Biologists have described a new species of the genus Saussurea from the Khunjerab pass border area between China and Pakistan.
Living plants of Saussurea khunjerabensis in Khunjerab pass, Taxkorgan county, China. Image credit: Xu-Guang Yan.
Saussurea is one of the largest genera of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae.
The genus includes at least 460 scientifically recognized species, native to cool temperate and arctic regions of East Asia, Europe, and North America, with the highest diversity in alpine habitats in the Himalayas and East Asia.
Members of the genus are perennial herbaceous plants, ranging in height from dwarf alpine species 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) tall, to tall thistle-like plants up to 3 m (9.8 feet) tall.
Named Saussurea khunjerabensis, the newly-discovered species belongs to the Saussurea subgenus Eriocoryne.
It was first discovered in 2013 during a field expedition to the border region of southwestern Xinjiang, China.
The plant is between 11 and 25 cm (4.3-9.8 inches) tall, has a stem about 2 cm (0.8 inches) in diameter, usually hidden by reflexed leaves, basally covered with fibrous remains.
Saussurea khunjerabensis grows on alpine scree slopes at altitudes of 4,500-5,000 m (2.8-3.1 miles), and flowers and fruits from July to September.
The species is currently only known from Khunjerab pass, Taxkorgan county, southwestern Xinjiang province, China, and adjacent Khunjerab pass area in Pakistan.
“Saussurea khunjerabensis is severely overcollected by local people as ‘snow lotus’,” said lead author Dr. Tian Li, a researcher with the South China Botanical Garden and the Core Botanical Gardens at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues.
“Many species of Saussurea subgenus Eriocoryne are included in the IUCN Red List due to their small geographic ranges, few and severely fragmented populations, and in continuing decline due to excessive medicinal collection.”
“According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, the conservation status of this species should be assessed as Critically Endangered.”
The discovery of Saussurea khunjerabensis is reported in a paper in the journal Phytotaxa.
_____
Tian Li et al. 2022. Saussurea khunjerabensis (Asteraceae, Cardueae), a new species from Pamir. Phytotaxa 561 (1); doi: 10.11646/phytotaxa.561.1.6
