Synotis jinshajiangensis M. Tang 2021, sp. nov.

Synotis jinshajiangensis M. Tang, sp. nov. (Figs. 1–3)

Chinese name:— ±沙江合Wffi.

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Dêqên, Benzilan, Yeri village, 2100–2600 m, 10 July 1981, Qingzang Exped. 2555 [holotype PE01535802!; isotypes PE01535803!, CDBI0150030!, CDBI0150824!, KUN0070212!, KUN0070213!].

Diagnosis: — Synotis jinshanjiangensis is most similar to S. cappa, but differs by its petioles basally exauriculate, smaller involucres, the absence of ray florets, and fewer phyllaries and disk florets.

Description: —Perennial rhizomatous subshrubs or shrubby herbs, Rhizome thick, woody. Stems erect, up to 200 cm tall, sparsely lanate or arachnoid-tomentose, ± glabrescent when old, usually branching above in synflorescences. Leaves petiolate, petiole 5–15 mm, sparsely tomentose, basally exauriculate, adaxially usually purple; blade narrowly oblong-elliptic, 8–18 × 1.5–4.0 cm, papery, both adaxially and abaxially sparsely tomentose, glabrescent when old, pinnately veined, lateral veins 12 to 24, arcuate-ascending, thinly white arachnoid to subglabrous, base attenuate, margin finely to coarsely mucronulate-serrate, apically acuminate; upper leaves smaller. Capitula disciform, numerous, arranged in terminal and axillary usually 10 to 30-headed dense compound corymbs or thyrses; peduncles 5–10 mm, densely tomentose, with 2 to 4 linear or linear-subulate bracts. Involucres narrowly campanulate, 5–6 × 2.5–3.0 mm, calyculate; bracts of calyculus 3–5, linear-lanceolate, 3–5 mm, apically acuminate; phyllaries 5, rarely 4, linearlanceolate, ca. 1 mm wide, herbaceous, densely tomentose, margin narrowly scarious, apically obtuse to acute and puberulent. Disk florets 3–5; corolla yellow, ca. 6 mm, with ca. 4 mm tube and funnelform limb; lobes ovate-oblong, ca. 2 mm, apically acute. Anthers ca. 1.5 mm; anther tails obviously exceeding antheropodia; appendages ovateoblong; antheropodia rather slender, basally not dilated or slightly dilated. Style branches ca. 1 mm, fringed with short papillae, terminal tuft not evident. Achenes ca. 1.5 mm, glabrous. Pappus white, ca. 5 mm.

Etymology: —The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, the Chinese name of the upper reaches of Yangtze River, which is also part of the provincial boundary of Yunnan Province and Sichuan Province.

Distribution and Habitat:—Besides the type locality population, we also found another population of Synotis jinshajiangensis from Derong county in southwestern Sichuan, China, a place adjacent to Dêqên (Fig. 7). It grows along roadsides and gutters at elevations of 2100–2600 m.

Phenology: —Flowering from July to September; fruiting October.

Conservation status: —According to our field work observations, Synotis jinshajiagensis grows very well and could be evaluated as a local dominant in both populations, thus we recommend that S. jinshajiangensis be categorized as NT (near threatened) under criteria B and D following IUCN Red List categories (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2019).

Additional specimens examined: — CHINA, Sichuan, Dêqên, Benzilan, Yeri village, 2400–2600 m.