河西菊 he xi ju

Chondrilla polydichotoma Ostenfeld in Hedin, S. Tibet 6(3): 29. 1922; Hexinia polydichotoma (Ostenfeld) H. L. Yang; Zollikoferia polydichotoma (Ostenfeld) Iljin.

Herbs 15-50 cm tall, perennial, spheroid. Caudex without residue of fibrous and lacerate sheath, with many stems. Stems erect, hardened to herbaceous, intricately and divaricately branched from base. Lower stem leaves sessile, linear, 0.5-4 × 0.2-0.5 cm, base semiamplexicaul, apex obtuse; leaves higher up on stem reduced and narrowly spatulate to narrowly lanceolate and finally reduced to ovate-acute bracts. Synflorescence divaricately paniculiform, with numerous capitula. Capitula with 5-11 florets; peduncle subulate and after shedding of capitulum hardened and subspinescent. Involucre cylindric, 9-12 × 2-3 mm. Phyllaries glabrous, with indistinct scarious margin; outer phyllaries triangular-ovate to lanceolate, longest ca. 3/4 as long as inner phyllaries; inner phyllaries (4 or)5. Achene pale yellow to yellowish brown, homomorphic, cylindric to obcolumnar, 3-5 mm, with 5 main ribs, transversely wrinkled, apex truncate. Pappus 7-10 mm, deciduous. Fl. and fr. May-Sep.

● Sandy soils, edges of sandy soils, between sand dunes; 400-2100 m. Gansu, Xinjiang.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses by N. Kilian (unpubl.) corroborate the classification of Launaea polydichotoma in Launaea, where it is closely related to L. acanthodes (Boissier) Kuntze of SW Asia.