Clematis obscura Maximovicz 1890
Creators: name: Huang, Qiao-Lan
name: Wu, Hai-Song
name: Fei, Wen-Qun
name: Yuan, Qiong
name: Yang, Qin-Er
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Ranunculales
Ranunculaceae
Clematis
Clematis obscura

description: Clematis obscura Maximovicz (1890: 6).
Figs. 1–15
Type:— CHINA. Kansu (= Gansu), valle fl. Poiho, infra vicum Terga, 12 Julii 1885, G.N. Potanin s.n. (lectotype LE01013973!, isolectotype PE00029920!; designated by Wang (2003), see below for a discussion); remaining syntypes: Kansu (= Gansu), valle fl. Poiho, prope vicum Rasa, 11 Julii 1885, G.N. Potanin s.n. (LE01013971!); Sichuan, oppido Nan-Ping, 19 Julii 1885, G.N. Potanin s.n. (LE01013972!, PE00029919!). Figs. 2, 3.
= C. wenxianensis Wang (2006: 331), syn. nov.
Type:— China. Gansu, Wenxian, Baimayu, alt. 1000 m, roadside, 30 April 1964, T.P. Wang 19097 (holotype WUK!, isotype WUK!). Fig. 1.
Description:—Vines woody. Stems shallowly 10–14-grooved, sparsely adpressed puberulous. Leaves pinnate, 5–9- foliolate; petiole 1–5 cm long; leaflet blades papery, ovate, triangular-ovate, or lanceolate, 1.5–7.5 cm long, 1–4 cm broad, sparsely puberulous, undivided, 2-lobed or 3-lobed, base subcordate, rotundate or truncate, margin entire, apex acute. Cymes both axillary and terminal, 1–10-flowered; peduncle 3.5– 16 cm long, sparsely puberulous; bracts petiolate, ovate, narrowly ovate, or elliptic, ca. 4 cm long, 1.5– 3 cm broad, sometimes 3-parte; bracteoles petiolate, narrowly ovate or elliptic, 5–10 mm long, 2–5 mm broad. Flowers 2.5– 5 cm in diameter. Pedicel 4–10 cm long, subglabrous to sparsely puberulous. Sepals 4–6, rarely 3 or 7, white, spreading, oblong, obovate-oblong, or lanceolate, 1.5– 4 cm long, 0.6– 1 cm broad, abaxially glabrous except for velutinous margin, adaxially glabrous, apex acute. Stamens 7–9 mm long, glabrous; anthers linear, 4–5 mm long, often longer than filaments, apex minutely apiculate. Ovaries densely sericeous-villous. Style 5–10 mm long, densely sericeous-villous. Achenes elliptic to ovate, appressed puberulous; persistent style brown-yellow plumose.
Phenology:—Flowering from April to August; fruiting from June to October.
Distribution and habitat:— Clematis obscura is distributed in southern Gansu, northwestern Hubei, southern Ningxia, central and southern Shaanxi, central and southern Shanxi, and northern Sichuan, China (Fig. 16), i.e. primarily in the Qinling-Dabashan Mountains region in central China. It grows in scrubs or grassy places at forest margins at elevations of 600–2600 m above sea level.
Additional specimens examined:— CHINA. Gansu: Huixian, C.J. Wang et al. 11434 (PE), Z.P. Wei 2079 (HHBG), Z.P. Wei 2087 (HIMC, WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 450 (IBK, WUK); Minxian, T.P. Wang 15255 (PE, WUK), T.P. Wang 15296 (WUK); Qingshui, J.C Hao & Y. He GSL2015051074 (BNU); Têwo, Bailongjiang Exped. 1047 (PE), T.N. Ho et al. 278 (HNWP); Tianshui, K.T. Fu 15240 (WUK); Wenxian, Baishuijiang Exped. 1395 (PE), Baishuijiang Exped. 2374 (PE), Baishuijiang Exped. 4536 (PE), Baishuijiang Exped. 4676 (PE), Y.C. Ho 912 (PE, WUK), Q.L. Huang & H.S. Wu 107 (IBSC), H.J. Wang & Z.X. Hu 714 (WUK), T.P. Wang 19007 (WUK), Xizang Trad. Med. Exped. 28 (HNWP), Z.Y. Zhang 8704 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 8931 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 10115 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 13355 (WUK); Wudu, K.S. Hao 425 (P, PE); Zhugqu, Bailongjiang Exped. 1479 (PE), C.L. Jing & S. Jiang 375 (PE). Hubei: Xingshan, E.H. Wilson 2478 (E, US). Ningxia: Jingyuan, BNU LPS-232 (BNU). Shaanxi: Baoji, Y.H. Guo & Z.X. Hu 233 (WUK), J.C Hao & Y. He GSL2014050153 (BNU); Chang’an, Q.L. Huang & H.S. Wu 106 (IBSC), H.W. Kung 2512 (WUK), H.W. Kung 2624 (PE), T.N. Liou 10932 (WUK), T.N. Liou et al. 162 (PE), C.S. Song 11113 (CAF), C.S. Song 11281 (CAF), C.S. Tie et al. 65 (PE), M.R. Wang & X.H. Tian TianXH244 (KUN), Yellow River Exped. 19 (WUK, PE), Yellow River Exped. 246 (WUK, PE); Fengxian, C.L. Jing & S. Jiang 254 (PE); Foping, P.Z. Kuo 1441 (IBK, PE, WUK), S.F. Li et al. 10214 (XBGH); Hanzhong, K.T. Fu 6158 (PE), W. Purdom 382 (E, US), P.C. Tsoong & T.N. Liou 4100 (PE); Huxian, P.Y. Li 5128 (WUK); Huayin, T.P. Chang 8579 (NAS), C.S. Liu & Z.Y. Zhang 17631 (IBSC, WUK), C.H. Wang & W.Y. Hsia 24 (PE), C.H. Wang & W.Y. Hsia 183 (PE); Huangling, R. Yang YR20160717- 7 (BNU); Huanglong, S.L. Huang & J.X. Yang 5879 (WUK), C.L. Tang 275 (WUK); Lantian, Anonymous 3191 (PE); Longxian, W.Q. Fei & Y.P. Zeng 260 (IBSC); Lüeyang, C.S. Liu & Z.Y. Zhang 17849 (WUK), T.P. Wang 18750 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 18075 (WUK); Meixian, Y.J. Chen & Z.M. Dong 86002 (PEY), Fenzel 269 (PE, WUK), P.Y. Li 10142 (WUK), Shaanxi Trad. Med. Exped. 37 (WUK, XBGH), Shaanxi Trad. Med. Exped. 106 (WUK, XBGH), T.P. Wang 13766 (WUK), T.P. Wang 17622 (WUK), Z.H. Wu 88-578 (L, PE), Z.H. Wu WZH-7-74 (CSH), J.X. Yang 243 (WUK), J.X. Yang 347 (WUK), J.X. Yang 387 (WUK), J.X. Yang 489 (WUK), X.M. Zhang 948 (WUK), Zhu et al. 1002 (PE); Ningshan, Q.R. Liu & S.Y. Meng QL220 (BNU), J.C. Xing 1410 (WUK), J.C. Xing 8070 (WUK), J.C. Xing 18034 (WUK); Shangluo, T.P. Wang 16016 (PE); Shiquan, J.C. Xing 8454 (WUK); Taibai, M.C. Chang & Y.C. Qin 1020 (NAS), K.T. Fu 2613 (PE, WUK), K.T. Fu & P.C. Tsoong 88 (IBK, PE), Z.P. Wei 1017 (HHBG, WUK), J.X. Yang 243 (PE), J.X. Yang 387 (PE); Yaozhou, Z.Y. Zhang 18959 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 18972 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 19049 (WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 19346 (WUK); Yichuan, K.T. Fu 8072 (PE, WUK); Yijun, C.L. Xiao 589 (PE, WUK); Zhashui, S.F. Li et al. 17252 (XBGH); Zhouzhi, L. Cao & Q.H. Yang QL-6-55 (CSH), S.T. Wang 429 (PE), J.X. Yang 347 (PE, WUK), J.X. Yang 489 (PE). Shanxi: Hongtong, K.C. Kuan & Y.L. Chen 799 (HNWP, HSIB, WUK), Z. Zhao et al. 215 (PE); Huozhou, T.P. Wang 2593 (PE), Yellow River Exped. 829 (PE, WUK); Jishan, Y.B. Luo CL2-1 (PE), S. Ma 43 (HNWP, HSIB, WUK), S. Ma 127 (HNWP, HSIB, WUK), S. Ma 182 (HNWP, WUK), S. Ma 219 (HNWP, WUK), Z.Y. Zhang 18722 (WUK); Jiangxian, E. Licent 1792 (P, PE); Jiexiu, K.M. Liou 1238 (PE), K.M. Liou 1810 (PE), X.Y. Liu 5149 (HNWP, HSIB, PE, WUK), H. Smith 5680 (PE); Lingshi, T. Tang 863 (LBG, N, PE, PEY, US); Lüliang, S. Ma 65 (HNWP), S. Ma 290 (HNWP, HSIB, WUK); Precise locality unknown, Anonymous A683 (TIE); Puxian, S. Ma 414 (HNWP, HSIB, WUK), T.P. Wang 3758 (PE); Qinshui, Anonymous 06k14022 (TYNUB), Anonymous 08J14044 (TYNUB), Anonymous 09k25040 (TYNUB), Anonymous 09k25041 (TYNUB), D.M. Kong k0120 (HSIB, PE, SXU), Loess-Plate. Exped. 2492 (WUK); Qinxian, K.C. Kuan & Y.L. Chen 672 (HNWP, HSIB, PE, WUK); Wenxi, Loess-Plate. Exped. 649 (WUK); Yicheng, Yellow River Exped. 117 (NAS, PE), Yellow River Exped. 143 (PE), Yellow River Exped. 240 (PE); Yongji, Anonymous 11661 (CAF), T.W. Liu 39 (PE), T.W. Liu 151 (HNWP, HSIB, PE), Yellow River Exped. 328 (IBK, PE), Yellow River Exped. 547 (IBK, PE); Yuanqu, S.J. Yan & S.Y. Bao 92 (HNWP, HSIB, PE), S.J. Yan & S.Y. Bao 727 (HNWP, HSIB, PE); Yuncheng, E. Licent 1883 (P, PE). Sichuan: Jiuzhaigou, Anonymous 71 (SM), Q.L. Huang & H.S. Wu 108 (IBSC); Lixian, C. Ho & T.L. Chow 13081 (LBG, PE), Z. Ho & T.L. Chow 13952 (LBG, PE), Y.B. Luo 48 (PE); Maoxian, Anonymous 465 (SM), Anonymous 521 (SM), Anonymous 2461 (SM), E.H. Wilson 2472 (E, US); Songpan, E.H. Wilson 4549 (US); Wenchuan, Anonymous 5009 (SM).
Notes:— Chang (1980), Ding et al. (1981), Yu et al. (1992), Anonymous (2000), Grey-Wilson (2000), Wang & Bartholomew (2001), Wang (2003), Yan & Zhang (2010), and Xie (2016) all recorded the occurrence of Clematis obscura in western Henan, but we have not as yet see any authentic material of this species from Henan. The occurrence of C. obscura in western Henan, which belongs to the Qingling Mountains region, needs verification. Johnson (1997, 2001) recorded the occurrence of C. obscura in Shandong, but we have not as yet see any authentic material of this species from that province. The occurrence of C. obscura in Ningxia is reported here for the first time.
When Maximovicz (1890) described Clematis obscura as new, he cited three unnumbered Potanin’s collections, with two from southern Gansu and one from northern Sichuan. As Maximovicz (1890) did not designate type for C. obscura, all the specimens belong to syntypes of this species. Wang (2003) proposed the LE sheet of the unnumbered Potanin collection made from the village Terga in southern Gansu on 12 July 1885 (Fig. 2A) as lectotype of Clematis obscura, and cited a PE duplicate of this collection as isolectotype and the LE and PE sheets of the unnumbered Potanin collection made from Nanping (now Jiuzhaigou) in northern Sichuan on 19 July 1885 as syntypes (Fig. 3). He overlooked another unnumbered Potanin specimen collected from the village Rasa in southern Gansu on 12 July 1885 (Fig. 2C), which Maximovicz (1890) cited in the protologue of C. obscura and thus is also a syntype of this species. Grabovskaya-Borodina (2010), probably unaware of Wang’s (2003) work, re-designated the LE sheet of the unnumbered Potanin collection made from the village Terga in southern Gansu on 12 July 1885 (Fig. 2A) as lectotype of C. obscura, and cited the other two unnumbered Potanin collection as syntypes. It is noteworthy that Grabovskaya-Borodina (2010) wrongly cited Nanping (now Jiuzhaigou) as a county of Gansu province. We have been unable to localize accurately the county-level collection localities of the two Potanin collections from southern Gansu.According to Potanin’s journey in China in 1895, his two collections of C. obscura from southern Gansu are most likely made in Zhugqu county in that province.
description: Published as part of Huang, Qiao-Lan, Wu, Hai-Song, Fei, Wen-Qun, Yuan, Qiong & Yang, Qin-Er, 2023, The identity of Clematis wenxianensis (Ranunculaceae) described from southern Gansu, China, pp. 142-160 in Phytotaxa 625 (2) on pages 145-159, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.625.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/10151123