Lagenophora sublyrata (Cass.) A.R.Bean & Jian Wang ter, Austrobaileya 10: 435. 2019.

Lannuzel, Guillaume, Gateble, Gildas, R. Bean, Anthony & Wang, Jian, 2021, Lagenophora (Asteraceae, Astereae) in New Caledonia, PhytoKeys 177, pp. 125-138 : 125

Lagenophora sublyrata (Cass.) A.R.Bean & Jian Wang ter, Austrobaileya 10: 435. 2019. Figs 3 , 4

Ixauchenus sublyratus Cass. in F.Cuvier, Dict. Sci. Nat. 2nd ed. 56: 176. 1828. Type: New South Wales. Port Jackson, Nov.-Dec. 1819, C. Gaudichaud (Lectotype: P 00742955, image only extant, fide Bean and Wang (2017).

Ixauchenus lyratus Less., Syn. Gen. Compos. 193. 1832, nomen nudum.

Lagenophora billardierei var. media DC., Prodr. 5: 307. 1836. Type: Nova Hollandia, 1823, F.W. Sieber 505 (Syntypes: G 00454010!, HAL, NY 00180436!).

Lagenophora billardierei var. glabrata DC., Prodr. 5: 307. 1836. Type: Nova Hollandia, without locality, 1816, from Lambert’s herbarium (Syntype: G 00454009!).

Lagenophora lanata A.Cunn., Ann. Nat. Hist. 2: 126. 1838. Type: New Zealand. Between the Waitangy and Keri-Keri Rivers, 1834, R. Cunningham 437 (Lectotype: K000890104!, fide Allen 1961: 606).

Type.

Australia. New South Wales: Port Jackson , November-December 1819, C. Gaudichaud (Lectotype: P 00742955†, image only extant; designated by Bean and Wang 2017) ; Australia. New South Wales: Hornsby , April 1914, W.F. Blakely s.n. (Epitype: NSW 10275 !, designated by Bean and Wang 2017) .

Description.

Perennial rhizomatous herb; roots fleshy, 0.2-1 mm diameter; no obvious stem; leaves and scapes firmly attached to rootstock. Leaves 4-9(-11), obovate, oblanceolate, elliptical or spathulate, 1-6 cm long by 0.6-1.6 cm wide (c. 2.5 ×longer than wide), sessile or with a winged petiole-like base to 1 cm long; leaf apex obtuse; leaf margins toothed, crenate to sinuate, with 2-10 teeth, each tooth c. 1 mm long; upper leaf surface green, with 2-7 trichomes per mm2, each 0.3-0.6 mm long; lower leaf surface pale green, with 3-7 trichomes per mm2, each 0.1-0.4 mm long; leaf margins with 6-12 trichomes per mm, each 0.1-0.4 mm long; net veins usually obscure on dried material on both surfaces. Scapes channelled or not, 1-6 per tuft, 5-11(-22) cm long, 0.5-0.8 mm diameter; bracts 2-4, upper ones c. 1.1 × 0.2 mm, lower ones 1.1-2.9 × 0.4 mm; trichomes c. 0.1 mm long, antrorse, more or less appressed; 10-30 trichomes per mm2 at midpoint of scape, slightly denser towards apex. Capitula 3.1-3.5 mm long, 1.8-4 mm diameter; involucral bracts 15-20 in 2-3 rows, glabrous, lanceolate, oblong to obovate, apex green or purple, obtuse to acute, ciliate on distal part, outer bracts 1.3-1.9 × 0.6 mm, inner bracts 2.1-2.7 × 0.7-0.8 mm. Receptacle convex, 0.6-0.8 mm diameter and 0.5-0.8 mm high. Ray florets 20-30 in 2 rows; tube c. 0.4 mm long, 0.1-0.2 mm wide, glandular pilose; style branches c. 0.4 mm long; ligules 1.8-2.6 mm × 0.5-0.6 mm, with obscure longitudinal veins, white, creamy, or purple with age, apex obtuse or bidentate. Disc florets 6-11, corolla light yellow, tubular, 1.5-1.8 mm long, outer surface with sparse glandular trichomes; corolla lobes 5, deltate, 0.2-0.3 × 0.4-0.5 mm; stamens 5, anthers c. 0.6 mm long; style branches 0.3-0.6 mm long; sterile ovary 0.6-0.7 mm long; pappus scales 1 or 2, c. 0.1 mm long. Cypselae laterally compressed, lanceolate or obliquely oblanceolate, 2.2-2.4 × 0.4-0.8 mm excluding beak, light brown to dark brown at maturity; cypsela edges more or less thickened, smooth; with 1-3 eglandular more or less caducous trichomes present usually at base of cypsela; cypsela glands confined to dorsal side of beak and adjacent area of cypsela; cypsela beak 0.4-0.5 mm long, with a thickened white annular collar at its apex, 0.15-0.2 mm diameter.

Specimens examined.

New Caledonia. North Prov.: Mont Mi, 9 Mar 1869, Balansa 1023 (P03292499image!†); Col des Roussettes , 537 m, 15 Sep 1964, Blanchon 963 (NOU072076!); Ouaté, 21°9'19.98"S, 165°9'6.98"E, 15 Apr 2019, Laudereau 1268 (NOU091405!); Diahoué, 20°28'53.11"S, 164°41'33.29"E, 28 Jul 2019, Laudereau 1286 (NOU091406!); Mt Pouitchate between upper Tipindjé and upper Kamendoua above Ateu, 1000 m, 29 Aug 1956, MacKee 5139 (L1815294image!, P03292522image!†); Contrefort de la roche Ouaième, 400 m, 27 Dec 1964, MacKee 11865 (P03292502image!†); Haute Diahot, forêt de Tendé, exploitation forestière Frouin, 500 m, 31 Mar 1969, MacKee 20470 (NOU072078!, P03276833image!, P04234036image!); Tiwaka, Moindip, 550 m, 31 Mar 1974, MacKee 28455 (P04427679image!†); Col Maré, Amoa-Tiwaka, 500 m, 13 Aug 1977, MacKee 33612 (CANB718871.1!, NOU072079!, P04427665image!†); Pouébo, Ouangati, 700 m, 20 Oct 1978, MacKee (legit Cherrier)35947 (P04427672image!†); Néhoué, vallée de la Rade, 50 m, 8 Mar 1979, MacKee 36698 (NOU072077!, P04427673image!†); Piémont sud du Kantalupaik, 300 m, 20°51'6.012"S, 165°0'36"E, 1 Nov 2017, Pignal, Munzinger & Bruy 5263 (P01073109image!); Region de Pouembout au nord de Forêt Plate, 25 Mar 1981, Suprin 1079 (NOU072080!); Plateau de Tango , 650 m, 20 Oct 1981, Veillon 4555 (NOU072082!, P04427674image!†); Cap Tonnerre, 1861-1867, Vieillard 816 (P03292525image!†); sur la montagne à Balade, 1855-1860, Vieillard 817 (P03292446image!†, P03292497image!†); Gatope, 1861-1867, Vieillard 817 (P03292496image!†) . South Prov.: Dumbéa, Baudouin 498 (P03292450image!†); Mont Mou summit, 3500 ft, 15 Mar 1914, Compton 574 (BM013867014image!, P03292498image!†); Mts Koghis , 300 m, 25 Jan 1927, Franc 486 (P03292501image!†); 1874-1876, Germain s.n.(P03292500image!†); Me Aoui , 500 m, 8 Feb 1951, Guillaumin & Baumann-Bodenheim 10444 (P03292560image!†); Cultivated plant at IAC Port-Laguerre , 11 Jun 2020, originally collected at Cascade de Dogny , 915 m, 21°37'04.2"S, 165°53'18.8"E, 21 Jan 2019, Lannuzel 348 (NOU107487!); Cultivated plant at IAC Port-Laguerre, 5 Jan 2021, originally collected at Monts Koghis, sur le chemin du Pic Malaoui, 670m, 22°10'52.2"S, 166°30'43.2"E, 15 May 2020, Lannuzel 427 (NOU107488!); Ouipouin, 21°41'17.88"S, 165°59'13.56"E, 13 Dec 2018, Laudereau 1235 (NOU091403!); Vallée de la Thy, 400 m, 7 Jan 1956, MacKee 3741 (L1815296image!, P03292451image!†, P03292523image!†); Slope of Mt Koghi toward Vallée de la Thy (St Louis), 400-500 m, 24 May 1956, MacKee 4651 (L1815293image!, P03292520image!†); Col d’Amieu, Mont Pembai, 600 m, 15 Apr 1976, MacKee 31018 (NSW935344!, P04427663image!†); Dogny, la cascade, 26 Oct 2007, Munzinger 4621 (NOU030729!); Monts Koghis, propriété Lavoix, 11 Mar 1966, Nothis 67 (NOU072075!); Ile des Pins , 1860s, Pancher 473 (P03292495image!†); Auf den Hügeln bei Yaouhé, 150 m, 25 Sep 1902, Schlechter 14804 (L1815295image!, P03292494image!†) .

Probable additional specimen.

Some plants on Vieillard 817, sur la montagne à Balade, 1855-1860 (P03292448image!†), see notes.

Distribution and habitat.

Lagenophora sublyrata is the most widespread species in the genus ranging from India and Sri Lanka to south-east Asia (e.g. Vietnam), China, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia (e.g. Java), New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. In New Caledonia, it has a widespread distribution (Fig. 4 ) on mainland Grande-Terre with only one old specimen on the outer island of Île des Pins (if the Pancher locality is correct). It mainly inhabits the wet grounds of rainforests or rainforests margins though some specimens are collected in more open conditions (e.g. Franc 486, Lannuzel 348, MacKee 33612 & 35947). The species seems to avoid soils derived from ultramafic substrate, except for Compton 574 which was recorded on ultramafic outcrop (Fig. 4 ) and is recorded from 50 m to 1200 m above sea level but is usually growing at medium altitudes (400-600 m a.s.l.).

Phenology.

Flowers and fruits have been recorded almost all year round with a peak of specimens in March but this could be an artefact. In cultivation, the species seems to flower throughout the year.

Conservation status.

The species is relatively common on mainland, though often neglected by collectors, perhaps because it is inconspicuous or considered to be an exotic or weedy species. Hence, the number of localities where it occurs, judging by herbarium records, may be underestimated. The ecology of the species is rainforest on non-ultramafic substrates at low to medium altitudes. The invasive-introduced Rusa deer ( Rusa timorensis ) may represent a major threat through overgrazing or by trampling of herbaceous vegetation. Nonetheless, with over ten localities (sensu IUCN 2019) recorded, L. sublyrata does not meet the requirements for a threatened species and qualifies for the Least Concern (LC) status.

Notes.

Lagenophora sublyrata is a widespread species with variable leaf shape, indument and plant size. New Caledonia specimens are usually smaller in stature than typical plants from eastern Australia, but features of the roots, cypselae, scapes and involucral bracts are consistent with it. The specimen MacKee11865 bears two numbers on it; 11864 on the Paris herbarium label and on the wrapper and 11865 on a manuscript label by MacKee himself. MacKee’s field notebook (held at NOU herbarium) shows that 11864 is a Mitrasacme Labill., and 11865 is a Lagenophora sp. The correct collection number is therefore 11865. The specimen Vieillard 817 (P03292448image!†) is a mixed specimen with plants of both L. sublyrata and L. sinuosa . Vieillard used a confusing system of numbering of herbarium specimens and mixed specimens are well-known (see Hopkins and Bradford 2009; Morat 2010). An additional problem is the mounting of several plants on the same sheet, probably done by Sébastien-René Lenormand at Institut Botanique de Caen (CN) before the New Caledonian collection was sent to P.

Figures

Figure 3. Lagenophora sublyrata (Cass.) A. R. Bean & Jian Wang ter. A plant in habitat B capitula C capitula with mature cypsela D disc floret E ray floret F cypsela A-F from Lannuzel 348. Photos from G. Lannuzel. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Distribution of Lagenophora sublyrata in New Caledonia. Dots represent reliable localities and stars doubtful ones, greyed areas represent ultramafic outcrops.