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Meconopsis in Bhutan-Kunio Iwasaki

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Contents
PLANTS RELATED TO MECONOPSIS PSILONOMMA (PAPAVERACEAE) IN NORTHERNSICHUAN AND SOUTHEASTERN QINGHAI, CHINA,

Toshio Yoshida and Hang Sun

1Page 2 ~ 20

PLANTS RELATED TO MECONOPSIS PSILONOMMA (PAPAVERACEAE)IN NORTHERN SICHUAN AND SOUTHEASTERN QINGHAI, CHINA
Toshio Yoshida1, 2 and Hang Sun 3
Abstract. Four new species of Meconopsis—M. huanglongensis, M. inaperta, M. hispida, and M. trichogyna—are described and illustrated, M. barbiseta is redescribed, and a new series of Meconopsis, series Barbisetae, is proposed.
Keywords: Meconopsis, series Barbisetae, Huanglong, Jiuzhi, Nianbao Yuze, Yanggong Shan

Following the rediscovery and revision of Meconopsis
psilonomma Farrer (Yoshida and Sun, 2017), the taxonomyof species related to it in northern Sichuan and adjacentsoutheastern Qinghai are subject to review. Throughcollaborative studies of related plants in the field and in
herbaria, four species are distinguished as new: Meconopsis
huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun, M. inaperta T. Yoshida& H. Sun, M. hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun, and M. trichogyna
T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H.
Chuang ex L. H. Zhou, which was treated as a synonym ofM. psilonomma in Grey-Wilson’s (2014) monograph of thegenus, is reestablished on the basis of new specimens andphotographs and is recognized as a distinct species.
Meconopsis huanglongensis grows around the pass called

Xueshanliang (雪山梁), located 8 km west of the famoussightseeing spot, Huanglong (黄龙) in Songpan Xian (松潘县), northern Sichuan. Meconopsis inaperta grows in Baiyu
Xian (白玉县), Litang Xian (理塘县), and Yajiang Xian (雅江县) in northwestern Sichuan. Meconopsis barbiseta
grows in Jiuzhi Xian (久治县) and Banma Xian (班玛县) in southeastern Qinghai. Meconopsis hispida grows on
Yanggong Shan (羊拱山), a mountain range running along
the boundary between Hongyuan Xian (红原县) and Heishui
Xian (黑水县), northern Sichuan. Meconopsis trichogyna isin Dege Xian (德格县), northwestern Sichuan. The ovaries
of Meconopsis barbiseta, M. hispida, and M. trichogyna havehairs with minute branches near their bases. These species areincluded in series Barbisetae, which is proposed here.

Taxonomy
Meconopsis huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun, sp. nov.
margin entire or occasionally wavy, apex obtuse or acute,
TYPE: CHINA. Sichuan: Xueshanliang, near Huanglong,both surfaces sparsely or moderately bristly or occasionally
Songpan Xian, 32˚44'23"N, 103˚44'02"E, 4000 m, 11 Julyglabrous. Inflorescence scapose; scape 3—9 mm across2016, T. Yoshida K107 (Holotype, KUN; Isotype, TI). Fig.
when fresh, 2—7 mm across when dried, with dense retrorse
1–5, 28–29.
or patent bristles. Flowers 1 per scape, laterally facing,
Meconopsis huanglongensis differs from the related M.
opening flat or dish-shaped in fine weather, 5.5–11 cm
psilonomma Farrer in the posture of the flowers, opening
across. Calyx 1.5–2.3 cm long, sparsely or moderately hairy
flat or dish-shaped in fine weather (usually cup-shaped inwith short bristles. Petals 6–10, deep purple or magenta
the latter), and stigma less than 5 mm long (to 8 mm long
purple, obovate, broadly obovate, rounded, rhombic orin the latter).
elliptic, 3–5.7 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, 3.2–3.7 times longer
Herbs, monocarpic, 18–45 cm tall. Taproot napiform or
than stamens, base cuneate, margin entire or occasionallybroadly napiform, occasionally dauciform, 1–2.5 cm long,
denticulate near apex, apex rounded or obtuse. Stamens
0.6–1.6 cm across, contracted at junction with stem, distallynumerous; filaments similar to or more deeply coloredwith slender roots. Most parts of plant covered with bristles;
than petals, 7–13 mm long, lower 1/2 to 3/4 dilated, to 1.5
bristles to 4 mm long. Stem (below uppermost leaf) simple,
mm wide, boat-shaped, upper portion filiform, outermost
0.3–5 cm long. Leaves crowded near base of stem, petiolate;filaments often scarcely dilated; dilated part of filaments
petiole membranous, broadly linear, 1–6 cm long, 1.2–4
overlapping and tightly surrounding ovary, filiform part ofmm wide; lamina somewhat thick, oblong, oblanceolate
filaments more or less erect; anthers oblong, 1.2–1.8 mm
or elliptic, or lowest small leaves ovate, 1.5–8 cm long,
long, thecae yellow or dull orange. Ovary ellipsoid, 4–7
0.5–1.9 cm wide, base attenuate, or occasionally cuneate,
mm long, densely or sparsely hairy with ascending bristles;
We are grateful to members of the Blue Poppy Society, Japan, and the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant
no. XDA 20050203 to Hang Sun); to the National Key R & D Program of China (grant no. 2017YF0505200 to Hang Sun) for financial support for fieldresearch; to Sa Xiao (肖洒), Museum of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Biology, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for allowing us access to the type specimen of Meconopsis barbiseta; and to Shizue Iwasaki, Yuhong Liu (刘渝宏), Yang Niu (牛洋), and Xinxin Zhu (朱鑫鑫) for
providing field data and photographs of the plants described here. Special thanks go to Hiroshi Ikeda, University Museum, University of Tokyo, for his
support in studying the indumentum of the ovary using electron microscopy.
1
Hoshiya 330-6, Oamishirasato-shi, Chiba 299-3222, Japan
2
Corresponding author: kharka@wa2.so-net.ne.jp
3
Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201,
Yunnan, China; sunhang@mail.kib.ac.cn
Harvard Papers in Botany, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2018, pp. 313–331.
© President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2018
ISSN: 1938-2944, DOI: 10.3100/hpib.v23iss2.2018.n16, Published online: 31 December 2018

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Figure 1. Distribution map of Meconopsis psilonomma Farrer and related plants, based on Google Earth. 1: M. psilonomma Farrer var.
psilonomma; 2: M. psilonomma var. zhaganaensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun, M. psilonomma var. calcicola T. Yoshida & H. Sun; 3: M.
psilonomma var. sinomaculata (Grey-Wilson) H. Ohba; 4: M. huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun; 5: M. hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun; 6:
M. barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou; 7: M. trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun; 8: M. inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun.

style 2–4 mm long in flower, to 7 mm long in fruit; stigma
clavate, 2–5 mm long, 4- to 6-lobed; lobes linear-oblong.
Fruit a capsule, ellipsoid or broadly ellipsoid, 10–16 mm
long, 6–12 mm across, bristly or glabrous.
Distribution: CHINA. N Sichuan: Xueshanliang, near
Huanglong, Songpan Xian, 3900–4100 m elevation.
Habitat and ecology: southwest-facing alpine slopes,
sometimes among dwarf shrubs of Potentilla (Dasiphora)
and others, occasionally with inflorescence protruding
through canopy of shrubs; rooting in gravelly humus soil.
Additional specimens examined: CHINA. Sichuan:
Xueshanliang, near Huanglong, Songpan Xian, 32˚44'23"N,103˚44'02"E, 4000 m, 28 July 2014, T. Yoshida K98(KUN, TI).
Meconopsis huanglongensis is rather uniform
in comparison with M. psilonomma. Meconopsis
huanglongensis is stouter and somewhat fleshier, with more
widely opening showy flowers. The flowers have deeper
and more brightly colored petals and have relatively shorter
stamens gathered compactly around the pistil. Meconopsis

huanglongensis grows in drier and sunnier habitats withouta covering of mosses and in more exposed and bare soils
than does M. psilonomma. Flies frequent the mass ofstamens on fine days.
The anthers of Meconopsis psilonomma do not form acompact mass around the stigma because the outer filamentsof M. psilonomma are gradually shorter and the upper
filiform part of the filaments usually radiate outward. The
longer stigma of M. psilonomma clearly protrudes from theloose mass of anthers at anthesis.
Meconopsis huanglongensis is also similar to M. henrici
Bureau & Franch., but differs in having a solitary scape (2–12
scapes in the latter), in the often scarcely dilated outermost
filaments (outer- and innermost filaments similarly dilated
in the latter), in the ellipsoid or broadly ellipsoid capsules(obovoid or narrowly obovoid in the latter), and in thetaproot usually napiform (elongate in the latter).
Meconopsis huanglongensis and M. psilonomma belong
to series Henricanae C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex Grey-Wilson(2014).

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Figure 2. Meconopsis huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 11 July 2016.

Figure 3. Meconopsis huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun in foggy weather at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 11 July 2016.

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Figure 4–5. 4, Meconopsis huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Flower without petals (left), flower without petals and outer stamens(right); collected at type locality on 11 July 2016. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 5, Meconopsis huanglongensis T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Dried
fruit collected at type locality on 28 July 2014. Photograph by T. Yoshida.

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Table 1. Major features separating Meconopsis huanglongensis from M. psilonomma.
M. huanglongensis

M. psilonomma

Napiform, broadly napiform,occasionally dauciform

Dauciform or narrowly napiform

Size of taproot

1–2.5 cm long, 0.6–1.6 cm across

1–4 cm long, 0.6–1.3 cm acrossLength of bristles

To 4 mm longTo 3(–4) mm longThickness offresh peduncle

3–9 mm across

2–7 mm acrossShape of taproot		

Flower posture
Laterally facing			Half-nodding or laterally facing,occasionally upright in small plants

Flower shape in
Opening flat or dish-shaped
fine weather		

Usually cup-shaped, occasionally dish-shapedin small plants

Petal number

5–7(or 8)

6–10

Petal color
Deep purple or magenta purple						Proportion of petals
to stamens

Pale purple, lavender purple, purple or deep purple;
deeper colored toward base; with or withoutprominent dark purple blotch at base

Petals ca. 3.5 times longer
than stamens

Petals ca. 3 times longer than stamens

Length of filaments				

7–13 mm long; outer filaments
nearly similar or slightly shorter
than others

5–15 mm long; outer filaments gradually shorter

Dilated part of filaments
		
		
		

Lower 1/2 to 3/4 of filaments
dilated to 1.5 mm wide, boat-shaped;
outermost filaments often
scarcely dilated

Inner filaments dilated to 1.5 mm wide toward base,outer filaments often scarcely dilated, or all
filaments scarcely dilated

Filiform part of filaments

More or less erect

Erect or ascending, often radiating

Length of stigma

2–5 mm long

3–8 mm long

HabitatDry, without moss cover

Moist, partly moss covered

Meconopsis inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun, sp. nov.
TYPE: CHINA. NW Sichuan: Baiyu Xian, western sideof Ganbailu Yakou (甘白路丫口) near Acha (阿察),31˚06'25"N, 99˚26'17"E, 4000 m, 16 July 2017, T. Yoshida
K120 (Holotype, KUN; Isotype, TI). Fig. 1, 6–9.
Meconopsis inaperta resembles M. psilonomma Farrer
but differs from the latter in the racemose inflorescence(solitary scape and solitary flower in the latter), taproot
elongate (dauciform or napiform in the latter), capsulenarrowly ellipsoid (ellipsoid in the latter), and flowers
usually with 4 petals (with 5 or more petals in the latter).
Meconopsis inaperta also resembles M. lancifolia (Franch.)Franch. ex Prain but differs from the latter in the cup-shaped
flowers with half closed mouth (dish- or bowl-shaped in thelatter) and petals 4 or occasionally 5 or 6 (4–9, often 5–6 inthe latter).
Herbs, monocarpic, (20–)30–50 cm tall. Taproot
elongate, to 15 cm long or more, 0.7–1.5 cm across, distally
gradually narrowed and with slender roots. Most parts ofplant densely or moderately bristly; bristles to 2–4(–5) mm

long. Stem (below uppermost leaf) 0.7–2.7 cm long. Leaves
crowded near base of plant, petiolate; petiole membranous,
linear, 1.5–5 cm long, 1–2 mm wide; lamina linear-oblongor oblanceolate, 2.5–12 cm long, 0.5–1.5 cm wide, baseattenuate, margin entire, apex acuminate or sometimes acuteor obtuse, both surfaces bristly. Inflorescence racemose, with
2–8 flowers mostly on upper half of rachis, without bracts,some flowers occasionally in axils of basal leaves (bracts);
basal pedicels sometimes elongating to 10 cm or more, rarely
bracteolate, rarely with additional lateral flower; peduncle(rachis) to 9 mm across when fresh, 3.5–6 mm acrosswhen dried, usually hollow, covered with retrorse bristles;
pedicels 0.5–5 cm long, to 10 cm long in fruit (in terminal
flowers). Flowers cup-shaped, often half-closed at mouth,
3–5 cm across. Calyx 1.7–2.5 cm long, densely bristly.
Petals purple, gradually more deeply colored near base, 4 oroccasionally 5 (or 6), rounded, broadly obovate or obovate,(3–)3.5–5.5 cm long, 2–4.5 cm wide, base cuneate or subrounded, margin entire, occasionally irregularly denticulate
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Figure 6. Meconopsis inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 16 July 2017.

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Figure 7–10. 7, Meconopsis inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 16 July 2017. 8, Meconopsis
inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality on 16 July 2017. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 9, Meconopsis inaperta T. Yoshida & H. Sun.
Young fruit at type locality on 16 July 2017. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 10, Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou
at Sangchi Shan. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 21 June 2016.

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obtuse, Stamens numerous; filaments pale purple, sometimes
darker toward base, filiform, 7–14 mm long; anthers oblong,(1–)1.5–2.2 mm long, thecae pale yellow. Ovary pale green,
often tinged with dark purple toward apex, usually with 3–5
dark purple streaks, narrowly ovoid or ellipsoid, 9–13 mm
long, glabrous or hairy with ascending bristles; style tinged
dark purple, 0.5–1.5 mm long, to 3 mm long in fruit; stigma
pale yellow, ovoid or oblong, 3–5 mm long, with 3–5 lobes.
Capsules narrowly ellipsoid, 1.5–2 cm long, 5–7 mm across,glabrous or sparsely bristly.
Distribution: CHINA. Sichuan: Baiyu Xian, Litang
Xian and Yajiang Xian, 3950–4200 m elevation.
Habitat and ecology: often on northwest-facing alpine
slopes densely covered with various herbs and grasses andscattered shrubs of scale-bearing Rhododendron and Salix;
rooting in humus soil intermixed with gravel.
Additional specimens examined: CHINA. Sichuan:
Yajiang Xian, Kazi La Shan (卡子拉山), 30˚01'05"N,
100˚48'42"E, 4,150 m, 19 June 2017, T. Yoshida K112
(KUN).
The specimen T. Yoshida K112 is similar to T. Yoshida
K120, but the plants are 15–20 cm tall, the 4–6 petals are 3–4
cm long and often cleft, and the anthers are 0.8–1.3 mm long.
The immature plants have the terminal cup-shaped flowers
barely open and the lateral flowers just in bud. Although
the plants are smaller and appear somewhat different, theyshare the key features of Meconopsis inaperta.
Meconopsis inaperta is unique in the half-closed, cupshaped flowers usually with 4 petals. We consider it to beintermediate between M. psilonomma in series Henricanae(C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang) Grey-Wilson section ImpeditaeVol. 23, No. 2

Grey-Wilson and M. lancifolia of section Forrestianae (C.
Y. Wu & H. Chuang) Grey-Wilson. More studies are needed
to determine its higher-level classification.
Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H.
Zhou, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 17 (4): 113–114 (1979). TYPE:CHINA. Qinghai: Jiuzhi Xian, eastern bank of Xiemu Cuo(斜木措), north side of Nianbao Shan (年保山), 4400 m,
1971, Guoluo Team (果洛队) 438 (HNWP). Fig. 1, 10–14,
33–38.
Herbs, monocarpic, 20–50 cm tall. Taproot napiform
or narrowly napiform, 1–3 cm long, 0.7–1.4 cm across,contracted at junction with stem, distally with slender roots.
Stem (below uppermost leaf) simple, 0.3–1.5 cm long. Leaves
all basal; petiole membranous, broadly linear, 1–5 cm long,
1–4 mm wide; lamina oblong, oblanceolate or strap-shaped(lowermost small leaves elliptic), 1.5–8 cm long, 0.4–1.2 cm
wide, base attenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse or acute,
upper surface densely bristly, lower surface moderately orsparsely bristly. Inflorescence a solitary scape; scape 2.5–7mm across when dried, densely covered with patent or
retrorse bristles; bristles to 2–4.5 mm long. Flower solitary,
half nodding or laterally facing, cup-shaped, 3–5 cm across.
Calyx unknown. Petals 5–8, often 6, purple with dark reddish
purple blotch at base, obovate or occasionally elliptic, 3.7–
6.5 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide, base cuneate, margin entire,occasionally irregularly denticulate near apex, apex rounded.
Stamens numerous, radiating; filaments purple or dark reddish
purple, paler toward apex, filiform, 7–13 mm long, slightly
or scarcely dilated toward base; anthers oblong, 1–2.5 mm
long, thecae pale yellow or occasionally whitish. Ovary

Figure 11. Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou at Sangchi Shan. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 10 July 2017.

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Figure 12. Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou at Luanshitou Yakou on 10 July 2017. Photograph by T. Yoshida.

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Figure 13–16. 13, Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou at Sangchi Shan on 10 July 2017. Photograph by T.
Yoshida. 14, Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou. Ovary just after flowering at Sangchi Shan on 21 June 2016.
Photograph by T. Yoshida. 15, Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 20 June 2016. 16,
Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Flower near type locality on 18 July 2017. Photograph by T. Yoshida.

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ovoid, 6–12 mm long, with dense dark purple branched hairsin close contact with each other; hairs 0.3–0.8 (–1) mm long,usually erect along surface of ovary and incurved above
branches, occasionally straight and ascending especiallythose near base of ovary, with several rounded ridges runninglongitudinally on surface and with hollow pits inside hairs,
apex rather obtuse; branches to 0.25 mm long on lower halfof hairs, retrorse, imbricate, surrounding axis of hairs, apex
obtuse; style pale green or occasionally whitish, 1.5–4 mm
long, ridged toward base, covered at least near base withhairs like those on ovary; stigma pale yellow, 3–5 mm long,
4–7–lobed, lobes linear-oblong, often free after flowering.
Capsules ellipsoid, 1.5–2.3 cm long, 0.8–1.4 cm across, with
dense branched hairs.
Distribution: CHINA. SE Qinghai: Jiuzhi and Banma
Xian, 3650–4100 m elevation.
Habitat and ecology: on southwest-facing alpine
slopes with dwarf shrubs of Spiraea, Sibiraea, Caragana,
Potentilla (Dasiphora) and Salix; often rooting close to
dwarf shrubs with scapes protruding through canopy ofshrubs; rooting in gravelly humus.
Additional specimens examined: CHINA. Qinghai:Jiuzhi Xian, July 1974, Guoluo Grassland Team (果洛草原站) 289 (HNWP); Qinghai: Jiuzhi Xian, Sangchi Shan (桑赤山), 33˚22'03"N, 101˚19'18"E, 3,950 m, 21 June 2016, T.
Yoshida K100 (KUN, TI); Qinghai: Jiuzhi Xian, Luanshitou
Yakou (乱石头丫口), 33˚25'23"N, 101˚13'30"E, 4,000 m,
23 June 2016, T. Yoshida K101 (KUN, TI); Qinghai: Banma
Xian, Makehe (玛可河) Forest Reserve, southern side of
Nianbao Yuze, 32˚47'53"N, 101˚04'42"E, 3650 m, 25 June
2016, T. Yoshida K103 (KUN, TI).
The type specimen of Meconopsis barbiseta, Guoluo
Team 438, was collected on the eastern bank of Xiemu Cuo(斜木措); also known as Ximeng Cuo (希門措) or Xiannu Hu (仙女湖), north of Nianbao Shan (年保山); also
known as Nianbao Yuze (年保玉则) or Guoluo Shan (果洛山), 4400 m, on 1 August 1971. The type locality is difficult
to approach because of a wide debouchure of the lake thatfloods during the rainy season.
The specimens T. Yoshida K100 and K101 were collected
on ridges north of Nianbao Yuze in an area similar to thetype locality of Meconopsis barbiseta, but ca. 10 km east.
These collections are similar to the type specimen in having
branched hairs on the ovary. Observation of the branchedhairs on the ovary is difficult because the entangled hairs areless than 1 mm long and the tips of each are usually incurved
and inserted behind adjacent hairs. Drawings of the branchedhairs accompanying the description of M. barbiseta by L. H.
Zhou (1979) are inaccurate in shape and length.
The intricate hollow branched hairs of the ovary are
considered to be advantageous in preventing freezingof the ovary by keeping an insulating layer of air on thesurface and in offering a foothold for pollinators visiting thelaterally facing or half-nodding flowers.
Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun, sp. nov. TYPE:CHINA. N Sichuan: Hongyuan Xian, western side of
Yanggong Shan (羊拱山), 32˚13'22"N, 102˚35'04"E, 3850
m, 20 June 2016, T. Yoshida K99 (Holotype, KUN; Isotype:
TI). Fig. 1, 15–19, 30–32.
Meconopsis hispida resembles M. barbiseta C. Y. Wu

323& H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou in many features, especiallyin sharing the feature of hairs on the ovary with branches
near their base. It differs from the latter in the branchedhairs on the ovary to 2 mm long (to 0.8 mm long in thelatter), usually with straightly elongate and sharply pointedtip (often incurved above the branches and rather obtuse
at apex in the latter), with many minute ridges runninglongitudinally on the surface (with several rounded ridges
running longitudinally on the surface in the latter); in the
branches borne close to the base of hairs (borne in the lower
half of hairs in the latter), often gradually upturned toward
the apex (retrorse and not upturned in the latter); in the larger
capsules, to 2.8 cm long (to 2.3 cm long in the latter); and in
the longer stigma, to 9 mm long (to 5 mm long in the latter).
Herbs, monocarpic, 30–45 cm tall in flower, to 55 cm tallin fruit. Taproot napiform, 1–3 cm long, 8–13 mm across,contracted at transition to stem, distally with slender roots.
Stem (below uppermost leaf) simple, 0.5–2.5 cm long. Leaves
all basal; petiole membranous, broadly linear, 2–4 cm long,
1.5–3.5 mm wide; lamina oblanceolate or linear-oblong, 2–10
cm long, 5–12 mm wide, base attenuate, margin entire, apex
obtuse or acute, both surfaces densely or moderately, rarely
sparsely, bristly. Inflorescence scapose, with solitary scapesand solitary flowers; scapes 2–5 mm across in flower, to 8
mm across in fruit, densely bristly; bristles to 3(–4) mm long.
Flowers laterally facing or half nodding, cup- or bowl-shaped,
4–7 cm across. Calyx unknown. Petals often 6, rarely 5 or 7,
purple with dark reddish purple blotch at base, obovate or
elliptic, 3.7–5 cm long, 1.7–3 cm wide, base cuneate, margin
entire or irregularly denticulate and wavy near apex, apex
rounded. Stamens numerous, radiating; filaments dark reddish
purple, gradually whitish near apex, filiform, 6–12 mm long,slightly dilated toward base; anthers ellipsoid or oblong,
1–2 mm long, thecae pale yellow or whitish. Ovary ovoid or
broadly ellipsoid, 6–10 mm long at anthesis, densely covered
with hairs in close contact with each other; hairs dark purple,
0.3–2 mm long, branched at base, with many ridges runninglongitudinally on surface, with narrow and hollow pits insidehairs; main branches of hairs usually erect or ascending,straight, elongate, much longer than basal branches, rarely
nearly equaling basal branches in length; basal branches to
0.3 mm long, radiating in various directions, often gradually
upturned toward apex; main branches and basal brancheswith sharply pointed tips; style pale yellow, 1.5–4 mm long,often covered with dark purple branched hairs at base; stigma
pale yellow, 4–9 mm long, 4- to 6-lobed; lobes linear-oblong.
Capsules obovoid or ellipsoid, 1.7–2.8 cm long, 9–15 mm
across, densely covered with branched hairs.
Distribution: CHINA. N Sichuan: Yanggong Shan,along boundary between Hongyuan and Heishui Xian,
3750–4000 m. Most plants in the population of Meconopsis
hispida on Yanggong Shan are on the western side of themountain range, but some are on the eastern side.
Habitat and ecology: among shrubs of Spiraea, Salix,
and Berberis on mostly southwest-facing but occasionallysoutheast-facing slopes; rooting in moist, humus-richgravelly soil.
Additional specimen examined: CHINA. N Sichuan:
Hongyuan Xian, western side of Yanggong Shan (羊拱山),32˚13'39"N, 102˚35'08"E, 3900 m, 18 July 2017, T. Yoshida
K121 (KUN, TI).

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Figure 17–20. 17, Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Dried flower with petals removed, collected at type locality on 20 June 2016;
ovary covered with dense bristles to 1.5 mm long. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 18, Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Dried flower
just after flowering with petals removed, collected near type locality on 18 July 2017; developed ovary with dense bristles 0.3–0.7 mm
long. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 19, Meconopsis hispida T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Young fruit near type locality on 18 July 2017. Photograph
by T. Yoshida. 20, Meconopsis trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 14 July 2017.

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Meconopsis barbiseta grows among dwarf shrubs on
windy alpine slopes near the ridge. The flowering scapes
often protrude slightly through the canopy of the shrubs.
Meconopsis hispida grows among taller shrubs, occasionallyin partial shade, on gentle slopes on the flank of mountains
where the microclimate is milder.
We consider Meconopsis hispida to be intermediate
between M. barbiseta and M. psilonomma Farrer var.
sinomaculata (Grey-Wilson) H. Ohba in morphology andin distribution. The hairs on the ovary in M. hispida haveascending, straight, elongate tips similar to those of M.
psilonomma var. sinomaculata, but have minute branches
near their base similar to those of M. barbiseta. Yanggong
Shan, where M. hispida occurs, is between Gonggaling,where M. psilonomma var. sinomaculata occurs, andNianbao Yuze where M. barbiseta grows.
The specific epithet, hispida, derives from the branchedhairs with sharply pointed tips on the ovary.
Meconopsis trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun, sp. nov.
TYPE: CHINA. NW Sichuan: Dege Xian, Haizi Shan (海子山), 32˚03'13"N, 99˚00'43"E, 4450 m, 14 July 2017, T.
Yoshida K119 (Holotype, KUN; Isotype, TI). Fig. 1, 20–24,
39–42.
Meconopsis trichogyna resembles M. barbiseta C. Y. Wu& H. Chuang ex L. H. Zhou in the hairs on the ovary withretrorse branches near the base, but differs from the latter inthe color of the hairs: whitish in M. trichogyna, dark purple
in M. barbiseta. The hairs of M. trichogyna are in twolayers; an under layer of short hairs in close contact witheach other and bending sharply in various directions, andan upper layer of longer hairs erect along the surface of theovary (the hairs on the ovary of M. barbiseta are in a single
layer). The inflorescence of M. trichogyna is racemosewith a few basal flowers, while M. barbiseta has a solitary
scape with a solitary flower. The flowers of M. trichogyna
are dish- or bowl-shaped (M. barbiseta has a cup-shaped
flower). Meconopsis trichogyna also resembles M. lancifolia(Franch.) Franch. ex Prain in the inflorescence and flower
shape, but differs in having branched hairs on the ovary; thehairs on the ovary of M. lancifolia are unbranched.
Herbs, monocarpic, 12–28 cm tall in flower. Taproot
elongate or dauciform, to 6 cm long or more, 6–9 mm
across, distally gradually narrowed and with slender roots.
Most parts of plant bristly; bristles pale green except on
ovary. Stem (below lowermost flower) contracted, less than
6 mm long. Leaves crowded, petiolate; petiole membranous,
broadly linear, 1.5–2.5 cm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide; lamina
oblong or linear-oblong, 2–8 cm long, 3–10 mm wide, baseattenuate, margin entire, apex obtuse, acute or acuminate,both surfaces densely or moderately bristly. Inflorescence
racemose and with few basal flowers, 3–5 flowers total;
peduncle to 4 mm across when dried; pedicels 3–25 cm

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long in flower; peduncle and pedicels with dense retrorse
bristles; bristles to 2 mm long on small plants, to 4.5 mm
long on large plants, those near flowers often tinged purple
at apex. Flowers laterally facing, half-nodding or ascending,dish- or bowl-shaped, 4–7 cm across. Calyx 1–1.5 cm long,moderately or sparsely bristly. Petals 4–8, purple, obovate
or elliptic, 2–3.8 cm long, 0.8–2 cm wide, base cuneate,
margin entire or sometimes crenate and wavy near apex,
apex obtuse or rounded, occasionally cleft toward base.
Receptacle to 1.5 mm tall. Stamens numerous, radiating;filaments similar to petals in color, filiform, 6–9 mm long,gradually thickened toward base; anthers ellipsoid, ca. 1
mm long, thecae pale yellow. Ovary pale yellowish green,
ovoid, 5–7 mm long, with dense whitish hairs; hairs withrounded ridges running longitudinally on surface, withhollow pits inside, with retrorse branches at base; hairs in
two layers; hairs of under layer 0.2–0.5 mm long, densely
covering whole surface of ovary, in close contact with eachother, often bending sharply in various directions above
basal branches; hairs of upper layer 1–2.5 mm long, rather
soft, gradually thickened or dilated toward base, erect along
surface of ovary and covering lower layer of hairs except
near apex of ovary. Style pale yellowish green, 1–2.5 mm
long. Stigma 1.5–3 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm across, with 3–6
lobes. Fruit unknown.
Distribution: CHINA. NW Sichuan: Dege Xian, 4400–
4550 m in elevation.
Habitat and ecology: northwest-, west-, and southwestfacing gentle slopes in grasslands, occasionally amongdwarf shrubs of Caragana and Rhododendron.
Meconopsis trichogyna is endemic to the limited region
around the type locality. Because of its small population,
we consider it to be one of the most endangered species ofMeconopsis.
Like the hairs on the ovary of Meconopsis barbiseta,
those of M. trichogyna are also considered to prevent theovary from freezing or chilling by retaining air on the surfaceof the ovary and provide a foothold for visiting pollinators.
The intricate branched hairs covering the ovary of
Meconopsis barbiseta, M. hispida, and M. trichogyna are
unique in Meconopsis and the basis for establishing the newseries Barbisetae for these species.
Meconopsis series Barbisetae T. Yoshida & H. Sun, series
nov. Type species: Meconopsis barbiseta C. Y. Wu & H.
Chuang ex L. H. Zhou.
Series Barbisetae differs from other series of Meconopsis
in the intricately entangled, hollow, branched hairs covering
the ovary. The series is related to series Henricanae C. Y.
Wu & H. Chuang and to M. lancifolia (Franch,) Franch. ex
Prain in section Forrestinae C. Y. Wu & H. Chuang. Morestudies are needed to resolve the higher classification of
the series.

Key to Species of Series Barbisetae

1a. Inflorescence racemose and with few basal flowers; flowers opening widely; hairs on ovary with root-like branches at base and several
rounded ridges on surface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  M. trichogyna
1b. Inflorescence a solitary scape and a solitary flower; flower cup-shaped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2a. Hairs on ovary with branches at base, with many longitudinal ridges on surface and with straight, ascending, sharply pointed tips; branchesof hairs often gradually upturned toward apex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  M. hispida
2b. Hairs on ovary with branches in lower half, with several rounded longitudinal ridges on surface, usually incurved above branches, apex
rather obtuse; branches of hairs retrorse and imbricate, not upturned toward apex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M. barbiseta

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Figure 21–24. 21, Meconopsis trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality. Photograph by T. Yoshida, 14 July 2017. 22,
Meconopsis trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun at type locality on 14 July 2017. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 23, Meconopsis trichogyna
T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Upper part of plant at end of flowering at type locality on 14 July 2017. Foreground stamens removed to show
whitish hairs densely covering ovary, raised receptacle, and thickened base of filaments. Photograph by T. Yoshida. 24, Meconopsis
trichogyna T. Yoshida & H. Sun. Upper part of dried specimen collected at type locality on 14 July 2017. Foreground stamens removed toshow ovary covered with two layers of hairs: hairs of lower layer to 0.5 mm long and densely covering whole ovary in close contact witheach other; erect hairs of outer layer to 2.5 mm long, covering 2/3 of ovary from base. Photograph by T. Yoshida.

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Figure 25–28. Scanning electron microscope images of the hairs on the dried ovary and capsules. 25–26, Meconopsis psilonomma var.
psilonomma (T. Yoshida K109). Ascending bristles on capsule; bristles with hard, sharply pointed apex and numerous fine longitudinalridges on surface. 27, Meconopsis psilonomma var. sinomaculata (T. Yoshida K116). Erect bristles on ovary at the end of flowering;bristles with sharply pointed hard apex and with numerous fine longitudinal ridges on surface. Lumpy surface of adhesive tape forattaching sample is visible around segment of ovary. 28, Meconopsis huanglongensis (T. Yoshida K98). Ascending bristles on capsule;bristles with sharply pointed hard apex and numerous fine longitudinal ridges on surface.

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Figure 29–32. Scanning electron microscope images of the hairs on the dried capsule. 29, Meconopsis huanglongensis (T. Yoshida K98).
Ascending bristles on capsule; bristles with sharply pointed hard apex and numerous fine longitudinal ridges on surface. 30, Meconopsis
hispida (T. Yoshida K121). Ascending bristles on young capsule; segment of capsule on adhesive tape. 31–32, Meconopsis hispida(T. Yoshida K121). Ascending bristles with sharply pointed apex and many rounded longitudinal ridges on surface and minute branches
at base; branches often gradually upturned toward apex; hollow hairs are seen in cross section of branch of hair at upper right cornerof Fig. 31.

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Figure 33–36. Scanning electron microscope images of the hairs on the dried ovary of Meconopsis barbiseta (T. Yoshida K100). Erect orascending hairs on ovary; hairs often with obtuse apex, several rounded longitudinal ridges on surface and retrorse, imbricate branches
on lower half of hairs; most erect hairs incurved above retrorse branches have tip inserted among bases of adjacent hairs. 33, basal part ofovary with erect or ascending hairs; surfaces of broken branches of hairs in lower left of image show hairs gathered in clusters of several
hollow hairs. 34, ascending hairs near base of ovary; surfaces of broken branches of hairs are in lower left of image. 35, ascending hairs
near base of ovary. 36, middle part of ovary.

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Figure 37–40. Scanning electron microscope images of the hairs on the dried ovary. 37, Meconopsis barbiseta (T. Yoshida K100). Upper
part of ovary. 38, Meconopsis barbiseta (T. Yoshida K100). Incurved hair near apex of ovary. 39, Meconopsis trichogyna (T. YoshidaK119), basal part of ovary with erect long hairs and crowded short hairs; long hairs have many rounded longitudinal ridges on surface andsharply pointed tips; long hairs near the left margin of image are broken. 40, Meconopsis trichogyna (T. Yoshida K119), basal part of long
hairs with root-like retrorse branches, with rounded pollen adhering to hairs.

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Figure 41–42. Scanning electron microscope images of the hairs on the dried ovary of Meconopsis trichogyna (T. Yoshida K119). 41, basal
part of ovary with long hairs broken off above base; surfaces of broken hairs imply that slender, long, hollow hairs are cohesive. 42, upper
part of ovary with crowded short hairs; short hairs often bend sharply in various directions above basal retrorse branches, few or several
rounded ridges run longitudinally on surface of main and basal branches.

Literature Cited

Grey-Wilson, C. 2014. The Genus Meconopsis—Blue Poppies
and Their Relatives. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew, Richmond.
Yoshida, T. and H. Sun. 2017. Meconopsis lepida and M.
psilonomma (Papaveraceae) rediscovered and revised. Harvard
Papers in Botany 22 (2): 157–192.

Zhang, M. L. (张明理) and C. Grey-Wilson. 2008. Meconopsis.
In Flora of China 7: 262–278. Science Press, Beijing, andMissouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
Zhou, L. H. (周立华). 1979. New taxa of Meconopsis from
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica (植物分类学报) 17(4): 112–114.