Menonvillea constitutionis (F. Phil.) Rollins (1955: 36)

Salariato, Diego L., Zuloaga, Fernando O. & Al-Shehbaz, Ihsan A., 2014, A revision of the genus Menonvillea (Cremolobeae, Brassicaceae), Phytotaxa 162 (5), pp. 241-298 : 273

12. Menonvillea constitutionis (F. Phil.) Rollins (1955: 36) . Hexaptera constitutionis Philippi (1892: 335) . Type:— CHILE. [Región del Maule]. Desembocadura del Río Maule, cerca de Constitución, R. Azocart s.n. (holotype SGO 63962!).

Perennials with woody, branched caudex. Stems 10−35 cm, erect, several from base, simple or branched, glabrous throughout or sparsely pubescent with simple slender and arachnoid trichomes to 0.4 mm long. Basal leaves and lowermost cauline subsessile; blade narrowly spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, subfleshy, 2−5(–6) cm × 2−3(−5) mm, glabrous to glabrescent, base attenuate and petiole-like, margin entire, apex obtuse, undivided; upper cauline leaves smaller, narrower. Racemes terminal, less frequently axillary, ebracteate, corymbose, many flowered, elongated in fruit, 4−13 cm long; rachis glabrous or sparsely pubescent, straight in fruit; fruiting pedicels ascending at base, somewhat arcuate, 3.5−6 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with arachnoid trichomes. Sepals narrowly oblong, 5−6.5 × 1−1.5 mm, glabrous, erect, strongly saccate at base, caducous, margin membranous; petals yellowish, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 8−12 × 1−1.8 mm, attenuate to a papillate slender claw, apex obtuse; stamens tetradynamous; filaments free, erect, not dilated and minutely papillate at base, 4−6 mm long; anthers narrowly oblong, 1.2−1.7 mm long, base sagittate; nectar glands confluent, flat, somewhat petaloid. Fruits subglobose, glabrous; valves 3-winged, keeled, 4−6 × 4−5 mm, deeply notched at apex and base; wings 0.7−1 mm wide; gynophore 0.7–1.3 mm long; style 1−1.5 mm long; stigma slightly decurrent. Seeds ovate, 2−2.5 mm long, wingless, compressed; cotyledons obliquely incumbent.

Distribution and habitat:— Menonvillea constitutionis grows in Chile in regions V (Valparaiso) and VII (Maule) in sandy areas at elevations to 150 m ( Fig. 13B ).

Phenology: —Flowers mainly from September to December, and less frequently until February.

Taxonomic notes:— Menonvillea constitutionis is morphologically related to M. purpurea , from which it differs by having spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate undivided leaves, longer fruiting pedicels, and compact fruiting racemes. It also grows at elevations much lower than those occupied by M. purpurea . Although this species was not included in the molecular phylogeny, the morphology suggests its inclusion in sect. Menonvillea ( Salariato et al., 2013) .

Representative Specimens:— CHILE. V Valparaíso: Prov. San Antonio, Com. El Quisco, Balneario El Quisco, 19 February 1965, Mahu 2450 ( CONC); Prov. Valparaíso, Com. Viña del Mar , Las Docas, 26 December 1949, Boelcke 3821 ( BAA, SI) . VII Maule: Prov. Curicó, Com. Vichuquén, Vichuquén, a la orilla del mar, 27 September 1967, Zöllner s.n. ( CONC 91676 ); Prov. Talca, Com. Constitución, Constitución, November 1893, Reiche s.n. ( SGO 61493) .

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution of species of Menonvillea sect. Menonvillea. A, M. chilensis. B, M. constitutionis. C, M. filifolia. D, M. flexuosa. E, M. linearis. F. M. litoralis. G. M. marticorenae. H, M. minima. I, M. orbiculata. J, M. pinnatifida. K, M. purpurea.