Tenicroa, Rafinesque, 1837

Martínez-Azorín, Mario, Crespo, Manuel B., Alonso-Vargas, María Á., Dold, Anthony P., Crouch, Neil R., Pfosser, Martin, Mucina, Ladislav, Pinter, Michael & Wetschnig, Wolfgang, 2019, New combinations in the tribe Urgineeae (Asparagaceae subfam. Scilloideae) with comments on contrasting taxonomic treatments, Phytotaxa 397 (4), pp. 291-299 : 294

Combinations in Tenicroa

Tenicroa is a distinct genus characterised by leaves surrounded with membranous sheathing cataphylls with dark, raised, transversal ridges; stellate flowers with subpatent, free tepals and a narrow, longitudinal dark band on the abaxial side; stamens spreading, somewhat curved, with subbasifixed anthers, and ovary ovate-oblong, with elongate, deflexed and curved style, and papillose stigma. Based on these synapomorphies, most researchers in Urgineoideae ( Jessop 1977, Obermeyer 1980b, 1981, Speta 1998a, b) agree on the circumscription of Tenicroa and on its distinction from Urginea . However, Manning et al. (2004) synonymised Tenicroa within Drimia sensu latissimo , with species fitting the traditional concept of Tenicroa later placed by them in two different sections within Drimia , namely D. sect. Juncifoliae ( Manning & Goldblatt 2018: 107), including the two new species D. decipiens Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 109) and D. juncifolia J.C.Manning & J.M.J.Deacon in Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 107), and D. sect. Sypharissa ( Salisbury 1866: 37) Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 111) . Manning & Goldblatt (2018) reduced the four species recognised by Obermeyer (1980b) to three, accepting D. multifolia ( Lewis 1952: 9) Jessop (1977: 278) , D. fragrans Jacquin (1797 : tab. 86) Goldblatt & Manning (2000: 711), and D. exuviata Jacquin (1794 : tab. 415) Jessop (1977: 276), whilst considering Tenicroa filifolia Jacquin (1794 : tab. 414) Obermeyer (1981: 577) as a synonym of the latter.

The morphological characters provided by Manning & Goldblatt (2018) to segregate D. sect. Juncifoliae from D. sect. Sypharissa are unconvincing, as they refer to synanthous or hysteranthous leaves, strongly or weakly barred cataphylls, the measured length of bracts that overlap slightly, and whether the anthers are deflexed or not, and medi- or basifixed. The latter distinction is not evident in the line drawings provided for species of both sections, with all anthers portrayed as subbasifixed.

Based on our work, we consider the species of D. sect. Juncifoliae as belonging to Tenicroa . Accordingly, we provide below the necessary combinations.

Tenicroa decipiens (J.C.Manning & Goldblatt) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Drimia decipiens Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 109) , basionym. Type: ― SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape, Wuppertal (3219): Swartruggens, near turnoff to Kagga Kamma at summit of Skitterykloof, (–DC), 27 November 2017, J. Manning 3637 (holotype, NBG).

Tenicroa juncifolia (J.C.Manning & J.M.J.Deacon) Mart. -Azorín, M.B.Crespo, M.Pinter & Wetschnig comb. nov. ≡ Drimia juncifolia J.C.Manning & J.M.J.Deacon in Manning & Goldblatt (2018: 107), basionym. Type: ― SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape, Cape Town (3318): ‘Paarl, Brier’s Louw Nature Reserve’, (–DD), 23 November 2013, J. Deacon 3078 (holotype, NBG).