Aspalathus spinifera C.H.Stirt. & Muasya, 2016

Stirton, C. H. & Muasya, A. M., 2016, Seven new species and notes on the genus Aspalathus (Crotalarieae, Fabaceae) *, South African Journal of Botany 104, pp. 35-46 : 36-38

3.2. Aspalathus spinifera C.H.Stirt. & Muasya , sp. nov.

Type: South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal Province, Port Shepstone (3030): Pont Outpost (− AA), 15 Dec. 2009, Abbott 9065 ( BOL, holo.!; NBG!, NH!, PRE!, iso.) .

Small shrub to 0.4 m tall, resprouter. Stems multiple, yellowish with bark splitting and sloughing longitudinally, leaf bases shield like, prominent, persistent. Branches erect, arising from near base; young branches densely retrorsely scabrid, whitish but turning brown and flaking with age. Lea fl ets 10–17 × 0.8–1.0 mm, linear, grooved, slightly flattened on abaxial surface, semi-erect to erect, mostly incurved, glabrous, green, arranged in dense clusters of 3–5 tightly packed on raised black ciliate bases each base with 3–6 leaflets. In fl orescences (1) 2 (3)-flowered, either axillary or terminating short scabrid lateral shoots or pseudospines; many, scattered along seasonal branches. Flowers 9–10 mm long, bright yellow, shorter than leaves; pedicel 4–5 mm long, scabrid; bracts 4–5 mm long, linear, incurved, inserted one third up the pedicel; bracteoles offset, situated just above bracts, subulate, incurved, densely scabrid on inside calyx 6–7 mm long, campanulate, sparsely appressed scabrid; teeth green, narrowly subulate, 3–4 mm long, equal, clearly demarcated from the yellowish tube, glabrous inside; tube 2.5–3.0 mm long, shorter than teeth. Standard blade 9 × 7 mm, elliptic, emarginate, bright yellow turning orange with age, glabrous on most of the back but densely hairy around the claw, base of front above claw densely hairy; midrib at apex thickened; claw 2 mm, sharply recurved. Wing blades 9 × 2 mm, glabrous, blade linear, notched towards lower apex, glabrous; petal sculpturing obscure, reduced to 1–2 lunate folds in deep pocket near auricle; claw 2 mm, slightly upcurved, ciliate near upper base. Keel petals 8 × 3 mm, blades fused, glabrous but margin near base micropapillate, 5.5 m long, scarcely auriculate, obtuse, with well-developed pocket; claw 2–3 mm long, tapering. Androecium 9 mm long with 5 basifixed and 5 dorsifixed, versatile anthers. Pistil 8.5 mm long; ovary 4 mm long, shaggy on middle areas of side, glabrous along bottom, ovules 2; style upcurved, bent midway, hairy along upper margin halfway to point of inflecture; stigma capitate. Fruits 15–18 × 5 mm, broadly lanceolate, apex attenuate, hairy; seeds unknown. Fig. 3.

3.2.1. Etymology

The specific epithet is from the Latin spinifer (thorn-bearing, thorny) and refers to the spiny habit of the plant. The spines of this species are generally leafy short shoots that harden to become spiny.

3.2.2. Diagnostic characters

Aspalathus spinifera is a distinctive species that falls into Dahlgren's (1988) Group 22: Pingues. It is a distinctive grassland shrublet densely clothed with erect closely packed leaves. Previously this species was included in the very variable and widespread species A. spinosa . Dahlgren (1988) noted that “eastern forms of A. spinosa are rather tall and largerflowered though there is some variation e.g., in Natal, which deserves further study”. We have seen A. spinosa across its distribution range and the KZN species has different facies and habit.

Aspalathus spinifera is characterised by its resprouting habit, and can be separated from typical A. spinosa by its pseudo-spinescent scabrid short shoots (versus glabrous thorns); calyx lobes narrowly subulate, 3–4 mm long (versus short-triangular or broadly subulate, <1.5 mm long); and pedicels 4–5 mm (versus <3 mm) long.

3.2.3. Distribution and habitat

Aspalathus spinifera coppices after fire and occurs predominantly in open grassland in Pondoland-Ugu Sandstone Coastal Sourveld (CB 4) and KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt (CB 3), but also extends onto Midlands Mistbelt Grassland (Gs 9), Ngongoni Veld (SVs 4), and Drakensberg Foothill Moist Grassland (Gs 10) ( Rutherford et al., 2006; Mucina et al., 2006a, 2006b) ( Fig. 2 ). It occurs mainly at about 190–400 m but can be at higher altitudes further inland from the coastal strip where most of its distribution occurs. Flowering is from October to February with a peak from December to February.

3.2.4. Conservation status

Given its broad distribution we rank the conservation status of this species as least concern. However, as a resprouter it is vulnerable to loss and degradation of its grassland habitat to afforestation in inland areas, ploughing for sugar-cane farming along the coast and overgrazing. No other threats are known.

3.2.5. Additional specimens studied

South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal. 2831 (Nkandla): Weenen, Culvers (− BB), Dec. 1923, Rogers 28,465 (K). 2930 ( Pietermaritzburg ): Table Mountain (− DA), Dec. 1881, Tyson 2391 ( NH) ; Gillitts (− DC), Jul. 1926, Anonymous [“ Indian collector”] s.n. ( NH) ; Clairmont (− DD), Dec. 1883, Medley Wood s.n. ( NH) ; Clairmont (− DD), 16 Nov. 1909, Medley Wood 11,539 ( NU) ; Palmiet (− DD), Mar. 1894, Evans 158 ( NH) ; Merebank (− DD), 17 Oct. 1913, Medley Wood 12,518 ( NH, NU) ; Burlington Drive, Reservoir Hills , (− DD), 21 May 1967, Baijnath 443 ( NU) . 2931 (Stanger): Phoenix, near Durban (− BA), 19 Jul. 1893, Schlechter 3124 (K, NH) . 3029 (Kokstad): Ntsizwa Mountain (− CC), 17 Feb. 1971, Hilliard and Burtt 6564 (K, NU) ; Ngeli, east of Kwa-Shwili (− DA), 9 Dec. 1989, Abbott 4625 ( NH) ; 24 Nov. 1994, Sikhakhane 485 ( NH) ; 22 km south of Cedarville, Kakas Hill, Nungi Mountains (− DD), 3 Jan. 1987, Brusse 4973 ( NH) ; Zuurberg, Weza (− DA), 15 Jan. 1975, Hilliard and Burtt 7703 (E, K, MO, NU, PRE, S); Weza State Forest , Ingeli Peak contour path (− DA), 3 Feb. 1988 MacDevette 2300 ( NH) ; Weza State Forest, in grassland near Fairview Falls (− DA), 15 Feb. 1984, Fokkens 24 ( NH) ; 15 Feb. 1984, Scott 24 ( NH) ; 23 Feb. 1963, Hilliard 1283 ( NU) ; Ngeli (− DC), Feb. 1983, Getliffe Norris 1275 ( NU) ; Eastern slopes of Mt. Ngeli (− DC), 17 Dec. 1981, Stirton 10,419 ( NH) . 3030 (Port Edward): Port Edward, Clearwater (− AA), 21 Jan1968, A. E. van Wyk 7147 ( NH) ; Clearwater (− AA), 19 Dec. 1982, Abbott 618 ( NH) ; Mzamba, Casino, grassland above Thompson's Lagoon , (− AA), 14 Feb. 1993, Abbott and Arkell 53 ( NH) ; Palm Beach, hill ± 0. 5 km from sea near Port Edward entrance to Palm Beach (− AD), 5 Jan. 1981, Schrire 409 ( NH) ; Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve (− BC), 21 Feb.1999, Balkwill 10,978 (K, J); Uvongo (− BD), 8 Jan. 1947, Feddes 2 ( NU) ; On rocky slopes of Murchison Flats and Oribi Gorge (− CB), Apr. 1937, McClean 366 ( NH) ; Beacon Hill, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve , (− CB), 2 Mar. 1999, Potgieter s.n. ( NU) ; Sea Park (− CD), 14 Apr. 1968, Strey 8114 (K, PRE) ; Wichmann's farm, St. Michaels-on-Sea -CD), 28 Dec. 1968, Ross 1883 (K, NH) ; Margate (− CD), Feb. 1931, Rump s.n. ( NH, NU) ; 9 Jan. 1963, Hilliard 1163 ( NU) ; St. Michaels-on-Sea (− CD), 29 Oct. 1967, Nicholson 603 ( NH) ; Port Shepstone, Margate (− CD), Strey 10,941 ( NH) . Eastern Cape: 3128 ( Umtata ): Farm Fontana, ± 15 km North West of Ugie, Maclear (− AA), 13 Aug. 1993, Bester 906 ( NH) ; East slopes of Prentjiesberg, near Ugie , 11 Nov. 2000, Potgieter 303 ( NU) ; Isicezula Forest, bordering Mazizi Tea Estate, along main southern tributary of the Mlambomkulu River (− BC), 8 Dec. 1986, Mathews 7858 ( NH) ; 8 Dec. 1986, A. E. van Wyk 7858 ( NH) ; Fraser Fall Lusikisiki, Magwa Estate, lookout above Frazer Gorge (− BC), 7 Feb. 1991, Cloete s.n. ( NH) ; ± 2.5 km upstream from the coast, Mlambomkulu River, Lusikisiki district (− BD), 6 Dec. 1986, Mathews 7816 ( NH) ; 6 Dec. 1986, A. E. van Wyk 7816 ( NH) . 3129 (Port St. Johns): Fraser Falls, Lusikisiki (− BC), 28 Dec. 1962, Hilliard 1082 ( NU) ; 2 Jan. 1986, Edwards, Cadman and Norris 3277 ( NU) .

Figures

Fig. 3. Aspalathus spinifera. (A) habitat; (B) habit; (C) leaf fascicles on young shoot; (D) flowers; (E) flowering shoot.

Fig. 2. Known distribution of Aspalathus dahlgrenii (grey circle) and A.spinifera (black circle) in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal Provinces.