Solanum antisuyo Saerkinen & S.Knapp, 2015

Saerkinen, Tiina, Gonzales, Paul & Knapp, Sandra, 2015, Four new non-spiny Solanum (Solanaceae) species from South America, PhytoKeys 44, pp. 39-64 : 43-49

Solanum antisuyo Saerkinen & S.Knapp sp. nov. Figs 3 -4

Diagnosis.

Like Solanum polytrichostylum Bitter, but differing in having either simple or once-branched inflorescences with pedicels spaced c. 1-3 mm apart along the rachis, more reduced, minute calyx lobes, ellipsoid rather than spherical fruits, and larger brown-coloured seeds.

Type.

Peru. Cusco: Prov. Paucartambo, 1 km from Puesto de Vigilancia of Parque Nacional de Manu on rd from Paucartambo to Pilcopata coming from Puesto, 13°12'05"S, 71°37'21"W, 3480 m, 15 Mar 2012 (fl,fr), S. Knapp, P. Gonzáles, A. Matthews & T. Särkinen 10435 (holotype: USM; isotypes: BM [BM001114929], F, HUSA, HUT, MO).

Description.

Stout herb to a shrub up to 1.5 m tall, much branching at base, the individual branches up to 1m long. Stems 2-ridged or slightly winged especially towards base, 0.4-0.6 cm in diameter, purple-coloured especially at leaf nodes, nearly glabrous, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate, much reduced 1-3-celled trichomes especially on the often purple coloured young growth. Sympodial units difoliate, not geminate. Leaves simple, 2-17 cm long, 1.2-8.4 cm wide, broadly ovate-lanceolate, membranous to somewhat fleshy; adaxial and abaxial surfaces sparsely pubescent with more or less appressed 1-3-celled simple uniseriate trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm long; primary veins 7-10 pairs; base rounded, decurrent on the petiole; margins entire, often purple tinged; apex acute to acuminate; petiole 0.3-1.2 cm long, occasionally narrowly winged, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems and leaves. Inflorescences 1.4-4.0 cm long, lateral and internodal, simple or once-branched, with 5-14 flowers arising very close together, sparsely pubescent with appressed 1-2-celled simple uniseriate trichomes similar to those on stem and leaves; peduncle 1.0-3.3 cm long, if the inflorescence branched then the peduncle rachis 0.2-0.4 cm long, short and congested; pedicels 1.0-1.2 cm long, 0.5-0.6 mm in diameter at the base tapering gradually to 1.0-1.2 mm in diameter at apex, straight and spreading at anthesis, recurving and becoming woody in fruit, not dehiscing; pedicel scars spaced 0-2 mm apart. Buds conical-ellipsoid, cream-coloured, the corolla strongly exerted from the calyx tube before anthesis. Flowers 5-merous, all perfect; calyx tube 1.5-2.0 mm long, green, the lobes 0.7-0.9 mm long, broadly deltate with rounded apices, purple coloured, sparsely pubescent with 1-celled simple uniseriate trichomes; corolla 12-24 mm in diameter, stellate, white or rarely lilac with a yellow to yellow-green central star at the base, lobed slightly less than halfway to the base, the lobes ca. 9-15 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, spreading to reflexed at anthesis, pubescent abaxially with 1-3-celled simple uniseriate trichomes shorter than the trichomes of the stems and leaves, sparsely pubescent adaxially at base near the filaments with 5-7-celled simple uniseriate trichomes; filament tube ca. 2 mm long, adaxially pubescent with 5-7-celled simple uniseriate trichomes; free portion of the filaments ca. 2 mm long, sometimes slightly longer in two lowermost anthers at anthesis (elongating after anthesis?), pubescent like the tube; anthers ca. (2.8)3.0-3.4 mm long, 1 mm wide, ellipsoid, yellow, poricidal at the tips, the pores lengthening to slits with age; ovary cylindrical, pubescent 2/3 from the base with 2-3-celled simple uniseriate trichomes; style 6 mm long, exerted (0.5)1-2 mm beyond the anther cone, densely pubescent up to 2/3 of the length with 2-3-celled simple uniseriate trichomes at the base; stigma globose, minutely papillate, pale yellow in live plants. Fruit an ellipsoid berry, 8-11 mm in diameter, green turning translucent green-orange when ripe (purple-black in Knapp et al. 10404 but these affected by pathogens?), the surface smooth and shiny when young, with relatively thick pericarp ca. 0.1 mm; fruiting peduncle woody; fruiting pedicels 11-22 mm long, purple coloured, ca. 1 mm in diameter at the base and 1.5 mm at apex, reflexed and woody in fruit, remaining on the plant after fruit drops; fruiting calyx lobes tightly appressed to the berry, purple-coloured, calyx often splitting into two larger lobes. Seeds 35-45 per berry, ca. 1.1 mm long, ca. 1.7 mm wide, concave-reniform, narrower at one end, brown, the hilum positioned sub-laterally towards the narrower end, the testal cells pentagonal in outline; stone cells few per fruit.

Distribution.

Andean Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia; growing in secondary vegetation, disturbed roadsides, landslides, and gravely slopes in ceja de Selva, montane cloud forest and Polylepis forests, associated with Chusquea ( Poaceae ). Gunnera ( Gunneraceae ), Cecropia ( Urticaceae ) and Weinmannia ( Cunoniaceae ); 2,000-3,600 (-3,900) m in elevation.

Ecology.

Flowering and fruiting throughout the year, peak in March and June-July.

Etymology.

The species name refers to Antisuyo (also Antisuyu), Quechua, for the eastern (anti) region (suyo/suyu) of the Inca territory, that referred to the lands on the eastern Andean slopes. The species is most diverse along the eastern flanks of the Andes in southern Peru, and the name is chosen to reflect this.

Conservation status.

The preliminary conservation status ( IUCN 2010) of Solanum antisuyo is here considered of least concern (LC) based on the relatively large EOO (ca. 692,500 km2), although the AOO (136 km2) would merit listing as endangered (EN). The species grows readily in disturbed sites and combined with its wide range, it appears to have relatively low threat status despite the generally increasing human pressure and habitat destruction in the Andes.

Specimens examined.

BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Chapare: along highway from Villa Tunari to Cochabamba, at Rio San Jacinto bridge, 54.5 km SW of bridge over Rio Espirito Santo, 17°11'09"S, 65°44'49"W, 1915m, 1 May 2007, M. Nee 55288 (NY); Chapare: New highway to the Chapare, ca. 4 km beyond Laguna Corani, 3140m, 15 Jul 1994, N. Ritter 1231 (NY); Chapare: El Limbo, 17°09'38"S, 65°38'22"W, 2900m, 18 Dec 2007, J. Terán 1757 (NY); La Paz: Franz Tamayo: Madidi, Tanhuara Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Apolobamba, bajando del campamento Tanhuara cruzando el Río Pelechuco, 14°44'47"S, 68°56'38"W, 2291m, 11 Jul 2009, I. Loza 1086 (NY); Inquisivi: Following the slopes E of Communidad Micayani to the Río Khokhoni more or less to the junction with a fork flowing down from Communidad Yamora, and following the Río Khokhoni upstream 1 km from this point, ca. 4 km SE from Inquisivi, 16°91'67"S, 67°10'00"W, 14 Jan 1989, M. Lewis 35076 (G,MO); Nor Yungas: Unduavi, 3200m, Feb 1914, O. Buchtien 463 (BM, G, US). ECUADOR. Loja: Loja: Parroquia Yangana, rd descending from Cerro Toledo antennas toward Yangana, 4°23'02"S, 79°06'58"W, 3050m, 27 Mar 2005, L. Bohs 3321 (BM, LOJA, NY, QCNE, UT); Loja: Rd from Yangana to boundary of Zamora-Chinchipe, 2560m, 13 Jul 1984, W.G. D’Arcy 15728 (NY); Napo: Napo-Pastasa, E.N.E of Cayambe Mountain, Oriente trail, 3261m, 6 Dec 1961, P.C.D. Cazalet 5523 (K); between Tena and Papallacta, 12 Jan 1981, W.G. D’Arcy 14108 (NY); Pichincha: Quito: Termas de Papallacta Hot Springs, 67 km E of Quito nr the Hwy, 0°20'S, 78°10'W, 3300m, 18 Aug 2005, J.L. Clark 9444 (BM, NY, QCNE, US); Quito: Parroquia, Nono, Reserva Yanacocha, Fundacion de Conservacion Jocotoco, 0°07'00"S, 78°35'10"W, 3500m, 13 May 2007, J.L. Clark 9534 (NY); Zamora-Chinchipe: Rd from Yangana to Zumba, 2438m, 13 Jul 1984, W.G. D’Arcy 15734 (NY); Rd from Vilcabamba to Valladolid, 27 km from Yangana, 2682m, 12 Jul 1986, W.G. D’Arcy 16468 (BM,NY); Parque Nacional Podocarpus, km 26 on rd Yangana-Valladolid, 4°29'S, 79°09'W, 2550m, 2 Dec 1988, J.E. Madsen 75741 (BM). PERU. Amazonas: Prov. Chachapoyas, Dist. Leymebamba, Cordillera Yasgolga, slopes W of summit El Rayo, 6°40'01"S, 77°43'05"W, 3287m, 24 Jun 2009, R.W. Bussmann et al. 15721 (HUT); Prov. Bagua, SE of la Peca, 2362-2461m, 16 Oct 1978, P. Barbour 4088 (USM); Cusco: Prov. La Convención, Dist. Echarate, Quebrada Lorohuachana, sector Laco, Santuario Nacional Megantoni, 3400m, 21 Jun 2008, L. Hernani A 1037 (HUSA); Dist. Echarate, Quebrada Lorohuachana, sector Laco, Santuario Nacional Megantoni, 3533m, 18 Jun 2008, L. Hernani A 968 (HUSA); Dist. Echarate, Quebrada Lorohuachana, sector Laco, Santuario Nacional Megantoni, 3400m, 21 Jun 2008, L. Hernani A 1033 (HUSA); Bosque del Chuyapi, 12°56'33"S, 72°47'04"W, 2100m, 19 Jul 2006, L. Valenzuela et al. 7282 (USM); Bosque del Chuyapi, 12°56'33"S, 72°47'04"W, 2100m, 19 Jul 2006, L. Valenzuela et al. 7284 (USM); Ca. 51 km from Ollantaytambo on rd over Abra Malaga to Quillabamba and Quelluno, ca. 10 km below Abra Malaga, Amazon slope, 13°07'15"S, 72°19'34"W, 3877m, 13 Mar 2012, S. Knapp et al. 10399 (BM, USM); Ca. 57 km from Ollantaytambo on rd over Abra Malaga to Quillabamba and Quelluno, ca. 16 km below Abra Malaga, Amazon slope, 13°06'30"S, 72°21'04"W, 3579m, 13 Mar 2012, S. Knapp et al. 10401 (BM, USM); Ca. 61 km from Ollantaytambo on rd over Abra Malaga to Quillabamba and Quelluno, ca. 21 km below Abra Malaga, Amazon slope, 13°06'15"S, 72°22'03"W, 3448m, 13 Mar 2012, S. Knapp et al. 10404 (BM, USM); Ca. 61 km from Ollantaytambo on rd over Abra Malaga to Quillabamba and Quelluno, ca. 21 km below Abra Malaga, Amazon slope, 13°06'15"S, 72°22'03"W, 3448m, 13 Mar 2012, S. Knapp et al. 10406 (BM, USM); Prov. Paucartambo, 3500-3600m, 14 Jul 1990, A. Cano 3636 (USM); Parque Nacional de Manu, 3500-3600m, 11 Jul 1990, A. Cano 4327 (USM); Parque Nacional de Manu, 3600-3700m, 6 Mar 1991, A. Cano 4593 (USM); Prov. Urubamba, Aguas Calientes, Quebrada Alccamayo, 13°09'01"S, 72°30'17"W, 2050-2200m, 29 Aug 2002, I. Huamantupa & G. Calatayud 2258 (MO, USM); Huánuco: Prov. Huánuco, along rd between Huánuco and Tingo María, 1.1 km N of Carpish Tunnel, ca. km 455, 9°40'S, 76°04'W, 2680m, 1 Jun 1998, T.B.Croat & M. Sizemore 81568 (BM, MO, USM); Carpish, above Acomayo, lower ceja, 2800m, 17 Jul 1964, P.C. Hutchison et al. 5931 (MO); Carpish, carretera Huanuco-Tingo Maria, 2700-2900m, 3 Oct 1950, R. Ferreyra 8164 (MOL, USM); North of Carpish Pass, rd from Huánuco to Tingo Maria, 50-52 km NE of Huánuco, 2350-2430m, 6 Dec 1981, T. Plowman & P.M. Rury 11141 (HB,USM); Prov. Pachitea, 2450m, 24 Dec 1979, HHV 001519 (USM); Prov. Tingo Maria, 2900m, 21 Jun 1980, HHV 3050 (USM); Junín: Prov. Huancayo, 3200m, 17 Jun 1972, D. Tovar T. 5 (USM); Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa, Dist. Oxapampa, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector San Alberto, alrededores del Refugio el Cedro, 10°32'26"S, 75°21'18"W, 2483m, 26 Apr 2009, M. Cueva & R. Rivera 625 (HUSA, USM); Dist. Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector San Daniel, 10°26'09"S, 75°27'07"W, 2192m, 29 Feb 2008, R. Vásquez et al. 33798 (USM); Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, quebrada diablo fuerte, trocha hacia la parcela Oso-Playa, 10°18'14"S, 75°36'14"W, 2398-2500m, 23 Jun 2008, A. Monteagudo et al. 16477 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, Zona de amortiquamiento del P.N. Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector Milpo, 10°22'20"S, 75°36'29"W, 2800m, 23 Sep 2004, A.Monteagudo et al. 7326 (K); Dist. Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector San Daniel, 10°25'48"S, 75°27'00"W, 2500-3500m, 1 Mar 2009, M. Cueva et al. 492 (USM); Puno: Prov. Carabaya, margen derecha del rio que pasa frente al campamento Chacayage, 13°45'48"S, 70°13'07"W, 2600m, 10 Mar 2004, S. Vilca C. et al. 71 (HUSA); km 238-239 on rd to Juliaca from San Gaban, ca. 8-9 km before Ollachea and Puente Chillichaca, 13°45'30"S, 70°28'09"W, 2451m, 19 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4035 (USM); Prov. Sandia, 8 km from Sandia on rd to Cuyocuyo, 14°22'08"S, 69°28'23"W, 2709m, 21 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4048 (BM, USM); 16 km from Sandia on rd to Cuyocuyo, 14°24'06"S, 69°28'25"W, 2990m, 21 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4049 (BM, USM); in Cuyocuyo outside of a house on main rd to Sandia, 14°27'09"S, 69°32'03"W, 3364m, 21 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4053 (BM, USM).

Discussion.

Solanum antisuyo is morphologically most similar to Solanum polytrichostylum Bitter with which it has been conflated in the past. It can be distinguished by simple or once-branched inflorescences where pedicels are spaced ca. 1-3 mm apart along the short rachis compared to consistently branched inflorescences with the flowers congested at the branch tips in Solanum polytrichostylum , and ellipsoid fruits as compared to the spherical fruits of Solanum polytrichostylum . Solanum antisuyo has a longer calyx tube with more reduced, poorly developed purple-tinged calyx lobes compared to the shorter calyx tubes with slightly larger, triangular calyx lobes in Solanum polytrichostylum , and larger brown coloured seeds compared to smaller yellow seeds in Solanum polytrichostylum . Furthermore, styles are always more exerted (2-4 mm versus 1-2 mm beyond the anther cone) in Solanum polytrichostylum . The two species are also ecologically somewhat distinct, with Solanum polytrichostylum restricted to streams and moist road sides, and Solanum antisuyo is found in drier areas in gravel, disturbed areas, and landslides. Other members of the Morelloid clade in Peru without glandular trichomes with which Solanum antisuyo could be confused include Solanum probolospermum Bitter that has smaller, spherical fruits, larger violet corollas that are more rotate in outline, and denser indumentum with longer 3-7-celled simple hairs, and Solanum pallidum Rusby (incl. Solanum planifurcum Bitter) that is similar to Solanum probolospermum but has branched rather than simple hairs.

Variation in growth form and flower colour can be observed in the field, where individuals growing in more humid conditions grow into stout herbs to ca. 1.5 m tall, whilst individuals in drier, higher elevation habitats in rocky landslides are stunted herbs reaching only ca. 40 cm in height. Colour variation in corolla is common within Morelloids and Solanum species in general: most specimens of Solanum antisuyo have creamy white petals, but occasional specimens with lilac corollas are known (e.g., Särkinen et al. 4048, 4049, and 4053).