Salvia ozolotepecensis J.G.González & Fragoso, 2018

González-Gallegos, Jesús Guadalupe, Fragoso-Martínez, Itzi, González-Adame, Gabriel, Martínez-Ambriz, Emmanuel & López-Enríquez, Irma Lorena, 2018, Salvia ozolotepecensis, S. patriciae and S. sirenis (Lamiaceae), three new species from Miahuatlán district, Oaxaca, Mexico, Phytotaxa 362 (2), pp. 143-159 : 145-149

Salvia ozolotepecensis J.G.González & Fragoso , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 & 2 )

Differt a S. perlonga foliis ovatis vel ovato-lanceolatis (oblongo-lanceolatis), brevioribus (2.7–10.5 vs. 10–15 cm longis), bracteis floralibus perstatis vel sub-perstatis (vs. deciduis), calycibus brevioribus (7.2–9 vs. 13–14 mm longis), corollarum tubis brevioribus [9.9–12.3 vs. (13–) 14.5–19 mm longis], corollarum labiis superis brevioribus (6.9–11.2 vs. 14–16.7 mm longis), corollarum labiis inferis brevioribus (6.9–10.4 vs. 18–21 mm longis), staminibus inclusis (vs. exsertis 3–4 mm) et connectivis brevioribus (12.5–13.3 vs. 20–22 mm longis).

Type:— MEXICO. Oaxaca. Miahuatlán district. Mun. San Juan Ozolotepec: 1.3 – 1.5 km al NW de San Juan Ozolotepec por la brecha a Santo Domingo Ozolotepec, 16.142ºN, 96.26ºW, 2229 m, 27 November 2017, J. G. González-Gallegos, G. González-Adame, A. Casasola-González & M. Cruz-Aguilar 2317 (holotype CIIDIR!, isotypes HUAA!, IBUG!, IEB!, MEXU!, OAX!).

Perennial herb, erect to subscandent, 0.6–2 m tall; stems hirsute with glandular-capitate hairs. Leaves with petioles (0.5–) 1.4–2.7 cm long, pilose with eglandular hairs; blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2.7–10.5 × 1.5–5.7 cm, acute to acuminate at apex, truncate to subcordate at base, margin serrate, rugose above (especially in immature leaves), pilose in both faces, pubescence denser beneath. Inflorescence in racemes 7–25 cm long, with 3–12 floral nodes, each with 4–8(–10) flowers, the lowermost 1.3–2.3 cm apart from each other; floral axis pilose with eglandular hairs. Floral bract persistent (or the majority of them persisting after anthesis), ovate to lanceolate, 6.3–15.9 × 2.7–6 mm, apex acuminate to caudate, base truncate to cordate, margin entire, pilose. Flowers with pedicels 1.4–2.3 mm long, up to 7.9 mm long in fruit, short pilose. Calyx 7.2–9 × 3.9–5.1 mm, up to 11.2 × 7 mm in fruit, pilose with glandular-capitate hairs and hispidulous outside, short hispidulous inside, lips subequal, 1.9–2.8 mm long, the upper one entire and 5-veined. Corolla red, short pilose with the hairs dorsal and distally concentrated, upper surface of the lower lip glabrous; tube 9.9–12.3 × 3.2–4.9 mm, ventricose, straight or slightly invaginated towards the base, epapillate inside; upper lip 6.9–11.2 mm long, lower 6.9–10.4 × 6.3–9 mm (the lower usually longer than the upper one). Stamens included, filament 2.9–4.1 mm long, connective 12.5–13.3 mm long, ornate at midportion with a retrorse and antrorse teeth bordering an incision, thecae 2.5–2.8(–3.2) mm long; a pair of filiform staminodes above and behind filament insertion. Gynobasic horn 0.6–0.7 mm long, style 16.1–22.6 mm long, included (except by the branches) or up to 1 mm exserted, short pilose towards the apex, lower stigmatic branch acute and shorter than the upper one. Mericarp ovoid, 2.2–2.5 × 1.3–1.5 mm, light brown and irregularly marbled with a darker tone, glabrous and smooth.

Common name:—In both Hunn 243 ( OAX!) and Hunn 1978 ( OAX!), it is stated that this plant is known as guizh-dzing in Zapotec language.

Etymology:—The name of this new Salvia was coined in honor to the localities of Miahuatlán district bearing the name of Ozolotepec, especially to the town and people of San Juan Ozolotepec. On this way, we recognize the help and hospitality of them while conducting fieldwork to collect the new species.

Distribution, habitat and phenology:— Salvia ozolotepecensis is an endemic species from Oaxaca, Mexico ( Fig. 3 ). The known distribution of this taxon is restricted to Miahuatlán district in the municipalities of San Juan Mixtepec, San Juan Ozolotepec and Santo Domingo Ozolotpec; although, it is very likely that it would be eventually found in nearby municipalities. It grows in pine-oak forest from 1960–2473 m elevation. Flowering and fruiting probably from August to February.

Notes:—According to the indumenta composed by simple hairs, persistent floral bracts, 5-veined calyx tube, red corolla, included stamens and non-geniculate connective, Salvia ozolotepecensis should be placed within S. sect. Brandegeia. However, the placement of S. ozolotepecensis within this section would be somewhat unusual in terms of geographical distribution since the three species in the section inhabit western and northern Mexico: Salvia angustiarum Epling (1939: 315) in Jalisco, Nayarit and Zacatecas; S. blepharophylla Brandegee in Epling (1939: 314) in Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas; and S. oresbia Fernald (1900: 536) in Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí; whereas S. ozolotepecensis is located in the southern region. From S. sect. Brandegeia, and following the identification key provided by Epling (1939), the new species is morphologically most similar to S. oresbia ; however, it differs from this in having taller stems (0.6–2 vs. 0.2–0.8 m), longer leaves (2.7–10.5 vs. 1–2.5 cm), usually longer petioles [(0.5–)1.4–2.7 vs. up to 1 cm], pilose leaves above and beneath (vs. glabrous), shorter pedicels (1.4–2.3 vs. 3–7 mm long), shorter (7.2–9 vs. 10–16 mm) and pubescent calyces (pilose with glandular-capitate hairs and hispidulous vs. glabrous), and shorter corolla tube (9.9–12.3 vs. 14–16 mm).

In general morphology, and free from the constrictions in the identification key, Salvia ozolotepecensis is also similar to S. praestans Epling (1940: 530) , the only species in S. sect. Hintoniana Epling (1940: 530), and S. perlonga Fernald (1900: 546) , also monotypic from S. sect. Nelsonia Epling (1947: 516) . Salvia ozolotepecensis differs from the first by its mostly persistent floral bracts (vs. deciduous), shorter calyces [(7.2–8.9 vs. 13.2–14.8(–17) mm long], shorter corolla tube (9.9–12.3 vs. 1–19 mm long), internally naked towards the base (vs. rugose or ornate with two papillae), shorter upper corolla lip (6.9–11.2 vs. 17–20.1 mm long), smaller lower corolla lip (6.9–10.4 × 6.3–9 vs. 22.4–29 × 18.3–24 mm), included stamens (vs. exserted by 2.1–4 mm), shorter connective (12.5–13.3 vs. 27.5–30 mm long), shorter style (16.1–22.6 vs. 40–41.2 mm long), and smaller mericarps (2.2–2.5 × 1.3–1.5 vs. 2.5–2.7 × 1.5–1.6 mm). It can be distinguished from S. perlonga in having ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaf blades (vs. oblong-lanceolate) and shorter (2.7–10.5 vs. 10–15 cm long), persistent floral bracts (vs. deciduous), shorter calyx (7.2–9 vs. 13–14 mm long), shorter corolla tube [9.9–12.3 vs. (13–) 14.5–19 mm long], naked inside (vs. ornate with a couple folds inside towards the base), shorter upper (6.9–11.2 vs. 14–16.7 mm long) and lower (6.9–10.4 vs. 18–21 mm long) corolla lips, included stamens (vs. exserted), and shorter connective (12.5–13.3 vs. 20–22 mm long).

Furthermore, morphological evidence supports a stronger relationship with S. perlonga than to any other species including those in S. sect. Brandegeia in spite of matching sectional diagnostic characters. The peculiar connective ornamentation exhibited in the new species (opposing retrorse and antrorse teeth bordering an incision at connective midportion) is also present in S. perlonga as it can be seen in the corolla dissection available in the isotype kept at UC ( Salvia perlonga UC 1943339, JSTOR Global Plants 2018). This condition is uncommon in Mexican Salvia , perhaps only similar in some species from S. section Uliginosae ( Epling 1935: 52) Epling (1939: 54) , which embraces very distinctive species in terms of the trimucronate upper calyx lip, conspicuous and abundant glandular dots throughout the calyx, geniculate connective and swollen upper portion of the style.

Due to the above, Salvia ozolotepecensis cannot be assigned unambiguously to any of the recognized sections, it is more likely that in the near future, once Salvia classification is restructured, this new taxon together with S. perlonga and S. praestans will belong to the same section. These observations are supported by the molecular data; as shown in figure 4, both S. perlonga and S. praestans form a clade that also includes the new species (100 % Bootstrap Support; BS). This subclade is nested in the Scorodonia clade I ( Fragoso-Martínez et al. 2018), which is a morphologically heterogeneous group where the only common characters are the presence of glandular indumentum, ovate-acuminate lately deciduous (or persistent) bracts, 5–7 veined upper calyx lip, ventricose and clearly or slightly invaginated corolla tube, longer lower corolla tube than the upper one, and pubescent style. Within this clade, the subclade in which S. ozolotepecensis is placed, contains red-flowered species, sister to blue-flowered. In light of these results, it would be important to re-evaluate the staminal morphology of the remaining species of the clade; as has been made with the Uliginosae clade ( Barrera-Aveleida 2017), to uncover a common pattern in otherwise morphologically different species.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— MEXICO. Oaxaca. Miahuatlán district. Mun. San Juan Mixtepec : NE edge [from San Juan Mixtepec], 1960 m, 14 October 1996, E. Hunn 243 ( OAX!) ; 1.3 km WSW from San Juan Mixtepec , 16°17’N, 96°18’W, 2200 m, 12 August 1998, E. Hunn 1889 ( MEXU!) ; west edge of town [San Juan Mixtepec], 2050 m, 29 January 2000, E. Hunn 1978 ( OAX!). Mun. Santo Domingo Ozolotepec: 0.7 km de Santo Domingo Ozoltepec por la terracería a San José del Pacífico , 16°8’54”N, 96°18’55”W, 2343 m, 29 November 2015, I. Fragoso-Martínez et al. 366 ( MEXU!) ; 1.8 km de Santo Domingo Ozoltepec por la terracería a San José del Pacífico , 16°9’23”N, 96°19’16”W, 2373 m, 29 November 2015, I. Fragoso-Martínez et al. 369 ( MEXU!) ; La Cruz, Santo Domingo Ozoltepec , 16°9’5”N, 96°18’49”W, 2473 m, 29 November 2015, I. Fragoso-Martínez et al. 380 ( MEXU!) ; 1.5–2 km al NO de Santo Domingo Ozolotepec, por la brecha a San José del Pacífico, 16º9’14.3’’N, 96º18’52.4’’W, 2421 m, 26 November 2017, J. G. González-Gallegos et al. 2314 ( CIIDIR!, IBUG!, MEXU!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Salvia ozolotepecensis. A Leaves. B Leaf blade underside. C Inflorescence portion showing persistent floral bracts. D Flower (Photographs taken by G. González-Adame from type locality).

FIGURE 2. Salvia ozolotepecensis, floral details. A Calyx. B Ovary and gynobase. C Corola. D Stamens. E Stamen detail showing connective ornamentation. F Style apex [Photographs taken from I. Fragoso 369 (MEXU!)].

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Salvia ozolotepecensis (white dots), S. patriciae (white triangles) and S. sirenis (white squares). Upper right corner showing the location of Oaxaca and Miahuatlán district; the red rectangle highlights the territory magnified in the rest of the figure. Sand lines correspond to municipalities boundaries within Miahuatlán district. Orange shadows represent the towns of, from top to bottom, San Juan Mixtepec, Santo Domingo Ozolotepec, San Juan Ozolotepec and Santiago Xanica.