Hilliardiella oligocephala (DC.) H.Rob. var. besteri P.P.J.Herman, 2022

Herman, Paul P. J., 2022, Hilliardiella elaeagnoides and H. oligocephala (Asteraceae, Vernonieae), two distinct species and the description of a new variety, Phytotaxa 570 (1), pp. 29-42 : 38-41

Hilliardiella oligocephala (DC.) H.Rob. var. besteri P.P.J.Herman , var. nov.

Similar to H. oligocephala var. oligocephala but with narrowly elliptic to linear-elliptic leaves up to 10(–12) mm broad, 3(rarely 5)-veined, 3(5) veins prominently raised abaxially.

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Barberton District, ± 8.5 km directly SSW of Barberton, Farm Ameide 717JT, NW of Shokhohlwa Peak, S hill slope, grassland, 1591 m, (QDS: 2531 CC Komatipoort), 9 December 2008, Bester 8817 (holotype PRE) .

Etymology:—Named for S.P. (Pieter) Bester, colleague and diligent plant collector.

Slender perennial herb with few, soft, annual, herbaceous stems from small underground rootstock. Rootstock also with fusiform tubers. Annual stems (100–)120–250(–270) mm high, unbranched or rarely with one or two short side branches, faintly to distinctly ribbed, densely brown or silvery/whitish hairy, hairs short-stalked, medifixed Tshaped with arms parallel to surface. Leaves alternate, sessile or very shortly petiolate, discolorous, narrowly elliptic, linear-elliptic, sometimes elliptic, rarely narrowly obovate or obovate, (10–)12–45(–50) × (2.0–)2.5–10.0(–12.0) mm (including petiole), apex obtuse to acute, sometimes rounded or rarely attenuate, base cuneate or shortly attenuate, margin entire, prominently 3(rarely 5)-veined from base, these raised on abaxial surface, on adaxial surface faint or sunken, rarely some reticulate veins visible between main veins, adaxial surface sparsely to more densely hairy, abaxial surface densely hairy, hairs brownish or whitish, also short-stalked, medifixed T-shaped with arms parallel to surface, similar to those on stems. Capitula homogamous, discoid, few, on very short peduncles, arranged in dense, terminal, umbellate synflorescences. Peduncle (2.0–)2.5–14.0 mm long, densely hairy. Involucre cupuliform to campanulate, (5–) 6–10 mm wide across upper part. Involucral bracts arranged in 4 or 5 rows, imbricate, outer shorter than inner, densely white or silvery hairy and glandular-punctate; outer row narrowly triangular, linear-triangular, linear or narrowly ovate, (2.5–)3.0–4.0(–5.8) × 0.5–1.0 mm, apex usually cuspidate, reddish; second row linear-triangular, narrowly triangular, narrowly ovate or narrowly obovate, (3.0–)4.0–5.0(–6.5) × (0.8–)1.0–1.5(–2.0) mm, apex attenuate or cuspidate, upper part of margin and apex usually reddish, sometimes 3-veined, visible on inside; third row narrowly ovate or narrowly obovate, 4.0–5.0(–5.5) × 1.0–1.6(–2.0) mm, apex acute or attenuate, cuspidate, upper part of margin and apex usually reddish, usually 3-veined, visible on inside; fourth row narrowly ovate, narrowly elliptic or (very) narrowly obovate, (4–)5–6 × 1.0–1.5(–2.2) mm, apex acute or attenuate, cuspidate, apical part of margin and apex reddish, usually 3-veined, visible on inside; fifth row narrowly elliptic or narrowly obovate, (4.2–)5.5(–6.0) × 1.0– 1.5 mm, apex attenuate, cuspidate, apical part of margin and apex reddish, usually 3-veined, visible on inside. Receptacle epaleate. Disc florets bisexual, fertile, actinomorphic; corolla pinkish or purple, tubular; tube 3.5–4.5(–5.0) mm long, upper part of tube with few sessile glands and T-shaped hairs, 5-lobed; lobes 2–3 mm long, apex acute, with sessile glands and T-shaped hairs but around apex with unicellular hairs. Anthers (1.5–)2.0– 2.5 mm long, with (narrowly) ovate apical appendages, bases caudate. Style 4.0–6.0(–7.5) mm long, exserted, bifurcate; style branches reddish or purple, filiform, 1.0–1.5(–1.8) mm long, recurved, with acute hairs on outside of branches and onto the shaft below furcation, total inner surface stigmatic. Ovary/cypsela brown, ± obconical, 1.0– 1.8 mm long, densely twin hairy and glandular punctate, with distinct carpopodium. Pappus dimorphic, an outer row of laciniate scales, 0.5–1.0 mm long and inner row of barbellate bristles 4–5 mm long. Flowering time: (August)September to December. ( Fig. 1B, C , 4C, D, F , 6 ).

Diagnostic characters:— Hilliardiella oligocephala var. besteri has few, soft, slender, annual, herbaceous stems only up to 250(–270) mm high from the underground rootstock, narrowly elliptic to linear-elliptic, abaxially prominently raised 3(rarely 5)-veined leaves up to 10(–12) mm broad. Hilliardiella oligocephala var. oligocephala has narrowly or broadly ovate, cordate, elliptic or broadly elliptic, prominently raised, pinnately veined leaves.

Distribution:— Hilliardiella oligocephala var. besteri is near endemic to Mpumalanga and occurs in a small area in Mpumalanga and in eSwatini ( Swaziland) ( Fig. 7 ).

Additional specimens examined

SWAZILAND [eSWATINI]. Havelock Mine, grassland, 4300 ft [1311 m], (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), September 1955, Miller 3013 (PRE). Havelock Mine, grassland, 4000 ft [1219 m], (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), October 1955, Miller 3057 (PRE). Mbabane District, Waverley Mine, 5000 ft [1524 m], (QDS: 2630BD Carolina), 17 October 1956, Compton 26095 (PRE). Mbabane District, Ngwenya Mountain, 5500 ft [1676 m], (QDS: 2632AA Bela Vista), 18 November 1956, Compton 26332 (PRE).

SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Pilgrim’s Rest District, Sabie, Mauchsberg, 4800–5800 ft [1463–1768 m], (QDS: 2530BA Lydenburg), 22 December 1932, Smuts & Gillett 2271 (PRE), Smuts & Gillett 2329 (PRE). Pilgrim’s Rest District, Mount Anderson, 7000 ft [2134 m], (QDS: 2530BA Lydenburg), 24 December 1932, Smuts & Gillett 2406 (PRE). Barberton District, ± 11 km E of Barberton, Farm Twello, Sappi Plantation, moderate NW mountain slope, grassland, 1449 m, (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), 13 November 2014, Bester 12085 (PRE). Barberton District, at turn-off from R40 between Barberton and Josefsdal towards Diepgezet mine, ± 18 km SSE of Barberton, gentle NW mountain slope, grassland, 1455 m, (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), 26 November 2017, Bester 13858 (PRE). Barberton District, Oosterbeek farm, 5 km S of Barberton, grassland, 5200 ft [1585 m], (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), 15 November 1977, De Sousa 631 (PRE). Barberton, Angle station, hill above station, (QDS: 2531CC Komatipoort), 2 August 1978, Venter 4491 (PRE).

Locality not found: Mpumalanga, Barberton, mountain tops near Bosch’s, 4000–4500 ft [1219–1372 m], September 1889, Galpin 557 (PRE).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Digital images illustrating the habit and synflorescences of Hilliardiella elaeagnoides and H. oligocephala var. besteri. A. Hilliardiella elaeagnoides growing in the Pretoria National Botanical Garden. Photographer M. Koekemoer. B. H. oligocephala var. besteri growing in Mpumalanga near the eSwatini border. Photographer D. Oosthuizen. C. The few-headed, umbellate synflorescence of H. oligocephala var. besteri growing on the farm Schultzenhorst 718 JT, Barberton District (Mpumalanga). Photographer D. Oosthuizen.

FIGURE 4. Leaves and involucral bracts of Hilliardiella oligocephala. A. Abaxial surface of leaves of H. oligocephala var. oligocephala (Bester 8832, PRE) showing the pinnate veins(Nikondigital camera,photographer P.Herman).B.Abaxial surface of leaf of H.oligocephala var. oligocephala (Medley Wood 5755, PRE) showing the dense hairs and pinnate veins (Olympus digital microscope). C.Abaxial surface of the leaf of H. oligocephala var. besteri (Smuts & Gillett 2406, PRE) showing the 3 main veins (Nikon digital camera, photographer P. Herman). D. Abaxial surface of the leaf of H. oligocephala var. besteri (Smuts & Gillett 2406, PRE) showing the dense hairs and the 3 main veins (Olympus digital microscope). E. Inner surface of the inner involucral bract of H. oligocephala var. oligocephala (Codd 1796, PRE) showing the 3 main veins (Olympus digital microscope). F. Inner surface of the inner involucral bract of H. oligocephala var. besteri (Compton 26095, PRE) showing the 3 main veins (Olympus digital microscope).

FIGURE 6. Scan of the holotype of Hilliardiella oligocephala var. besteri (Bester 8817, PRE).

FIGURE 7. Distribution map of Hilliardiella oligocephala var. besteri in southern Africa.