Valeriana nahuelbutae Penneck., 2020

Penneckamp, Diego N., 2020, Valeriana nahuelbutae sp. nov. (Caprifoliaceae), a new endemic plant from Nahuelbuta mountain range in central-south Chile, Phytotaxa 441 (2), pp. 217-220 : 217-218

Valeriana nahuelbutae Penneck. sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 )

Type:— CHILE. Araucanía Region: Malleco Province, Nahuelbuta National Park at edge of “Coimallín” peat bog, (37°47’55.0’’S, 73°0’54.0’’W), elev. 1260 m, 10 December 2014, D. Penneckamp & A. Zúñiga s.n. (holotype SGO 168352!)

Diagnosis:—Ad Valeriana hebecarpa similis, differt in habito usque folia; sufrutice ramulosi perenne, 1, 5 m altae; caules quadrangularibus, ligna at base et herbacea at apice; folia integra, 1-3,5 × 1-2,5 cm, vel 1-3(5)-foliolis (lobulatis) at folias apice caule, lamina orbicularecordata, margine sinuate ut lobulate.

Perennial shrub of 1.5 m tall, branched at base. Stems tetragonal, sublignificated at base and herbaceous towards apex. Leaves petiolate; petioles winged at base, canaliculate, about 1/2 of the total length of the leaf, margins with hairs towards base; blades entire, suborbicular to cordate, 1–3.5 × 1–2.5 cm, with sinuate to lobulated margins. Basal leaves usually entire, upper leaves from flowering stems compounds, imparipinnate, with 1–3(–5) small lobules and bigger terminal lobule. Inflorescence a lax panicle, with flowers arranged in terminal dichasia. Peduncle winged; pedicels winged, 1.5 mm long. Bracts sessile, lanceolate, acute, 2.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm. Flowers hermaphroditic. Corolla campanulate, 0.75 mm long, white; lobes 0.35 × 0.5 mm. Style exserted, 0.8–0.9(–1) mm, trifid. Stamens 3, included, 0.4 mm long. Ovary 2 mm long. Fruit unknown.

Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the locality where the type was collected, Nahuelbuta National Park. The word “Nahuelbuta” in Mapudungun language means “big jaguar”.

Ecology and distribution:— Valeriana nahuelbutae grows on banks of stream at riparian vegetation, shrub lands, and forest undercanopy of Araucaria araucana ( Molina 1782: 355) Koch (1873: 206) , Nothofagus antarctica ( Forster 1789: 24) Oersted (1871:354) , Nothofagus dombeyi ( Mirbel 1827: 467) Oersted (1871: 354) , Nothofagus pumilio ( Poeppig & Endlicher 1838: 68) Krasser (1896: 161) , Ovidia pillo-pillo ( Gay 1849: 315) Meisner (1857: 524) , being part of the “Coastal temperate resinous forest of Araucaria araucana” ( Luebert & Pliscoff 2017) vegetation community. This species grows on forest edges, in full sun exposure or semi-shade habitat, being typical of vegetation of stream and peat bogs edges of Nahuelbuta high mountain range, mainly above 700 m of elevation, specifically associated with metamorphic schist origin soils.

Phenology:— It blooms principally from November to December.

Conservation status:— This plant has a small distribution range being known only in two localities, and consequentially, would probably be considered as Vulnerable under IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2012). Further exploration of the potential habitat area is needed for known their really conservation status; however the populations of this species are protected because grow in a National Park.

Notes:— Valeriana nahuelbutae is morphologically similar to Valeriana hebecarpa Candolle (1830: 638) , from which differs by their larger shrub habit, leaves sub-rounded to cordate, also Valeriana hebecarpa have an Andean distribution range. Valeriana nahuelbutae is easy to distinguish from other Valeriana spp. of southern Chile ( Kutschker 2011) by their basal leaves orbicular to suborbicular cordate to almost entire, and is characteristic of a very specific habitat.

Additional specimens examined: — CHILE. Biobío Region: Arauco Province, Cañete, Sector San Alfonso, predio Caramávida (Bosques Arauco) beside Sendero Sendas de Rucapehuen, 37°42’24.9’’S, 73°10’19.6’’W, 793 m, 14 November 2004, P. Baxter, M.F. Gardner, P. Hechenleitner V. & P.I. Thomas DCI-1333 (E 00224092, duplicate SGO 162647 and CONC 176907). Plants cultivated Ex situ (from type locality): Malleco Province, Nahuelbuta National Park at edge of “coimallín” peat bog, 37°47’55.0’’S, 73°0’54.0’’W, 1260 m, cultivated at Los Ríos Region: Ranco Province, Ranco Lake, Pitriuco 40°16’34.50”S 72°37’14.28”W, 192 m, 1 November 2016, D. Penneckamp s.n. (SGO 168353, 168354)

Figures

FIGURE 1. Valeriana nahuelbutae iconography: A. Branch, B. Leaf detail; bar = 2.5 cm (B). Drawn by Gustavo Alvarez de Araya based in living plants.

FIGURE 2. A. Juvenile plant in natural habitat at type locality, under canopy of Araucaria araucana and Nothofagus pumilio forest, B. Inflorescence.