (KUN0048364, KUN0048365); Gongshan, alt. 1500 m, 10 Jan. 1991, Exped. Dulongjiang 1825 (KUN0048366); Gongshan, alt. 1445 m, 20 Nov. 1990, Exped. Dulongjiang 2009 (KUN0048367, KUN0048368); Gongshan, alt. 1550 m, 22 Nov. 1990, Exped. Dulongjiang 2147 (KUN0048369, KUN0048370); Gongshan, alt. 2000 m, Oct. 1935, C. W . Wang 66994 (KUN0048678, PE00607978); Gongshan, alt. 2127 m, 14 Sep. 2018, H . Li 533324180914885 LY (SABG010009).— BHUTAN: Lhuntshi district, Rudo La, East side, alt. 7000 ft, 5 Oct. 1949, F . Ludlow, G. Sherriff & J. H. Hicks 21254 (BM000035468, BM000035469, E00463847); Paro district, Jangsa, 3 Oct. 1919, alt. 8000 ft, R. E . Cooper 2289 (E00463844); Tongsa district, 2 km of Shamgong, alt. 1950 m, 1982, A. J. C . Grierson & D. G. Long 4196 (E00463846); Shemgang, Km 134 Shemgang-Tongsa, alt. 1770 m, 13 Sep. 1987, Bigger 3009 (E00463849).— MYANMAR: Kachin State, Nam Tamai valley (Adung Wang), Anonymous 1342 (BM000050107).— INDIA: Assam, Kohima, Naga Hills, alt. 5000 ft, 11 Sep. 1950, W. N . Koelz 26165 (L3696683). Notes: — Cirsium interpositum Petrak was described on the basis of one collection, G. Forrest 11749 (E, K, PE, Fig. 3), from Eryuan County, Yunnan Province, China. Cirsium lipskyi Petrak is a replacement name of Cnicus griffithii Hooker, which was described on the basis of one collection, Griffith s.n. (K, Fig. 1), from Mishmi hills, Zayü County, Tibet, China. In Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae and Flora of China, Cnicus griffithii is treated as a synonym of Cirsium interpositum, but Cirsium lipskyi was ignored (Shih 1987; Shi & Greuter 2011). In Flora of India (Hajra 1995), Cirsium lipskyi is treated as a synonym of Cirsium interpositum. Comparing the type specimens of Cirsium interpositum and Cnicus griffithii, we found that they were identical in important characters, but there are some differences in the density of spinules of leaves abaxially. However, through field investigation and inspection of specimens (Fig. 1, 2, 3), we found that this trait has a continuous variation from dense to sparse among different individuals and in the same plant; the spinules on the abaxial leaf surface at the basal leaves may be sparser than those on the upper leaves (Fig. 4 G, H). Therefore, we consider that Cirsium interpositum, Cnicus griffithii and Cirsium lipskyi should be the same species and support the treatment of Hajra (1995). Regrettably, in the Flora of India, the publication year of Cirsium interpositum is wrongly written as 1838, so Cirsium interpositum is regarded as the accepted name and Cirsium lipskyi is treated as its synonym (Hajra 1995). By checking their protologues, Cirsium interpositum was published in 1938, while Cirsium lipskyi was published in 1911. According to Shenzhen Code (Turland et al. 2017), Cirsium lipskyi is the legitimate early name of this species and C. interpositum should be a synonym of it., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Cirsium lipskyi (Asteraceae) is reinstated for C. interpositum, and C. chrysolepis is a new synonym of C. nishiokae, pp. 87-96 in Phytotaxa 547 (1) on pages 87-94, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.547.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/6556932, {"references":["Petrak, F. (1911) U ¨ ber eine neu Art der Gattung Cirsium aus dem Nordlichen Indien. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 9: 197 - 199. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / fedr. 19110091303","Hooker, J. D. (1881) Cnicus L. In: Hooker, J. D. & Clarke, C. B. (Eds.) The Flora of British India, vol. 3. Reeve & Co. Ltd. England, pp. 362 - 364.","Petrak, F. (1938) U ¨ ber eine neue, in phylogenetischer Hinsicht sehr interessante Art der Gattung Cirsium (C. interpositum) aus China. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 43: 283 - 285. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / fedr. 19380431706","Shih, C. (1987) Cirsium Mill. In: Ling, Y. & Shih, C. (Eds.) Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, vol. 78 (1). Science Press, Beijing, pp. 78 - 135. [In Chinese]","Shi, Z. & Greuter, W. (2011) Cirsium Mill. In: Wu, Z. Y. & Raven, P. H. (Eds.) Flora of China, vols. 20 - 21. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, pp. 160 - 175.","Hajra, P. K. (1995) Cirsium Mill. In: Hajra, P. K., Rao, R. R., Singh, D. K. & Uniyal, P. B. (Eds.) Flora of India, vol 12. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, pp 167 - 172."]}

2. Cirsium nishiokae Kitamura (1968: 75). Fig. 8. Type: — INDIA. Darjeeling, below Tonglu, 2900 m, 16 September 1964, H. Hara s.n. (holotype: TI00080535!). Fig. 5 A–C. = Cirsium chrysolepis Shih (1984: 451), syn. nov. Type: — CHINA. Tibet, Nyalam County, alt. 3500 m, 27 August 1972, Xizang Exped. Pl. Med. 1575 (holotype: PE00455486!, isotype: PE00455488!). Figs. 5 E–F, 6 A. Description: —Herbs 1–2 m tall, perennial. Stem erect, ribbed, branched above, unwinged, glabrous or sparsely cobwebby. Basal leaves with winged petiole, wing spiny or with spiny teeth; leaf blade elliptic, ca. 30 × 15 cm, pinnatipartite or pinnatisect; segments ca. 6 pairs, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, with unequal triangular teeth fringed with 0.3–1 cm spine. Cauline leaves gradually decreasing upwards, sessile, semiamplexicaul, elliptic to lanceolate, pinnatilobate or pinnatipartite; segments 3–4 pairs, lanceolate to obliquely triangular-ovate, with 2–4 unequal triangular teeth fringed with spinules less than 0.5 mm and with a 5–10 mm apical spine. All leaves discolorous, abaxially grayish white and densely or sparsely tomenta, adaxially green, rough, and densely or sparsely covered with ca. 0.5 mm spinules. Capitula corymbose, erect. Involucre campanulate, 3–3.5 cm in diam., glabrous. Phyllaries imbricate, in ca. 8 rows, straight, appressed; outer and middle phyllaries elliptic to lanceolate, 8–25 × 2–3 mm, margin above base expanded into yellowish, scarious lacerate wings, apex narrowed into a spine, shorter than inner ones; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear, apically expanded into a short and narrow, acuminate, and spine-tipped appendage. Florets bisexual. Corolla purplish red. Achene ca. 4.5 mm. Pappus bristles yellowish, ca. 1.6 mm. Phenology: —Flowering from July to October. Distribution and habitat: — Cirsium nishiokae is distributed in China (Tibet), India (Darjeeling) and Nepal. It mainly grows on grass slopes at elevations of 2500–3900 m above sea level. Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Tibet: Nyalam, 25 June 1966, Y. T . Zhang s.n. (PE00455487); Nyalam, 17 Sep. 1992, J . D. Chen 92242 (PE01837380); Nyalam, alt. 3285 m, 18 Nov. 2011, Y. S . Chen 92242 (PE02118071); Nyalam, alt. 3300 m, 20 Aug. 2001, H. N . Tan et al. 730 (PE01772078, PE01772077).— NEPAL. Dhawalagiri Zone, Mustang District, Annapurna Himal, Mardi Khola, alt. 13000 ft, 19 Sep. 1954, J .D.A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 8509 (BM011033556, E00463841); Dhawalagiri Zone, Mustang District, Tukucha, alt. 10500 ft, 26 Aug. 1954, J .D.A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 7457 (BM011033572, E00463842); Dhawalagiri Zone, Mustang District, Tukucha, alt. 10500 ft, 12 Sep. 1954, J .D.A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 7803 (BM011033571, E00463843); Dhawalagiri Zone, Mustang District, Tukucha, alt. 10500 ft, 22 Aug. 1954, J . D. A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 7395 (BM011033579, BM011033573); Dhawalagiri Zone, Myagdi District, alt. 3700 m, 9 Sep. 1996, M . Mikage et al. 9684133 (KATH027754); Dhawalagiri Zone, Myagdi District, alt. 3160 m, 18 Sep. 1996, M . Mikage et al. 9682802 (KATH019466); Koshi Zone, Solukhumbu District, Lukla, alt. 2820 m, 30 Sep. 1974, J. H . Hass 2902 (L0207731); Mechi Zone, Taplejung District, alt. 2800 m, 25 Oct. 1991, D. G . Long et al. 1033 (KATH027504, E00463839); Mechi Zone, Taplejung District, Minchin Dhap-Mul Pokhari, 29 Oct. 1963, H . Hara et al. 6310299 (BM011033557, E0071931, TI00080532, TI00080533, TI00080534, BM, TI); Rapti Zone, Rukum District, Dogadi Khola, alt. 12000 ft, 8 Aug. 1954, J .D.A. Stainton, W.R. Sykes & L.H.J. Williams 3796 (BM011033554, BM011033558, E00463840); Sagarmatha Zone, Solukhumbu District, alt. 3453 m, 15 Sep. 2005, M. F . Watson et al. DNEP3 BX92 (KATH056019, KATH011396, E00248957); Sagarmatha Zone, Solukhumbu District, alt. 3000 m, 21 Aug. 1985, H . Ohba et al. 61541 (KATH018970); Seti Zone, Baglung District, Dhorpatan, alt. 2800 m, 8 Sep. 1982, K. R . Rajbhandari & K.J. Malla 6413 (KATH055988, KATH055978, KATH056184). Notes: — Cirsium chrysolepis Shih was described on the basis of one collection, Xizang Exped. Pl. Med. 1575 (PE, Fig. 5 D, Fig. 6 A), from Nyalam, Tibet, China. In the protologue, the author did not compare it with any species, but in Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, Shih (1987) stated that it was close to C. flavisquamatum Kitamura (1974: 16), a species from Nepal, but differed by leaves discolorous, abaxially grayish white and densely or sparsely tomentose. But he neglected C. nishiokae Kitamura, a widespread species in Nepal and India. Cirsium nishiokae was described on the basis of one collection, H. Hara s.n. (TI, Fig. 6 A), from Darjeeling, India. Trough examination of the type materials and other specimens, we found that C. nishiokae and C. chrysolepis have no obvious differences in main traits between their type specimens, but there are some differences in the density of spinules on the abaxial leaf surface. But this feature is very variable in Cirsium. For example, there is a continuous variation from sparse to dense on the abaxial leaf surface of C. lipskyi. Cirsium nishiokae is distributed in Nepal and India at altitudes of 2500–3900 m, while C. chrysolepis is only found in Nyalam, Tibet, China at an altitude of 3500 m, where it is very close to the border to Nepal (Fig. 7). Therefore, we think they belong to the same species and treat C. chrysolepis as a synonym of C. nishiokae., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Cirsium lipskyi (Asteraceae) is reinstated for C. interpositum, and C. chrysolepis is a new synonym of C. nishiokae, pp. 87-96 in Phytotaxa 547 (1) on pages 94-96, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.547.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/6556932, {"references":["Kitamura, S. (1968) Compositae of Southeast Asia and Himalayas II. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 19: 65 - 81.","Shih, C. (1984) Notulae de plantis tribus Cynarearum familiae Compositarum sinicae (II). Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 22: 386 - 396.","Shih, C. (1987) Cirsium Mill. In: Ling, Y. & Shih, C. (Eds.) Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae, vol. 78 (1). Science Press, Beijing, pp. 78 - 135. [In Chinese]","Kitamura, S. (1974) New Crisium from Nepal. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 26: 16 - 17."]}

Jin, Zi-Chao, Chen, You-Sheng (2022): Cirsium lipskyi (Asteraceae) is reinstated for C. interpositum, and C. chrysolepis is a new synonym of C. nishiokae. Phytotaxa 547 (1): 87-96, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.547.1.8

Cirsium hupingshanicum Z. C. Jin & Y. S. Chen, sp. nov. (Fig. 1) Type:— China, Hunan, Shimen county, Hupingshan, growing on the roadside, alt. 350 m, 9 May 2021, Z. C . Jin HPS04 (holotype IBSC; isotypes IBSC, PE). Herbs 120–180 cm, perennial. Stems simple, erect, branched above or unbranched, ribbed, unwinged, with long multicellular hairs. Leaves concolorous, green, with sparse multicellular hairs along veins or glabrous, surface smooth. Basal and lower cauline leaves with petiole to 5–10 cm; leaf blade elliptic to oblanceolate-elliptic, 20–30 × 6–10 cm, pinnatilobate, apex obtuse, base attenuate, adaxailly green, with sparse multicellular hairs, abaxially sparsely multicellular hairs especially along midvein; segments 9–12 pairs, semielliptic, with an apical 1–3 mm spine. Cauline leaves sessile, ± narrowly lanceolate, 15–40 × 3–5 cm, pinnately lobed or pinnatifid, apex acute, base auriculate semiamplexicaul; segments 4–6 pairs, elliptic to broadly triangular, toothed; teeth fringed with 1–2 mm spinules and with a ca. 4 mm apical spine, adaxailly green, with long multicellular hairs or glabrous, abaxially sparsely multicellular hairs especially along midvein; gradually smaller upward. Capitula sparsely racemose, nodding. Involucre campanulate, 2–3 cm in diam, 3–5 cm high, glabrous. Peduncles 10–15 cm, with long multicellular hairs and cobwebby. Phyllaries imbricate, in 6–8 rows, margin entire, lacking marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage, abaxially with a resinous gland; outer and middle phyllaries lanceolate, 5–13 × 3–3.5 mm, narrowed into a 1–2 mm spine; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.5–2 × 0.2–0.3 cm, apex acuminate and softly spiny. Florets bisexual. Corolla white, ca. 2.4 cm, tube ca. 1.2 cm, limb subequal to the length of tube, ca. 1.2 cm long, lobes 5, linear, ca. 4 mm long. Anther white, ca. 8 mm long including appendage. Achenes cylindric, laterally compressed, ca. 4 mm long, ca. 1.8–2 mm wide, smooth, indistinctly longitudinally ribbed, apical rim forming a crown. Pappus of 3–4 rows of plumose bristles, pale brown, ca. 2 cm long. Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from April to June. Etymology:—The specific epithet ‘ hupingshanicum ’ is derived from the type locality, the Hupingshan Mountain, Shimen County, Hunan Province, China. Distribution and habitat:— Cirsium hupingshanicum is currently only known from two localities (Fig. 3), one is its type locality: Shimen county, Hunan province, China. On the website of Chinese Field Herbarium (https://www. cfh.ac.cn/album/ShowPhoto.aspx?photoid=55ab405d-bbb9-430b-952e-1fb4e3990e2e), we also found a similar plant from Hefeng county, Hubei Province. These two localities are very close to each other. It is reasonable to infer that the population of Hefeng is most likely to belong to the same species as Hupingshan specimen. It occurs on the roadside at altitudes of about 350 m. Discussion:—Because its phyllaries lack marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage and leaves abaxially lack spinules, the new species should belong to C. sect. Cirsium. Cirsium hupingshanicum is mostly similar to C. japonicum and C. racemiforme. The comparison of morphological characters between these three species are shown in Table 1., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Cirsium hupingshanicum (Asteraceae, Cardueae), a new species from Hunan, China, pp. 95-99 in Phytotaxa 544 (1) on pages 95-98, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.544.1.9, http://zenodo.org/record/6501472

Jin, Zi-Chao, Chen, You-Sheng (2022): Cirsium hupingshanicum (Asteraceae, Cardueae), a new species from Hunan, China. Phytotaxa 544 (1): 95-99, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.544.1.9

1. Cirsium sieboldii Miquel (1866: 184) Type: — JAPAN. P. F. von Siebold s.n. (holotype, L0001917!). Fig. 2 (C, E). = Cnicus reinii Franchet & Savatier (1878: 413). Type: — JAPAN. Prov. Aidzou, secus lacum Ivavashiro, 1874, J. J. Rein 3013 (holotype, P00705842!; isotype, P00705841!). Fig. 3. = Cirsium paludigenum Y.F.Lu, Z.H.Chen & X.F. Jin (2021: 5), syn. nov. Type: — CHINA. Zhejiang, Wencheng county, Jinzhu Forestry Farm, in wetland, alt. 1030 m, 7 September 2018, Z. H . Chen et al. WC2018090707 (holotype, ZM!; isotypes, HTC, PE!). Fig. 2 (A, B, D). Description: —Herbs 30–120 cm tall, perennial. Roots fleshy; rhizomes, 1–1.2 cm in diam. Stems erect or slightly declining, unbranched or rarely branched above, slightly ribbed, unwinged, with sparse felt in upper part and dense felt under capitula. Leaves concolorous, green, glabrous, surface smooth. Basal leaves present at anthesis, rosulate, petiole 10–15 cm, with winged or not, wing spiny or with spiny teeth; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate, ± narrowly obovate or ± narrowly elliptic, 10–30 × 2–10 cm, entire or pinnatifid, adaxailly green, glabrous, abaxially light green, glabrous; segments 4–9 pairs, ± narrowly triangular, or triangular-lanceolate, toothed, teeth with marginal and 1–4 mm apical spines; terminal segment largest, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, narrowly triangular. Cauline leaves, less, sessile, amplexicaul, ± narrowly lanceolate or linear, 4–5 × 2–4 cm, pinnately lobed, pinnatifid or entire, apex acute; segments 4–6 pairs, triangular, toothed; teeth with a ca. 3 mm apical spine, adaxailly green, glabrous, abaxially light green, glabrous; gradually smaller upward. Capitula solitary or 2–5 in a sparsely racemose, nodding or rarely erect in flower, erect in fruit. Involucre campanulate, 1.1–2.9 cm (in vivo) and 3.5–6 cm (in sicco) in diam., glabrous or with sparsely cobwebby. Phyllaries imbricate, erect, appressed, in 5–7 rows, lacking marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage, abaxially with a rib; outer and middle phyllaries long-ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4–10 × 1.3–1.5 mm, shorter than inner ones, narrowed into a 1–2 mm spine; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1–1.5 × 0.13–0.15 cm, apex acuminate and softly spiny. Florets bisexual. Corolla purple, ca. 2 cm, tube ca. 1 cm, limb subequal to the length of tube, ca. 1 cm long, lobes 5, linear, ca. 4.5 mm long. Anther purple, ca. 6 mm long including appendage. Achenes cylindric, laterally compressed, light brown, ca. 5 mm long, ca. 1.6 mm wide, indistinctly longitudinally ribbed, apical rim forming a crown. Pappus of 3–4 rows of plumose bristles, pale brown, ca. 1.5 cm long. Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from September to November. Distribution and habitat: — Cirsium sieboldii is distributed in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang province of China (Fig. 8). It grows mainly along streamsides or marshes at elevations 280–1400 m above sea level. Additional specimens examined: — CHINA. Anhui:Huangshan, K.K.Tsoong3189 (PE00455844,LBG00097955). Fujiang: Jiangyang, Wuyi Exped. So 123 (IBSC0580799); Shanghang, T. S . Wang 1090 (PE00455974), Xiamen University Meihuashan Exped. 298 (AU 022425); Guangze, Xiamen University Wuyi Exped. 801420 (AU 022422), Wuyi Exped. 801420 (FJIDC010874); Wuyishan, W. M . Jin et al. 1866 (NAS00487160, NAS00487165), Wuyi Exped. 790836 (FJIDC011156); Songzhen, 4093 (FJIDC010897); Pingna, X.X. Su CSH 15500 (CSH0128781); Xiamen, Z. W . Mao 425 (AU081805, AU081807, AU081808, AU081811); Dehua, B. Q . Zhong 80 (PE00455957). Guangdong: Longmen, X. G . Li 200010 (IBSC0580721); Shixing, H. G . Ye et al. 940 (IBSC0580714); Xinfeng, L . Deng 7818 (IBSC0580718, PE00455982, IBK00299884, AU 050185, KUN0048404); Wengyuan, X.X. Liu 25161 (IBSC0580692, PE00455970, KUN0048402); Yangshan, X. G . 201235 (PE00455980); Heping, M. C . Tan et al.99590 (JJF00021196). Guangxi:Hexian Y. K . Li 401601 (IBK00024057); Ziyuan, Ziyuan Group 6-3123 (GXMI035991). Hunan: Hongjiang, Anonymous s.n. (PE00455908, PE00455909); Lanshan, Z. C . Jin LS2020110801 (IBSC). Jiangxi: Yunan (Quannan), X. M . Mo 21366 (IBK00024070, PE00455892); Longnan, Jiulianchan Forest Farm 781292 (IBSC0580791); Guangfeng, M . X.Nie et al. 5936 (IBSC0580777); Suichuan, J. S . Yue et al. 4570 (IBSC0580781, PE00455893, NAS00487117, NAS00487158, KUN0048388), M. C . Tan et al. 10967 (JJF00028650); Ningdu, Q. M . Hu 5742 (IBSC0580786, PE00455900), Dexing, M . X.Nie 5936 (PE00455894); Jinggangshan, J. S . Yue 5051 (PE00455895). Zhejiang: Yandangshan, K. K . Tsoong 946 (PE00455878), K. K . Tsoong 3813 (LBG0097956); Wencheng, Z. C . Jin ZJ2021001 (IBSC), Z. C . Jin ZJ 2021002 (IBSC).— JAPAN. Aichi, K . Inagaki 115627 (PE01719681); Hyogo, T . Fujii 31483 (TNS 01282108); Iwaki, J . Ohwi & K. Okamoto 771 (PE01672355); Mie, T . Fujii 31710 (TNS 01281018), T . Fujii 31679 (TNS01265306); Mikawa, J . Ohwi & T. Koyama 6929 (US 02159649); Mimasaka, M . Furuse 49634 (PE 01292004, PE 01292008); Muneyama, M . Furuse 37843 (PE01718218); Shinano, M . Furuse 16235 (PE 01292003, PE 01292006), M . Furuse 16234 (PE012920011), M . Furuse 30211 (PE 01292019); Tootoomi, M . Furuse 36400 (PE 01292018). Notes: — Cirsium paludigenum Y.F.Lu, Z.H.Chen & X.F.Jin was described on the basis of a collection, Z.H.Chen et al. WC2018090707 (holotype, ZM; isotypes, HTC, PE), from Zhejiang, China. In the protologue, Lu et al. (2021) stated that this species differs from C. sieboldii, a widespread species in Japan, by having involucre 2–3.5 cm in diameter (vs. 1.1–1.9 cm), 5–6 rows of phyllaries (vs. 8–10 rows), basal leaves lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate or elliptic and pinnatifid or entire (vs. obovate and pinnatifid). However, a comparison of the type of Cirsium paludigenum (Fig. 2: A, D) against the type material and ample non-type collections of C. sieboldii (Fig. 2: C, 3, 4) reveals that the two taxa are not essentially different from each other in key morphological characters. Cirsium sieboldii was described on the basis of a single specimen, P.F. von Siebold s.n. (L0001917, Fig. 2 C), from Japan. Through extensive herbarium survey, we found that C. sieboldii is itself indeed somewhat variable in the basal leaves, the size of capitula and the rows of phyllaries. It is to be noted that these characters of C. sieboldii are not completely consistent with the characters that stated by Lu et al. (2021).According the description on C. sieboldii in Flora of Japan (Kadota 1995), its involucre is 1.1–2.9 cm in diameter (in vivo) and 3.5–6 cm in diameter (in sicco), while the involucre diameter of C. paludigenum is 2–3.5 cm. Therefore, the variation range of involucral diameter of the two taxa is overlapping. Kadota (1995) recorded the phyllaries of C. sieboldii are about 7 rows, but Lu et al. (2021) said the phyllaries of C. sieboldii are about 8–10 rows. Kadota (1995) said that basal leaves of C. sieboldii are narrowly obovate, 13–47 cm long, 3–10 cm wide, shallowly to medially pinnatilobate, or sometimes entire to coarsely dentate, but Lu et al. (2021) stated that basal leaves of C. sieboldii are obovate and pinnatifid. To sum up, the above several distinctive morphological features of the two taxa considered by Lu et al. (2021) do not exactly accord with the morphological characteristics of the two taxa and belong to some overlapping traits, which cannot separated the two taxa. Therefore, the characters used by Lu et al. (2021) to distinguish C. paludigenum from C. sieboldii are not diagnostic. Furthermore, the flowering time (September to October) and habitat (in moors and along streams in sunny grasslands) of the two taxa are also very similar. From their morphological similarity and similar anthesis and habitat, C. paludigenum and C. sieboldii should belong to the same species. We therefore reduce the former to the synonymy of the latter herein. Because its phyllaries lack marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage and leaves abaxially lack spinules, Cirsium sieboldii should belong to C. sect. Cirsium. It is widely distributed in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang province of China (Fig. 6). Cirsium sieboldii is mostly similar to C. japonicum and many specimens of C. sieboldii in Chinese herbaria were usually incorrectly identified as C. japonicum. The comparison of morphological characters between these two species are shown in Table 1., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Cirsium paludigenum and C. zhejiangense (Asteraceae) are synonymous with C. sieboldii and C. yezoense, pp. 51-63 in Phytotaxa 543 (1) on pages 54-60, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.543.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/6424346, {"references":["Miquel, F. A. G. (1866) Compositae, Prolusio Florae Japonicae. Annales Musei Botanici Lugduno-Batavi 2: 167 - 191.","Jin, Z. C. & Chen, Y. S. (2021) The identity of Cirsium henryi (Asteraceae, Cardueae). Phytotaxa 487 (3): 263 - 272. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 487.3.6","Lu, Y. F., Chen, Z. H., Sun, W. Y. & Jin, X. F. (2021) Two new species in Cirsium (Asteraceae) from Zhejiang. Journal of Plant Resources and Environment 30: 1 - 8.","Kadota, Y. (1995) Cirsium Mill. In: Iwatsuki, K., Yamazaki, T., Boufford, D. E. & Ohba, H. (Eds.) Flora of Japan, vol. IIIb. Kodansha, Tokyo, pp. 119 - 151."]}

2. Cirsium yezoense (Maximowicz) Makino (1905: 155). Cnicus yezoensis Maximowicz (1874: 508) Type: — JAPAN. Hakodate, Mohidzi, 1861, C. J . Maximowicz s.n. (K000778217!). Fig. 6 (C – E). = Cirsium zhejiangense Z.H.Chen & X.F. Jin (2021: 2), syn. nov. Type: — CHINA. Zhejiang, Pan’an, Weixin, Lingjiangyuan, by stream under forest, alt. 550 m, 26 November 2013, X. F . Jin & T . T. Yu 3202 (holotype, ZM!; isotypes, HTC, PE!). Fig. 6 (A, B). Description: —Herbs 30–110 cm tall, perennial. Roots fleshy. Stems, erect, unbranched or branched above, ribbed, unwinged, with sparse brown hairs and dense tomentose under capitula. Leaves concolorous, green. Basal leaves present at anthesis, rosulate, with petiole, 4–10 cm; leaf blade ovate or elliptic, 25–50 × 10–30 cm, pinnatilobate or pinnatifid, adaxailly green, with short brown hairs or glabrous, abaxially light green, glabrous or with sparsely arachnoid; segments 4–7 pairs, ovate-lanceolate, elliptic or triangular, toothed, teeth with marginal and 1–3 mm apical spines; terminal segment largest, triangular. Cauline leaves, sessile, ovate, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 5–20 × 3–12 cm, pinnatilobate or pinnatifid; segments 4–6 pairs, semielliptic, teeth with a ca. 3 mm apical spine, adaxailly green, with short brown hairs or glabrous, abaxially light green, glabrous or with sparsely arachnoid; gradually smaller upward. Capitula solitary to many, terminal, nodding in flower, erect in fruit. Involucre campanulate, 1–2 cm (in vivo) and 3–4.5 cm (in sicco) in diam., 3–5 cm high, glabrous or with sparsely arachnoid. Peduncles 5–10 cm, with dense tomentose. Phyllaries imbricate, patent, in 5–10 rows, lacking marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage; outer and middle phyllaries, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, with acuminate tips, patent, 5–13 × 3–3.5 mm, narrowed into a 1–2 mm spine; inner phyllaries lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1.5–2 × 0.2–0.3 cm, apex purplish pink, acuminate and softly spiny. Florets bisexual. Corolla purple, ca. 2.8 cm, tube ca. 1.3 cm, limb ca. 1.5 cm long, lobes 5, linear, ca. 6 mm long. Anther purple, ca. 9 mm long including appendage. Achenes cylindric, laterally compressed, ca. 5 mm long, ca. 1.7 mm wide, smooth, indistinctly longitudinally ribbed, apical rim forming a crown. Pappus of 3–4 rows of plumose bristles, pale brown, ca. 2 cm long. Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting from September to November. Distribution and habitat: — Cirsium yezoense is distributed in Anhui, Guizhou, Hunnan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang province of China. In the website of Chinese Field Herbarium (https://www.cfh.ac.cn/album/ShowPhoto. aspx?photoid=6b60814b-3301-4dc1-b2d3-70550ec479d4) and Plant Photo Bank of China (http://ppbc.iplant.cn/ tu/7001749), we also find a similar plant from Yuexi county and Chizhou county, Anhui Province (Fig. 8). It mainly grows on the forest margins at altitudes of about 500–1000 m. Additional specimens examined: — CHINA. Guizhou: Jiangkou, Fangjingshan, Sino-American Guizhou Botanicai Expedition 1040 (PE00456363). Hunan: Hengshan, Yang 5861 (PEY0060419), Z. H . Hu 512 (PE01834991), Z. H . Hu 513 (PE01834990), Z. C . Jin HS2021021 (IBSC). Jiangxi: Fengxin, LBG Exped. 00416 (PE01776765); Wuning, LBG Exped. 0047 (PE01776770), C. M . Tan 941188 (PE01837338); Tonggu, S. K . Lai 03673 (PE00455899); Xiushui, Y. Q . Miu et al. Tancm 2451 (JJF00028632, JJF00028633). Zhejiang: Lin’an, Xitianmushan, H . X. He 25779 (PE01837442, HZ 047017), K. K . Tsoong 754 (PE00455997, PE00455874), Zhejaing Agricultural University D 330 (PE00455875), 10343 (PE00455879), S. Y . Hu 31 (PE00457428), Z. C . Jin ZJ2021009 (IBSC), Z. C . Jin ZJ 20210010 (IBSC); Yandangshan, K. K . Tsoong s.n. (PE0455871); Tiantaishan, K. K . Tsoong 3712 (PE00455873, PE00455882); Changhua, H . X. He 15314 (HZ 047043).— JAPAN. Akita, M . Matsuda (TNS 50829); Aomori, M . Furuse 9652 (PE 01292177), Y . Kadota 55001 (TNS753035); Fukui, N . Kurosaki 177031 (TNS591236); Gifu, M . Furuse 52183 (PE 01292173), H . Takahashi 20840 (TNS714682); Gunma, H . Utsumi (TNS142954); Hokkaido, H . Yamaji 1195 (PE01523768), T . Satow (TNS105191); Iwate, M . Furuse 41390 (PE 01292175), M . Kikuchi (TNS176756), T . Kawasaki 7309 (HAST82445); Ishikawa, N . Kurosaki 3718 (TNS310773); Koodzuke, M . Furuse 47139 (PE 01292169, PE 01292170); Nagano, H . Koidzumi 34704 (TNS178984); Miyagi, Y . Ueno 36413 (TNS692011), H . Ohashi 21836 (IBSC0580990); Toyama, K . Shinno (TNS 56383); Yamagata, S . Okuyama (TNS 36317), H . Koyama 4054 (US 02159684), K. Akuta (HAST40095). Notes: — Cirsium zhejiangense Z.H.Chen & X.F.Jin was described on the basis of a collection, X.F.Jin & T.T.Yu 3202 (holotype, ZM; isotypes, HTC, PE), from Zhejiang, China. In the protologue, the author stated that this species differs from C. yezoense, a widespread species in Japan, by having 5–6 rows of phyllaries (vs. 8–10 rows), outer phyllaries shorter than inner (vs. subequal), leaf blade 15–52 × 5–15 cm (vs. 30–65 × 10–30 cm) and leaves adaxailly villose and abaxially pubescent (vs. glabrous). But based on observations on both herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants, we demonstrate that C. zhejiangense is indistinguishable from C. yezoense. Cirsium yezoense, described from Japan, on the basis of a gathering, C.J. Maximowicz s.n. (K000778217; Fig. 6 C), is a very widely distributed species. Through extensive herbarium survey, we found that the characters of C. yezoense are not completely consistent with that stated of Lu et al. (2021). It can be clearly seen from the involucre of type and common specimens of C. yezoense (Fig. 6: E, Fig. 7) that the outer phyllaries is shorter than the inner ones and C. yezoense is itself indeed somewhat variable in the rows of phyllaries. In fact, according to the description of C. yezoense by Kadota (1995) in Flora of Japan, its phyllaries are 6-seriate, outer phyllaries shorter than inner ones, leaves blades glabrous on both surfaces, or covered with short brown hairs on upper surface, or sparingly arachnoid on lower surface. These descriptions of C. yezoense are contradictory to those given by Lu et al. (2021), making C. yezoense indistinguishable from C. zhejiangense. In 2021 we visited Tianmushan Mt. in Zhejiang province and Hengshan Mt. in Hunan province and successfully found two populations of C. zhejiangense. We found that the size of leaves of this species varies greatly (25–50 × 10–30 cm, Fig. 5: E) and the leaf blade is pinnatilobate or pinnatifid. We found the leaf indumentum in C. zhejiangense is variable in both Hunan and Zhejiang populations, being sometimes glabrous, sometimes covered with short brown hairs on the upper surface, or sparingly arachnoid on the lower surface. The leaf indumentum in C. zhejiangense is in fact consistent with the description of C. yezoense (Kadota 1995). To summarize, the morphological variation of C. zhejiangense is within the range of C. yezoense. Therefore, the morphological characters used by Lu et al. (2021) to distinguish C. zhejiangense from C. yezoense are not diagnostic. We therefore reduce C. zhejiangense to the synonymy of C. yezoense herein. Because its phyllaries lack marginal spinules, wings, and scarious appendage and leaves abaxially lack spinules, Cirsium yezoense should belong to C. sect. Cirsium. Cirsium yezoense is mostly similar to C. japonicum and many specimens of C. yezoense in Chinese herbaria were usually incorrectly identified as C. japonicum. The comparison of morphological characters between these two species are shown in Table 1., Published as part of Jin, Zi-Chao & Chen, You-Sheng, 2022, Cirsium paludigenum and C. zhejiangense (Asteraceae) are synonymous with C. sieboldii and C. yezoense, pp. 51-63 in Phytotaxa 543 (1) on pages 60-61, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.543.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/6424346, {"references":["Makino, T. (1905) Observations on the Flora of Japan. Botanical Magazine Tokyo 19: 131 - 160. https: // doi. org / 10.15281 / jplantres 1887.19.131","Maximowicz, C. J. (1874) Diagnoses plantarum novarum Japoniae et Mandsuriae. Bulletin de l'Academie Imperiale des Sciences de Saint- Petersbourg 19: 475 - 540.","Jin, Z. C. & Chen, Y. S. (2021) The identity of Cirsium henryi (Asteraceae, Cardueae). Phytotaxa 487 (3): 263 - 272. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 487.3.6","Lu, Y. F., Chen, Z. H., Sun, W. Y. & Jin, X. F. (2021) Two new species in Cirsium (Asteraceae) from Zhejiang. Journal of Plant Resources and Environment 30: 1 - 8.","Kadota, Y. (1995) Cirsium Mill. In: Iwatsuki, K., Yamazaki, T., Boufford, D. E. & Ohba, H. (Eds.) Flora of Japan, vol. IIIb. Kodansha, Tokyo, pp. 119 - 151."]}

Jin, Zi-Chao, Chen, You-Sheng (2022): Cirsium paludigenum and C. zhejiangense (Asteraceae) are synonymous with C. sieboldii and C. yezoense. Phytotaxa 543 (1): 51-63, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.543.1.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.543.1.5

Spiradiclis yuanyangensis Y. S. Chen, L. Wu & C. Liu, sp. nov. (Figs 1, 2 & 3A–K) Type: — CHINA. Yunnan: Yuanyang County, Daping town, Jinzi river, elev. ca. 1526 m, 22°55′12” N, 103°5′59” E, 16 June 2020, Y. S. Chen et al. YY1056 (holotype CSFI 076276; isotype IBSC). Diagnoses: —This species is similar to Spiradiclis petrophila H. S. Lo (1983: 30) but differs from the latter by its pubescent stems, longer corolla tubes and short-styled corolla inside without a villous ring. Description:—Perennial herb, up to 25 cm tall; stems pubescent, lower part procumbent, rooting at nodes, upper part ascending. Petiole 0.4–1.2 cm long, pubescent, often purple; leaf blade drying papery, elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 1.2–5.5 × 0.5–2.2 cm, acute at apex, cuneate at base, adaxially green, abaxially pale green, both surfaces pubescent, margin entire, ciliate; secondary veins in 7–12 pairs, abaxially purple; stipules triangular, 0.5–1.0 mm long, pubescent. Inflorescence cymose, several to 15-flowered; peduncles 2.5–7.5 cm long, puberulent; bracts subulate, 0.5–2.5 mm long, puberulent; pedicels 0.2–1 mm long, puberulent. Flowers distylous. Calyx puberulent; hypanthium portion obconic, 1.0– 1.5 mm long; lobes triangular, 0.3–0.8 mm long, acute at apex. Corolla white, tubular, glabrous outside; tube 4–5 mm long, sometimes slightly enlarged at base of long-styled corolla; lobes triangular-ovate, 1.8–2.2 × ca. 1 mm. Stamens 5; anthers linear. Stigma bilobed; ovary 2-celled. Long-styled flowers: corolla tube inside with densely pubescence above anthers and pilosulous at throat and sometimes onto lobes; anthers inserted at the middle of corolla tube, ca. 1 mm long; style 1.5–1.6 mm long, glabrous; stigma slightly above the throat, 2-lobed, lobes elliptic, ca. 0.5 mm long. Short-styled flowers: corolla tube inside pubescent through middle to throat and pilosulous at base of lobes; anthers slightly above the throat, ca. 0.8 mm long; style 2.5–3.5 mm long, glabrous; stigma at middle of corolla tube, lobes lanceolate, ca. 1.0 mm long. Capsules subglobose, 1.5–2.2 mm in diam., valves 4 when mature. Seeds many, angular. Distribution and habitat: — Spiradiclis yuanyangensis is currently known from two localities in Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China. It grows on shady limestone cliffs by a stream at elevation between 870 m and 1500 m. Phenology: —Flowering from March to June, fruiting from June to maybe September. Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the geographical distribution of the species. Chinese name is suggested as 元ḄAE序v (Yuan Yang Luo Xu Cao). Notes: — Lo (1998) first systematically studied species of this genus from China, and two subgenera were recognized on the basis of capsule characters, viz., subgenus Spiradiclis, characterized by narrowly ellipsoid or linearoblong and twisted valves, and subgenus Sinospiradilclis, characterized by subglobose capsules and untwisted valves. According to Lo, Spiradiclis yuanyangensis belongs to subgenus Sinospiradilclis. It is morphologically most similar to S. petrophila by having perennial and herbaceous habit, long peduncles, heterostylous flowers, white and tubular corollas and subglobose capsules that with four valves when mature. But it differs from the latter mainly by the characters in the diagnosis and detailed comparison summarized in Table 1. Conservation status: —During our one year’s fieldwork in southeastern Yunnan, Spiradiclis yuanyangensis is currently found two localities from the type locality with no more than 150 individuals at each side in Daping Xiang, Yuanyang County, as two localities are not far apart geographically and should be considered as a single location. And it is easily disturbed because its habitats are close to the town and farmland. It is considered to be Critically Endangered (CR B1, 2a; C2a) because of its small size of only one population, which is vulnerable to human disturbance (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019). Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — CHINA. Yunnan: Yuanyang County, Daping Xiang, Jinzihe river, 22°54′26″N, 103°06′53″E, elev. ca. 870 m, 21 June 2020, in fruiting, Cheng Liu et al. 20CS19498 (KUN, CSFI); Daping Xiang, 22°55′15″N, 103°5′59″E, 1482 m, vouchers from the cultivated plants at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 9 March 2021, in flowering, Cheng Liu & Ming-Jian Feng BC210313 (KUN, CSFI)., Published as part of Wu, Lei, Liu, Cheng, Song, Xiao-Fei & Chen, You-Sheng, 2021, Spiradiclis yuanyangensis (Rubiaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, pp. 294-300 in Phytotaxa 522 (4) on pages 295-296, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.522.4.3, http://zenodo.org/record/5565826, {"references":["Lo, H. S., Sha, W. L. & Chen, X. X. (1983) A revision of the genus of Spiradiclis Bl. (Rubiaceae). Acta Botanica Austro Sinica 1: 32 - 36.","Lo, H. S. (1998) Materials for Chinese Rubiaceae (IV). Bulletin of Botanical Research, Harbin 18: 275 - 283.","IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee."]}

Litostigma is a recently described small genus with two species confined to limestone karsts in southwestern China and adjacent Vietnam. During the course of field works on the limestone karsts of the China–Vietnam border area, two unknown species of Litostigma were collected. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS sequences strongly confirm the placements of the two new species in Litostigma. However, these two new species can be distinguished from the previously known species by distinct morphological characters. Thus, Litostigma pingbianense and L. napoense are recognized as two new species. This adds to the morphological variability of the genus. Most importantly, both simple and divided stigmas does occur in this genus.

Jin, Zi-Chao, Chen, You-Sheng (2021): The identity of Cirsium henryi (Asteraceae, Cardueae). Phytotaxa 487 (3): 263-272, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.3.6, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.487.3.6

Tang, Ming, Chen, You-Sheng (2021): Blumea hunanensis is a synonym of Synotis nagensium (Asteraceae: Senecioneae). Phytotaxa 487 (2): 149-156, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.2.5, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.487.2.5