Eschscholzia papastillii Still, 2014

Still, Shannon M., 2014, Two new desert Eschscholzia (Papaveraceae) from southwestern North America, PhytoKeys 35, pp. 45-56 : 50-54

Eschscholzia papastillii Still sp. nov. Figs 3 -5

Type.

UNITED STATES, California: Riverside County, Joshua Tree National Park next to stone outcropping off Old Dale Road. [33°50.232'N, 115°45.12'W], 724 m alt., 19 Apr 2009, Shannon M. Still 546A (holotype: DAV!).

Diagnosis.

Eschscholzia papastillii is similar to Eschscholzia parishii Greene but with more basal leaf ultimate lobes and more broadly spreading leaves. Eschscholzia papastillii has an enlarged receptacle ( Fig. 4d ) that is widely-obconic or bell-shaped, and wider at the midpoint of the receptacle than Eschscholzia parishii , Eschscholzia androuxii or any of the subspecies of Eschscholzia minutiflora , which are usually more obconic or funnel-shaped. The expanded receptacular rim of Eschscholzia papastillii is similar, but typically smaller, than the expanded receptacular rim of Eschscholzia californica . Eschscholzia papastillii differs from Eschscholzia androuxii and Eschscholzia minutiflora with basal foliage that appears less compact in habit.

Description.

Annual herb, erect or spreading with a basal rosette of leaves from a taproot. Leaves highly ternately-dissected into 17-70 ultimate lobes with the higher number on larger specimens. Leaves glaucous-green to green with ultimate lobes more pointed than rounded. Basal leaves are 2.7-16 cm long and 0.9-7 cm wide and held on a petiole comprising 2/3 the entire leaf length. Younger plants have few basal leaf ultimate lobes and shorter, narrower leaves. Inflorescence with few flowers held above the foliage and to 5 dm above the ground. Leaves on the inflorescence are 3-50 mm long and are divided into 1-13 ultimate lobes. Buds nodding to erect and 2.5-16 mm long with an apiculate bud tip greater than 30% of the total bud length. Less mature buds may be shorter than average with a longer bud tip by percentage. Flowers held upright and are yellow with four petals 5-24 mm long. Each flower has 12-32 stamens fused at the base. Receptacles widely-obconic or funnel-shaped to nearly bell-shaped, 3-9 mm long and 1.5-4.7 mm wide. Receptacular rim typically noticeable and often thick but can be scarious, expanded laterally up to 1.2 mm from the top of the receptacle. The receptacle often has a scarious inner hyaline rim in addition to the outer rim diagnostic of the species. Fruit 4-8 cm long with 10-12 nerves, dehiscing at maturity. Seeds with reticulate ridges.

Distribution

( Fig. 3 ). Found north to the northern Mojave Desert; south into northern Colorado Desert of San Diego Co., and possibly south along the east side of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico; east to the California-Arizona border (Whipple Mountains); west to the western end of Joshua Tree National Park.

Habitat and ecology.

Desert washes, flats, and gentle slopes in coarse, sandy soil.

Phenology.

Eschscholzia papastillii typically flowers between late-February and early-May but may flower earlier in the season, and in the fall, during years with a summer rain and cool fall temperatures.

Etymology.

The species is named in honor of Dr. Steven Still, my father and mentor and the reason for which I study plants.

Suggested common name.

Cryptic desert poppy.

Conservation status.

As this is a new taxon it has yet to be considered for conservation status. Due to the range and number of occurrences the author does not suggests this taxon be considered for conservation status.

Specimens examined.

U.S.A. California: Kern Co.: Hidden Springs Rd., 6 May 1930, Lester Rowntree s.n. (CAS!); Riverside Co.: Painted Canyon, 4 Mar 1922, Edmund C. Jaeger s.n. (DS!); Painted Canyon, 12 Apr 1927, Frank W. Peirson 7167 (CAS!); near Shavers Well, 6 Apr 1930, R.A. Piebles and H.F. Loomis 188 (DS!); Box Canyon, Coachella Valley, 21 Mar 1937, Ynez Whilton Winblad s.n. (CAS!); Coachella Valley, 21 Mar 1937, Ynez Whilton Winblad s.n. (CAS!); east slope of Chocolate Mnts, 22 Mar 1937, Ynez Whilton Winblad s.n. (CAS!); above Cotton wood Springs, west end of Eagle Mnts, 13 Apr 1949, Philip A. Munz 13056 (CAS!); Road to Morongo Valley, 7.8 mi from junction with Highway 99/60/70, 14 Apr 1952, Richard Snow (DS!); Box Canyon, 5 Apr 1953, Richard Snow 51a (DS!); 0.8 mi east of Cactus City, 13 mi east of Coachella, near U.S. Highways 60 and 70. Colorado Desert, 30 Mar 1957, John H. Thomas 6523A (DS!); U.S. Highway 60/70, Indio to Blythe, 1 mi. W of Cactus City, 29 Apr 1958, P.C. Everett and E.K. Balls 23013 (CAS!, DAV!); East of Indio on Highway 60/70, about 6 mi west of Cactus City, 15 Mar 1960, W.R. Ernst 720 (CAS!); Mecca-Joshua Tree Road, 7 miles southwest of junction with Interstate Highway 10, 13 Apr 1976, Curtis Clark 527 (DAV!); 2 mi S.E. of Desert Center, 1 Jul 1981, J.C. Roos s.n. (ASU!, CAS!); wash along Eagle Mountain Rd., north along I-10, 3 Mar 1995, John Wear s.n. (DAV!); Joshua Tree National Park, [33°43.68999'N, 115°49.317'W], 14 Feb 2008, Shannon M. Still 253 with Jennifer R. Still, Charles M. Still (DAV!); id., [33°55.012'N, 115°52.60305'W], 3 Mar 2009, Shannon M. Still 452 with Robert Lee (DAV!); id., [33°50.22799'N, 115°45.174'W], 28 Mar 2009, Shannon M. Still 513 with Steven M. Still, Carolyn M. Still (DAV!); San Bernardino Co.: Sheephole Mnts., 8 Apr 1935, P.A. Munz 13823 (DS!); Cave Spring, Lower Sonoran zone, 16 Apr 1940, C.L. Hitchcock 6073 (DS!); Bristol Lake Basin 8.8 mi N. of summit of Sheephole Pass on Amboy Rd., 16 Mar 2001, A.C. Sanders, Mitch Provance & Petra Wester 23753 (CAS!); Sheephole Pass just to south of the top of the pass, [34°13.711'N, 115°43.19599'W], 25 Nov 2007, Shannon M. Still 222A (DAV!); Base of Old Dad Mountains in wash, [34°44.512'N, 115°45.081'W], 26 Nov 2007, Shannon M. Still, Jim André & Tasha La Doux 248 (DAV!); Base of Old Dad Mountains in wash, [34°44.512'N, 115°45.082'W], 6 Apr 2008, Shannon M. Still & Steven M. Still 377A (DAV!); Clipper Mountains, just off the pipeline road, [34°40.573'N, 115°22.73502'W], 18 Apr 2009, Shannon M. Still, Jim André, Jeff Galvin & Amy Toulsen 536 (DAV!).

Discussion.

While the buds of all desert Eschscholzia appear similar, those of Eschscholzia papastillii most resemble Eschscholzia parishii , as the bud tip is typically more than 25% of the total bud length. The receptacular rim is prominent in this species and Eschscholzia californica is the only other species that has a pronounced receptacular rim. The range of Eschscholzia papastillii extends from San Bernardino County south to northern Imperial County. Most collections of Eschscholzia parishii collected north of San Diego and Imperial Counties are likely the new Eschscholzia papastillii . Eschscholzia papastillii extends at least into easternmost San Bernardino County that contains the Whipple Mountains, and likely well into Arizona.

Key to the desert Eschscholzia species

1	Basal leaf ultimate lobes long-linear; leaves ternately-dissected 2-3 ×; flower scapes typically without cauline leaves; seed coats pitted without reticulations	Eschscholzia glyptosperma
1'	Basal leaf ultimate lobes not long-linear; leaves ternately-dissected 3-7 ×; flowers typically borne on few-flowered racemes with a cauline leaf at each flower axil; seeds coats reticulate
2	Receptacular rim prominent when in fruit, 0.25-5 mm
3	Basal leaf ultimate lobes with length <3 × width, with acute or rounded tips; leaf blades often deep green with a glaucous patch at the crotch of the leaf dissections; cauline leaf ultimate lobes many (range 5-30) with rounded to acute tips; Petals yellow, often with a basipetal orange spot, or petals orange
4	Petals yellow, often with a basipetal orange spot, or petals orange, or rarely white (Arizona mountains); cotyledons entire; annual; limited to eastern Mojave Desert in California and through Arizona	Eschscholzia californica subsp. mexicana
4'	Petals yellow, often with a basipetal orange spot, or petals orange; cotyledons bifid (2-lobed); annual or perennial; widespread but mostly along highways, railways, and planted areas	Eschscholzia californica subsp. californica
3'	Basal leaf ultimate lobes with length 3.5 (2-8) × width, with acute tips; leaf blades bright-green to yellow-green; cauline leaf ultimate lobes 3 (rarely 5-13) with acute tips; petals yellow without basipetal orange spot	Eschscholzia papastillii
2'	Receptacular rim not prominent in fruit, <0.25 mm
4	Petal <1 cm long
5	Buds with tip <25% total bud length; cauline leaves generally with> 5 (rarely <6) ultimate lobes, ± rounded to acute; 2n=24 or 36
6	Basal leaf ultimate lobes ± narrow, length ca. 4.5 × the width; petals generally less than 5.5 (rarely 2-9) mm long, stamens 6-18, typ. 12; 2n=36	Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. minutiflora
6'	Basal leaf ultimate lobes widened, length ca. 2.5 × the width; petals generally greater than (5-) 9 (-12) mm long; stamens 6-18, typ. 14-16; 2n=24	Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. covillei
5'	Buds with tip> 25% total bud length; cauline leaves generally with ≤ 3 (rarely to 8) ultimate lobes, ± acute to acuminate; 2n=12	Eschscholzia parishii
4'	Petals> 1 cm long
8	Bud tip generally> 30% length of bud; leaves bright-green to yellow-green, ultimate lobes ± acute to acuminate; cauline leaf reduced to one-few ultimate lobes
9	Receptacle 1-2 mm wide, obconic to funnel-shaped	Eschscholzia parishii
9'	Receptacle 1.5-5 mm wide, widely-obconic to bell-shaped, often flaring at the end of the receptacle	Eschscholzia papastillii
8'	Bud tip generally <20% length of bud; leaves more glaucous to grey-green, ultimate lobes ± round to acute; terminal cauline leaf typically with 5+ ultimate lobes
10	Basal leaves generally with 35-40 (rarely 26-60) ultimate lobes, and ultimate lobes ± widened appearance, length of ultimate lobes less than 2 × width, cuneiform; (12-) 18-20 (-28) stamens often with anthocyanin spot at basipetal end of filaments fused at the base; plants of El Paso and Rand Mountains in Kern Co., California	Eschscholzia minutiflora subsp. twisselmannii
10'	Basal leaves generally with 45-70 (rarely 26-55) ultimate lobes, length of ultimate lobes more than 2 × width; stamens (16-) 22-24 (-32), with anthocyanin spot at basipetal end of filaments fused at the base; plants of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in and around Joshua Tree National Park	Eschscholzia androuxii

Figures

Figure 3. Distribution map showing the range for the two new Eschscholzia. Eschscholzia androuxii is represented by right-slanting cross-hatching. Eschscholzia papastillii is represented by left-slanting cross-hatching.

Figure 4. Illustrations of leaves, buds and flowers of Eschscholzia papastillii. A Basal leaf B Cauline leaf C Bud showing widened receptacle D Enlarged receptacle with expanded receptacular rim common in the species E Petal F Stamens lacking the anthocyanin spot at base of the fused filaments common to Eschscholzia androuxii.

Figure 5. Photographs of Eschscholzia papastillii. A Species profile shot B Buds with enlarged receptacle common in the species C Flower with enlarged receptacle common in the species D Species profile shot.