Galgera Anderb. & Bengtson, 2022

Anderberg, Arne A. & Bengtson, Annika, 2022, Taxonomic novelties in the Asteraceae-Inuleae with the description of a new genus, Galgera separate from Laggera, Willdenowia 52 (3), pp. 373-386 : 382

Galgera Anderb. & Bengtson , gen. nov.

Type: Galgera decurrens (Vahl) Anderb. & Bengtson.

Description — Branched, aromatic annual to perennial herb, sometimes more than 1 m tall. Stems and leaves grey, densely silky tomentose. Leaves alternate, narrowly elliptic, 1–5 cm long, 2–7 mm wide, base long decurrent on stem (therefore stem often winged, wings entire, to 3 mm wide), margin entire, apex acute to obtuse. Capitula heterogamous, solitary or in terminal corymbs, cylindric, often somewhat wider at base, 5–8 mm long. Involucral bracts narrow, in several rows. Receptacle epaleate. Florets with yellow (sometimes whitish) corollas; outer florets female, numerous, with filiform corolla, achenes similar to those of disc florets; disc florets hermaphroditic, fewer than outer florets, with narrowly campanulate corolla. Anthers tailed; endothecial tissue polarized. Style with acute sweeping-hairs not reaching bifurcation. Achenes narrowly cylindric, c. 1 mm long, with elongate twin-hairs; epidermis without elongate oxalate crystals; pappus of 3–5 mm long barbellate capillary bristles.

Remarks — The new genus differs from the type of Laggera ( L. pterodonta = L. crispata (Vahl) Hepper & J. R. I Wood ) and all other species of that genus by having florets with yellow corollas, tailed anthers, polarized endothecial tissue and acute stylar sweeping-hairs ending above the bifurcation. In studies of the Inuleae , differences in floral microcharacters have often been neglected but in retrospect demonstrated to be useful taxonomic markers, all the more in the light of DNA analyses. Examples are the separation of Doellia and Pluchea incisa Elmer from Blumea ( Anderberg 1995, 2012). Antiphiona , the sister group of Galgera , has wingless stems, pinnatifid or bipinnatifid leaves without decurrent bases, and homogamous capitula with florets with purple corollas. In comparison, Galgera is characterized by entire leaves with decurrent bases, often long and forming stem wings, and heterogamous capitula with florets with yellow corollas and filiform female outer florets. The generic name is an anagram of Laggera .