Taraxacum leopardinum Stepanek & Kirschner 2022, sp. nov.

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

Type:— Bulgaria, montes Pirin, opp. Bansko, in circo glaciale Goljam Kazan ad decl. boreal. montis Vichren (2914 m), solo calcareo, 2400–2600 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4864, collected in 1993 (PRA, no. det. 35732, holotype; isotype: PRA, no. det. 25473, and duplicates).

Etymology:—Derived from the leopard’s colour pattern (originally from Greek, derived from Latin: leopardus).

Exsiccates:— Taraxaca Exs., no. 1266–1268.

Diagnosis:—Plantae insignes, foliis pallide viridibus glabris vel subglabris, pagina superiora folii maculis numerosis minutis saturate purpureis picta, phyllariis involucralibus exterioribus paucis (9–14), laxe adpressis, brevibus, variegatis, stria mediana lata atroviridi, in marginem albidam vel scariosam gradatim transeunte, acheniis pallide stramineo-brunnescentibus vel pallide fulvescentibus longissimis et crassiusculis, corpore achenii superne dense spinuloso-squamuloso, in pyramidem subconicam sensim abeunte.

Plants small to medium-sized, ± slender, usually 8–14 (–20) cm tall. Plant base without tunic, with sparse brownish hairs among petiole bases. Petiole broadly winged in outer leaves, narrowly so in inner leaves, pale greenish or slightly suffused purple, (1–) 1.5–3 cm long. Leaves not numerous, variously erect-patent to patent, light green, with numerous, conspicuous little deep purple spots adaxially, ± glabrous, narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptical, usually 5–9 (–20) × 1–3 cm, usually ± remotely pinnatisect; terminal segment not dominant, triangular to hastate-helmetshaped or ± trilobed, usually 1–2.5 × 1–2.5 cm, acute to obtusely acute, distal margin subconvex to sigmoid, usually entire, or sparsely lobulate-dentate, apical part often elongated, basal lobules usually patent, sometimes recurved or ± forward-pointing, proximal margin ± straight, entire; lateral segments in (2) 3–4 (5) pairs, deltoid-triangular to narrowly triangular, sometimes bird-wing-like, usually 5–15 mm long, 5–7 mm wide at base, patent to subrecurved, longer segment often subabruptly narrowed into a narrowly linear-triangular, acuminate distal part, distal margin ± straight to subsigmoid, often with several unequal filiform teeth at base, otherwise usually entire, proximal margin subconcave to subsigmoid, ± entire; interlobes ± long and narrow, 3–11 × 2.5–4 mm, with sparse acute teeth or ± entire, adaxially spotted, abaxially often blotched purple, margin usually raised, narrowly bordered brown-purple; mid-vein pale or suffused purplish. Scapes glabrous (or with a few hairs in the youngest scapes), pale greenish, later, after anthesis suffused purple, equalling or overtopping leaves. Capitulum yellow, 2–3 cm wide, flat to subconcave. Involucre ca. 7 mm wide and rounded at base. Outer phyllaries 9–14, loosely appressed, short, reaching 1/3–1/2 of the inner phyllaries, lanceolate to ovate, usually 5–6 × 1.5–2.5 mm, with contrasting colours, ± dark olivaceousgreen middle strip 1–1.5 mm wide, with a gradual transition in a pale greenish to whitish part to 0.5 mm wide and an irregularly developed translucent membranous border 0–0.3 mm wide, margin ± densely shortly ciliate, distal part of phyllary usually suffused purplish, apex flat; inner phyllaries 11–12 mm long, of ± equal width. Outer ligules long, ± flat, striped purplish brown-grey outside (the rest of ligule suffused pinkish), apical teeth black-purple, inner ligules canaliculate, their apical teeth usually reddish. Stigmas long, light discoloured, honey-yellow to greenish or greyish yellow, with pubescence hairs hyaline or with distal part dark. Pollen present, pollen grains irregular in size. Achenes light stramineous brownish (to light beige), 5.4–5.8 × 1.2–1.4 mm, body with prominent lateral and dorsiventral ridges, densely shortly squamulose and spinulose in upper 1/5, with a gradual transition into a subconical cone 0.8–1.1 mm long; beak 6–7 mm long, pappus whitish, 6.5–7 mm long. – Agamosperm. – Fig. 48, 49, 50A.

Diagnostic notes:— Taraxacum leopardinum, very noticeable in having conspicuously spotted leaves, is also distinct in its broadly bordered outer phyllaries and long, light coloured achenes. It differs from T. circense and T. abnorme in the coloration of outer phyllaries, and from T. pirinicum in the achene colour.

Note:—There is a population similar to T. leopardinum found in the Rila Mts., below the Musala Chalet, at about 2100 m (PRA, no. det. 36169). It is distinct in having less densely spotted leaves, darker stigmas (± black when dry), and smaller and darker achenes. It requires further examination and a new material.

Distribution and habitat:—The relatively rich material of T. leopardinum is confined to the Pirin, and we consider this species as endemic to this mountain range (but see Note 1 below). It grows in stony sparse alpine grasslands, often on limestone, usually at (1900–) 2100–2600 m. Its IUCN conservation status is estimated as VU.

Specimens examined:— BULGARIA. The Pirin, slopes of Mt. Vichren, above the Banderica valley, 2420 m, limestone, Seslerion comosae, 3 Aug 2000, Z. Szeląg (PRA, no. det. 25474). – Bansko, glacial cirque of Goljam Kazan on N. slopes of Mt. Vichren, limestone, ca. 2400–2600 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4526 (PRA, no. det. 25472); Ibidem, JŠ 4864 (PRA, no. det. 25473); Ibidem, JŠ 4295 (PRA, no. det. 25471); Ibidem, JŠ 4526/ C (PRA, no. det. 36167). – Bansko, lower part glacial cirque of Goljam Kazan on N. slopes of Mt. Vichren, limestone, ca. 2400 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4525 (PRA, no. det. 25470 & 26132). – Bansko, between the glacial cirque of Goljam Kazan and the Malak Kazan on N. slopes of Mt. Vichren, limestone, 2300–2400 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4523 (PRA, no. det. 25469). – Pirin, Sinaniškoto ezero, ca. 2100 m, 16 Sep 1970, N. Vihodcevsky (KRAM, no. det. 34640). – Bansko, Malak Kazan, at the NE. foot of Mt. Vichren, limestone, ca. 2100 m, 13 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4530 (PRA, no. det. 27691); Ibidem, JŠ 4855 (PRA, no. det. 36165); Ibidem, JŠ 4293 (PRA, no. det. 36163). – Bansko, valley of Banderica, above the Banderica Chalet, ca. 1900 m, 15 Aug 1990, J. Štěpánek, cultivated as JŠ 4524 (PRA, no. det. 36146).