8. Adesmia incana Vogel, Linnaea 12: 76–77 (1838).

Type:— BRAZIL. s/d, {fl./fr.}, Sellow, F. s.n. (holotype: B [presumed destroyed], negative of the holotype F barcode F 0BN002200 [photo!]; lectotype designated here: K barcode K000908079 [photo!]) .

≡ Patagonium incanum (Vogel) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 200 (1891).

= Adesmia incana var. heterotricha Burkart, Colecc. Ci. Inst. Nac. Tecnol. Agropecu. [Cabrera] 4(3a): 480–481 (1967b).

Type:— ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires: Tandil, sierras, 03 November 1928, {fl./fr.}, Burkart, A. 2818 (holotype: SI barcode 001561 [photo!], isotype: SI barcode 001562 [photo!]) .

= Adesmia incana var. oblata Davyt & Izag., Parodiana 9(1–2): 99 (1996). syn. nov.

Type:— URUGUAY. Lavalleja, caminho al salto del Penitente, 21 November 1991, {fl./fr.}, Izaguirre, P. et al. s.n. (holotype: MVFA barcode MVFA0000074 [photo!], isotypes: MVFA barcode MVFA0000075 [photo!], MVFA barcode MVFA0000076 [photo!]) .

Prostrate to ascendant stoloniferous subshrubs with adventitious roots from stem branch nodes. Stem pilose to pubescent, white tector hairs intermixed with ochraceous glandular setules on all plant parts except for stipules, leaflets, and bracts, which only present white tector hairs. Stipules 3–7× 0.5–2 mm, linear to narrowlY lanceolate, pubescent. Leaves with (5–)8–11 pairs of leaflets; petiole 0.4–2 cm long, rachis 1–4 cm long, pubescent; leaflets 2.5–11.5× 1–4 mm, elliptic to obovate, apex obtuse to rounded and mucronate, base acute to rounded, margin entire, pubescent to glabrescent on both surfaces. Raceme axillary or terminal, sometimes with an axillary flower at the inflorescence base, 3–15 cm long, pubescent; bracts 2.5–4.5 mm long, lanceolate to linear, pubescent; pedicel 2–9 mm long, pubescent. Flowers 7.5–10(–12) mm long; calyx 6–9 mm long, externally pubescent, internally hirsute with white tector hairs; lobes 3–7.5 mm long, triangular to linear; standard petal 9–13.5× 7–10 mm, orbicular to flabelliform, apex emarginate to truncate, externallY pubescent, claw 3.5–7.5× 1– 3.5 mm, internallY pubescent to glabrescent basallY; wing petals 9–12× 2.5–4 mm, oboVate, claw 3.5–5 mm long; keel petals 8–9.5× 2.5–3.5 mm, falcate, claw 3.5–5 mm long; stamens 8–10.5 mm long, anthers elliptical; gynoecium 8–12.2 mm long; ovary 3.5–5 mm long, pubescent, 4–6-ovulate. Hemicraspedium 8–16.5 mm long, straight, light-brownish, pubescent, stiff ochraceous setules at the centre of each article, fruit with 2–5 articles, these 2.5–3× 3–3.5 mm, oblong to orbicular. Seeds reddish-brown, 2–2.5× 2–2.5 mm, orbicular, without an aril. (Figures 16 and 17).

Distribution and Habitat— The species inhabits central-west Rio Grande do Sul state, in Brazil, and occurs also in Uruguay, and Buenos Aires province, Argentina (Fig. 15). It grows in open grasslands and flooded plains, in sandy soils.

Phenology— Adesmia incana presents flowers and fruits from October to December.

Conservation status— Least Concern (LC). Adesmia incana has an EOO estimated at 233.681, 207 km ² and AOO of 108 km ². The species occurs widely throughout Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) and was recently collected within a protected area (Área de Proteção do Ibirapuitã, Monteiro, T.C. & Monteiro, G.C. 402 BOTU035345). The species does not face any major threat to habitat loss.

Etymology— Vogel (1838) was alluding to the incanous pubescent indumentum of the species when naming Adesmia incana .

Notes— Adesmia incana was described by Vogel in 1838. Burkart (1967b) established A. grisea as a variety of A. incana, described A. incana var. heterotricha, and synonymized A. angulata under A. incana . In 1993, Miotto and Leitão Filho synonymized A. incana var. heterotricha under A. incana but they maintained A. incana var. grisea . Later, Davyt and Izaguirre (1996) established A. incana var. oblata .

Adesmia incana is a polymorphic species with a wide distribution. Furthermore, this is the only species of Adesmia with some individuals confirmed to be tetraploid (Castranovo 1945; Hunziker et al. 1985; Miotto and Forni-Martins 1994; Coelho and Battistin 1998a; Coelho and Battistin 1998b; Tedesco et al. 2002). The various morphotypes within the species are distributed regionally, and form morphological gradients with adjacent populations. The type of A. incana, designated by Vogel (1838), was collected in Brazil by Sellow, and has an overall greenish aspect with a sparse incanous pubescent indumentum. The type is morphologically similar to the specimen Valls, J. F. M. 6897 (HAS027113) (Fig. 16).

Previously treated as a variety of Adesmia incana, A. grisea is here treated as a different species. Adesmia incana differs morphologically by presenting glandular trichomes on leaves and steam, and by its hemicraspedium fruit (vs. an absence of glandular trichomes on the leaves and stem, and a lomentaceous fruit in A. grisea). The type of Adesmia grisea was collected on the Atlantic coast of Argentina, in the south of Buenos Aires province (Hooker 1844). It is densely pubescent with an overall greyish aspect to the stem and leaves, as seen, for example, on the specimen Burkart, A. et al. 23680 (Fig. 13).

The type of Adesmia incana var. heterotricha is incanous-pubescent, with a greyish stem, and lanceolate bracts. It was collected in the department of Tandil in Argentina, where several morphologically similar specimens subsequently were collected. There are closer similarities between this morphotype of Adesmia incana and the related A. grisea than there are between other morphotypes of A. incana from Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul and A. grisea, such as the oblong leaflets and sparse glandular trichomes on leaves and stem. However, specimens of this named variety of A. incana have a hemicraspedium fruit, and this character separates A. incana from A. grisea . In consequence we treat A. incana var. heterotricha as a synonym of A. incana, following Miotto and Leitão Filho (1993) and Davyt and Izaguirre (1996).

The type specimen of Adesmia incana var. oblata has greyish to greenish stems and oblate bracts, as seen on the collection of Monteiro, T.C. & Monteiro, G.C. 402 (Fig. 17). However, there is an intra-populational variation in bract form from oblate to lanceolate, and this was one of the main characters used to distinguish A. incana var. oblata from the typical variety of the species (Davyt and Izaguirre 1996). Adesmia incana var. oblata also has glandular trichomes on its leaves and stem, oblong-elliptic leaflets, and a calyx with lobes smaller than the tube (Fig. 17), and we therefore include A. incana var. oblata in the synonymy of A. incana .

Some specimens of Adesmia incana display morphological similarities with A. uruguaya, such as oblate bracts and a scattered incanous-pubescent indumentum, although A. incana never has the thick setules on its fruit articles seen on A. uruguaya .

Sellow’s type material of Adesmia incana was lost, possibly destroyed during World War II. Nevertheless, we located a duplicate of Sellow’s collection at K (K000908079), and we designate it as a lectotype.

Additional Specimens Examined — ARGENTINA. BUENOS AIRES: Balcarce, 03 January 1945, Hunziker, A. T. 2163 (Paratype Adesmia heterotricha CORD 00003178 [photo!]). BRAZIL. RIO GRANDE DO SUL: Alegrete, Restinga Seca, November 1961, Mattos, J. 9455 (HAS 84544). Passo Novo, perto da Escola técnica de Agricultura, 20 October 1984, Mattos, J. 27243 (HAS 84551); estrada vicinal VRS-306 beirando a área de proteção ambiental do Ibirapuitã em direção a Caverá, 04 November 2019, Monteiro T.C. et al. 235 (BOTU). Bagé, cerca de 2 km ao Sul do Rio Camaquã ao longo da BR- 153, 17 October 1988, Valls, J. F. M. et al. 11929 (UEC 62361); BR-153, junto à ponte do Rio Camaquã (margem direita), 09 November 1996, Jarenkow, J. A. 3262 (FLOR 28638; MBM 218088; ICN 00019197 [photo!]); estrada de terra entre Bagé e Serrilhada, 28 November 1992, Miotto, S. T. S. et al. 1386 (ICN 00019358 [photo!]); estrada para Caçapava do Sul, fazenda das Palmas, 07 December 1991, Miotto, S. T. S. 1250 (ICN 00019191 [photo!]). Caçapava do Sul, Minas do Camaquã, Guaritas, 10 October 1991, Schlindwein, C. 1115 (MPUC 13625); BR-153, 11 November 1995, Záchia, R. A. 2019 (BOTU 27850); 18 October 1976, Lima, D. A. s/n (ICN 00019345); BR-153, 11 November 1995, Neubert, E. E. s/n (ICN 00019342); km 57 da BR- 153, 10 km ao norte do Rio Camaquã, 30 November 1982, Valls, J. F. M. et al. 6897 (HAS 27113); cerca de 2 km ao norte do Rio Irapuãzinho ao longo da BR-153, 17 October 1988, Valls, J. F. M . et al. 11928 (UEC 62360); BR-153 em direção a Bagé, 21 November 2003, Miotto, S. T. S. 2150 (ICN 00019195 [photo!]); BR- 153 km 532, 19 November 2005, Miotto, S. T. S. 2263 (ICN 00019194 [photo!]). Dom Pedrito, Estância Ponche Verde do Sr. Riva Silva 4 km a Sul-Sudoeste da sede, 04 December 1982, Valls, J. F. M. 6970 (HAS 27112). Quaraí, 12 km de Quaraí, na rodovia para Alegrete, 20 October 1984, Mattos, J. 26056 (HAS 84550); 10 km de Quaraí, na rodovia para Alegrete, 19 October 1984, Mattos, J. 26118 (HAS 84733); trevo para Santana do Livramento e Passo da Guarda, na saída para o Cerro do Jarau, 03 December 1985, Valls, J. F. M. et al. 9654 (ICN 00019187); 6 km ao S do arroio Garupá, na estrada de Quaraí à Uruguaiana, pelo Cerro do Jarau, 03 December 1985, Valls, J. F. M. 9665 (ICN 00019180). Santana do Livramento, BR-293 próximo ao km 412, 09 December 1986, Bueno, O. 4863 (HAS 22472); BR-293 em direção a Quaraí, 03 November 1995, Stehmann, J. & Semir, J. 2046 (UEC 69223); 15 km a oeste do acesso do aeroporto da cidade, ao longo da rodovia BR-293, 03 December 1985, Valls, J. F. M. et al. 9637 (ICN 00019177 [photo!]); Área de Proteção do Ibirapuitã, 05 December 2020, Monteiro, T. C. & Monteiro, G. C. 402 (BOTU) . URUGUAY. Cerro Melones, 31 October 1875, Fuchard, T. s/n (P 02936518 [photo!]) . ARTIGAS: Cuaro, September 1890, André, E. s/n (P 02936401 [photo!]) . MONTEVIDEO: plaine du Cerro près Montevideo, September 1826, Orbigny, A. D. 44 (P 02936522 [photo!]) .