Pauridia monophylla (Schltr. ex Baker) Snijman & Kocyan (2013: 28)

Snijman, Deirdre A., 2014, A taxonomic revision of the genus Pauridia (Hypoxidaceae) in southern Africa, Phytotaxa 182 (1), pp. 1-114 : 88-90

24. Pauridia monophylla (Schltr. ex Baker) Snijman & Kocyan (2013: 28) . Figs. 3H & 38

Bas.:— Hypoxis monophylla Schltr. ex Baker (1897: 531) ≡ Ianthe monophylla (Schltr. ex Baker) Williams (1901: 292) ≡ Spiloxene monophylla (Schltr. ex Baker) Garside (1936: 269) . Type (lectotype designated by Snijman & Kocyan 2013: 28):— SOUTH AFRICA. [Western Cape], Elim [QDS: 3419DA], 500 ft [152 m], 18 April 1896, R. Schlechter 7615 (K! No. K000255995 [image], isolectotypes B! No. 100165530 [image], BOL!, E, GRA!, LISC! [image], PRE!, S! [image], SAM!, WAG! [image])

Plants 3.5–8.0 cm tall. Corm somewhat ovoid, 6–14 mm diam., covered with fibrous tunics; fibres fine, pale brown to cream when dry, usually remaining attached to corm base, finely pectinate proximally, converging to subacute tips distally, old corms shriveled, placed laterally; roots spreading from proximal half. Cataphylls membranous, truncate, up to 25 mm long, usually subterranean. Leaves often absent at flowering, 1(2), suberect to outspread, linear, 30–80 × 1.5–2.0 mm, canaliculate, dark green, firm, adaxial surface with a broad, ca. 6-layered, subepidermal band of colourless, thin-walled cells, margin entire. Inflorescences 1 or 2(–4) in flower at a time, 1- flowered, shorter to longer than leaves; scape hidden below ground or slightly exserted, up to 14 × 0.5 mm, terete, white; bract 1, often partially subterranean, partially sheathing pedicel for most of length, lanceolate, 14–30 mm long, becoming reddish green and leathery when exposed, margin hyaline, apex attenuate. Flower pedicellate, stellate, pale yellow, sometimes backed with a reddish brown median stripe in outer whorl, backs flushed reddish brown when old, unscented; pedicel erect, 15–75 × ca. 1 mm, subterete, pale green to reddish brown; tepals 6, oblong-lanceolate, 10–28 mm long, outer 3.7–6.5 mm wide, minutely mucronate, inner 1.5–4.0 mm wide. Stamens 6, erect, occluding narrow throat, outer shorter than inner, yellow; filaments outer 0.5–1.0 mm long, inner 1.2–1.5 mm long, all shorter than anthers; anthers oblong to triangular, deeply notched at apex, introrse, 2.5–3.5 × 0.6–1.0 mm, basal lobes blunt or up to 0.5 mm long, apical lobes acute, up to 0.6 mm long, anther connective convex and thickened dorsally; pollen yellow. Ovary shortly obconical, 2.5–3.0 × 2–3 mm, 3-locular; style 0.5 mm long; stigma branches erect, somewhat narrowly oblong, ca. 0.5–1.0 × 0.5 mm, shorter than stamens, yellow, adaxial surface and margin papillose. Capsule shallowly cup-shaped, ca. as broad as long, 2.5–3.0 × 3.0 mm, with firm walls, dehiscence circumscissile. Seeds somewhat spheroidal, ca. 0.56 × 0.50 mm; testa shiny black, of isodiametric cells in a close-set, irregular arrangement, outer periclinal cell walls prominently colliculate. Flowering period: (early January–)late-February–April(–late May).

Distribution and habitat:— Pauridia monophylla is found in the southwestern Cape from the Hottentots Holland Mountains eastwards along the Kleinrivier Mountains to near Elim, Western Cape ( Fig. 39A ). Populations occupy south-facing or occasionally north-facing slopes at low to high elevations, typically in fynbos vegetation. The plants grow in deep, sandstone-derived soil amongst species of Restionaceae or in shallow pockets of soil on sandstone rocks. Although not dependent on fire to flower the plants bloom most prolifically after fire the preceding summer.

Diagnostic features:—As its name suggests, Pauridia monophylla is easily recognized by a solitary leaf at flowering time, although a second leaf may be produced later. Since the scape is seldom exserted above ground, the solitary, sheathing bract is often only partially visible. Distinguished by a narrow throat, holding six tightly clustered stamens, the solitary, yellow flower is unusual in having outspread outer tepals and only slightly spreading inner tepals. Unique within the genus is the smooth, convex dorsal surface of the anther that contrasts with the two, close-set, oblong to triangular anther thecae which are prominent on the more or less concave ventral surface. Anther dehiscence is thus introrse, which suggests that the flowers of P. monophylla may be autogamous, possibly an adaptation to the absence of suitable pollinators soon after fires. In comparison with many other species within the genus, the shallowly cup-shaped capsule holds only a few seeds.

Based only on its unusual floral morphology, the position of P. monophylla within the genus is not readily evident. The thick, narrow, leathery leaves, solitary flowered inflorescence and single sheathing bract, nevertheless, suggest a close relationship with P. affinis .

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape: Hottentots Holland Mtns, Verkykerskop (QDS: 3418 BB), 18 March 2008, Paterson-Jones 913 ( NBG!) ; Sir Lowry’s Pass, Steenbras side (QDS: 3418 BB), March 1948, Stokoe s.n. ( SAM 63781!) ; Steenbras (QDS: 3418 BB), 6 April 1966, Thompson 180 ( NBG!) ; Harold Porter Botanic Reserve (QDS: 3418 BD), 29 March 1960, W.F. Barker 10159 ( NBG!) ; Platberg, Kogelberg Forest Reserve (QDS: 3418 BD), 22 February 1968, Boucher 44 ( NBG!) ; Eksteenskloof, Platberg (QDS: 3418 BD), 3 December 1969, Boucher 926 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Elephant Rock Mountain (QDS: 3418 BD), 13 February 1970, Boucher 1131 ( NBG!) ; Betty's Bay , on ridge (QDS: 3418 BD) , Esterhuysen 13676 ( BOL!) ; Harold Porter Reserve (QDS: 3418 BD), 1 March 1990, Esterhuysen 36990 ( NBG!) ; Kogelberg Reserve, Oudebos Valley (QDS: 3418 BD), 6 April 1990, Esterhuysen 37008 ( K!, BOL!, MO!, NBG!, PRE!) ; Kogelberg State Forest (QDS: 3418 BD), 29 April 1992, I. Kruger 526 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Betty's Bay , lower mountain slopes (QDS: 3418 BD) , Levyns 11130 ( BOL!) ; Kleinmond Nature Reserve, above Fairy Glen , Eof Palmietrivier (QDS: 3418 BD), 2 April 2006, Snijman 2038 ( NBG!) ; Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (QDS: 3418 BD), 10 May 2006, Snijman 2039 ( NBG!) ; mountains above Kleinmond (QDS: 3418 BD), April 1932, Stokoe s.n. ( SAM 50252!) ; mountain slopes above Viljoen's Pass (QDS: 3419 AA) , Esterhuysen 32603 ( BOL!) ; Jakkalsrivier catchment, Lebanon Forest Reserve (QDS: 3419 AA), 11 March 1971, Haynes 532 ( NBG!) ; slopes W side of Palmiet River , Elgin (QDS: 3419 AA) , Leighton 386 ( BOL!) ; Hottentots Holland area, neck on divide between Palmiet and Riviersonderend Rivers (QDS: 3419 AA), 1 March 1998, E.G.H. Oliver 11076 ( NBG!) ; Viljoen's Pass (QDS: 3419 AA) , Salter 2034 ( BOL!) ; Lebanon Forest Reserve, Jakkalsrivier (QDS: 3419 AA), 23 March 1982, Viviers 210 ( NBG!) ; Bobbejaansberg (QDS: 3419 AB), 12 March 1962, P. van der Merwe 892 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Kleinmond bergrante, Ovan Heuningklip (QDS: 3419AC), 25 March 1949, de Vos 1258 ( NBG!) ; between Highlands State Forest and Lebanon State Forest (QDS: 3419 AC), 6 March 1985, Hilton-Taylor 432 ( NBG!) ; Highlands , top of Paardeberg (QDS: 3419 AC), 31 March 1966, Thompson 179 ( NBG!) ; Babylons Tower (3419 AD), 24 February 1941, Esterhuysen 5010 ( BOL!, NBG!) ; Vogelgat near the Sheling (QDS: 3419 AD), 13 March 1978, Williams 2454 ( NBG!) ; Vogelgat , Banksia Ridge (QDS: 3419 AD), 17 January 1987, Williams 3775 ( NBG!) ; slopes of Babylon’s Tower , between Hermanus and Caledon (QDS: 3419 AD), March 1939, Zinn s.n. ( SAM 53683!) ; Koudeberg , SE of Sandies Glen (QDS: 3419 BC), 27 March 1973, E.G.H. Oliver 4234 ( NBG!) ; Bredasdorp Berge , Napier , Farm 139 above Eilandskloof Farm 140 (QDS: 3419 BD), 3 March 2008, Walton BAW540 ( NBG!) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Flower diversity in Pauridia. A, P. trifurcillata; B, P. umbraticola; C, P. pusilla; D, P. longituba; E, P. linearis; F, P. gracilipes subsp. speciosa; G, P. curculigoides; H, P. monophylla; I, P.capensis; J, P. canaliculata; K, P. alticola. Photographs by J.C. Paterson-Jones.

FIGURE 38. Pauridia monophylla. A, whole plant; B, leaf in transverse section; C, stamen in ventral and dorsal views on left and right respectively; D, style and stigma branches; E, ovary in transverse section; F, capsule; G, seed. Scale bar A = 10 mm; B–D = 1.5 mm; E, F = 3 mm; G = 0.5 mm. Drawn by Tracey Nowell from Esterhuysen 37008 (NBG!).

FIGURE 39. Distribution maps for A, Pauridia monophylla from Western Cape; B, P. curculigoides from Western Cape, South Africa.