Veronica piroliformis Franch.

Veronica piroliformis Franch. View in CoL

Bulletin de la Société botanique de France 47: 20 ( Franchet 1900).

TYPE CITATION. — China, Yunnan: “Hab. — China occidentalis: Yunnan in rupibus ad apicem montis Hee-chan-men [= Huchan’men] (Delavay, n. 210); in rupestribus calcareis montis koua-la-po [= Kona-Boro] (id., n. 133); Li-kiang, prope nives perpetuas (id.)”.

LECTOTYPE (designated here). — “No. 133 […] Rochers et terrains calcaires des hautes montagnes, Mt. da Koua la po, près du Sommet, le 26 aout 1884 legi ipse J. M. Delavay ”, P[ P03529799* ] .

ISOLECTOTYPES (designated here). — P[ P03529795* , P03529796 *].

SYNTYPES. — “No. 210 […] des rochers, au Sommet du Hee-chan men. Le 16 août 1883 Delavay”, P[ P00208377 *, P03529800 *]; “ Terrains calcaires et pierreux au pied du Glacier de Li-kiang leg. Juillet 1884 legi ipse J. M. Delavay ”, P[ P03802975 *].

Nomenclatural note. Franchet (1900) described V. piroliformis , together with other new species based on the collections by Farges, based on three collections of Delavay from Yunnan, Delavay no. 210, no. 133, and one unnumbered from “Li-kiang”. In Paris, two collections clearly belong to Delavay no.210 from Hee-chan-men (P00208377, P03529800). The collection Delavay no. 133 from koua-la-po can be associated with three specimens (P03529796, P03529799, P03802974). One specimen (P03529795) comes from Yunnan. The remaining specimens were collected later and bear no collection number. One specimen (P03429797) was collected from Hee-chan-men, the locality of Delavay no. 210, on July 14 th, 1887, whereas the original no. 210 was collected on August 16 th, 1883. Two specimens (P03529587, P03802974) were collected on August 5th, 1885, from koua-la-po, the same locality as Delavay no. 133, collected on August 26th, 1884. While it can be assumed that Franchet saw all specimens, it is not entirely clear whether he used the latter collections before making up his mind about the new species. I also do not consider P03529795, because it bears the no. 133 but no further locality information. It seems to be a later split-off from another specimen. This leaves us with six specimens, at least one from each locality mentioned by Franchet (1900) in the protologue. Since the collection from Li-kiang (P03802975) does not bear the typical fruits and collection no. 210 has unusually strongly dentate and rounded leaves, I choose no. 133 as lectotype. Among the three specimens, P03529799 is the one with typical fruits.