Scrophulariaceae

S. chrysantha Jaub. & Spach, 111. PI. Or. 3:26, t. 220 (1847). Syn: S. vernalis sensu Bieb., Fl. Taur.-Cauc. 2:76 (1808) non L. (1753); S. minima sensu Bentham in DC, Prodr. 10:303 (1846) non Bieb. (1808); S. congesta Steven in Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 30(1):348 (1857); S. lunariaefolia Boiss. & Bal. in Boiss., Fl. Or. 4:390 (1879)! Ic: Bot. Mag. 108: t. 6629 (1882). Map 42, p. 619.
Villous to subglabrous perennial or biennial, 10-60 cm. Stems ascending or adpressed, branched at base, ± reddish. Leaves broadly ovate to reniform, lower with a petiole to 12 cm; lamina 2-7 x 3-7.5 cm, apex obtuse or rounded, apical tooth crenate to acuminate, margin singly or doubly ± crenately dentate. Bracts ± sessile, broadly ovate or reniform, acute to acuminate, base cordate to cuneate. Lower cymes with 1.6-2.4 cm peduncle, 5-10-fiowered, distant; upper subsessile, corymbose, ± distant to condensed. Alar pedicels 4-6 mm, glandular. Bracteoles 6.5-12 mm. Calyx lobes oblong-linear to lanceolate, 4.5-8 mm, without scarious margin. Corolla yellow, 5-7 mm, lobes subequal; stamens exserted; staminode absent. Capsules narrowly to broadly ovoid, 5-10 x 5-6 mm, ± beaked, glandular. 2n = 36. Fl. 4-8. Sheltered cliffs, crevices, mixed forests, often adpressed to rocks, {I0-)1800-3300 m.
Type: In Armeniae rupibus, Aucher 5103 (holo. P).
N.E. & E. Anatolia. A7 Gümüşane: Karakaban Da., Huet. A8 Gümüşane: Korum Da., Sint. 1894:5667c! Rize: Rize, 1O m, Stainton 8158! Çoruh: Tiryal Da. above Murgul, 1800 m, D. 29923! A9 Kars: Ziyaret Da. (Yalnizçam Dağ-lari) above Yalnizçam, 2500 m, D. 30331! Çoruh: Yalnizçam (Grossheim 7: map 540). Erzurum: Horasan (Grossheim 7: map 540). B9 Ağri: d. Suluçem (Musun), S. end of Balik G., 2300 m, D. 47055 (2n=36)! Bitlis: 10'km S.E. of Pelli, 2900 m, D. 22569! Van: Erek Da., 2340 m, D. 22902! Erzurum: Çakmak Da. above Karayazi, 2900 m, Watson et al. 1665!
Caucasia. Euxine element. Allied to S. vernalis L. (Europe, Caucasia). Boissier distinguished S. lunariifolia from S. chrysantha only by its subglabrous habit. Additional material shows a continuous range of variation from villous to ± glabrous. habit in S. chrysantha, and there seems no justification in maintaining S. lunariifolia as a separate species.