Manfreda occidentalis Art.Castro & Aarón Rodr., 2017

Castro-Castro, Arturo, Munguía-Lino, Guadalupe, Carrillo-Reyes, Pablo & Rodriguez, Aarón, 2017, Manfreda occidentalis (Agavoideae, Asparagaceae) a new species from western Mexico, Phytotaxa 321 (1), pp. 60-70 : 64-65

Manfreda occidentalis Art.Castro & Aarón Rodr. sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A–B and Figs. 2–5 )

Species nova Manfreda planifolia magis proxima, a qua praecipue differt cormis oblongo-ovatis (contra globosis ad ovatis); foliis canaliculatis (contra applanatis), supra et subtus in facie papillatis (contra non papillatis); perigonio 1.8–2.5 cm longo (contra 2.8– 3.5 cm longo), infundibuliformi (contra hypocrateriformi), flavido et fasciato cum fasceis subpurpureis angustis (contra uniformiter flavido), perigonii tubo 0.3–0.7 × 0.2–0.4 cm (contra 0.9–1.1 × 0.1–0.3 cm); filamentis insertis ad 0.3–0.7 cm supra ovarii apice (contra insertis 0.9–1 cm supra ovarii apice); anthera usque ad 0.9–1.1 cm longa (contra 1.2–1.5 cm longa); et stylo 2.1–3.5 mm longo (contra 4.5–5 cm longo), exserto 1.8–3 cm ab perigonii tubo per anthesin (contra exserto 3.5–4.2 cm).

Type:— MEXICO. Jalisco: Cabo Corrientes, km 176 de la carr. Mex. 200, entre Puerto Vallarta y Puerto Melaque, 753 m elevation, 20º22’1.4’’N, 105º18’52.8’’W, 6 September 2009 (fl, fr), A. Rodríguez 5924 et al. (holotype IBUG!, isotypes CIIDIR!, SLPM!, IEB!, MEXU!).

Perennial herb. Corm oblong-ovoid, (2.9–)4.5–5.6(–13.5) × 1.4–2.4(–5) cm, with growth buds and thickened contractile and fleshy roots. Roots cuneiform, 7–17 cm long. Bulb oblong-ovoid, 2–2.6 × 1.5–1.9 cm, tunicate. Leaves 4–7(–10) in a basal rosette, erect, alternate, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 48–83 × 1.8–4.5 cm, widest at the middle and tapering at both ends, channeled, acute, apex hardened, not pungent, and formed by the rolling of the lamina, margin hyaline, finely denticulate-erose under magnification, thin to leathery, dull green, concolorous, upper and lower surface papillate on the veins, the papilla dome shaped, 0.1–0.2 mm in diameter. Inflorescence spicate, (60–)90–190(–220) cm long, erect, internodes decreasing in size towards the apex; peduncle (53–)80–130(–170) cm long, bracts 6–10 along the peduncle, two basal and sterile bracts similar to the leaves, linear-lanceolate, (5.5)30–40(–60) × 0.4–2 cm, acute, truncate, thin to leathery, dull green, concolorous, upper and lower surface papillate on the veins, the papilla dome shaped, margin finely dentate; rachis dense, 7–28 cm long, with 15–30 floral nodes, primary floral bracts triangular to subulate, 0.7–1.8 × 0.2–0.6 cm, acute, truncate, smooth, soon drying, scariose, frequently deciduous. Bracteoles ensiform to acicular, 1–3 × 1 mm, entire. Flowers solitary at the inflorescence nodes, sessile [but pedicels 0.2–0.5 mm long in A. Rodríguez et al. 5924 ( CIIDIR)], 1.8–2.5 cm long in anthesis, funnel-shaped, ascending to diffuse, yellowish and light purple striate; perigone tube 0.3–0.5 cm long, 0.2–0.4 cm wide at the base of the lobes, tubular, straight; lobes 1–1.5 × 0.2–0.4 mm, lanceolate, reflexed, barely hyaline, apices papillate. Stamens epitepalous, antitepalous, phanerantherous; filaments subulate, 1.4–2.5 cm long from their insertion point into the perigone tube, inserted 0.3–0.7 cm above the ovary apex, yellow; anthers linear, 0.9–1.1 × 0.1 cm, green and red striate, helicoidal after dehiscence. Ovary 0.5–0.7 × 0.3–0.4 cm, oblong-ovate, inferior, protruding 1–2 mm into the perigone tube; style filiform, 2.1–3.5 cm long, exerted 1.8–3 cm from the perigone tube at anthesis, dextrorse towards the stigma; stigma trilobed, papillose, clavate. Fruit a trigonous loculicidal capsule, 1.5–2 × 0.7–1.3 cm, globose to ovoid, crowned by the remains of the perigone and an acute ovarian protrusion. Seeds lunulate to ovate, 4–6 × 3–4 mm, flat, shiny black.

Etymology:—The specific epithet refers to its restricted geographic distribution in western Mexico.

Distribution, habitat and phenology: — Manfreda occidentalis is endemic to two mountain systems in western Mexico. Seven populations were found in close proximity to the Sierra El Cuale (Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco). It is part of the more extensive Sierra Madre del Sur. In contrast, only one population was encountered in the Sierra de Mazatán (Compostela, Nayarit) in the western extreme of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt ( Fig. 2A ). It inhabits the ecotone between the Quercus Linnaeus (1753: 994) and Pinus Linnaeus (1753: 1000) forest, subdeciduous tropical forest, and the savannoid vegetation. Manfreda occidentalis is associated with Aristolochia emiliae Santana-Michel & Solís-Magallanes (2008: 8) , Bessera tuitensis Ramírez (1992: 131) , Bursera simaruba ( Linnaeus 1753: 1026) Sargent (1890: 260) , B. vazquezyanesii Rzedowski & Calderón de Rzedowski (2000: 55) , Byrsonima crassifolia ( Linnaeus 1753: 426) Kunth (1821: 149) , Clethra Linnaeus (1753: 396) , Echeandia coalcomanensis Cruden (1987: 130) , Manfreda involuta McVaugh (1989: 231) , Muhlenbergia cualensis Herrera & Peterson (1992: 114) , Pinus jaliscana Pérez de la Rosa (1983: 290) , P. oocarpa Schiede ex Schlechtendal (1838: 491) , Prochnyanthes mexicana ( Zuccarini 1837: 319) Rose (1903: 14) , Quercus aristata Hooker & Arnott (1841: 444) , Q. cualensis González-Villarreal (2003: 49) , Q. resinosa Liebmann (1854: 182) , Salvia aequidistans Fernald (1900: 512) , S. cualensis González in González-Gallegos & Castro-Castro (2012: 50), Schoenocaulon jaliscense Greenman (1907: 20) , and Verbesina Linnaeus (1753: 901) . The plants are found in areas with deep and acidic soils between 700 to 1000 m elevation. Manfreda occidentalis flowers in August and fruits in September.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — MEXICO. Jalisco: Cabo Corrientes , km 12.5 de la brecha El Tuito-Zimapán, 1074 m elevation, 20º21’20.5’’N, 105º15’1.8’’W, 12 August 2011 (fl, fr), A. Castro-Castro et al. 2511 ( IBUG!) ; Km 5 de la brecha El Tuito-Zimapán, 2.5 km al E de La Provincia, 937 m elevation, 20º20’56’’N, 105º17’36.4’’W, 12 August 2011 (fl, fr), A. Castro-Castro et al. 2522 ( IBUG!, MEXU!) ; Km 175 de la carr. Méx. 200, justo en el cruce con la brecha que conduce a El Cuale, 707 m elevation, 20º21’9.7’’N, 105º19’1.9’’W, 8 August 2011 (fr), A. Rodríguez et al. 6298 ( IBUG!) ; Rancho Las Primaveras, km 186 de la carretera Méx. 200 Melaque- Puerto Vallarta , 394 m elevation, 20º26’23.9’’N, 105º17’51’’W, 4 August 2011 (sterile), A. Rodríguez et al. 6288 ( IBUG!) ; Km 10.5 del camino entre El Tuito y Tehuamixtle , 500 m al N de Zicatán, 556 m elevation, 20º18’50.9’’N, 105º24’13.5’’W, 4 August 2011 (fr), A. Rodríguez et al. 6307 ( IBUG!) ; Km 175 carretera Méx. 200 entre Puerto Melaque y Puerto Vallarta, 39 km al S de Puerto Vallarta , entrada a la mina de Zimapán, Puente La Hacienda , Rancho Maguey , 729 m elevation, 20º21’17.4’’N, 105º19’0.4’’W, 13 September 2015 (fr), A. Rodríguez & A. Castro-Castro 7603 ( IBUG!). Nayarit: Compostela: Km 48 carr. Compostela-Puerto Vallarta, 6 km antes de Mesillas, 736 m elevation, 21º12’56.8’’N, 104º58’28.1’’W, 15 August 2013 (fl, fr), A. Castro-Castro & J. G. González-Gallegos 3275 ( IBUG!, IEB!, MEXU!) .

IUCN Conservation assessment:— Manfreda occidentalis is known from eight locations (10 to 50 individuals for each one) within a radius of 65 km. Using GeoCAT ( Bachman et al. 2011) the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) was of 699.9 km 2, and the size of the Area of Occupancy is 24 km 2, based on cells of 2 x 2 km. A preliminary category of endangered (EN/B2a) is proposed following the IUCN (2012) criteria.

Taxonomic relationships: — Manfreda occidentalis is similar to the M. guttata group. The protrusion of the ovary into the perigone tube separates M. elongata Rose (1903: 21) , M. guttata , M. planifolia ( Watson 1887: 479) Rose (1903: 22) , M. pringlei Rose (1903: 19) , M. rubescens Rose (1903: 22) and M. singuliflora ( Watson 1887: 479) Rose (1903: 16) from the rest of the Manfreda species ( Verhoek-Williams 1975). Within the complex, the length of the ovary protrusion, the leaf margin, and the aggregation of the flowers along the inflorescence rachis differentiate each species ( Fig. 1A, B, G, H, Q and T ). Morphologically, M. planifolia is the most similar species to M. occidentalis ( Fig. 1A, Q ). However, M. occidentalis develops an oblong-ovoid corm as opposed to the globose to ovate corm in M. planifolia . The leaves are channeled with the upper and lower surfaces papillate (vs. flat and not papillate). In M. occidentalis , the perigone is shorter (1.8–2.5 vs. 2.8–3.5 cm), funnel-shaped (vs. salverform), and yellowish with light purple stripes (vs. yellowish). Likewise, the perigone tube is also shorter (0.3–0.7 × 0.2–0.4 vs. 0.9–1.1 × 0.1–0.3 cm). In M. occidentalis the filaments are inserted 0.3–0.7 cm above the ovary tip (vs. 0.9–1 cm) and the anthers reaches 0.9–1.1 cm (vs. 1.2–1.5 cm). A notable difference is the style length which is shorter in M. occidentalis than in M. planifolia (2.1–3.5 vs. 4.5–5 cm). Lastly, the style exceeds 1.8–3 cm the perigone tube in anthesis (vs. 3.5–4.2 cm; Table 2; Fig. 4 ).

Manfreda occidentalis might also be confused with a sympatric species, M. chamelensis Lott & Verhoek-Williams (1991: 366) . However, Manfreda occidentalis flowers from early August to mid-September, during the rainy season whereas M. chamelensis blooms from December to February, in the dry season. The morphological differences are highlighted in the Table 2. Lastly, Manfreda occidentalis inhabits western Mexico with 12 congeneric species [ M. brunnea ( Watson 1891: 156) Rose (1903: 19) , M. chamelensis , M. elongata , M. guttata , M. involuta , M. jaliscana Rose (1903: 22) , M. longibracteata Verhoek-Williams (1978: 166) , M. planifolia , M. pringlei , M. rubescens , M. scabra ( Ortega 1797: 13) McVaugh (1989: 234) , and M. singuliflora ]. Taxa treated in this study, can be identified with the following key.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Floral and fruit diversity in Manfreda from western Mexico. A–B. M. occidentalis (A. Rodríguez et al. 5924, CIIDIR, IBUG, IEB, MEXU). C–D. M. chamelensis (A. Rodríguez et al. 4830, CIIDIR, IBUG, IEB, MEXU). E–F. M. elongata (A. Rodríguez et al. 4836, IBUG). G–H. M. guttata (A. Rodríguez et al. 4489, IBUG). I–J. M. involuta (A. Rodríguez et al. 4852, IBUG). K–L. M. jaliscana (A. Rodríguez et al. 4838, IBUG). M–N. M. longibracteata (A. Rodríguez et al. 4161, IBUG). O–P. M. rubescens (A. Rodríguez et al. 5787, IBUG). Q. M. planifollia (A. Castro-Castro et al. 2942a, IBUG). R. M. scabra (A. Rodríguez et al. 4485, IBUG). S–T. M. singuliflora (A. Rodríguez et al. 4527, IBUG). All pictures by Aarón Rodríguez.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of Manfreda species that occur in western Mexico. A. Western Mexico amplified highlighting the municipalities of Cabo Corrientes (Jalisco) and Compostela (Nayarit).

FIGURE 3. Holotype specimen of Manfreda occidentalis Art.Castro & Aarón Rodr.

FIGURE 4. Manfreda occidentalis Art.Castro & Aarón Rodr. A. Inflorescence apex. B. Flower dissection. C. Infrutescence ápex. D. Seeds. Illustrations by Lesslie Martínez Rubí based on type material.

FIGURE 5. Detail of papillae on upper (above) and underside (below) surfaces of leaves in Manfreda occidentalis Art.Castro & Aarón Rodr.