Callilepis glabra Candolle (1836: 671)

Herman, Paul P. J., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the genus Callilepis (Asteraceae) in South Africa, Phytotaxa 563 (1), pp. 1-62 : 30-34

. Callilepis glabra Candolle (1836: 671) .

= Callilepis laureola var. glabra (DC.) Sonder in Harvey (1865: 136); Hilliard (1977: 287); Wild (1980: 92).

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. Natal [KwaZulu-Natal]: Omsamculo, Grasshöhe , 400 ft [Umzimkulu, grassy hills, 122 m], (QDS: 3030CB Port Shepstone), 3 May 1832, Drege 5115 (lectotype G-DC barcode G00456480 !, designated here ; isolectotypes P barcodes P00063632 , P00063633 , P00063634 ). Fig. 4 .

= Callilepis glabra var. kraussii Schulz Bipontinus (1844: 673) . Type: —[ South Africa.] In arenosis graminosis circa Natalbai [in sandy grassveld, Natal Bay (?Durban)], (QDS: probably 2931CC Stanger), Julio 1839, [July 1839], Krauss 281 (lectotype TUB barcode TUB-005377, image, designated here; isolectotypes P barcode P00063636, image, TUB barcode TUB-005378, image).

Erect, perennial herb with tufts of annual stems from underground rootstock, 300–450(–550) mm high. Stems sparsely branched or unbranched, becoming pedunculoid upwards, ribbed, glabrous or very rarely with occasional hair, but with sparse hair tufts in leaf axils. Leaves sessile, opposite or subopposite in lower half of stem, upper alternate, narrowly elliptic or elliptic, rarely broadly elliptic, sometimes lower leaves narrowly ovate or ovate, decreasing upwards and passing into peduncular bracts, (10–)15–50(–52) × 3–15(–25) mm, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes obtuse, base cuneate, narrowly cuneate, obtuse to rounded or rarely almost subcordate, margin glabrous or very rarely with occasional hair, whitish or paler than rest of blade, entire, or sometimes sparsely and minutely serrulate in upper part of leaf, blade glabrous, 3(rarely 5)-veined from base, but sometimes prominent main vein and 2 faint side veins. Capitula solitary, heterogamous, radiate. Involucre hemispherical, 15–25(–30) mm wide. Involucral bracts in 3 or 4, rarely only 2 or up to 5 rows, subequal, glabrous, inner grading into outer paleae; outer row linear, linear-triangular, narrowly triangular, rarely very narrowly elliptic or very narrowly ovate, (5.8–)6.0–11.0(–14.0) × 0.8–1.5 mm, apex (long) acuminate or acute, margin paler or narrowly to very narrowly membranous, sometimes faintly pectinate in lower part, surface glabrous; second row linear, linear-triangular, narrowly triangular, oblong or narrowly oblong or (rarely) narrowly ovate, (5.6–)6.0–10.0(–13.0) × 1.0– 1.8 mm, apex acute or (long) acuminate, margin paler, narrowly or very narrowly membranous, sometimes faintly pectinate in lower part, surface glabrous; third row/ray palea linear, linear-triangular, narrowly triangular, (very) narrowly ovate, rarely oblong or rarely narrowly obovate, (5.0–)6.0–8.0(–11.5) × 1.0–2.0(– 2.5) mm, apex acute or acuminate to long acuminate, margin narrowly to very narrowly membranous, sometimes faintly pectinate in lower part or all along, sometimes folded inwards, surface glabrous; fourth row/ray palea linear-triangular, narrowly ovate, 5.5–11.5 × 1–2 mm, apex (long) acuminate, margin (very narrowly) membranous, sometimes folded inwards, sometimes faintly pectinate in lower half, surface glabrous; fifth row/ray palea narrowly ovate, 6.5–7.0 × 1.0– 1.2 mm, apex acuminate, margin membranous, faintly pectinate in lower part, lower part folded inwards, surface glabrous. Receptacle paleate, paleae boat-shaped, (4.5–)5.0–7.5(–9.0) mm long with 1.0–1.5(–2.0) mm long acute or acuminate, dark apex, glabrous, often with very narrow membranous wing along back. Ray florets zygomorphic, female, fertile, arranged in 1, 2 or 3 rows; corolla white, cream or light yellow; tube (0.5–)1.0–2.5(–3.0) mm long, limb (10–)12–16(–23) × 3.0–6.5(–9.0) mm, minutely 2- or 3-lobed or unlobed. Staminodes (0)1 to 3, ± 1–2 mm long. Styles (2.0–)2.8–3.5(–4.2) mm long, exserted, bifurcate, branches sometimes unequal or often undivided, undivided styles (2.8–)3.0– 3.5 mm long; style branches oblong or linear-elliptic, (0.4–) 0.5–1.5 mm long, uneven or sometimes one lobe under-developed, unlobed style branch oblong, 0.5–1.2 mm long, apex obtuse, with broad marginal stigmatic areas, basally separated but apically confluent in broad band or entire inner surface stigmatic. Ray ovaries obovatetrigonous, 2.0–3.5(–4.0) mm long, or those of inner ray florets often laterally compressed as in disc florets, glabrous. Ray cypselae (only two seen) usually obovate-trigonous, 3.5–4.5 × 1.8–2.0 mm, glabrous. Ray pappus dimorphic, consisting of one long awn, 2.5–4.5(–5.0) mm long, (one)two shorter awns, (1.5–)2.0– 3.5 mm long and few smaller obtuse scales in between, ± 1.0(–1.5) mm long, apices often lacerate. Disc florets actinomorphic, bisexual, fertile, many; corolla purple, maroon, brown, violet-black or black; tube (2.0–)3.0–4.0(–4.5) mm long, tubular with parallel sides basally, between basal and upper part often with ring-like thickening and from there widening narrowly funnelshaped upwards, 5-lobed; lobes narrowly ovate, 1–2 mm long, acute, recurved. Anthers 5, 1.5–2.0 mm long, exserted, apical appendages narrowly ovate, 0.5 mm long, bases caudate and calcarate, tails 0.5–1.0 mm long, ciliate. Styles (2–)3–4(–5) mm long, exserted, bifurcate, upper part below branches sometimes cup-shaped; style branches oblong or linear, (0.5–)0.8–1.0(–1.2) mm long, apex broadly conical, with acute hairs outside at base of cone, with broad marginal stigmatic areas, basally separated but apically confluent in broad band, or entire inner surface stigmatic. Disc ovaries obovate, (2–) 3–5 mm long, laterally compressed, glabrous, margins slightly winged. Disc cypselae (4 seen) obovate, (4.0–)5.0(–5.5) × (2.2–)2.5(–3.0) mm, laterally compressed, ribbed, glabrous. Disc pappus dimorphic, consisting of one (rarely two) long awn(-s), 2.5–4.0 mm long, one (rarely two) shorter awn(-s), 1.5–3.0(–3.5) mm long and smaller, oblong-obtuse scales in between, 1–2 mm long, apices often lacerate. Flowering time: July to June (throughout the year). Figs 19, 20.

Diagnostic characters:— Callilepis glabra can be recognised by totally glabrous plants except for hair tufts in the leaf axils, its narrowly elliptic or elliptic, rarely broadly elliptic leaves, sometimes lower leaves narrowly ovate or ovate, leaves are ± regularly set along the stems and ± similar in size throughout for a specific specimen, arranged more obviously opposite in ± lower half of stems, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes obtuse, base cuneate, narrowly cuneate, obtuse to rounded or rarely almost subcordate, solitary capitula with narrow, subequal involucral bracts, white, cream or light yellow ray florets, purplish or blackish disc florets and glabrous cypselae. Callilepis salicifolia also has elliptic leaves, but they taper on both sides towards the apex and base, the apex is usually attenuate, acuminate or acute and the base narrowed petiole-like, attenuate or narrowly cuneate to cuneate, and it has a different distribution.

Distribution:— Callilepis glabra is endemic to South Africa and has a small distribution area in southern KwaZulu-Natal and north-eastern Eastern Cape, usually found near the coast (Fig. 18).

Additional specimens examined

SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: In apertis, Claremont, Umgebung von Durban [open places, Claremont near Durban], 15 m, (QDS: 2930DD Pietermaritzburg), 26 June 1893, Schlechter 2835 ( PRE, 2 sheets). Inanda District, Verulam, disturbed ground, 1000 ft [305 m], (QDS: 2931CA Stanger), 28 July 1965, Moll 1841 (NU image, PRE). Berea, open places, 250 ft [76 m], (QDS: 2931CC Stanger), 13 June 1893, Medley Wood 4873 ( PRE). Scottburgh near Durban, (QDS: 3030BD Port Shepstone), July 1914, Wahl s.n. TvlMus14028 ( PRE). Umtentweni District, coastal, grassveld, (QDS: 3030CB Port Shepstone), December 1956, Repton 4515 ( PRE). Port Edward District, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, Farm Clearwater, near cottage, steep, rocky slope, grassland, recently burned, (QDS: 3030CC Port Shepstone), 18 July 1995, Germishuizen 8068 ( PRE). Port Shepstone, Uvongo Beach, short grass/bush clump vegetation, 300 ft [91 m], (QDS: 3030CD Port Shepstone), March 1967, Liebenberg 7984 ( PRE). Port Shepstone, Uvongo Beach, in kort gras op sandgrondbult [in short grass on hillock in sandy soil], 300 ft [91 m], (QDS: 3030CD Port Shepstone), April 1968, Liebenberg 8104 ( PRE). Port Shepstone District, Shelley Bay, sandy soil, littoral shrub, (QDS: 3030CD Port Shepstone), December 1930, Mogg 12124 ( PRE). South Coast, St Michaels-on-Sea, (QDS: 3030CD Port Shepstone), 12 January 1937, Mogg 13427 ( PRE). Port Shepstone District, Marina Beach , sandy hills, (QDS: 3030CD Port Shepstone), 9 August 1965, Strey 5945 (NU image, PRE). Port Shepstone, (QDS: 3030CB/ CD Port Shepstone), June 1904, Burtt-Davy 2405 ( PRE). Port Shepstone, (QDS: 3030CB/CD Port Shepstone), April 1897?, No Collector 408?/ PRE 4991 ( PRE). Omsamcaba, 800 ft [Umsikaba, 244 m], (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 21 February 1832, Drege 5115 ( P barcode P 00063623, image). Port Edward, Clearwater, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 23 July 1982, Abbott 119 ( PRE, PRU). Just outside Port Edward on road to Bizana, hillside, grassland, recently burned, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 20 September 1996, Germishuizen 8666 ( PRE). 2 km from Umtamvuna bridge on Port Edward road, seaward slope of grassland, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 10 December 1985, Pienaar 769 ( PRE). 3 km from Umtamvuna River bridge on road to Port Edward, roadside grassveld, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 10 December 1985, Pienaar 791 ( PRE). Port Edward, burnt hillside, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 12 September 1981, Stirton 9067 ( PRE). Port Shepstone District, Port Edward hills, mountain grassveld, ± 600 ft [183 m], (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 25 October 1962, Strey 4500 ( PRE).

Eastern Cape: Lusikisiki District, Mkambati Leper Institute, Skotogi camp, grassveld, (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 27 October 1955, Marais 976 ( PRE). Lusikisiki District, Umsikaba river mouth, Pondoland, (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 20 January 1937, Mogg 13324 ( PRE). Mkambati Game Reserve, moderate rocky slope, loam soil, grassland, 53 m, (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 16 January 1997, Sebothoma 199 ( PRE). Mkambati Game Reserve, moderate rocky slope, loam soil, grassland, 53 m, (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 16 January 1997, Sebothoma 223 ( PRE). Port St. Johns, Lusikisiki Distrik [District], monding van Mkwenirivier suid van Goss Point, in grasveld op noordelike oewer van rivier [mouth of Mkweni River south of Goss Point, north bank of river, grassveld], (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 13 July 1976, A.E. Van Wyk 1626 ( PRE). Transkei, Mkambathi, 1.3 myl vanaf hospitaal, volop in afgebrande veld [1.3 miles [2.1 km] from hospital, common in burnt veld], (QDS: 3129BD Port St Johns), 9 July 1976, Venter 822 ( PRE). Mkambati Game Reserve, at Horseshoe Waterfall, rocky outcrop, moderate slope, grassland, 175 m, (QDS: 3130AA Port Edward), 16 January 1997, Germishuizen 9121 ( PRE).

No locality, no date: Watt & Brandwyk 207 ( PRE).