Gerbera ovata J.C.Manning & B.Simka, 2016

Manning, J. C., Simka, B., Boatwright, J. S. & Magee, A. R., 2016, A revised taxonomy of Gerbera sect. Gerbera (Asteraceae: Mutisieae) *, South African Journal of Botany 104 (1), pp. 142-157 : 152-153

6. Gerbera ovata J.C.Manning & B.Simka , nom. nov.

pro Gerbera tomentosa var. elliptica DC., Prodr. 7: 16 (1838), non G. elliptica Hambert (1923) .

Type: South Africa, Eastern Cape Province, Willowmore (3323): ‘ad Langekloof, bei Onzer’ , (− CB), 12 Jan. 1830, Drège s.n (G-DC, lecto., designated by Hansen in Opera Bot. 78: 12 (1985); P [0,011,716, 0,011,718]—image!, isolecto. [2 sheets])

Acaulescent perennial. Leaves suberect or spreading, blades ovate, 30–60 × 15–30 mm, obtuse, base obtuse, margins entire or rarely subentire, weakly involute, discolorous, upper surface green, glabrous or whitish felted when young and glabrescent, under surface densely yellowish felted; petiole 35–85(− 110) mm, whitish woolly, densely silky at base. Scapes sparsely bracteate, 145–275(− 590) mm long, golden-brownish felted, bracts few ±4, 3–4 mm long, whitish woolly or rarely glabrous. Capitula 20–40 mm diam. Involucre campanulate; bracts subseriate, 6–11 × 1–3 mm, lanceolate, golden brownish felted with reddish membranous margins. Ray fl orets 15 to 20, white or sometimes yellow with red under surface sometimes only near apices, perianth tube 3.5–5.0 mm, lower limb ± 15 mm long, upper limb 2.5–3.0 mm long. Disc fl orets pale in colour, tube ± 6 mm long, lower limb 3.5–4.0 mm long, upper limb 2.5–3.0 mm long; anther appendages pale yellow. Cypselas not seen. Pappus bristles ± 6 mm long, whitish-tawny to brownish.

Flowering: September to January.

Distribution and ecology: restricted to the eastern end of the Cape Floristic Region, from the Baviaanskloof in Eastern Cape through the Langkloof to the Vanstadensberg and Great Winterhoek Mountains ( Fig. 8 ), occurring on stony and rocky sandstone soils, 240– 450 m.

Diagnosis: resembling G. tomentosa in the more or less ovate leaves, densely yellowish–brownish felted on the under surface ( Fig. 2D ), and in the golden-brownish felted involucral bracts but differing in the smaller leaves with ± entire blades 30–60 mm long, and a subseriate involucre. The leaf margins are typically slightly involute, showing as a raised rusty-felted margin along the leaf upper surface.

Gerbera ovata was initially treated as a variety of G. tomentosa ( Candolle, 1838) but was later included in that species without rank by Hansen (1985) on account of their similar leaf under surface indumentum. True G. tomentosa occurs much further west, on the Hottentots Holland and adjacent mountains in Western Cape, and has generally larger leaves with serrate to sinuate blades 40–150 mm long with revolute margins, and characteristic imbricate bracts not ± arranged in series. The combination of the disjunct distribution and the several morphological differences are clear indications that the eastern populations represent a distinct species.

Additional collections examined.

South Africa. EASTERN CAPE: 3323 (Willomore): Baviaanskloof, (− BC), 15 Jan 1976, Manson 240 (NBG); Baviaanskloof, (− BC), 15 Jan 1976, Manson 240 (NBG); Kouga Mtns near Kouga Peak, (− DA), 14 Nov 1944, Esterhuysen 2812 (BOL); Kouga Mtns, E of Smutsberg, (− DA), Nov 1941, Esterhuysen 7022 (BOL); hill north of Joubertina, (− DD), 19 Sep 2004, Goldblatt & Porter 12,496 (NBG). 3324 (Steytlerville): Kareedouw Pass, (− CC), Nov 1923, Fourcade 2812 (BOL); Great Winterhoek Mtns, Cockscomb, (− DB), 30 Nov 1958, Esterhuysen 27,987 (BOL). 3424 (Humansdorp): Clarkson, (− AB), Nov 1927, Fourcade 3499 (NBG). 3325 (Port Elizabeth): Humansdorp, Loerie Forest Reserve, (− CC), 28 Jan 1934, Long 48 (NBG); Vanstadensberg, Jan [without year], MacOwan 1061 (NBG); Vanstadens River Mtns, (− CC), Jan 1867, Bolus 1625 (BOL); NW end of watershed, kloof running down to Vanstadens River, (− CC), 10 Sep 1973, Oliver 4482 (NBG); Vanstadens Bay, (− CC), 14 Nov 1928, Gillet 2396 (NBG).

Figures

Fig. 8. Distribution of Gerbera ovata.

Fig. 2. Leaf upper and under surfaces in Gerbera section Gerbera. A.G. wrightii (Compton 15457, NBG).B. G. linnaei (Rourke I280, NBG).C. G. serrata (McDonald 1486, NBG). D. G.ovata (Goldblatt & Porter 12496, NBG). E. G. crocea (E1. Rourke 774, NBG. E2. Taylor 4383, NBG, note the glabrous under surface). F.G. sinuata (Lewis 6211, NBG).G. G. tomentosa (G1. Kruger 1136, NBG.G2.Nel s.n., NBG).H.G.grandis (Williams 3695, NBG).Scale bar = 10 mm.