Sesuvium edmonstonei, Hook f., Trans. Linn. Soc. London

Bohley, Katharina, Winter, Pieter J. D. & Kadereit, Gudrun, 2017, Data from: A revision of Sesuvium (Aizoaceae, Sesuvioideae), Data in brief 48 (1), pp. 109071-109071 : 133-134

SESUVIUM EDMONSTONEI Hook f., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 20, 221. 1847.

— TYPE: ECUADOR. Galapagos. Goodridge s. n. (holotype: K!, P) .

Procumbent, much branched perennial herb or shrublet, 20–30 cm high, growing in dense mats or patches with a diam of up to 1 m; densely covered with sometimes scalelike bladder cells (except bracts and inner parts of the flowers). Leaves linear, around 20 mm long and 3 mm wide (dried material); distinctly succulent with oval to round cross sections; transition between lamina and petiole inarticulate; petiole ∼ 2 mm long; leaves and internodes often reported to be yellowish to bright red. Flowers small (3–5 mm long), white (rarely pink); long, thin pedicel (3–4 times the length of the flower); one pair of small bracts (≤ 1 mm) at the base of the pedicel. Stamens numerous and nearly as long as the free part of the tepals. Ovary with 2 connate carpels and 2 thin styles. Seeds rounded reniform, ∼ 1 mm long, shiny black and with conspicuous longitudinal furrows.

Distribution and Habitat — Endemic on the Galapagos Islands where it grows on several islands ( Fig. 6). The species is also reported from mainland Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia, where it was likely introduced. It grows on sandy soil (beaches, dunes), sometimes directly in the spray zone or on diurnally flooded parts of the coast. Locally abundant.

Vernacular Names — Galapagos carpet weed.

Notes — The species is easily recognized because of its dense cover of bulging bladder cells in combination with small, white flowers (<10 mm) and linear leaves. This species is the only member of Sesuoium listed in the IUCN (2015) Red List of Threatened Species and categorized as “of least concern” (ver. 3.1, Aug 2015).

Representative Specimens Examined — ECUADOR. Galapagos Islands : Isla Floreana, Black Beach, 22 Dec 1966, U. & I. Eliasson 970 ( S) ; Isla Floreana, Black Beach, ca. 1°13′33.84″S, 90°25′52.23″W, 08 Dec 1966, U. & I. Eliasson 798 ( S) ; Isla Floreana, southern part of Black Beach, 07 May 1967, U. & I. Eliasson 2106 ( S) ; Santa Fe , small island at NE end, 0°48′13.6″N, 90°2′13.776″W, 15 Feb 1972, M. & O. Hamann 419 ( C) ; Pinta, scarcely W of Cabo Ibbetson , 0°32′37.734″N, 90°43′51.672″W, 26 Mar 1972, M. & O. Hamann 925 ( C) ; Genovesa, Darwin Bay , near lagoon, 0°19′ 6.29″N, 89°56′54.934″W, 28 Mar 1972, M. & O. Hamann 994 ( C) ; Santa Cruz, southern end of Bahia Buttero (?), 0°30′59.479″N, 90°22′2.478″W, 20 Apr 1972, P. Prichard 1189 ( C) ; Genovesa, Darwin Bay , 0°19′6.29″N, 89°56′54.923″W, 22 May 1974, A. & H. Adersen 306 ( C) ; Gardener (near Espanola ), N shore, 1°20′23.056″S, 89°38′36.744″W, 21 Mar 1977, A. & H. Adersen 1423 ( C) ; San Cristóbal ( Chatham ) Island, C. Word s. n. ( K) ; Isla Floreana ( Charles ), 30 Jul 1924, D. Blair 417 ( K) ; Santa Cruz, South Plaza Island, all over the top of the island, ca. 0°35′03.51″S, 90°09′38.22″W, 21 Mar 1963, Snoae 45 ( K) .

VENEZUELA. Falcon, 4 km S of Zazárida , 11°6′35.47″N, 69°39′8.243″ W, 17 Jun 1980, G. Daoidse & A. C. González 18196 ( MO).