红蒲公英 hong pu gong ying

Type: China. Guizhou: "Guiyang [贵阳市]," 1996, P. Štorch s.n., cultivated as JK 4023 (holotype, PRA; isotypes, MO, PE, PRA).

Paratypes: China. Guizhou: ibidem, P. Štorch s.n., cultivated as JK 4024 (PRA); "Tongzi [桐梓]," ca. 1800 m, 1996, P. Štorch s.n., cultivated as JK 4025 (PRA). Yunnan: "Kunming [昆明市], ‘Stone Forest’ [石林]," 1990, J. Soják s.n., cultivated as JK 711 (PRA); "Yiliang [宜良], weed in hotel garden, 2800 m," Jun 1995, A. J. Richards s.n., cultivated as JK 4029 (PRA).

Plantae agamospermae, mediocriter altae, foliis pinnatisectis, immaculatis, lobo terminali parvo, triangulari vel trilobato, lobis lateralibus 5 ad 7 utrinque, ± patentibus, triangularibus usque peranguste triangularibus, interlobiis subangustis, petiolo angusto vel subalato, rubro-purpureo, scapis araneosis, phyllariis involucralibus externis 15 ad 19, erectis usque arcuate patentibus, lanceolatis usque ovatis, viridibus, sub apice corniculatis, margine albido, ca. 0.4 mm lato, stigmatibus obscuris, polline irregulari, acheniis angustis cinnamomeis, pyramide 1-1.2 mm longa angusta.

Herbs 9-15(-25) cm tall, base densely whitish arachnoid. Petiole purple, 2-3 cm, ± unwinged; leaf blade mid-green to slightly grayish green, oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, usually 7-14 × 1.5-3 cm, sparsely to densely arachnoid, deeply pinnatisect, midvein arachnoid and adaxially purple; lateral lobes 5-7, narrowly triangular in outer leaves but in middle leaves from broad base abruptly narrowed into a linear distal part, ± patent to slightly recurved, proximal margin ± entire, distal margin sigmoid and with a few linear long teeth near base; interlobes with purple-brown spots, to 5 mm, sparsely dentate, teeth large; terminal lobe ± triangular to 3-partite, terminal and basal segments narrow, often lingulate, apex acute. Scapes pinkish green, ± equaling leaves, arachnoid. Capitulum 2.5-3 cm wide. Involucre 1-1.1 cm wide, base rounded. Outer phyllaries 15-19, dark green and slightly pruinose, lanceolate to ovate, 8-10 × 3-4.5 mm, erect, ± patent, or arcuate-recurved, with a evident whitish (0.1-)0.2-0.4 mm border, margin sparsely ciliate, apex usually purplish and usually corniculate; inner phyllaries 1.2-1.4 cm, often corniculate near apex. Ligules (paler) yellow; outer ligules subcanaliculate, outside striped dark grayish; inner ligules with yellow to reddish apical teeth. Stigmas grayish green. Anthers without pollen. Achene cinnamon brown, 4.2-4.5 × 0.8-0.9 mm; body narrow, relatively densely shortly spinulose-squamulose above, very gradually narrowing into a cylindric 1-1.2 mm cone; beak 8-9.5 mm. Pappus slightly yellowish white, ca. 5 mm. Fl. late spring. Agamosperm.

● Ruderal sites, dry grasslands; 1500-2000 m. Guizhou, Yunnan.

Taraxacum russum is probably native to China. The relatively robust growth; long, corniculate, and distinctly bordered outer phyllaries; and relatively large achenes point to T. sect. Erythrocarpa. The species is characterized also by cinnamon brown achenes, absence of pollen, deep grayish green stigmas, spotted interlobes, and arachnoid leaves.