Further contributions to the genus Syncarpha (Compositae-Gnaphalieae)

6 Pages·2003·1.7 MB·

by  Bertil Nordenstam

52 Comp. Newsl. 39, 2003
Further contributions to the genus Syncarpha
(Compositae-Gnaphalieae)
BertilNordenstam
DepartmentofPhanerogamic Botany
Swedish MuseumofNaturalHistory
P. O. Box50007, SE-104 05Stockholm,Sweden
e-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
ThegenusSyncarphaDC.isendemictotheCapeProvince, SouthAfrica,withca.30
species, mostofwhichwereearUerknown asHelipterum andsome asHelichrysum
spp. The new species Syncarpha aurea B. Nord. is described, apparently a local
endemic confined to alluvial shales on Bredasdorp limestone.Three new
combinations are published, viz., S. chlorochrysum (DC.) B. Nord., S. mucronata
(Berg.)B. Nord. andS. staehelina(L.)B. Nord. The latterbecomesthevalidname
forthewidespreadspecieshithertonamedS. virgata(Berg.)B.Nord.,earlierknown
asHelipterum virgatum (Berg.) DC. Its basionymXeranthemum virgatum Berg, is
typified and represents a distinct species from S. staehelina. Instead, 5". virgata
(Berg.) B. Nord. now becomesthe valid name for amore local andrare species in
recent years provisionally named S. scariosa B. Nord. ined. (earlier Helipterum
scariosumB.Nord. ined.).
Introduction
SyncarphaDC. issincesometimetheacceptednamefortheSouthAfricanspeciesof
Helipterum DC, a hopelessly illegitimate generic name not in use nowadays
(Nordenstam 1989). The genus Syncarpha also includes some species previously
placed inHelichrysum. InNordenstam (1989)25 species ofSyncarphawere listed,
but there is now a need to add a few more by combination and description, and to
clarifythe nomenclature ofa couple ofspecies.Acomplete revision ofthe genus is
underpreparationbythe presentauthor.
Taxonomyand Discussion
Syncarphaaurea B. Nord.,sp. nov.
lype: J. Manning 2071, South Africa, Cape Prov., [3420 CB Bredasdorp],
Comp. Newsl. 39, 2003 53
Bredasdorp, Buffelsfontein, alluvial shales on limestone, 17 m, 2.XI.1993 (NBG
holotype, ace. No. 152615).
m
Suffrutex ramosus ad 0.5 altus; rami adscendentes dense foliati tomentosi. Folia
altema sessilia oblongo-obovata vel spathulata Integra dense adpresse griseo-
tomentosaapice obtusaminute apiculata. Capitula solitariapedunculata, pedunculis
subnudis 5-15 cm longis fusco-hirsutis. Involucrum campanulatum-hemisphericum
c. 1.5-2 cm diametro. Squamae involucri numerosae imbricatae aureae; interiores
anguste oblongo-ovatae subacutae; exteriores sensim breviores ovatae apice
rubescentes. Flores corollatubulosa sensim ampliata 7-9 mm longa quinquelobata.
Antheraedistinctecaudatae. Styli rami linearesglabri, apicetruncatipapillosi. Setae
pappi numerosae uniseriatae basi connatae plumosae albae. Cypsela (immatura)
oblongaglabrapapillata.
Amuch-branchedsubshrubupto0.5mhigh. Stemsandbranchesgreyish-tomentose,
densely leafy. Leaves alternate, erecto-patent-spreading, sessile, entire, narrowly
oblong-obovate-spathulate, 1-1.5 cm long, 0.3-0.5 cm wide, flat, butyoung leaves
somewhat convolute and outwardly curved, midveined, densely and appressedly
grey-tomentose, distal margins ferrugineous, apex obtuse or somewhat apiculate.
Floweringbranchespedunculoid,5-15cmlong,withafewscatteredscale-likebracts
with acuminate scarious tips, with a dense rusty-brown villous tomentum. Capitula
solitary, homogamous. Involucre hemispherical, 1-1.5 cm high, 1.5-2 cm diam.;
phyllaries imbricate, scarious, mostly golden yellow; outermost short, ca. 8-12,
broadly ovate-oblong, somewhat brownish or tawny, often lacerate especially
apically, 1.5-3.5 mm long, 2-4 mm wide; middle phyllaries 10-15, broadly ovate,
obtuse-roundedapically, 5-10 mm long, 3-7 mm wide, goldenyellowwithreddish
margins especially apically; inner phyllaries 20-25, narrowly oblong-ovate or
lanceolatewithastipitatebase, 12-15 mmlong, 2-5 mmwide, stipecoriaceous and
somewhatbrownishandwithavillousdorsalpatch,apicalpartsomewhatcymbiform
orconvex, lightgoldenyellow, apexsubacute; innermostphyllariesca. 10-12 inone
row, shorterthan the preceding ones, 9-12 mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, lanceolate,
some substipitate, scarious and light golden yellow with basal part coriaceous and
brownish-yellow, acuminate, margins somewhat lacerate-fimbriate. Receptacle flat,
distinctly alveolate with subulate-acuminate scaly projections. Florets
hermaphroditic, ca. 35-60. Corolla 7-9 mm long, tubular, gradually widening to a
narrowlycampanulate 5-lobedlimb,apicallypurplish; lobesnarrowlyoblong-ovate,
mm
ca. 1.5 long, subacute, distinctly glandular-papillate dorsally in the distal half,
withmarginal ducts; veinsnmningdownthecorollafromthesinusesbetween lobes.
mm mm
Anthers3.5 long incl. appendage(4.5-5 longincl.tails), distinctlycaudate;
mm
apicalappendagenarrowlyovate-lanceolate,subacute;tails 1-1.5 long,2xcollar
mm
length, branching distally. Style branches linear, 2-2.5 long, apically truncate
with short sweeping-hairs, stigmatic lines separated, dorsally minutely papillate
54 Comp. Newsl. 39, 2003
especially distally. Cypsela (immature) oblong, glabrous, densely papillate with
crowded low ovate-rounded convex cells. Pappus bristles numerous (ca. 30-50),
mm
uniseriate,basallydistinctlyconnate,6-8 long,finelyplumosethroughoutexcept
mm
forbasal connate portion, withthin lateral branches ca. 1 long, apical branches
shorterandthicker, silverywhitebutbaseyellowishtinged,persistent.
Flowering period:AtleastOct-Nov.
Only known fi*omthe type collection. The species is probably narrowly endemic to
alluvial shales ofthe Bredasdorp limestone formation in the southernmost Cape
Province.
This new species is relatedtoS. virgataandstaehelina, recognized inter aliabythe
longandbrown-hirsutepedunculoidportionoffloweringbranchesandthespathulate
leaves.
Syncarphachlorochrysum(DC.)B. Nord.,comb. nov.
Basionym: Helichrysumchlorochrysum DC, Prodr. 6: 179(1838).
Type: Inherb. G-DC.
This belongs in the S. paniculata group and is characterized by broadly ovate
imbricateleavesandlemon-colouredinvolucre. Detailsoftaxonomyanddistribution
willbepresented inmyforthcomingrevisionofthegenus.
Syncarphamucronata(Berg.)B. Nord.,comb. nov.
Basionym: Gnaphaliummucronatum Berg., Descr. PI. Cap.: 269(1767).
Syn.: Helichrysummucronatum(Berg.)Less., Syn.Comp.: 295 (1832).
Type: Specimen illustrated in Burman, Ran Afr. PI. 179, t. 66, f 3 (G lectotype,
&
selectedbyHilliard Burtt 1981).
AsnotedbyHarvey(1865)thistaxoniscloseto5".paniculataanditstaxonomicsta-
tuswillbediscussedfurtherinmyfuturepaper.
Syncarphastaehelina(L.)B. Nord.,comb. nov.
Basionym:XeranthemumstaehelinaL., Syst.Nat. ed. 12: 546(1767).
&
Type: Herb, van Royen 900, 312-106 (L lectotype, selected by Hilliard Burtt
1981, Fig.2); LINN990.16 isotype(Hilliard& Burtt 1981).
Syn.:Helipterumvirgatum(Berg.)DC.sensuauct.plur.,nonXeranthemumvirgatum
Berg. (1767).
PteroniapaucifloraSims, Bot. Mag., Plate 1697(1815).
Comp.Newsl. 39, 2003 55
XeranthemumstaehelinaL. andX. virgatum Berg, werebothpublishedin 1767,the
latterinSept. andtheformerinOct.Althoughtheyhavebeenregardedassynonyms,
they representtwo different species which have been much confused. Based onthe
typification accepted here, X. staehelina corresponds to the current concept of
Syncarpha virgata, which is widespread in the western Cape Province, from
Clanwilliam and Ceres inthe north downtoCaledon andRiversdale (butnot onthe
Cape Peninsula). X. virgatum Berg, on the other hand is a taxon ofmore restricted
disfributionmainlyintheZwartbergrange, inrecentdecadesprovisionallynamedby
me (in herbaria) as Helipterum scariosum B. Nord. ined. and later Syncarpha
scariosaB.Nord. ined. (Nordenstam 1989).There isnownoneedtopublishthelat-
tername,sincethetwospeciesinvolvedcanbenamedwithvalidepithetsdatingfrom
1767.
TheconfusionstartedalreadywithBergius and Linnaeus. IntheBergius Herbarium
(SBT) there are two sheets named 'Xeranthemum mihi virgatum" in Bergius'
characteristic handwriting. One ofthem has the addition"variet." and isconspecific
W\X\\XeranthemumstaehelinaL.,describedbyLinnaeusafewmonthslater.Thefor-
mersheetisthe obviouschoice as lectotypeofX. virgatum Berg.
IntheLinneanHerbarium inLondon, sheet990.15 isaThunbergcollectionandthe
same taxon as Bergius' virgatum (as typified here).The specimen LINN 990.16,
however,isthesametaxonasthelectotypeofX. staehelinaL.inherb, vanRoyen(L).
The specimen in LFNN has Linnaeus' annotation "staehelina" and reference to van
Royenand isquitecorrectlycitedasan isotypebyHilliard&Burtt(1981).
SpecimensoftheXmeX. virgatumBerg,arerepresentedinotheroldherbaria,suchas
herb. Acharius (LD) and herb. Burman (G). Like the specimen LINN 990.15 they
probably originate from Thunberg's collections. A more detailed discussion ofthe
taxonomyanddistributionofthetaxainvolvedwillfollowinmyforthcomingrevision
ofthegenus.
References
Harvey,W. H. 1865. Compositae.In: Harvey, W. H. &O. W. Sonder(eds.). Flora
capensis3. Dublin.
Hilliard, O. M. & B, L. Burtt 1981. Names in Gnaphalium, Xeranthemum and
Helichrysum published between 1753 and 1800. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 82: 233-
265.
Nordenstam, B. 1989. A synopsis of the genus Syncarpha (Compositae-
Gnaphalieae). Comp. Newsl. 17: 2-6.
56 Comp. Newsl. 39, 2003
Fig. 1.SyncarphaaureaB.Nord. (J. Manning2071,NBGholotype).
A. Habit,xl/2. B. Outer, middle, innerand innermostinvolucralbracts,x3.
C. Disc-floret, x3. D. Corollaofdisc-floret, laidout,x6.
E. Stamens, xl2. F. Stylebranches,xl2.
Del. auctor.
Comp.Newsl. 39, 2003 57
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