Taraxacum vile Stepanek & Kirschner 2022, sp. nov.

6. Taraxacum vile Štěpánek & Kirschner, sp. nov.

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Rila, in saltu inter montes Kobylina braništa (=Kobylino branišče), 2000–2200 m, 17 Aug 1982, H. Barešová, cultivated as JŠ 1005/1, collected in 1987 (PRA, no. det. 35760, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 27677, and duplicates).

Note:—In the Bulgarian material collected by R. Doll (published 1978), T. vile is found under several, misinterpreted names (usually only a part of the material under each name): T. panalpinum, T. pseudofontanum, T. reophilum, T. fontanosquameum and T. silvicola.

Etymology:—From Latin, vilis – cheap, ordinary, mundane.

Exsiccates:— Taraxaca Exs., no. 1310–1311.

Diagnosis:—Plantae a speciebus ceteris bulgaricis sectionis Croceorum petiolis purpureis, foliis modice saturate viridibus vel subcanescenti-viridibus, vena mediana roseo-purpurea, acheniis pallide stramineo-cinerascentibus vel pallide stramineofulvescentibus, pyramide cylindrica bene dignoscendae.

Plants medium-sized, ± slender, 8–20 cm tall. Plant base without tunic, ± glabrous among petiole bases. Petiole medium broad winged (outer leaves) to narrowly winged (inner leaves), purple, 2–4 cm long. Leaves variously erectpatent, mid-green to slightly greyish green, with sparse hairs along mid-vein, otherwise glabrous, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptical in outline, usually 7–13 × 1–2.5 cm, pinnatisect with ± remote broad segments; terminal segment variably large, usually 0.8–1.5 × 0.7–1.8 cm, triangular to broadly so, or ± helmet-shaped, sometimes with hastate base, subacute, distal margin convex, subsigmoid or ± straight, sometimes with a shallow incision, rarely terminal segment elongated, stepwise narrowed, basal lobules subrecurved to recurved, sometimes ± patent, acute, proximal margin ± concave to ± straight, entire; lateral segments in 3 (–5) pairs, abruptly getting smaller towards leaf base, deltoid triangular to bird-wing-like, usually 4–11 × 5–9 mm, ± recurved to subpatent, acute, distal margin convex to sigmoid or ± straight, entire, proximal margin subconcave to ± straight, entire; interlobes ± long and narrow, usually 5–10 × 2–3.5 mm, not bordered, with a large single tooth and sometimes with several little teeth; mid-vein purple. Scapes, pale greenish, later suffused purplish, sparsely arachnoid, later glabrescent, overtopping leaves. Capitulum medium-sized, 3–3.5 cm wide, ± flat, deep yellow. Involucre ± not pruinose, ca. 8–10 mm wide and rounded at base. Outer phyllaries usually 10–15, loosely appressed, subimbricate, relatively long, reaching 3/5–1/2 of the inner, ± lanceolate, sometimes ovate-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, usually 6–8 × 2.5–4 mm, whitish green to deep olivaceous-green, distally darker and often suffused purplish, with a dark middle line (visible in paler phyllaries), with an abrupt transition into a narrow membranous to scarious border 0.1–0.2 mm wide, margin minutely ciliate distally, apex flat; inner phyllaries 12–13 mm long, of ± equal width. Outer ligules flat, striped grey-olivaceous outside, apical teeth ± black, inner ligules canaliculate, with black apical teeth. Stigmas long, light to dark discoloured, yellow-green, with greyish pubescence outside. Pollen present, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes light greyish stramineous to light beige, 3.5–4.6 × 0.9–1.0 mm, body with numerous erect-patent short spinules and squamules in upper 1/3–1/4, relatively abruptly narrowing into a cylindrical or subcylindrical cone 0.7–0.9 mm long; beak (5–) 6–9 (–10.5) mm; pappus whitish to slightly brownish dirty white, 5.5–6.5 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Triploid, 2n=24 (counted by J. Štěpánek, PRA, no. det. 27678). – Fig. 13, 14, 15A.

Diagnostic notes, variation and relationships:—A species not very conspicuous among Bulgarian members of T. sect. Crocea; it is relatively distinct in having purple petioles and the mid-vein, less broadly winged petiole, and achenes with a peculiar, pale beige to light stramineous colour and a relatively long, cylindrical cone. Minute among-population differences suggest multiclonality. At first sight, T. vile resembles more robust morphotypes of T. vindobonense of T. sect. Palustria. Within T. sect. Crocea, it resembles most closely T. fontanosquameum van Soest (1959: 110).

Distribution and habitat:—Unlike the majority of Bulgarian mountain dandelions, it is known to occur in several mountain ranges, the Vitosha, the Rila and the Rodopi. It probably represents a species endemic to Bulgaria. It grows in wet subalpine and alpine grasslands, along paths and in the vicinity of alpine chalets. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as LC.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. Sofia, the Vitoša, summit of Mt. Černi vrch, 2290 m, 14 Jul 1991, J. Štěpánková, cultivated as JŠ 5013 (PRA, no. det. 27684). – Vitoša, subalpine grasslands on Mt. Samaro (2108 m), ca. 2000 m, 27 Jul 1998, R. Bělohlávková, cultivated as TaB 52 (B 52) (PRA, no. det. 27683). – Vitoša, village of Dragalevci, around the alpine shelter Alpicum on the summit of Černi vrch, 2280-2290 m, ca. 42° 34’ N, ca. 23° 18’ E, 27 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 6887 (PRA, no. det. 27682); Ibidem, JŠ 6889 (PRA, no. det. 27681); Ibidem, JŠ 6888 (PRA, no. det. 27680). – The Rila, in the pass below Mt. Kobylina braništa (Kobylino branišče), 2000–2200 m, 17 Aug 1982, H. Barešová, cultivated as JŠ 1005/1 (PRA, no. det. 27678); Ibidem, JŠ 1005/2 (PRA, no. det. 27677, 27676). – Rila, Musala Chalet, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. reophilum (JE, no. det. 19051). – Rila, Jastrebec, 13 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. silvicolum (JE, no. det. 19046). – Rila, Musala Chalet, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. fontanosquameum (JE, no. det. 19263). – Rila, Musala Chalet, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. pseudofontanum (JE, no. det. 19264). – Rila, village of Borovec, valley of Bistrica, ca. 1–2 km below the Musala Chalet, ca. 2100 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4819 (PRA, no. det. 36013). – The Rodopi Mts., Čepelare, the Černatica Mts., Chvojna village, around Mt. Goljam Persenk (2091 m), in the pass between Mt. Goljam Persenk and Persenk, ca. 2 km W. of Skalni Mostove, ca. 1900–1950 m, ca. 41° 49’ N, ca. 24° 33’ E, 24 Jul 1998, J. Štěpánek, R. Bělohlávková, V. D. Vladimirov & D. Petkova, cultivated as JŠ 6969 (PRA, no. det. 27679). – Less certain identification: Rila, Musala Chalet, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. panalpinum (JE, no. det. 19058). – Rila, Musala Chalet, 12 Jul 1976, R. Doll as T. silvicolum (JE, no. det. 19047). – Rila, Samokov, Borovec, Musalenski ezera, around the Musala Chalet, ca. 2400 m, 9 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek & B. Kuzmanov, cultivated as JŠ 4287 (PRA, no. det. 36017).