Artemisia dracunculus subsp. Ladakhensis (Asteraceae), a New Subspecies from Ladakh, India

Abstract

Artemisia dracunculus subsp. ladakhensis L. Ali, A.A. Khuroo & A.H. Ganie (Asteraceae) is described here as a new subspecies from Nubra Valley, Ladakh (Trans-Himalaya), India. It can be distinguished from A. dracunculus by several characters such as presence of taproot; sessile leaves that are undivided (but occasionally the middle cauline leaves are trilobed), glossy, dark green on both surfaces and with an auriculate base; subglobose capitula; auriculate and glabrous bracteoles; conical, glabrous receptacle; 4-seriate phyllaries, with the outermost phyllary linear-lanceolate; 3–4-dentate marginal female floret corolla; and obovoid achenes.