Melanoseris zhufengensis Ze H. Wang & Yi Yang 2026, sp. nov.

Melanoseris zhufengensis Ze H. Wang & Yi Yang sp. nov. Figs 4, 5 Type. China • Xizang Autonomous Region, Shigatse City, Tingri County, Qudang Town, 28°06'43.8"N, 87°20'29.4"E, alt. 3,610 m a. s. l., 14 Aug 2023, Ye Chunxia 20230801 (holotype: KUN!, isotypes: GZTM!, LBG!). Diagnosis. Melanoseris zhufengensis is similar to M. violifolia and M. rapunculoides in bearing five florets per capitulum, but readily distinguished by its caespitose habit, stems profusely branched from the base, middle cauline leaves sessile with broad basal wings unconstricted at the blade base, phyllaries abaxially moderately white-pilose along the midvein, and achenes with three markedly broadened lateral ribs on each surface and bearing a slender beak 3.1–3.8 mm long. Description. Perennial herbs, 20–26 cm tall. Root not seen. Stems profusely branched from the base, erect or ascending, green or reddish brown, glabrous or sparsely pubescent apically. Leaves simple, dimorphic. Basal and lower cauline leaves petiolate, petioles entirely narrowly winged throughout or only expanded at base, 0.7–3.9 cm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; blades elongated-oblong, 4–11 × 2–2.5 cm, lyrately pinnatipartite, terminal lobe triangular or broadly triangular, 1.2–1.9 × 1.2–2.1 cm, apex acute; lateral lobes 1–5 pairs, triangular or oblong, 0.5–1.2 × 0.3–0.5 cm, apex obtuse or acute, margins irregularly crenate-denticulate, glabrous on both surfaces. Middle cauline leaves sessile, base broadly winged and auriculately clasping the stem; blade obovate-oblong, pinnately lobed; terminal lobe broadly elliptic to suborbicular, 2.3–5.0 × 0.6–2.0 cm; lateral lobes 1–3 pairs, triangular, 0.5–0.9 × 0.4–0.7 cm, apex obtuse or acute, margins entire or sparsely denticulate, glabrous on both surfaces. Uppermost cauline leaves reduced, lanceolate to broadly linear, entire, base auriculately clasping the stem, becoming bracteiform on synflorescence branches. Synflorescence very lax, diffusely paniculately corymbose, branches slender and flexuous. Peduncles slender, 0.8–4.1 cm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Capitula homogamous, liguliflorous, with 5 florets; involucre cylindrical to narrowly campanulate, 1.2–1.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm. Phyllaries green to dark purplish-green, midvein abaxially moderately white-pilose; outer phyllaries triangular-ovate to lanceolate, the longest ca. 1 / 2 the length of inner phyllaries; innermost phyllaries 5, linear-lanceolate. Ligules purplish-pink to pale purple, ca. 1.8 cm long. Stamens dark purple; anther tube ca. 0.7 cm long. Ovary ellipsoid, ca. 0.4 cm long; style exserted, ca. 1.9 cm long. Achene 9.5–10.6 mm long; body dark brown, ellipsoid-fusiform, compressed, lateral ribs markedly broadened, 3 ribs on each surface, scabrid-hispid, attenuate apically into a pale beak 3.1–3.8 mm long. Pappus white, dimorphic; outer series of minute hairs 0.1–0.2 mm long; inner bristles scabrid, ca. 6–7 mm long. Distribution and habitat. Melanoseris zhufengensis is currently known only from Qudang Town, Tingri County, Shigatse City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, where it occurs at elevations ranging from ca. 3,600 m to 3,650 m a. s. l., inhabiting alpine gravelly slopes and alpine meadows. Phenology. Flowering and fruiting from July to September. Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ zhufengensis’ refers to Mount Zhufeng (Mount Qomolangma), as the type locality of this new species lies in Qomolangma National Nature Reserve within the Central Himalaya of Xizang, China. Vernacular name. Simplified Chinese: 珠峰毛鳞菊; Chinese Pinyin: Zhūfēng Máolínjú. Additional specimens examined. China • Xizang Autonomous Region, Shigatse City, Tingri County, Qudang Town, Renqinglin Village, 28°07.62'N, 087°20.65'E, alt. 3,630 m a. s. l., 11 Jul 2024, Tang Ming et al. JXAU-36 (GTZM!).