Marasmodes spinosa, S. Ortiz, 2009

Magee, A. R., Ebrahim, I., Koopman, R. & von Staden, L., 2017, Marasmodes (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), the most threatened plant genus of the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa: Conservation and taxonomy *, South African Journal of Botany 111, pp. 371-371 : 371-

11. Marasmodes spinosa . S. Ortiz, Bot . J. Linn. Soc. 159: 333 (2009).

Type: South Africa. Western Cape, Worcester (3319): 25 km from Wellington, Elandsberg Private Natural Reserve (–AC), 12 Nov 1986, De Villiers 18 (NBG, holo.).

Stout, well-branched shrublets, 0.15–0.3 m tall. Leaves alternate, regularly arranged along branches, spreading, elliptic to oblong or obovate, 2.5–6.0 × 1.5–3.0 mm, pinnatifid, with 3 to 6(8) lateral lobes, some trifid, spine-tipped, rigid, secondary basal lobes well developed; axillary fascicles well-developed. Capitula mostly solitary, some in irregular clusters of 2 or 3, terminal or on axillary shoots 0.5–10.0 mm long. Involucre cylindrical-campanulate to obconical, 3–5 × 3–4 mm; bract margins and apices scarious, sessile glands at appendage base inconspicuous, stereome prominent; outer bracts ovate to narrowly ovate, 1.0– 1.5 mm long, margin and apex broadly scarious; middle bracts narrowly ovate to oblong, 2.0– 2.5 mm long, margin and apex broadly scarious; inner bracts oblong, 3–4 mm long, broadly scarious, apex with a prominent scarious appendage, reddish pink. Florets ca. 10 to 20; limb 5-lobed from ± midpoint; lobes recurved. Pappus with adaxial scales less than half or sometimes almost equal length of corolla tube.

Diagnostic characters. This is the only species with pinnatifid primary leaves and rigid, spine-tipped lobes ( Fig. 7E–G ). As such it is unlikely to be confused with any of the other species.

Distribution and ecology

Marasmodes spinosa

Has a limited distribution between Saron and Gouda on the eastern edge of the Swartland, where it occurs in seasonally waterlogged transitional alluvial-shale soils ( Fig. 5 ). Although much of its habitat has been lost to crop fields, about 20% remains intact, and a large portion is protected within a private nature reserve on the flats at the foot of the Elandsberg Mountains. Consequently, M. spinosa has two of the largest remaining subpopulations of all Marasmodes species. M. spinosa was known for a long time only from the type locality, where it was first collected in 1986. CREW surveys recently recorded two additional subpopulations further north, one of which has over 1000 plants. The species however has a restricted Extent of Occurrence (134 km 2), and is impacted by ongoing habitat loss and degradation, and therefore it is assessed as Endangered, B1ab(iii,v) + 2ab(iii,v).

Additional specimens examined. South Africa. Western Cape: 3318 (Cape Town): Riebeek Valley, Rhenostervlei farm, NE of Riebeek Kasteel (– BB), 5 May 2016, Marais 208 ( NBG) . 3319 (Worcester): Gouda Wind Farm, east of canal near to Northern Boundary of property (– AA), 12 May 2016, Koopman 1260 ( NBG) ; Elandsberg Nature Reserve (– AC), 25 Apr 2003, Walton 273 ( NBG) ; 27 Apr 2005, Walton & Mucina 270405/7 ( NBG) ; 28 Apr 2008, Koopman 760 ( NBG) ; 26 May 2005, Raimondo CR650 ( NBG) ; 26 Jul 2009, Magee & Boatwright 152 ( NBG).

Figures

Fig. 7. General morphology of Marasmodes oubinae (A & B), M.polycephala (C & D), M.spinosa (E–G), M. trifida (H–J), M.undulata (K–M).

Fig. 5. The known geographical distribution of Marasmodes oligocephala (circles), M. oubinae (triangles), M.polycephala (squares) and M. spinosa (diamond).