Androsace halleri subsp. nuria, 2015

Schönswetter, Peter, Magauer, Marianne & Schneeweiss, Gerald M., 2015, Androsace halleri subsp. nuria Schönsw. & Schneew. (Primulaceae), a new taxon from the eastern Pyrenees (Spain, France), Phytotaxa 201 (3), pp. 227-232 : 230-231

Androsace halleri L. subsp. nuria Schönsw. & Schneew. subsp. nov.

Diagnosis: — Androsace halleri L. subsp. nuria Schönsw. & Schneew. differs from A. halleri L. subsp. halleri in its shorter scapes and shorter, relatively broader leaves— A. halleri subsp. nuria : scapes (6)7–29(37) mm, leaves (3)5–12(15) mm × (0.8)1–1.7(1.8) mm; A. halleri subsp. halleri : scapes (21)22–62(67) mm, leaves 11–18(22) mm × 1.3–1.8(2) mm.

Type: — FRANCE. Dép. Pyrénées Orientales; Grenzkamm zwischen Frankreich und Spanien, westlich des Puigmale , Kalk , Kalkschiefer und kalkfreies Silikat , Fels und Schutt [Pyrénées Orientales: border crest between France and Spain, west of Mt. Puigmal, limestone, calciferous schist and carbonate-free silicate, rocks and scree], 2450–2600 m. 25 Juli 1971, H. Merxmüller & B. Zollitsch 26932, (holotypus M! [ M-0127564 ]) .

Description: —Perennial rosette plant, 1.5–8.3 cm high, rosettes 1.1–3.8 cm diameter, singly or forming loose cushions. Leaves basal, narrow triangular, linear-lanceolate or linear, sometimes with hooked tip, (3)5–12(15) × (0.8)1–1.7(1.8) mm. Leaf margin entire, often ciliate. Upper surface sometimes hairy, especially towards the tip; towards the margin densely and regularly hairy. Hairs mostly hooked, often with subordinate branches, up to 100 μm long. Scapes (0.6)0.7– 2.9(3.7) cm during anthesis, elongated to 1.8–7.5 cm when fruiting, densely stellate hairy. Bracts obovate, 2.5–4.8 × 1.2–1.8 mm. Inflorescence with (1)2–5(6) flowers. Flowers with pedicel 0.9–3 mm at anthesis, elongated to 4 mm when fruiting. Calyx 3.1–5.6 mm, divided to 40–60% of its length. Corolla diameter 6–7 mm, petals pink. Capsule ovoid, 4.0–5.0 × 1.8–2.2 mm.

Etymology:— Named after the Valle de Nuria in the Spanish province of Girona/Gerona.

Distribution, ecology and conservation:— Androsace halleri subsp. nuria is distributed in the eastern Pyrenees, in the Spanish province of Girona/Gerona (for a comprehensive list of localities see Benito Garzón & al. 2001) and the French department Pyrénées-Orientales. The altitudinal distribution ranges from (1900) 2200 to 2850 m on Mt. Puigmal. Preferred habitats are open alpine meadows, more rarely dwarf shrub communities with relatively long snow cover or subnival scree communities. Androsace halleri subsp. nuria is restricted to a relatively small area with 40 km southwest-northeast extension, where it is growing up to the highest summits (e.g., Mt. Puigmal). It adds to the list of (sub)endemics of the eastern Pyrenees, which includes Delphinium montanum De Candolle ex De Candolle & Lamarck (1805: 641) , Salix ceretana (P. Montserrat) J. Chmelař (1982: 111), Senecio leucophyllus De Candolle (1813: 144) and Xatardia scabra Meisner (1838: 145 ; Gómez & al. 2003). We suggest classifying the taxon as Near Threatened because of its small distribution area (extent of occurrence c. 500 km 2) and the anticipated range loss triggered by global warming ( IUCN, 2012).

Additional specimens examined:— FRANCE. Pyrénées Orientales : basis of a rock face facing towards Porteille d’Orlu, 1900–2000 m, 9 June 1983, P. Montserrat & L. Villar F-66 (JACA-138283!) ; ibid., massif of Puigmale d’Err (above the skiing resort Las Planes, close to the Spanish border), 2400 m, 10 July 1991, J. Lambinon 91/F/200 (MSB-002534!) *; ibid., crest on the border between France and Spain, west of Mt. Puigmale, 2450–2600 m, 25 July 1971, H. Merxmüller & B. Zollitsch 26932 ( M-0127564 !) *; ibid., crest on the border between France and Spain , Pla de Salinas south of Osseja, 2200–2300 m, 23 July 1971, H. Merxmüller & B. Zollitsch 26817 ( M-0127568 !) *; ibid., crest on the border between France and Spain, between Pla de Salinas and Col de Caralps, southwest of Mt. Puigmale, 2400–2560 m, 23 July 1971, H. Merxmüller & B. Zollitsch 26852 ( M-0127569 !) *; ibid., Puigmal , 2200–2350 m, 5 July 1986, P. Montserrat, L. Villar, G. Montserrat (JACA-443386!) ; ibid., Puigmal , 2400–2500 m, 5 July 1986, P. Montserrat, L. Villar, G. Montserrat (JACA-446086!) ; ibid., Canigou massif, Plas de Cady—Pic du Canigou, 2300–2784 m, 2°26‘E, 42°30‘30‘‘N, 14 July 2001, G. Schneeweiss, P. Schönswetter & A. Tribsch 6416 (WU!) *.

SPAIN. Girona : Queralps, close to the tunnel of the cog railway, in a valley below the Santuario de Nuria, 10 June 1955, P. Montserrat, O. de Bolos & J. Braun-Blanquet (JACA-13055!) ; ibid., Ribas de Ferrer [Ribes del Freser?], above the treeline in the Valle de Nuria, 2200–2800 m, 3 August 1974, L. Villar (JACA-5324!) ; ibid., Nuria , Collet Verd, 2100 m, L. Vigo, 2 July 1977 (BCN-46700!) ; ibid., Nuria , Cossa de l’Embut, 2250 m, A. Farràs, 2 July 1977 (BCN-46702!) ; ibid., La Molina, M. T. Losa (BCN-16973!) ; ibid., Nuria , in the alpine zone, 2000–3000 m, July 1879. Herbarium Dris Frio Tremols (WU!) *; ibid., eastern Pyrenees , southern ridge of Puigmal d’Err , from the Baga de les Clotes to the summit, 2500–2910 m, 2°7‘35‘‘E, 42°22‘30‘‘N, 22 July 2003, G. M. Schneeweiss & P. Schönswetter 8836 (WU!) .