Artemisia qingheensis (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), a new species from Xinjiang, China Author Jin, Guang-Zhao https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2457-2711 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China & The Herbarium of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China & University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China Author Sheludyakova, Mariya https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9504-6033 Komarov Botanical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Popova 2, Sankt Peterburg 197376, Russia Author Li, Wen-Jun https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2932-0783 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China & The Herbarium of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China Author Song, Feng https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1332-312X Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China Author Wen, Zhi-Bin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1727-2996 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China & The Herbarium of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China zhibinwen@ms.xjb.ac.cn Author Feng, Ying https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0817-6751 State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China & The Herbarium of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China luckfy@ms.xjb.ac.cn text PhytoKeys 2023 2023-08-02 229 229 239 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.101689 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.229.101689 1314-2003-229-229 F7700C2EE94C56259BF66E6261C1D068 Artemisia qingheensis G.Z.Jin sp. nov. Figs 2A-M , 3 Type . China . Xinjiang : Qinghe County , Qinglong Lake , 46°40'N , 90°23'E , barren slopes, 1168.63 m alt., 7 October 2021 , Guangzhao Jin & Lei Yang jgz-17 ( holotype : XJBI jgz-17-2, Fig. 3 ; isotypes: XJBI jgz-17-1, jgz-17-3 and jgz-17-4) . Description. Herbs perennial, 10-40 cm tall, with a thick rootstock, grey-white arachnoid pubescent, later glabrescent. Stems numerous, erect and often forming dense clumps, slightly woody proximally, herbaceous distally and with branches distally; branches 3-15 cm long, growing adnate to the stem, occasionally shorter branches. Lower stem leaves: petiole 0.3-1 cm; leaf blade elliptic, 0.5-1.5 cm long, 0.3-1 cm wide, 2-pinnatisect; primary segments 2-4 pairs; ultimate segments narrowly linear, 0.3-0.8 cm long and 0.2-0.5 mm wide, apex acute; petiole base with three-lobed or undivided pseudostipules with linear ultimate segments. Middle stem leaves: leaf blade narrowly ovate, 1 (or 2)-pinnatisect; ultimate segments narrowly linear, 0.5-1.5 cm long and 0.2-0.5 mm wide, apex acute; sessile, base with linear undivided pseudostipules. Upper leaves and leaf-like bracts: three-lobed or undivided, ultimate segments narrowly linear, 0.3-0.8 cm. All leaves greyish-white arachnoid pilose during the vegetative period, nearly glabrous at maturity; developing a needle-like texture at maturity. Inflorescence narrowly spicate or spicate-paniculate. Capitula sessile, numerous, ovoid, 2.5-4 mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm in diam., flowers opening centrifugally. Involucral bracts in 3-4 series, oblong or elliptic, 2-4 mm long and 1.5-2.5 mm wide, subglabrous, margin scarious; outer bracts ovate, inner larger, oblong-elliptic, all bracts with only sparse hairs at apex. Flowers bisexual, 3-6, 2-3.5 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, corolla tubular, purple-red or yellow; anthers linear, apical appendages of anthers subulate. Achenes with inconspicuous fine longitudinal lines, ovoid or obovoid, 1-1.5 mm long and 0.3-0.8 mm wide. Figure 2. Artemisia qingheensis G. Z. Jin (photographs of the type collection) A habit B habitat C roots D stem indumentum E compound inflorescence F capitula G all leaves hardening when mature H lower stem leaf I middle stem leaf J upper leaf K involucral bracts L florets M achene. Figure 3. Holotype sheet of Artemisia qingheensis sp. nov. Distribution and habitat. Artemisia qingheensis is currently only known from Qinghe County, Xinjiang Province, China. It grows on barren slopes at altitudes of 1000 ~ 1500 m. Etymology. Artemisia qingheensis is named after its type locality, Qinghe County, Xinjiang Province, China. Phenology. Flowering and fruiting from early September to late October. Vernacular name. 青河绢蒿 (Chinese pinyin: qīng he juan hao ). This name is derived from the Chinese name of the type locality. Conservation status. Although field surveys have been conducted in the north-eastern region of the Junggar Basin over a period of three years, we have only discovered three populations of Artemisia qingheensis in Qinghe County. Unfortunately, as these populations are next to roads and agricultural land, habitat quality is continuously declining due to man-made interference (e.g. grazing, cultivation and landscape engineering). The possible deterioration of its habitat and the restricted distribution of this species threaten its survival. According to the Guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2022 ), the conservation status of A. qingheensis should be assessed as Critically Endangered (CR, B1ab). Phylogenetic position and similar species. Artemisia qingheensis belongs to Artemisia subg. Seriphidium because its involucrum is multi-layered, its capitula are homogamous and contain 3-6 bisexual flowers, and these open centrifugally. In addition, our phylogenetic analysis confirmed the inclusion of this new species in subg. Artemisia Seriphidium . Artemisia qingheensis is similar to A. terrae-albae in its habit, leaf shape, petiole length, capitula shape and corolla colour. However, it can be clearly distinguished from A. terrae-albae (Fig. 4 ) because its branches grow adnate to the stem (vs. obliquely upward or spreading) and its leaves harden when maturing (vs. leaves slightly soft when mature). This new species is also relatively easy to distinguish from A. lessingiana by its shorter petioles 0.3-1 cm (vs. 2-5 cm) and ovate (vs. oblong-ovate) leaf blade. Figure 4. Artemisia terrae-albae (voucher specimen: China. Xinjiang: Mongolian Autonomous County of Hoboksar, 379.32 m alt., 8 May 2022, Guangzhao Jin 20220508 , XJBI). Inset: Lower stem leaves. The new species is similar to A. gracilescens in its habit and narrowly spicate or spicate-paniculate inflorescences. However, it is mainly distinguished from A. gracilescens by its 2-pinnatisect lowermost leaves and ovate leaf blade (vs. 2- or 3-pinnatisect and leaf blade triangular-ovate), middle stem leaves 1-pinnatisect (vs. usually 1- or 2-pinnatisect), uppermost leaves three-lobed or undivided (vs. 1- or 2-pinnatisect), all leaves hardening when maturing (vs. leaves slightly soft when mature) and ovoid capitula (vs. ellipsoid). Furthermore, this species is also somewhat similar to A. amoena Poljakov in its habit and capitula, which are borne in spikes or narrow panicles, but is distinguished by its shorter petioles 0.3-1 cm (vs. 4-8 cm), longer stem branches: 3-15 cm vs. 2-3 cm, and the hardening of the leaves when these mature (vs. leaves slightly soft when mature). The morphological differences among A. qingheensis , A. terrae-albae , A. lessingiana , A. gracilescens and A. amoena are summarised in Table 2 . Table 2. Morphological comparisons between Artemisia qingheensis sp. nov. and morphologically similar species.

Character	A. qingheensis	A. terrae-albae	A. lessingiana	A. gracilescens	A. amoena
Stem	10-40 cm	15-30 cm	18-40 cm	15-30 cm	10-28 cm
Branch	3-15 cm; growing adnate to the stem	3-5 cm; obliquely upward or spreading	3-10 cm; growing adnate to the stem	3-10 cm; growing adnate to the stem	2-3 cm; growing adnate to the stem
Leaf texture	leaves hardening when mature	leaves slightly soft when mature	leaves slightly hardening when mature	leaves slightly soft when mature	leaves slightly soft when mature
Lower leaf	petiole: 0.3-1 cm; leaf blade elliptic, 2-pinnatisect; lobes 2-4 pairs;	petiole: 0.3-1 cm; leaf blade ovate; 1- or 2-pinnatisect; lobes 3-4 pairs	petiole: 2-5 cm; leaf blade oblong-ovate, 1- or 2-pinnatisect; lobes 3-5 pairs	petiole: 0.3-0.5 cm; leaf blade triangular-ovate, 2- or 3-pinnatisect; lobes 2-3 pairs	petiole: 4-8 cm; leaf blade ovate, 1- or 2-pinnatisect; lobes 3-5 pairs
Middle stem leaf	1-pinnatisect	1-pinnatisect	1- or 2-pinnatisect	1- or 2-pinnatisect	1-pinnatisect
Uppermost leaf	three-lobed or undivided	1-pinnatisect	undivided	1- or 2-pinnatisect	undivided
Capitula	ovoid	ovoid	ellipsoidal-ovoid	ellipsoidal	ovoid
Florets	3-6	4-5	5-6	2-5	4-5
Corolla colour	purple-red or yellow	purple-red or yellow	purple-red or yellow	yellow	purple-red or yellow

Additional specimens examined ( paratypes ). CHINA . Xinjiang : Qinghe County , Wolf Garden , 1184.85 m alt., 15 October 2020 , Guangzhao Jin & Sheng Zhang jgz-099 (XJBI); Southern suburb of Qinghe County , 1116.96 m alt., 9 October 2021 , Guangzhao Jin & Lei Yang jgz-25 (XJBI) .