Novelties in Asteraceae of Taiwan: Blumea linearis and Senecio tarokoensis

Two new species of Asteraceae, Blumea linearis C.-I Peng & W. P. Leu and Senecio tarokoensis C.-I Peng, from Taiwan are described and illustrated. Senecio tarokoensis is very rare, presently known only from three populations on semishaded to open, moist rocky ridges and cliff faces in the limestone mountains of Taroko National Park, ca. 1,000n2,000 m, in eastern Taiwan. It is a very distinct member of sect. Flexicaulis C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen. Although it is somewhat similar to S. fukienensis Ling ex C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen of southeastern China, it differs in having simple stems, triangularly ovate to lanceolate lower and middle cauline leaves (vs. oblong-elliptic or narrowly so), long petiole (vs. leaves auriculate and amplexicaul), and ray florets more numerous (8n12 vs. 7n8) with much longer corollas (15n17 mm vs. 7.5n9.5 mm). Blumea linearis, also endemic to Taiwan, is sporadic from sea level to 700 m mainly in the eastern half of Taiwan. It is a member of sect. Macrophyllae DC. and is somewhat similar to B. lanceolaria, but differs in having rugose and herbaceous (vs. smooth and somewhat succulent), linear to linear-lanceolate (vs. oblong to oblanceolate), narrower (2.5n3.5 cm vs. 4n8 cm wide) leaves, which are green and pilose to short-villous (vs. dark green and glabrous) on the upper surface and lack the small auricles on the leaf bases and petioles.