Stoebe schultzii Levyns (1937: 33)

Koekemoer, Marinda, 2016, A monograph of Stoebe and Seriphium (Gnaphalieae, Asteraceae) in southern Africa and neighbouring islands, Phytotaxa 242 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

16. Stoebe schultzii Levyns (1937: 33) . Perotriche microphylla Schultz Bipontinus (1861: 181) . Stoebe microphylla auct. non Candolle 1838: Krauss in Schultz Bipontinus (1844: 693). Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. In solo arenoso-calcareo, Zoetendalsvalley, Dec. 1838, Krauss s.n. (P!, lectotype, designated here).

= Stoebe salteri Levyns (1937: 33) , syn. nov. Type :— SOUTH AFRICA. Caledon, 5.5 miles S of Caledon, Salter 5149 (BOL!, holotype; SAM!, K!, BM!, isotypes).

Diffuse, wiry, profusely branched shrublets, occasionally trailing, 0.3 m tall. Branches thin, long and whip-like, the tightly adpressed leaves with tomentose margins making a characteristic, very symmetric, diamond-shaped pattern on the stems. Leaves trullate, up to 6 mm long, tightly adpressed and overlapping closely, midrib raised, abaxial surface woolly-hairy, adaxial surface arachnoid, with hairs teasing out along the margins. Synflorescences variable from very small, with only a few capitula, to a globose head of up to 15 mm in diam., with many tightly packed capitula; secondary synflorescences very often formed in the same season, terminal on brachyblasts that develop below the primary synflorescence, these usually much smaller than the primary synflorescences. Capitula homogamous, discoid, 1-flowered. Involucral bracts usually 4, the outermost with a leafy, knob-like upper half; the other three very thin, distinctly keeled, hyaline, tightly clasping the tube, reaching the base of the corolla lobes, widening and laterally winged in the upper part, with a blunt tip and slightly fimbriate margins. Florets bisexual, white or pink, 2.5 mm long; corolla lobes 1 mm long, spreading. Stamens 5, apical appendages lanceolate, basally tailed. Style base swollen. Nectaries present. Cypselas 1.3 mm long, smooth, glossy, short-hairy around the annulus. Pappus absent. Flowering October to December, occasionally in January and February.

Distribution and habitat: — Western Cape: De Hoop and Bredasdorp to Gans Bay, inland to Caledon, 0–200 m elevations. Figure 34 .

Ecology: —Seasonally moist, sandy loam soil, also on brackish sand, as well as in disturbed areas along roads.

Conservation status: —Vulnerable.

Notes: —This species is similar to St. microphylla but can be distinguished by the white or pink florets with spreading corolla lobes, absence of pappus, and relatively few and short involucral bracts.

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape. Herbertsdale, Cloetes Pass (3321DD), 20 January 1940, Stokoe SAM54744 (SAM); Caledon, 5.5 miles south of town (3419AB), 19 December 1934, Salter 5149 (BM, K, SAM); 5.5 miles S of Caledon (3419AB), 19 December 1934, Salter 5149 (BOL); Caledon div., Gans Bay (3419CB), October 1947, Stokoe SAM69610 (SAM); Caledon Div., Gansbaai (3419CB), October 1947, Stokoe s.n. (PRE); In dunis prope Elim (3419DB), October 1894, Bolus 6910 (BOL); Uitvlugt farm at S side of Bredasdorp Mt., sandy flats, seasonally waterlogged (3419DB), 9 May 1981, Burgers 2701 (NBG); Bredasdorp, Elim (3419DB), 28 December 1946, Compton 19006 (NBG); Bredasdorp-Elim area (3419DB), 6 October 1972, Esterhuysen s.n. (NBG); Bredasdorp dist.: Rietfontein, on moist flats, with Cliffortia brevifolia in damp places, probably water-logged in winter (3419DB), 11 April 1978, Esterhuysen 34878 (BOL, E, PRE, S); Rietfontein (3419DB), 11 August 1983, Esterhuysen 36020 (BOL, PRE); Bredasdorp dist., Brandfontein, coastal wet flats (3419DB), 19 September 1983, Esterhuysen 36067 (BOL, E, K, NBG, PRE, S); Bredasdorp, near Elim (3419DB), 27 December 1946, Leighton 2568 (PRE); Bredasdorp, Rietfontein, coastal flats between the Soetanysberg and the sea, probably water-logged in winter (3419DD), 13 April 1978, Esterhuysen 34895 (BOL, K); 24 km from Struisbaai between Soetanysberg and the sea (3419DD), 27 November 1995, Koekemoer 1121 (PRE); Bredasdorp, below Potberg on N side, 400ft (3420BC), 27 September 1962, Acocks 22828 (K, PRE);

STOEBE AND SERIPHIUM ( GNAPHALIEAE )

Phytotaxa 242 (1) © 2016 Magnolia Press • 81 Potberg, flats at S side near Buffelsfontein pan. Brackish, bare, sandy patches near pan (3420BC), 17 September 1980, Burgers 2543 (PRE, NBG); Flats SW of lower Potberg ruins, Buffelsfontein area (3420BC), 9 April 1981, Manchip & Ashton 105 (BOL); Potberg, 0, 4 km S of Koenskraal along rd. to Elandspad (3420BD), 26 November 1978, Burgers 1510 (PRE, NBG); 26 km from Bredasdorp on Air Force Base near Waenhuiskrans (3420CA), 27 November 1995, Koekemoer 1129 (PRE); 7 km from Struisbaai on Elim/Die Dam road (3420CC), 27 November 1995, Koekemoer 1119 (PRE); 8 km from Struisbaai on the road to Elim & Die Dam (3420CC), 27 November 1995, Koekemoer 1120 (PRE); Caledon div., Onrust River along the coast, 20 November 1940, Esterhuysen 4248 (BOL, K, PRE); Gravelly flats between Bredasdorp and Elim, 28 December 1938, Halfström & Acocks 2279 (PRE); In solo arenoso-calcareo, Zoetendalsvalley, December 1838, Krauss s.n. (P).

Figures

FIGURE 34:—Known distribution of Stoebe schultzii in South Africa.