Echeveria xochipalensis J.Reyes, de la Cruz-López & Vergara-Silva., 2019

Santiago, Jerónimo Reyes, De La Cruz-López, Luis E. & Vergara-Silva, Francisco, 2019, Echeveria xochipalensis (Crassulaceae), a new species from Guerrero, Mexico, Phytotaxa 399 (1), pp. 14-24 : 15-21

Echeveria xochipalensis J.Reyes, de la Cruz-López & Vergara-Silva. sp. nov. ( FIGS. 1–3 )

Echeveria xochipalensis can be distinguished from the E. fulgens complex, by the white leaf scars on the stems, the entire leaf margins, adaxially channeled at the base and pseudo-petiolate, leaf color frequently in hues of copper, the yellowish to hyaline leaf margin, pinkish-orange corolla instead of orange-reddish, the whitish filaments, instead of yellowish in the two E. fulgens varieties, as well as whitish ovaries and nectary scales, instead of yellowish ones ( Table 1). It also differs from E. crenulata , by its less branched inflorescences, shorter pedicels and pink-orange (vs pink-yellow) corolla.

Type:— MEXICO, Guerrero, municipality Eduardo Neri, 1960 m, about 2 kms southwest of La Laguna, along the road from Filo de Caballo to Xochipala, 11 November 2012, J. Reyes 8132 (holotype, MEXU!).

Plant perennial, glabrous, solitary. Main roots somewhat thickened, secondary ones fibrous. Stem erect, simple, up to 7 cm tall, 1–1.3 cm in diameter, brown-reddish at the base and green to pinkish at the apex, with white leaf scars. Rosette lax, up to 20 cm in diameter. Leaves spatulate, pseudo-petiolate, basal leaves green, lilac-gray, or copper colored with pinkish hues, apical leaves greenish, 2.5–11.5 cm long, 1.7–4 cm wide, adaxial surface channeled at base, abaxial surface slightly keeled, only the apical leaves slightly pruinose, apex obtuse to rounded, shortly mucronate, color reddish, margin entire, yellow to hyaline in apical leaves. Floral stem erect, panicle axillary, 1–4 per rosette or more, 50–70 cm long, 1–1.35 cm wide at the base with oblanceolate leaves, quickly deciduous, rigid, ascending, 2–5 cm long, 0.5–0.7 cm wide, spurred, margin entire, apex obtuse, reddish with orange hues. Inflorescence paniculate with up to 4 cincinni of up to 25 cm long, light green, slightly pruinose, bracteoles lanceolate, 0.5–0.7 cm long, 0.17–0.22 cm wide, green to yellowish, spurred, apex acuminate, slightly pruinose. Pedicels 0.5–0.6 cm long, 0.2 cm thick, pale green, slightly pruinose. Calyx 5 sepals, basally fused, deltoid-lanceolate, unequal, 0.5–0.8 cm long, 0.2–0.4 cm wide at the base, 0.2 cm thick, olive green, apex acute, slightly pruinose. Corolla pentagonal in frontal view, slightly urceolate in lateral view, 1.2–1.25 cm long, 0.9–1 cm wide at the base, petals lanceolate, dorsally keeled, united at the base, imbricate, apex acute, slightly deflexed, 0.4 cm wide at the base, pink at the base, orange at the apex, internally tricolored, white at the base, yellow in the middle and reddish at the apex, nectary cavity prominent; androecium shorter than corolla tube, stamens 10, 5 antisepalous, 0.8 cm long, 5 epipetalous, slightly shorter, filaments white with slight yellowish hue, anthers 0.2 cm long, yellow; gynoecium with 5 carpels, free, 0.75–1 cm long, 0.25–0.3 cm wide at the base, nectaries reniform, 0.18–0.2 cm wide, 0.1–0.15 cm tall, white, ovaries white, styles wine red, stigmas wine-red with green apex; fruits follicles with numerous reddish seeds ( Figs. 1–3 ).

Phenology:—Flowers from October to December in habitat.

Distribution and habitat:— Echeveria xochipalensis is only known from the type locality. It grows in Quercus magnoliifolia Née (1801: 268) forest, somewhat disturbed by adjoining areas of maize fields; other associated species are Lysiloma acapulcensis Kunth (Bentham) (1844: 83), Juniperus flaccida Schlechtendal (1838: 495) , Ipomoea murucoides Roemer & Schultes (1819: 248) , Gnaphalium sp. , Salvia spp. , among others. Further field work is needed in order to find other localities for the present new taxon.

Etymology:—The specific epithet makes reference to the village of Xochipala in the state of Guerrero, Mexico.

Figures

FIGURE 1. E. xochipalensis. A. Habit. B. Steam detail with white leaf scars. C. Leaf color variation. Photos: Luis Emilio de la Cruz.

FIGURE 2. Echeveria xochipalenesis. A. Rosette detail. B. Pseudo-petiolate and spatulate leaves. C. Variation in length and form of floral stem leaves. Photos: Luis Emilio de la Cruz.

FIGURE 3. Echeveria xochipalensis. A. Inflorescence. B. Detail of inflorescence. C. Front view of the corolla and calyx segments. D. Side view of the corolla. E. Dissected flower, view of the androecium and gynoecium segments. F. Internal view of the petal. Photos: Luis Emilio de la Cruz.