Adesmia neuquenensis Burkart, Darwiniana

Monteiro, Thiago Cobra E, Iganci, João Ricardo Vieira, Miotto, Silvia Teresinha Sfoggia, Simpson, Beryl B., Vatanparast, Mohammad, Lewis, Gwilym P., Klitgård, Bente B., Pezzini, Flávia Fonseca, Vargas, Oscar M. & Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, 2024, Towards a Monophyletic Infrageneric Circumscription of Adesmia DC. (Dalbergieae, Leguminosae): a Taxonomic Revision in Adesmia series Adesmia, Phytotaxa 639 (1), pp. 1-69 : 44

12. Adesmia neuquenensis Burkart, Darwiniana 12(1): 91–93 (1960).

Type:— ARGENTINA. Neuquén: entre Neuquén y Zapala, 1925–1927, {fl./fr.}, Comber , H. F . 1286 (holotype: K barcode K000328035 !) .

Erect subshrubs, adventitious roots from stem branch nodes absent. Stem pilose, white tector hairs intermixed with ochraceous glandular setules, which are only present on the stem, stipules, on the pedicel close to the calyx, and on the articles of the fruit. Stipules 3–6× 0.5–1.5 mm, narrowlY triangular, pubescent. Leaves with 3–6 pairs of leaflets; petiole 0.6–2.3 cm long, rachis 0.6–3.3 cm long, pilose to glabrescent; leaflets 4–7× 1.5–3.5 mm, orbicular, apex obtuse, base rounded, margin entire, pubescent. Panicles terminal, 6–15 cm long, glabrous; bracts 1–3 mm long, lanceolate, pubescent; pedicel 5–13 mm long, glabrous. Flowers 3.5–5 mm long; calyx 2.6–3.5 mm long, externally pubescent, internally pubescent on the lobes; lobes 1–2 mm long, triangular, the carinal lobe longer; standard petal reflexed, 4.5–5× 2.5–4 mm, oblong to narrowlY-oboVate, apex emarginate, externallY glabrous, claw 0.7–1.3× 0.5–1 mm, internallY pubescent distallY; wing petals 3–4.5× 1–1.5 mm, oboVate, claw 1–2 mm long; keel petals 3–3.5× 1–2 mm, falcate, claw 1–1.5 mm long; stamens 3–4 mm long, anthers orbicular; gynoecium 3–4.5 mm long, ovary 1.5–2 mm long, pubescent, 3-ovulate. Lomentum 5–6 mm long, straight, dark brownish, pubescent, fruit with 1–3 articles these 1.5–2.5× 1–2 mm, orbicular. Seeds brownish, 1–1.5× 1–1.8 mm, orbicular, without an aril.

Distribution and Habitat— The species is endemic to the Neuquén province in Argentina ( Fig. 21 ), where it is known from a few collections from the Parque Nacional Laguna Blanca, in Zapala department. The species occurs in open grasslands and dry shrublands of Patagonia.

Phenology— Adesmia neuquenensis bears flowers and fruits from December to January.

Conservation status— Endangered (EN) B2a,b(iii). With an EOO of 723,989 km ² and an AOO of only 16 km ², the species is extremely restricted in range to the surroundings of the Parque Nacional Laguna Blanca. Thus, even though the national park partially protects the species, the extinction of any populations would severely threaten the genetic diversity of Adesmia neuquenensis . The conservation status of the species was recently assessed as Endangered in a detailed study of the threat level of Argentinian endemic species ( Salariato et al. 2021), which was based on the same criteria we used.

Etymology— The specific epithet neuquenensis alludes to the Neuquén province in Argentina, to which the species is endemic.

Notes— The disjunct distribution of Adesmia nequenensis in comparison with the other three species of the previously recognized series Subnudae led us to doubt the status of the series proposed by Burkart (1967a). This was reenforced by the morphological distinctness of the species, with paniculate inflorescences (vs. racemes or axillary flowers in other species of the series). The placement of A. neuquenensis in series Adesmia remains unclear, because the species was not sampled in our phylogeny.

The paratype collection Comber 221 of A. neuquenensis is deposited in the La Plata (LP) Herbarium of Buenos Aires. A duplicate of Comber 221 in the Kew Herbarium (K) corresponds to Adesmia corymbosa Clos according to Burkart (1960).

Additional Specimens Examined — ARGENTINA. NEUQUÉN: Añelo, Chihuido Medio, Ruta Prov. 7, 09 December 1982, Mall, M . et al. 3389 ( MO 4076659 ). Zapala, 1925-1927, Comber , H. F . 1286 ( K 000328035 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 21. Geographical distribution of Adesmia miottoae Cobra, Iganci & Fort.-Perez, A. muricata (Jacq.) DC., and A. neuquenensis Burkart.