Haplopappus colliguayensis M.A.Villalobos, V.Morales & Nic. Garcia, 2024

Garcia, Nicolas, Cadiz-Veliz, Aron, Villalobos, Macarena & Morales, Vanezza, 2024, Taxonomic novelties in Haplopappus (Asteraceae, Astereae) from Chile, PhytoKeys 237, pp. 201-218 : 201

Haplopappus colliguayensis M.A.Villalobos, V.Morales & Nic. Garcia sp. nov.

Figs 2 , 3

Diagnosis.

Haplopappus colliguayensis is similar to H. undulatus Klingenb., but differs from the latter by its stems with capitate glands and multicellular flagelliform trichomes (vs. sessile glands), leaves oblong to lanceolate (vs. obovate to oblanceolate), leaf margins flat, entire to shortly dentate with up to 5 teeth per side (vs. margins undulate, conspicuously dentate to serrate with 5-9 teeth per side), and paniculiform synflorescences with two or more capitula (vs. solitary capitulum).

Type.

Chile. Región de Valparaíso: Provincia de Marga Marga, Comuna de Quilpué, Colliguay , cerro La Chapa , 957 m a.s.l., 33°9'13"S, 71°7'54"W, 27 February 2023, N. García, M.A. Villalobos, V. Morales, A. Cádiz-Véliz, S. Olfos & O. Ovalle 6783 (holotype: EIF 17304!; isotypes: CONC!, JBN!, SGO!, SI!, VALPL!) .

Description.

Shrubs 0.4-0.8 m high, 0.1-0.3 m in diameter, ascending to erect, aromatic. Branching at base, some branches dry or with dry leaves and leaf scars on proximal half, leaves green towards the middle and distal portion of branches. Stems slightly corrugated, coppery, densely covered by minute capitate glandular trichomes and scattered multicellular flagelliform (2.0 mm) trichomes (same indumentum up to the peduncles). Leaves (0.5-)1.5-2.5(-4.0) × (0.1-)0.3-0.6(-1.0) cm; laminae oblong to lanceolate, gradually reduced in size towards the tip of branches, usually around five times as long as wide; bases cordate to obtuse; apices acute to acuminate, mucronate; margins entire to irregularly dentate, teeth 0.2-2 × 0.5-1.0 mm at the base, mucronate, (0-)1-3(-5) teeth on each side; leaves densely covered by short capitate glandular trichomes, multicellular, 0.25 mm long, and scattered subulate eglandular trichomes and flagelliform trichomes, membranous-papery to coriaceous, simple, sessile, alternate; venation with a dominant midvein and 2-4 basal secondary veins running more or less parallel to it, forming an arch with upper secondaries, overall reticulate due to tertiary veins. Capitula radiate, heterogamous, usually the apices of the main axis and (1-)2-5(-8) short secondary ramifications carry a single capitulum each, less frequently solitary on the main axis or up to 2 capitula per secondary branch, within a paniculiform synflorescence (paniculodium sensu Klingenberg 2007), that tends to take the aspect of a pseudoraceme. Peduncles up to 6 mm long or obsolete due to leaves growing up to the capitulum. Involucres 8-11 × 6-10 mm, campanulate to cylindrical. Phyllaries spirally arranged in 6-7 series, covered by short capitate glandular trichomes, border erose, mucronate; external series 2.0-2.5 × 0.5 mm at its widest, linear, mostly green (parenchymatous), sclerenchymatous basally, distal half to two thirds reflexed 30-45°, acute; intermediate series 4-6 × 0.6 mm at its widest, linear, green and reflexed 30-45° on distal half, acute, sclerenchymatous on proximal half; internal series 6.5-7 × 0.9 mm across the middle area, linear, apices straight or shortly reflexed, acute, parenchymatous on distal third, sclerenchymatous elsewhere, margins and below hyaline. Receptacles flat, epaleate, alveolate. True ray florets with tubular portion 4.0 × 0.3 mm and limbs 7.5 × 2.7 mm at its widest, with 4(-6) marked veins, both lateral bifurcating around the middle portion, ending in 2-3 small apical teeth, glabrous, 13-17 per capitulum, pistillate, corollas saffron (yellow-orange), zygomorphic, tubular portion covered with short, multicellular eglandular trichomes, becoming denser towards the throat; styles 4 mm long, divided asymmetrically into two branches; ovaries 1.5 × 0.5 mm, densely strigose. Disk florets 6.5-8.0 × 1.5-1.8 mm at their widest portion, numerous (60-70), perfect, corollas saffron, actinomorphic, infundibuliform, with 5 short lobes, 0.6-0.9 mm deep, edges thickened, shortly papillate; anthers 2.5 mm long; styles 4 mm long, with two style branches, 2.5 mm long each, papillate border on proximal half, differentiated distal half with multicellular collecting trichomes, apical triangular portion papillate; ovaries 1.5-2.5 × ~0.8 mm, densely strigose. Cypselae: achenes 4.0-4.5 × 0.8-1.2 mm, oblong-lanceolate, slightly flattened, asymmetrical, ribbed, only two lateral ribs prominent, covered by white, multicellular, stiff trichomes, 0.5-1 mm long, appressed or slanted up to 45° relative to the exocarp; pappus 3.0-5.5 mm long in ray florets and 3.0-6.0 mm long in disk florets, with numerous bristles (ca. 44), white, persistent, barbellate.

Distribution and habitat.

Haplopappus colliguayensis has been recorded only in the La Chapa hill, Colliguay (~33.1°S; Fig. 1A ), which is part of the coastal mountain range (cordillera de la Costa) between the Aconcagua and Maipo rivers. It inhabits rocky outcrops in south- to southwest-facing positions from the base of the hill (680 m a.s.l.) towards its summit (~1680 m a.s.l.). The surrounding zonal vegetation corresponds to sclerophyllous coastal forest; however, the vegetation associated with the rocky outcrops corresponds to a xerophilous scrub with predominance of Adesmia pirionii I.M.Johnst., Gochnatia foliolosa (D.Don) D.Don ex Hook. & Arn., Puya coerulea Lindl., and Chusquea cumingii Nees.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to Colliguay, a locality situated to the south of the city of Quilpué in the Valparaíso Region of Chile.

Phenology.

This species has been recorded flowering in February, but the period probably extends between January and March. Fruits have been recorded between February and April.

Conservation status.

According to IUCN (2022), Haplopappus colliguayensis can be considered as Critically Endangered (CR) according to criteria B2ab(iii, v), because its Area of Occupancy (AOO) is <10 km2 (4 km2). The criterion “a” was selected because it is known from a single locality. Although it is estimated that the only known population maintains around 1,000 individuals, all of them grow concentrated in a reduced area, which is susceptible to be affected by natural catastrophes or anthropogenic interventions (e.g., fires, droughts). The criterion “b(iii)” was selected because there is an inferred and projected decline in the extent and the quality of the habitat, given projected replacement of the vegetation due to climate change and the high probability of fire occurrence in the area where the species inhabits. According to MMA (2023b), the climate scenarios for 2050 predict an increase in temperature (of 1-2 °C) and a decrease in precipitation (~60-80 mm) in the county of Quilpué, where the species has been recorded. The predicted changes in precipitation allowed to classify this area under high risk of loss of flora ( MMA 2023a). Moreover, the region of Valparaíso is one of the Chilean regions that has experienced one of the highest numbers of fires and its burned area was extensive between 1985-2018 ( González et al. 2020). As a proof of this risk, a major fire that consumed 10 km2 in December of 2022, affected a valley contiguous to Colliguay and reached only 2 km away from the location of H. colliguayensis . The persistence of this trend with the probability of such future events in La Chapa hill would generate a decrease in the number of mature individuals, affecting the persistence of the species (criterion “b(v)”).

Additional specimens examined

(paratypes). Chile. Región de Valparaíso: Provincia de Marga-Marga, Comuna de Quilpue , Colliguay, cerro La Chapa , 680 m a.s.l., 17 April 2019, N. García, M.A. Villalobos & N. Godoy 5561 (EIF); 679 m a.s.l., 15 October 2019, M.A. Villalobos & J.P. Madriaga 111 (EIF, SGO); 1047 m a.s.l., 10 December 2019, M.A. Villalobos, V. Farías & P. Villalobos 154 (EIF, SGO, CONC); 1675 m a.s.l., 27 December 2019, N. García, M.A. Villalobos & V. Villablanca 5720 (EIF); 735 m a.s.l., 27 February 2023, N. García, M.A. Villalobos, V. Morales, A. Cádiz-Véliz, S. Olfos, O. Ovalle 6785 (EIF, SGO).

Taxonomic notes.

Given its phyllaries acute, bracts up to the capitula similar to the cauline leaves, and peduncles not distinctly different from the twigs, H. colliguayensis can be assigned to H. sect. Grindelioidae Klingenb. ( Klingenberg 2007). The new species most closely resembles H. undulatus , but differs in characters mentioned in the diagnosis and in its distribution restricted to xerophilous/rupiculous scrub in the coastal range, in contrast to the latter which is found in high-montane (i.e., alpine) scrub in the main Andes mountain range between the Valparaíso and O’Higgins regions (Fig. 1A ). Haplopappus colliguayensis can also be compared to H. grindelioides (Less.) DC., which besides having a much southern distribution between the Maule and Los Ríos regions (vs. Valparaíso Region), also has solitary capitula (vs. paniculiform synflorescence with two or more capitula), stems tomentose (vs. glandulose), and outer series of phyllaries 1.7-2 mm wide (vs. 0.5 mm wide) ( Klingenberg 2007).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of Haplopappus in central Chile A H. colliguayensis (red dot), H. undulatus (blue dots) B H. teillieri (red dots), H. integerrimus (blue dots), H. punctatus (orange dots) C H. kingii (red dots), H. parvifolius (green dots), H. remyanus (blue dots), H. retinervius (orange dots).

Figure 2. Haplopappus colliguayensis M. A. Villalobos, V. Morales & Nic. Garcia A habit B capitulum C flowering branch, inset shows glandular pubescence on stem D style and asymmetrical stigmatic branches of true ray florets E true ray floret F disk floret G style and stigmatic branches of disk floret H achene I series of phyllaries J leaves (" bracts ") subtending capitula K leaf. Drawn by Daniel Martinez Pina from N. Garcia et al. 6783, 6785.

Figure 3. Haplopappus colliguayensis M. A. Villalobos, V. Morales & Nic. Garcia A habitat B habit C, D detail of stem and leaves E fruiting capitula F flowering branch showing paniculiform synflorescence G immature capitulum H capitulum, side view I capitulum, top view. Photographs by Aron Cadiz-Veliz (A, C-E, G-I), Macarena Villalobos (B), Nicolas Garcia (F).