Thalictrum rostellatum Hooker & Thomson 1855
Creators: name: Zeng, You-Pai
name: Yuan, Qiong
name: Yang, Qin-Er
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Ranunculales
Ranunculaceae
Thalictrum
Thalictrum rostellatum

description: Thalictrum rostellatum Hooker & Thomson (1855: 15). Figs. 1, 5‒11.
Type:— INDIA. Sikkim: Lachen, 9000 feet, 1 August 1849, J. D. Hooker s.n. (lectotype K000694151!, here designated). Remaining syntypes:— INDIA. Sikkim: without precise locality, 8000‒9000 feet, J. D. Hooker s.n. (GH00038630!, L1740639!, P00147868!); Lachung, 9000 feet, J. D. Hooker s.n. (K000694150!). Himachal Pradesh: Faju, near Simla, V. Jacquemont 1025 (P00147865!, P00147866!); Simla, 7000‒8000 feet, T. Thomson s.n. (K, two sheets, barcodes unavailable!). Northwest Himalaya, without precise locality, 7000 feet, T. Thomson s.n. (E00438594!, L1740640!, P00147867!). Fig. 5.
= T. fusiforme Wang (1982a: 137), syn. nov.
Type:— CHINA. Xizang (Tibet): Zayu county, Shangzayu town, near Buzong village, riverside in mixed forest, 2200 m above sea level, 26 July 1980, Z. C. Ni et al. 837 (holotype PE00470571!). Fig. 1.
Description:—Perennial herbs. Roots fibrous. Stem 40‒100 cm tall, distally branched, glandular-pubescent. Leaves 2‒3-ternate; blade triangular, 5‒12 cm long, 4‒10 cm broad; leaflets broadly obovate, obliquely broadly obovate, suborbicular or broadly ovate, 0.8‒1.9 cm long, 0.8‒1.8 cm broad, herbaceous, both sides more or less glandularpubescent, adaxially green and abaxially pale green, base rounded or subcordate, apex obtuse or acute, 3-lobate; lobes entire or 2‒4-dentate, apex obtuse or acute; veins submerged adaxially, slightly raised abaxially; rachis glandular-pubescent; petioles glandular-pubescent, 1‒3 cm long; stipules sheath-like or free, obliquely broadly ovate, membranous, margin entire. Inflorescence a paniculiform compound cyme; peduncle glandular-pubescent. Pedicels 3‒20 mm long, glandular-pubescent. Flowers bisexual, white or tinged with pink. Sepals 4 or 5, broadly elliptic or ovate, 2.8‒4 mm long, 2‒3 mm broad, abaxially sparsely glandular-pubescent, whitish or tinged with pinkish, not caducous; basal nerves 3‒5. Stamens 8‒14, 3‒4 mm long; filaments narrowly oblanceolate-linear, 1.8‒3 mm long, white; anthers narrowly oblong, 0.8‒1.2 mm long, ca. 0.5 mm broad, apex obtuse, white. Carpels 3‒9, ca. 3 mm long, glabrous, subsessile; ovary obliquely narrowly obovate, ca. 1 mm long; style ca. 2 mm long, uncinate or circinate at apex; stigma inconspicuous. Achenes ca. 8 mm long, glandular-pubescent, conspicuously stipitate; stipe ca. 0.5 mm long; body narrowly lunate-fusiform, shallowly ribbed, slightly compressed; style persistent, uncinate or circinate at apex.
Phenology:—Flowering from May to August; fruiting from June to September.
Distribution and habitat:— Thalictrum rostellatum is widely distributed in the Sino-Himalayan region, including Bhutan, southwestern China (southwestern and southeastern Xizang, northwestern Yunnan), northern India, and Nepal (Fig. 12). It grows in forests or on damp rocky ledges at elevations of 2000–3700 m above sea level.
Typification:— Thalictrum rostellatum was described on the basis of several collections from India (four sheets shown in Figure 5). We have been able to trace six of them, including J.D. Hooker s.n. collected at elevations of 8000‒9000 feet (three sheets, barcodes GH00038630, L1740639, P00147868), J.D. Hooker s.n. collected in Lachen (one sheet, barcode K000694151), and J.D. Hooker s.n. collected in Lachung (one sheet, barcode K000694150) all from Sikkim, V. Jacquemont 1025 (two sheets, barcodes P00147865, P00147866) and T. Thomson s.n. collected at 7000‒8000 feet (two sheets at K, barcodes unavailable) from Simla, and T. Thomson s.n. collected at 7000 feet from northwest Himalaya (three sheets, barcodes E00438594, L1740640, P00147867). These specimens, all of which are well preserved and match well the original description of T. rostellatum, are therefore syntypes as there is no evidence that only one was used to prepare the original description. Here, lectotypification is undertaken for the name T. rostellatum according to ICN Art. 9.3 and Art. 9.11 (Turland et al. 2018) and as discussed by McNeill (2014). As Hooker & Thomson should most likely have studied the original material of T. rostellatum at K, in the above, the K sheet (barcode K000694151; Fig. 5A) that bears roots, flowers and aggregate fruits, has been designated as lectotype of T. rostellatum.
Additional specimens examined:— BHUTAN. Bumthang Chu, F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & J.H. Hicks 18932 (BM, barcode unavailable). Byakar, A.J.C. Grierson & D.G. Long 1744 (E00168911). Chendebi, B.J. Gould 346 (K, barcode unavailable). Dama Thang, R. Bedi 213 (K, barcode unavailable). Mo Chu, C. Sargent 74 (E00168912), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & J.H. Hicks 16517 (BM, barcode unavailable, E00168910). Paro, F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 136 (BM, barcode unavailable, E00168909). Phajudim Limpu, R.E. Cooper 2517 (BM, barcode unavailable, E00168914). Thimphu, A.J.C. Grierson & D.G. Long 657 (E00168908), B. Bartholomew & T.Y. Tse 1735 (E00168913).
CHINA. Xizang: Bomi, Anonymous 2042 (PE00558498), Anonymous 76-301 (PE00558497, PE00558503), D. E. Boufford et al. 29924 (PE01459330, PE01459331), Y. T. Chang & K. Y. Lang 532 (PE00450379), Y. T. Chang & K. Y. Lang 608 (PE00450380), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & H. Elliot 13065 (BM, barcode unavailable, K, barcode unavailable), T. Naito et al. 983 (PE00450406, PE00450407, PE 02032618), H. N. Qin et al. 298 (PE01814280), H. N. Qin et al. 368 (PE01814316), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 73-112 (KUN0690126, PE00450374, PE00450375), C. Y. Wu et al. 5842 (KUN0690352, KUN0690353), T. S. Ying & D. Y. Hong 650136 (PE00450393), T. S. Ying & D. Y. Hong 650251 (PE00450397, PE00450398), T. S. Ying & D. Y. Hong 650502 (PE00450394, PE00450395); Cona, Y. S. Chen et al. 13-1164 (PE02000678), FLPH Tibet Exped. 12-0881 (PE01966746), F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 774 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & H. Elliot 12552 (BM, barcode unavailable), PE-Xizang Exped. 7165 (PE, barcode unavailable), L. Wang, X. Q. Guo & Y. P. Zeng 3153 (IBSC, barcode unavailable); Dinggye, Anonymous 350 (PE00450405), PE-Xizang Exped. 3148 (PE, four sheets, barcodes unavailable); Gongbo’gyamda, D. E. Boufford et al. 30092 (PE01459332); Gyirong, Anonymous 352 (PE00450392), Anonymous 75-167 (PE00558500, PE00558501), Anonymous 75-210 (PE00558499), B. S. Li et al. 13395 (PE00450410, PE00450411), B. S. Li et al. 13604 (PE00450412), PE-Xizang Exped. 4128 (PE, three sheets, barcodes unavailable), PE-Xizang Exped. 7880 (PE, two sheets, barcodes unavailable), PE-Xizang Exped. 7996 (PE, two sheets, barcodes unavailable), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 6900 (HNWP, barcode unavailable, KUN0690357, PE00450373), L. Wang, X. Q. Guo & Y. P. Zeng 2732 (IBSC, barcode unavailable), L. Wei & J. C. Hao 15468 (BNU0025905), C. Y. Wu et al. 75-0582 (PE00450390, HNWP, barcode unavailable, KUN0690782, KUN0690783, PE00450391), Xizang Trad. Med. Exped. 186 (HNWP, two sheets, barcodes unavailable), Xizang Trad. Med. Exped. 352 (HNWP, two sheets, barcodes unavailable); Mainling, F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 1862 (BM, barcode unavailable), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & G. Taylor 4504 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & G. Taylor 5663 (BM, barcode unavailable), B. Lyon 11170 (E00075171), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. Suppl. Group. 750915 (HNWP, two sheets, barcodes unavailable, PE00450389), L. Wang, X. Q. Guo & Y. P. Zeng 3295 (IBSC, barcode unavailable), L. Wei & Y. He BNUXZ2016497 (BNU0028325); Markam, W. Q. Fei 43 (IBSC, barcode unavailable); Medog, F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & H. Elliot 14313 (BM, barcode unavailable), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & H. Elliot 15218 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable); Nangxian, F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 2218 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable); Nyalam, PE-Xizang Exped. 4343 (PE, barcode unavailable); Nyingchi, C. W. Chang & C. T. Wang 174 (PE02060313), Y. T. Chang & K. Y. Lang 1177 (PE00450381), Inst. Bot. Xizang Exped. 205 (HNWP, three sheets, barcodes unavailable), F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & H. Elliot 13823 (BM, barcode unavailable), J. Luo & S. L. Wang XZ9213 (PE01898935), T. Naito et al. 1107 (PE00470773, PE02046528), K. Yao et al. s.n. (NAS00004116); Precise locality unknown, P. C. Tsoong 6021 (PE00450413, PE00450414); Yadong, C. W. Chang 1129 (PE, two sheets, barcodes unavailable), K. H. Fu 1086 (PE00450415), R. E. Cooper 216 (E, barcode unavailable), R. E. Cooper 701 (E, barcode unavailable), K. H. Fu 1129 (PE00450416), X.X. Huang & Z. B. Zhong 16214 (IBSC0822597), PE-Xizang Exped. 2747 (PE, three sheets, barcodes unavailable), PE-Xizang Exped. 2824 (PE, three sheets, barcodes unavailable); Zayu, Anonymous 561b (PE00558502), F. Kingdon-Ward 10472 (BM, barcode unavailable), SET-ET 638 (PE02283036), C. W. Wang 65524 (KUN0690109, PE00450422, PE00450404, WUK, barcode unavailable), L. Wang, X. Q. Guo & Y. P. Zeng 2911 (IBSC, barcode unavailable). Yunnan: Deqen, IBCAS Hengduan Shan Exped. 3512 (PE01108920, PE01108921), R. P. Soulié 1281 (P02383306), L. Xie & J. F. Mao 139 (PE01569387), L. Xie & J. F. Mao 140 (PE01569414), L. Xie & J. F. Mao 141 (PE01569415); Gongshan, X. H. Jin et al. DL-JET 1134 (PE02283030), X. H. Jin et al. ST2164 (PE01977466, PE01979718), Nujiang Exped. 790266 (KUN0690104, KUN0690105), Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 8337 (KUN0690929, KUN0690930, PE01108917, PE01108918, PE01108919); Heqing, R. C. Ching 24076 (KUN0689919, KUN0690087, KUN0690088, PE00450419), J. M. Delavay s.n. (P00147869, P00147870), Y. P. Zeng, Y. F. Luo & Y. Q. Tao 213 (IBSC, barcode unavailable); Lijiang, G. Forrest 2478 (E, barcode unavailable), South-North Water Diver. Exped. 9771 (KUN0690095, PE00450417), D.D. Tao et al. 85351 (KUN0691391), D.D. Tao et al. 85472 (KUN0691402); Shangri-la, B. Alden et al. 525 (E00003304), B. Alden et al. 1443 (E00003477), B. Alden et al. 1754 (E00003283), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 2273 (PE02036064), Zhongdian Exped. 1394 (KUN0690099, KUN0690100, PE00450418, PE00450423); Weixi, W. Q. Fei 2 (IBSC, barcode unavailable), W. Q. Fei 13 (IBSC, barcode unavailable), K. M. Feng 4478 (KUN0689908, KUN0689911, KUN0690081, PE00450424), C. W. Wang 68109 (KUN0690080, NAS00187778, PE00450420, PE00450421, WUK, barcode unavailable), L. Xie & J. F. Mao 172 (PE01569432), L. Xie & J. F. Mao 173 (PE01569433), J. S. Yang 7063 (KUN0690758), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 50 (PE01349771, PE01350260), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 2029 (PE 02032591), Q. E. Yang & Q. Yuan 2060 (PE 02032590), Y. P. Zeng & W. Q. Fei 270 (IBSC, barcode unavailable).
INDIA. Himachal Pradesh: Bashahr, J. H. Lace. s.n. (E, barcode unavailable), J. H. Lace. 986 (E, two sheets, barcodes unavailable); Kulu, J. R. Drummond 8275 (K, barcode unavailable); Mashobra, A. Barday s.n. (E, two sheets, barcodes unavailable); Simla, H. Collett 375 (K, two sheets, barcodes unavailable), J. R. Drummond 1154 (BM, barcode unavailable), Fleming s.n. (E, barcode unavailable), J. S. Gamble 1569 (K, barcode unavailable), J. H. Lace. 2158 (E, three sheets, barcodes unavailable), H. H. Rich 576 (K, barcode unavailable). Sikkim: G. H. Cave 185147 (E, barcode unavailable), Edinb. Exped. North. Sikkim 1996 184 (E 00047670), Ribu & Rhomoo 5145 (L 1734159), Ribu & Rhomoo 5904 (K, barcode unavailable), W. W. Smith & G. H. Cave 7675 (P 00145904). Uttarakhand Pradesh: Jaunsar, J. S. Gamble 17076 (K, barcode unavailable), J. S. Gamble 26963 (K, barcode unavailable), J. S. Gamble 27076 (K, barcode unavailable).
NEPAL. Bajhang, H. Ikeda et al. 20913093 (E 00509632). Chankheli Lagna, O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 4331 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Churchi Lekh, O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 5125 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Chyamtang, J.D. A. Stainton 419 (E, barcode unavailable).Ghustung Khola, J.D. A.Stainton, W. R.Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 3392 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Gorkha, H. Ikeda et al. 20811092 (E 00634959), M. Suzuki et al. 9470286 (KUN 1261297). Langtang, O. Polunin 435 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Manang, M. Suzuki et al. 9460283 (PE 01966028). Mustang, T. Hoshino et al. 9666183 (BM, barcode unavailable). Panchthar, S. Noshiro et al. 9241065 (KUN 1214311, TI, barcode unavailable). Rasuwa, F. Miyamoto et al. 9410026 (BM, barcode unavailable, E 00071603), F. Miyamoto et al. 9430015 (BM, barcode unavailable, E 00069677), H. Takayama et al. 9220105 (BM, barcode unavailable, E 00141395, TI, barcode unavailable). Shearang, L. Dhwoj 117 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Shior Khola, P. C. Gardner 798 (BM, barcode unavailable). Solukhumbu, F. Miyamoto et al. 9580030 (E 00071609). Tarakot, O. Polunin, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 2422 (BM, barcode unavailable, E, barcode unavailable). Tibi Kung, C. Wigram 161 (E, barcode unavailable). Tukucha, J.D. A. Stainton, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 996 (BM, barcode unavailable), J.D. A. Stainton, W. R. Sykes & L. H. J. Williams 1636 (BM, barcode unavailable).
Notes:—In addition to the holotype sheet of Thalictrum fusiforme, Z.C. Ni et al. 837 (PE; Fig. 1A), there are another two sheets with the same field record including collectors, collection number, collection locality, etc., one with the barcode PE 00471108 also at PE (Fig. 13A) and the other with the barcode XZ 0001699 at XZ (Fig. 13B). Although these two sheets agree perfectly with the holotype sheet of T. fusiforme in field record, we found that they both actually belong to T. nepalense Wang (2018b: 641), not T. rostellatum. The type specimens of T. nepalense are shown in Figure 14, and we also observed living plants in a population of this species in Deqen county in northwestern Yunnan closely adjacent to Zayu county in southeastern Xizang (Fig. 15). Obviously Wang (1982a) did not use these two sheets for the description of his T. fusiforme because he did not cite these two sheets in the protologue. Moreover, he identified the PE sheet as T. javanicum Blume (1825: 2) on the determination slip on 16 February 1981 and then as T. lecoyeri Franchet (1889: 16) on 31 May 2017, and cited it under T. lecoyeri (Wang 2018a). In fact, Zeng et al. (2021) have previously pointed out that this sheet should belong to T. nepalense, not T. javanicum. Morphologically T. nepalense is readily distinguishable from T. rostellatum and T. lecoyeri, among other characters, by having glabrous (vs. glandular-pubescent) leaves and achenes (Figs. 15E, F, 6N, 8N, 9N; Wang & Wang 1979a, Fu & Zhu 2001, Wang 2018a), and from the former also by often having more carpels and achenes (9‒12 vs. 3‒9) (Figs. 14E, 15K, 6M, 8M, 9M; Wang 2018b).
Of the collections cited under Thalictrum rostellatum by Wang (2018a), the collection information of some of them was wrongly given and some were misidentified. The collection J. Luo et al. 9123 from Nyingchi in southeastern Xizang should be corrected as J. Luo et al. 9213, and the collection K. H. Fu & C. W. Chang 1029 from Yadong in southern Xizang should be corrected as K. H. Fu & C. W. Chang 1129. The collection Z. C. Ni et al. 1784 from Nyingchi actually belongs to T. diffusiflorum Marquand & Shaw in Marquand (1929: 153), a species occurring in Bomi, Gongbo’gyamda, Mainling, Nangxian and Nyingchi in southeastern Xizang (Wang & Wang 1979a, Wang 1985, 1993, 2018a, Yuan & Yang 2017), because of the 4‒5-pinnate leaves, lax and leafy inflorescence, and apically abruptly recurved pedicels (Fig. 16); the collections Y. T. Chang & K. Y. Lang 462, Z. C. Ni et al. 127, T. S. Ying & D. Y. Hong 650171 and T. S. Ying & D. Y. Hong 650502 from Bomi, B. S. Li & S. Z. Cheng 5394 and Qinghai-Xizang Exped. Suppl. Group 750915 from Mainling, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. Suppl. Group 750500, Qinghai-Xizang Exped. Suppl. Group 750543 from Lhunze, all in southeastern Xizang, K. Y. Lang, L. Q. Li & Y. Fei 2126 from Barkam, H. Li 77456 and S. Jiang et al. 1078 from Jinchuan, all in western Sichuan, belong to T. tsawarungense Wang & Wang (1979b: 618) because of the broadly lunate achenes with 1‒2 mm long stipes and apically slightly recurved styles (four sheets shown in Figure 17). As to the collection L. Xie & J. F. Mao 138 from Deqen (Fig. 18), which has apically abruptly recurved pedicels and densely glandular-pubescent achenes with a stipe 3‒6 mm long, we cannot refer it to any known species with certainty herein because of lack of enough material for comparison. Further studies are needed to determine its identity.
1784 (A: PE 00450378; B: XZ 0001694) from Nyingchi in Xizang, China. A. Inset: carpels and portion of pedicel.
Thalictrum rostellatum has been recorded to occur in western Sichuan (Wang & Wang 1979a, Wang 1982b, 1985, 1993, 2000a, b, 2018a, Fu & Zhu 2001). Upon critical examination of all the Sichuan specimens previously identified as T. rostellatum (two sheets shown in Figure 17A, B), we found that they should all belong to T. tsawarungense, a species previously recorded to be locally endemic to its type locality, i.e. Zayu county in southeastern Xizang. Wang (2018a) cited only the holotype, C. W. Wang 66523 (PE; Fig. 19), under T. tsawarungense. Our survey of Thalictrum specimens at major Chinese herbaria, including CDBI, HNWP, KUN, NAS, PE, SM, SZ, and WUK, revealed that T. tsawarungense is actually much more widely distributed, occurring in western Sichuan (Barkam, Daocheng, Jinchuan, Kangding) and southeastern Xizang (Bomi, Lhunze, Mainling, Nyingchi, Zayu). During our botanical trips to Xizang in August 2019 and to Sichuan in July 2020, we carefully observed living plants in two populations of T. tsawarungense, one in Bomi in southeastern Xizang (Fig. 20) and the other in Kangding in western Sichuan (Fig. 21). Morphologically, T. tsawarungense is distinguishable from T. rostellatum by having glandular-pubescent (vs. glabrous) carpels with apically straight or slightly recurved (vs. apically circinate) styles (Figs. 1E, 6L, 8L, 9L, 10M, 20L, 21L) and narrowly lunate-fusiform (vs. obliquely broadly ellipsoid) achenes (Figs. 1F, 5C, D, 6N, 8N, 9N, 10O, 19, 20N, 21N). We have not as yet seen any reliable material of T. rostellatum from Sichuan, so this species should be excluded from the flora of this province.
description: Published as part of Zeng, You-Pai, Yuan, Qiong & Yang, Qin-Er, 2022, Thalictrum fusiforme (Ranunculaceae), described from southeastern Xizang (Tibet), China, is merged with T. rostellatum, a Sino-Himalayan species, pp. 234-260 in Phytotaxa 545 (3) on pages 236-253, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.545.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6541490