Corispermum dutreuilii

Grubov (Rast. Tsentral. Azii 2: 58. 1966) placed this name in the synonymy of Corispermum tibeticum. He stated that the main difference between these entities is the presence in utricles of C. dutreuilii of a winged rostrum (“a fruit crown”) separated from the main part of the wing. According to Grubov, this is not a stable diagnostic character. Indeed, the “crown” is well developed only in some utricles of the type specimen deposited at LE (however, most of the fruits are immature). Additional studies of this species (or form?) would be desirable.

Plants 5-15 cm tall. Stem erect, green or reddish purple, sparsely hairy, few branched from base; lowest branches ascending or prostrate, upper ones obliquely spreading. Leaves linear or oblanceolate, to 3.5 cm × 3-5 mm, 1-veined, base attenuate, apex acute, mucronate. Spikelike inflorescence 2-14 cm, ± crowded; bracts oblanceolate or linear to lanceolate, 0.5-3 cm × 1-5 mm, 1-veined, base attenuate or rounded, margin usually membranous, apex acute, mucronate, erect in fruit. Perianth segment 1, ovate, apex irregularly lacerate. Stamens 1(or 3), longer than perianth segments. Utricle oblong-obovate, 3-4 × 2-2.5 mm; wing broad, thick, slightly crisped, margin irregularly denticulate-toothed. Fl. and fr. Jul-Aug.

Sandy places in valleys, sandy field margins. Gansu, Xinjiang, NW Xizang (Ngari) [C Asia (Pamir mountains)].

Corispermum tibeticum Iljin, p.p.

Annual up to 20 cm, glabrescent with ascending branches. Leaves linear to oblong (the lower leaves often spatulate), up to 3.0 × 0.6 cm, often recurved with visible white margins and a mucro at the top. Inflorescence elongated, with many flowers. Bracts leaf-like, lanceolate, significantly exceeding the fruit in length and covering it completely laterally. Fruit 2.8–3.5(4.0) × 2.0–2.5 mm, flat or often folded, acute (triangular) apex with verrucose (warty) surface, without stellate hairs (type variety) or with stellate hairs (var. montanum) and clearly visible (0.45–0.70 mm) undulate wing that is narrowly triangular in cross-section. Pericarp detachments up to 100 µm. Sclereids in medium fruit part with 1–2 layers located parallel to the fruit axis, rarely with no sclereids.

Corispermumdutreuilii seems to be the most common species of the genus in Ladakh and NW Xizang. Both varieties can grow together, e.g. in Ladakh (collection numbers 3465 & 3470 for the type variety and 6265 & 6266 for var.montanum (PRA)).