Callilepis caerulea (Hutch.) Leins (1971a: 108)

Herman, Paul P. J., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the genus Callilepis (Asteraceae) in South Africa, Phytotaxa 563 (1), pp. 1-62 : 52-56

8. Callilepis caerulea (Hutch.) Leins (1971a: 108) ; Retief & Herman (1997: 296).

= Zoutpansbergia caerulea Hutchinson (1946: 350) ; Venter (1995: 20); Coates Palgrave (2002: 1147); Hahn (2002: 122); Herman & Condy (2015: 165).

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. Northern Transvaal [Limpopo]: Zoutpansberg [ Soutpansberg ], Crewe Farm , West Zoutpansberg [ Soutpansberg ], north slopes of the mountains, 5200 ft [1585 m], (QDS: 2229DC Waterpoort), 23 August 1930, Hutchinson & Gillett 4435 (holotype K barcode K000410213 , image!; isotype K barcode K000410214 , image!) .

Etymology:— caerulea = blue, deep sky blue.

Glabrous shrub or small tree up to 4 m high. Branches dark brown or reddish brown, with remains of leaf bases. Leaves alternate or spirally arranged, ± subsessile or very shortly petiolate or with petiole-like base, obovate, narrowly obovate or rarely very narrowly obovate, 20–70(–75) × 3.5–13.0(–15.0) mm, apex obtuse or bluntly acute, base attenuate or petiole-like, margins bluntly serrulate in upper half, entire in lower part, glabrous, blade glabrous, with prominent main vein and two faint side veins from base parallel to main vein, fading upwards. Capitula heterogamous, radiate, solitary or up to 5 terminally in axils of upper leaves, shortly pedunculate; peduncle 10–30 mm long. Involucre campanulate or urceolate, (7–) 8–15 mm wide. Involucral bracts in 5 or 6 rows, imbricate, outer shorter than inner, glabrous, straw coloured, usually with dark or purplish midline ending in elliptic to narrowly obovate resin blotch or resin lines at apex of each bract; outer row consisting of 2 to 4 bracts, shallowly to broadly triangular or ovate, 5–6 × (2.5–)3.0–4.0(–5.0) mm, apex acute, centrally keeled basally, margin narrowly membranous; often also one or two smaller bracts at base of capitulum, broadly triangular, 4.0–4.5 × 2.5(–2.8) mm, keeled, margin membranous; second row ovate or broadly ovate, 6.0–7.0(–8.5) × (3.0–)3.5–5.0(–6.0) mm, apex acute to obtuse, sometimes also somewhat keeled, margin narrowly membranous; third row ovate, broadly ovate or elliptic, (6.5–)7.0–8.5 × (4.0–)4.5–5.5(–6.0) mm, apex acute to subacute, margin narrowly membranous; fourth row ovate or elliptic, 7.5–10.0 × (3.5–)4.0–5.0(–5.5) mm, apex acute to subacute, margin membranous; fifth row ovate or elliptic, (8.0–)8.5–10.0 × (3.0–)3.5–4.5(–5.0) mm, apex acute, mucronate, margin membranous; sixth row narrowly ovate, elliptic or oblong, 8.5–10.0 × (2.5–)3.0–4.0(–4.5) mm, apex acute, mucronate, margin membranous. Receptacle flat or conical, paleate; paleae straw coloured, outer paleae (ray paleae) transition between inner involucral bracts and disc paleae, linear-ovate to narrowly ovate, 9–10 mm long, apex acute, often also with dark blotch apically, with infolded, membranous margins; disc paleae narrowly boat-shaped, 9–11(–12) mm long, apex acuminate, apex usually purplish or dark and blade with dark mid-line, margins membranous, keeled, keel with narrow membranous wing, enveloping inner ray and disc florets. Ray florets arranged in 1 or 2 rows, zygomorphic, female, fertile, very rarely bisexual with one or two fertile stamens; corolla white, glabrous; tube (2.5–)3.0–5.0 mm long, with 1, 2 or 3 staminodes, (2.0–)2.5(–4.0) mm long; limb (7.0–)7.5–12.0(– 13.0) × 2.5–4.5(–5.0) mm, elliptic, apex minutely 3-lobed. Styles (3–)4–5(–6) mm long, bifurcate, shortly exserted or sometimes hidden in tube; style branches rose-pink in fresh state, linear, 1.0–1.5(–2.0) mm, apex obtuse, with broad marginal stigmatic areas, confluent apically or stigmatic areas covering inside of branches; in bisexual ray florets, style branches as in disc florets. Ray ovaries/cypselae brownish to straw coloured, linear-obconical, narrowly obovate or narrowly oblong, 4.0–5.5 × 1.0– 1.5 mm, trigonous, margins long twin hairy ciliate, surfaces glabrous. Pappus dimorphic, consisting of 3(4) awns interspersed with small scales, awns from cypsela margins; inner awn (opposite ray limb) longest, (3.0–)4.0–5.5(–6.0) mm long, other 2(3) awns shorter, 2.5–4.5(–5.0) mm long; scales oblong, 0.5 mm long, apices lacerate. Disc florets actinomorphic, bisexual, fertile, many; corolla white or purplish blue, glabrous, tubular basally, slightly widening towards lobes; tube 5.0–6.0(–6.5) mm long, lower part of tube thickened, 5-lobed; lobes narrowly ovate, 1.5–2.0 mm long, acute, recurved. Anthers 5, rose-pink or purplish in fresh state, exserted, 2.0– 2.5 mm long, apical appendages narrowly ovate, 0.5–1.0 mm long, bases caudate and calcarate, tails 0.5–1.2 mm long, ciliate. Styles 4.0–6.0(–6.5) mm long, bifurcate; style branches rose-pink or purplish in fresh state, linear or oblong, (1.0–)1.5–2.0 mm long, apex obtuse or conical, with acute hairs outside, with broad marginal stigmatic areas or stigmatic areas covering inside of branches. Disc ovaries/cypselae brownish to straw coloured, linear-obconical, narrowly obovate or narrowly oblong, 4.5–6.5 × 1.0– 1.5 mm, laterally compressed or sometimes faintly triangular, margins long twin hairy ciliate, surfaces glabrous. Pappus dimorphic, consisting of 2(3) awns interspersed with small scales, awns from margins of cypselae; one long awn 4.0–5.5(–6.0) mm long, one(two) shorter awn(-s) (2.0–)3.0–5.0(– 5.5) mm long; scales oblong, 0.5–0.8 mm long, apices lacerate. Flowering time: recorded from February to December, with a peak from April to July (autumn and winter). Note on Venter 6189 and 6197 (PRE): flowers honey scented. Figs 1A, 2A, 6B, 10A, 11A, B, 32.

Diagnostic characters: — Callilepis caerulea is the only species in the genus that is a shrub or small tree up to 4 m high. Its glabrous leaves are alternate or spirally arranged, ± subsessile or with a petiole-like base, obovate, narrowly obovate or rarely very narrowly obovate, with an obtuse or bluntly acute apex, leaf margins are bluntly serrate in the upper half but entire in the lower part and with 2 faint veins from the leaf base parallel to the main vein, disappearing upwards, capitula solitary or up to 5 terminally in the axils of the upper leaves and shortly pedunculate, involucral bracts glabrous, arranged in 5 or 6 rows, imbricate, the outer shorter than the inner, ray florets white, disc florets white or purplish blue, and cypselae have long twin hairy ciliate margins but glabrous surfaces.

Distribution: — Callilepis caerulea is endemic to the Blouberg and Soutpansberg in Limpopo ( Fig. 33 ).According to Von Staden (2015), the Red List Status of C. caerulea is Least Concern. ‘It is a range-restricted (EOO 1960 km ²) but locally common species that is not in danger of extinction’ ( Von Staden 2015).

Additional specimens examined

SOUTH AFRICA. Limpopo: Western Soutpansberg, Blue Gums Road, Farm Crewe, ± 15 km from Louis Trichardt [Makhado], moderate N slope, Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld, ridge and ledges, 1680 m, (QDS: 2229DC Waterpoort), 1 May 1996, Bester & Willis 3752 ( PRE). Mutale District, along the road between Mufulwi and Tshumulungwi in the Soutpansberg Mountain on a rocky outcrop, gentle slope, grassland, 1115 m, (QDS: 2230CB Messina), 22 March 2002, Koekemoer 2259 ( PRE). Tshanda [Tsaande?] Road in Soutpansberg, high altitude woodland, slight slope, W aspect, 1110 m, (QDS: 2230CB? Messina), 23August 2000, E. van Wyk EVW0116 ( PRE). Sibasa District, Tate Vondo Forest Reserve, Tshilungwi, rocky mountain top, 1160 m, (QDS: 2230CD Messina), 8 December 1977, Hemm 404 ( PRE, PRU). Matshavhawe area on dirt road towards Khunda, mountain, SE slope, mountain bushveld, 1585 m, (QDS: 2230CD? Messina), 19 October 2006, Nkuna & Mabatha 2167 ( PRE). Venda, ± 1 km vanaf Dzamba op pad na Rambuda, Bosgroep, ligte skadu, O-aspek, matige helling [± 1 km from Dzamba on road to Rambuda, slight shadow, slight E aspect], (QDS: 2230CD Messina), 12 April 1980, A.E. van Wyk 4081 ( PRE, PRU). Venda, Dzamba, (QDS: 2230CD Messina), 22 May 1982, A.E. van Wyk 5664 ( PRE, PRU). Venda, Gogogo, hoog teen kruin in oop veld [high up against summit in open veld], (QDS: 2230CD Messina), 6 October 1981, Van Wyk & Theron 4692 ( PRE, PRU). Venda, Dzamba, rotsagtig, humusryk en sanderige grond [rocky, humus rich, sandy soil], (QDS: 2230CD Messina), 6 October 1981, Van Wyk & Theron 4860 ( PRE, PRU). Zoutpansberg [Soutpansberg], Farm “Llewellyn 35 LS”, high hill west of house, E slope, high montane scrub, 4810 ft [1466 m], (QDS: 2329AB Pietersburg), 20 July 1981, Venter 6197 ( PRE). Soutpansberg, plateau next to Letsjume on “Bergplaas 40 LS”, exposed sunny ridges, 5400 ft [1646 m], (QDS: 2329AB Pietersburg), 23 June 1981, Venter 6229 ( PRE). Vivo, Mount Letsume on Soutpansberg, open montane grassveld, slight S slope, 1740 m, (QDS: 2329AB Pietersburg), 4 July 1985, Venter 10771 ( PRE).

Locality not found: Western Soutpansberg, Goro Game Reserve, [incomplete grid reference: 2329], no date, Willis s.n. PRE 590985 ( PRE).

Limpopo: Pietersburg District, Blaauwberg [Blouberg], in kloof leading to Trig. Beacon, 5600 ft [1707 m], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 29 April 1954, Codd 8757 ( PRE). Pietersburg Division, Blaauwberg [Blouberg], on massive rock and on ledges above streams, S slopes, 5000 ft [1524 m], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 1 June 1953, Esterhuysen 21460 ( PRE, 2 sheets). Louis Trichardt District, Blaauwberg [Blouberg] near Trig. Beacon, on boulders and ledges, S slope, 5000 ft [1524 m], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 31 May 1953, Esterhuysen s.n. PRE 42800 ( PRE). Pietersburg District, Blaauwberg [Blouberg], growing in riverbed, 5500 ft [1676 m], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 10 May 1933, Leeman 116 ( PRE). Pietersburg District, Blaauwberg [Blouberg], in kloof naby kruin van berg [in kloof near summit of mountain], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 26 April 1961, Van der Schijff 5401 ( PRE, PRU). Baltimore District, Blouberg, middleupper slope, rock slabs, S facing slope, (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 3 December 1990, Van Jaarsveld 11411 ( PRE). Blaauwberg [Blouberg], Farm “Leipzig 264 LR”, S slope of Lenare near top, high montane scrub forest, 4020 ft [1225 m], (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 15 July 1981, Venter 6167 ( PRE). Top of Blaauwberg [Blouberg] above Farm “In der Mark”, gallery bush, grows on cliffs, 1495 m, (QDS: 2328BB Baltimore), 17 July 1981, Venter 6189 ( PRE).

No locality: High mountain forest, 4885 ft [1489 m], [locality not recorded on label but grid reference on label suggests Blouberg, 2329AB], 23 May 1982, Venter 8752 ( PRE).

Figures

FIGURE 33. Known geographical distribution of Callilepis caerulea (▲) and C. corymbosa (●).