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Korean J. Pl. Taxon. 2023;53(4):301-304

Publication date (electronic) : 2023 December 31

doi : https://doi.org/10.11110/kjpt.2023.53.4.301

Eun-Mi SUN, Seon A YUN¹, Seung-Chul KIM², Won-Gi KIM³, Hyoung-Tak IM^4,

¹Division of Exhibition, Honam National Institute of Biological Resources, Mokpo 58762, Korea

²Institute of Life Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea

³Department of Biological Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea

⁴Activity of Conserving Baekdudaegan, Donghae 25781, Korea

⁵Department of Biology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea

선은미, 윤선아¹, 김승철², 김원기³, 임형탁^4,

¹국립호남권생물자원관

²강원대학교 생명과학연구소

³성균관대학교 생물학과

⁴백두대간보전회

⁵전남대학교 생물학과

Corresponding author Hyoung-Tak IM E-mail: ihtplant@hanmail.net

Received 2023 October 11; Revised 2023 November 23; Accepted 2023 December 14.

Abstract

Trans Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Saussurea DC. (Compositae) is composed of approximately 380–415 species (Lipschitz, 1979; Shih, 2011), occurring mainly at high altitudes in Asia. While some species, such as S. maximowiczii Herd., S. grandifolia Maxim., and S. odontolepis Maxim., occur widely throughout northeastern Asia, others are very narrowly restricted to limited regions as a consequence of local geographical adaptations. Among 38 Korean Saussurea, 17 species are endemics and four of them are recently recognized; S. chabyougsanica H. T. Im (Im et al., 1997), S. grandicapitulata W. Lee & H. T. Im (Lee and Im, 2007), S. albifolia M. J. Nam & H. T. Im (Sun et al., 2021), S. namhaedoana J. M. Chung & H. T. Im (Sun et al., 2022). Saussurea is a highly diversified taxon actually and further discovery of new Saussurea species in Korea is highly anticipated. Recently, in the course of studying Korean endemic plants, we discovered a new species of Saussurea endemic to the Baekdudaegan area (Mt. Cheongoksan) in Korea.

TAXONOMIC TREATMENT

Saussurea daeganensis W. G. Kim & H. T. Im, sp. nov. (Fig. 1).—TYPE: KOREA. Gangwon-do: Samcheok-si, Hajang-myeon, Jungbong-ri, Mt. Cheongoksan, Jeolgol, elev. 1,030 m, 23 Sep 2020, H. T. Im & W. G. Kim 228870a & 228870b (holotype: CNU!).

Fig. 1.

Characteristics of Saussurea daeganensis W. G. Kim & H. T. Im. A. Habit. B. Rhizome. C. Bud. D. Stem glabrous. E. Branched synflorescence tomentose. F, F-a. Adaxial leaf surface. G, G-a. Abaxial leaf suface glabrous. H. Synflorescence before blooming. I. Synflorescence at full blooming. J. Synflorescence after blooming. K. Involucre. L. Florets. M. Cypselae with pappus.

Korean name: Ja-ok-chui (자옥취).

Herbs, perennial. Rhizomes obliquely prostrating with many fibrous rootlets. Stems erect, loosely branched, 3– 5.5 mm in diam. at base, 45–85 cm long, striate on upper part, glabrous except synflorescence. Leaves alternate, radical leaves in rosettes, wither away before blooming; petioles 8– 20 cm long; blades cordate, 8–16 × 6–13 cm, apex acute, acuminate, base cordate, margins toothed; adaxial surface green, pubescent, abaxial surface pale green, glabrous; median and upper cauline leaves gradually smaller upward, petiolate or sessile, blades cordate, ovate, lanceolate. Heads 8–15 in subcorymbose synflorescence, 0.9–1.3 cm in diam.; peduncles 0.2–1.2 cm long; involucre cylindrical, 1–1.7 cm × 4–6 mm, grey-white cobwebby; phyllaries 6–7-seriate, outer phyllaries oval-lanceolate, apex mucronate or acute; middle phyllaries oblong or oblong-lanceolate; inner phyllaries linear. Florets pale purple; corolla tubular, 8.5–10 mm long, wide part and narrow part equal in length, limb 5-lobed. Cypselae cylindrical, 4.5–6 mm long; pappus bristles 2-seriate; outer series 0.4–1.8 mm long; inner series grayish white, 8.5–10 mm long.

Flowering: September to October.

Distribution: Forest bed in high mountain region of Mt. Cheongoksan, Gangwon-do, Korea.

Specimens examined: KOREA. Gangwon-do: Samcheok-si, Hajang-myeon, Jungbong-ri, Jeolgol–Gojeokdae, elev. 1,110 m, 29 Aug 2020, H. T. Im & W. G. Kim 228891, 228886 (CNU).

Some natives around Mt. Cheongoksan have gathered young leaves of S. daeganensis as wild greens called “Jaok.” Wild animals, especially roe deer, feed on S. daeganensis, thus fully grown and bolting individuals are rare. As a newly described species, S. daeganensis can be distinguished from its congeneric species in Korea primarily by the following characteristics: loosely branched glabrous stem (Fig. 1D); abaxial surface of leaves pale green and glabrous (Fig. 1G); middle and upper part of outer phyllaries purplish green (Fig. 1H).

Among the Korean Saussurea, S. macrolepis (Nakai) Kitam., S. grandifolia Maxim., and S. tanakae Franch. & Sav. ex Maxim. are morphologically similar to S. daeganensis by having loosely branched long stems, radical leaves that wither away before blooming, cordate to ovate leaves with acuminate tip, subcorymbose synflorescence, cylindrical to campanulate involucre with grey-white cobwebby. Major morphological differences between S. daeganensis and three morphologically similar species are shown in Table 1. The dichotomous key for the above four Saussurea species is presented below. Saussurea daeganensis, however, can be distinguished from other congeneric Korean Saussurea by having abaxially pale green, glabrous leaves, involucre cylindrical, and purplish green on the middle and upper part of phyllaries with acute apex.

Table 1.

Comparison of morphological characteristics and distribution pattern between newly described Saussurea daeganensis and morphologically similar species, S. macrolepis, S. grandifolia and S. tanakae.

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