Hilliardiella nudicaulis (DC.) H. Rob.

Swelankomo, N., Manning, J. C. & Magee, A. R., 2016, The genus Hilliardiella (Asteraceae: Vernonieae) in southern Africa *, South African Journal of Botany 106, pp. 41-59 : 48-49

4. Hilliardiella nudicaulis (DC.) H. Rob. in Proc.Biol.Soc.Washington 112: 230 (1999).

Webbia nudicaulis DC., Prodr. 5: 73 (1836); Vernonia dregeana Sch.Bip. ex Walp., Rep. 2: 947 (1843), as nom. nov. [non Vernonia nudicaulis Less. (1831) ]; Harv. in Harv. & Sond., in Fl. Cap. 3: 52 (1865); Wood, Natal Plants 4 (3): t. 366 (1906); Hilliard, Comp. Natal.: 41 (1977); Cacalia nudicaulis (DC.) O.Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 3: 139 (1898).

Type: South Africa, [Eastern Cape], between the Kei and Bashee rivers, Drège 5072 (G-DC—microfiche!, holo.)

Rosulate perennial with dimorphic foliage, 0.3–0.8 m tall, with mostly solitary erect annual stem from woody, often branching rootstock; stem simple, with basal leaf rosette of broad leaves and linear cauline leaves, striate, gland-dotted and hispid-tomentose below with harsh yellowish hairs intermixed with softer hairs, becoming glabrescent and silky above; eglandular vesitute of subsessile medifixed hairs, interspersed below with long-stalked medifixed T-shaped hairs. Radical leaves sometimes withered or lacking at flowering, obovate to oblanceolate, 30–60 × 5–25 mm, tapering to a petiole-like base, gland-dotted and glabrescent, silky hairs persisting especially on veins beneath; eglandular vestiture a mix of subsessile and long-stalked medifixed T-shaped hairs; cauline leaves distant, sessile, linear-ericoid, 20–60 × 0.5 mm, apiculate, margins revolute, midrib slightly impressed above and raised below, gland-dotted and thinly silky but more densely along midrib; eglandular vestiture of sessile medifixed hairs. Capitula in a lax panicle or corymb, 15- to 20-flowered. Involucre campanulate, 5–10 mm diam. when pressed; bracts ±4-seriate, gland-dotted and densely sericeous-tomentose, purplish at tips; eglandular vestiture of medifixed T-shaped hairs; outer 2 series subulate, 1–3 × 0.5–1.0 mm, inner two series oblong-elliptic, abruptly contracted to mucronate tip, 4–5 × 1.0– 1.5 mm. Florets purple, corolla 5–7 mm long, gland-dotted and with appressed hairs on tube and lobes, vestiture of medifixed T-shaped hairs, lobes 1.5–2.0 mm long. Anthers sagittate with ovate apical appendages. Style up to 4.0 mm long, branches 2 mm long. Cypselas sub-cylindric, 4- or 5-ribbed, 2.0– 2.5 mm long, gland-dotted and sericeous; pappus bi-seriate, outer scales 1–2 mm long, inner bristles 4.0– 5.5 mm long, whitish. Flowering time: August to April. ( Figs. 2D , 3D and 11 ).

Distribution and habitat: endemic to southern Africa and evidently rare in the north, where there are a few scattered records from Mpumalanga and western Swaziland, but more common in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, from near Howick as far south as East London ( Fig. 12 ), growing socially in open grassland, particularly in damp places, from near sea level to 1920 m.

Diagnosis: unique in the genus in its rosulate habit and dimorphic foliage, with a basal rosette of obovate to oblanceolate leaves that are glabrescent at flowering, and cauline leaves that are scattered or distant and linear-ericoid with revolute margins. The rather lax inflorescences are also characteristic although the individual capitula are not especially distinctive ( Fig. 2D ).

Additional specimens seen.

Swaziland. 2631 (Mbabane): Mankaiana, Evelyn Baring Bridge (–CA), 25 Nov 1961, Compton 3109 (NBG).

South Africa. MPUMALANGA. 2529 (Witbank): near Witbank (–CC), 31 Dec 1905, Gil fi llan 7199 (PRE). 2530 (Lydenburg): Lydenburg, Moreesburg Farm (–AB), 1 Dec 1997, Van Wyk 13,048 (PRE). 2629 (Bethal): Ermelo, Nooitgedacht (–DB), Dec 1915, Pott-Leendertz TRV 15182 (PRE); Ermelo (–DB), Dec 1913, Collins TRV 13952 (PRE). 2730 (Vryheid): Piet Retief (–BB), Oct 1913, Collins TRV 13950 (PRE).

KWAZULU-NATAL. 2929 (Underberg): Estcourt, Giant's Castle Game, Fulton's Rock Area (–AB), 11 Feb 1965, Trauseld 330 (PRE); Underberg (–CD), Mar 1938, McClean 736 (PRE). 2930 (Carolina): Howick (–AC), 5 Jan 1949, Compton 21440 (NBG); Lions River, Balgowan, Glen Arum (–AC), 3 Apr 1919, Mogg 3894 (PRE); Nottingham Road (–AC), Mar 1939, McClean 896 (PRE); Greytown, mountain side (–BA), 21 Jan 1939, Galpin 14,686 (PRE); 10 Feb 1939, Galpin 14825 (PRE); Greytown, railway bank on commonage (–BA), 24 Jan 1939, Galpin 14726 (PRE); Pietermaritzburg, Tweedie (–CB), 22 Nov 1918, Mogg 702 (PRE); 21 Mar 1920, Mogg 7272 (PRE); Pietermaritzburg, World's View (–CB), Nov 1938, Connell 26 (PRE); 25 Dec 1946, Barker 4316 (NBG); Pietermaritzburg, Dargle road (–CB), 27 Jan. 1920, Mogg 6866 (PRE); Richmond road near Maritzburg (–CC), 28 Dec 1947, Barker 5145 (NBG); Richmond, Byrne on hill slopes (–CC), 5 Apr 1932, Galpin 11968 (PRE); Richmond (–CD), 29 Dec 1952, Compton 23855 (NBG). 2931 (Stanger): Lower Tugela, Groutville (–AD), 14 Oct 1965, Moll 2566 (PRE); near Durban (–CC), Oct 1883, Wood 140 (PRE). 3029 (Kokstad): St Cuthbert's (–CB), Jan. 1951, Kelly 1 (NBG). 3030 (Ixopo): between Ixopo and Umzinto (–AA), 22 Nov 1958, Werdermann & Oberdieck 1204 (PRE); Alexandria, Umgaye Flats, Friedenau (–AD), 7 Nov 1908, Rudatis 372 (PRE); Alexandria Div., Dumisa Station, Ifafa (–AD), 16 Mar 1908, Rudatis 312 (PRE); near Port Shepstone on St Faith's road (–CB), 5 Nov 1938, Acocks & Hafstrom 1803 (PRE); Clydesdale (–BD), Dec 1884, Tyson 1239 (SAM); Port Shepstone, Beacon Hill West (–CC), 31 Dec 1966, Strey 7221 (PRE); Paddock (–CC), Dec 1963, Sidey 3863 (PRE).

EASTERN CAPE. 3128 (Umtata): Umtata (–DB), 20 Jan 1895, Schlechter 6340 (PRE). 3129 (Port St Johns): Lusikisiki, Fraser's Falls (–BC), 24 Nov 1964, Bayliss 2540 9 (NBG); Ndindindi (–BD), 10 Nov 1970, Strey 10101 (PRE). 3226 (Fort Beaufort): Katberg (–DA), without date, Compton 6579 (NBG). 3227 (Stutterheim): Fort Cunynghame (–AD), Nov 1900, Sim 2774 (PRE); Stutterheim, Dohne Research Station (–CB), 19 Nov 1942, Acocks 9355 (PRE); King Williams Town, Mount Coke (–CD), Dec 1900, Sim 2680 (PRE); grassy hills near Komgha (–DB), Feb 1891, Flanagan 565 (PRE, SAM); 12 miles [19 km] from East London on Transkei road (–DD), 11 Nov 1955, Comins 1354 (PRE). 3228 (Butterworth): Kentani (–CB), Sep 1903, Pegler 60 (PRE, SAM). 3326 (Grahamstown): Albany, mountain slope near Wireless Station (–BC) 6 Mar 1936, Britten 6484 (PRE); Grahamstown (–BC), Dec 1868, Atherstone PRE 446 (PRE); Grahamstown (–BC), Feb 1908, Daly & Cherry TRV 12353 (PRE). 3327 (Peddie): Peddie (–AA), 1898, Sim 19856 (PRE); Kidd's Beach (–BA), Dec 1943, Giffen 1883 (PRE).

Figures

Fig. 2. Capitulum morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella. A.H.hirsuta (Liebenberg 3083, PRE);B.H.flanaganii showing long-acuminate involucral bracts (West 27, PRE);C. H.sutherlandii (Bester 8248, PRE); D.H.nudicaulis (Pegler 60, PRE);E.H.elaeagnoides (Jacobsen 1161, PRE);F.H.capensis (Moll 2363, PRE);G.H.aristata showing long-attenuate involucral bracts (Kluge 249, PRE).Scale bar = 5 mm.

Fig. 3. Cypsela morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella (pappus mostly excluded). A. H. hirsuta (Steyn 842, PRE); B. H. flanaganii (Bolus sub Guthrie 4820, NBG); C. H. sutherlandii (Compton 31076, NBG); D. H. nudicaulis (Compton 23855, NBG); E. H. elaeagnoides (Müller 402, NBG); F.H. capensis (Anon, NBG183430, NBG); G. H. aristata (MarkÖtter s.n., NBG). Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 11. Hilliardiella nudicaulis (Compton 19083, NBG).

Fig. 12. Distribution of Hilliardiella nudicaulis.