Salvia topiensis J.G. González, 2013

González-Gallegos, Jesús Guadalupe, 2013, Salvia albicalyx and Salvia topiensis (Lamiaceae), two new species from Durango, Mexico, Phytotaxa 77 (1), pp. 9-18 : 13-16

Salvia topiensis J.G. González , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 , 3 )

A S. decora laminis cuneatis; bracteis floralibus, calycibus, corollis et fructibus brevioribus; inflorescentiis confertioribus; et corollarum tubis epapillatis statim diagnoscenda.

Type:— MEXICO. Durango: Topia, 3 km de Topia, 2050 m, 28 September 1990 (fl, fr), A . Benítez-P. 2426 (holotype CIIDIR!, isotype MEXU!) .

Perennial shrubs 1–2 m tall; stems densely pilose. Leaves with petioles (0.9–)1.0– 2.2 cm long, densely pilose; blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 6.2–17.5 × 3–6 cm, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to long-attenuate, margin serrate, moderately pilose in the above and densely white tomentose below, aromatic. Inflorescence in racemes 6.3–15.0 cm long, 11–25 verticillasters, these (6–)8–12(–20)-flowered, the lowermost 4.7–12.0 mm apart, floral axis densely pilose. Floral bract ovate, 4.7–5.7 × 2.2–3.3 mm, deciduous, apex acuminate and caudate (cauda up to 2 mm long), base truncate, margin entire, outer surface pilose, the inner glabrous. Pedicel 1.4–2.7 mm long, sparsely pilose and covered with short glandular-capitate hairs. Calyx 4.5–6.3 × 2.1–3.2(–3.8) mm, pilose on the veins and covered with short glandular-capitate hairs, lips acute, the upper 3- veined and entire. Corolla white, upper lip pilose, the lower glabrous; tube 6.8–7.4 × 2.4–3.2 mm, slightly ventricose, base straight, internally epapillate; upper lip 4.6–5.4 mm long, lower lip 3.0–3.7(–5.7) × 4.0–4.6(–6.2) mm. Stamens included; filament 2.1–2.8 mm long; connective 6.9–7.3 mm long, ornate with a short acute tooth at the middle of its ventral portion; theca 1.4–1.7 mm long; two staminodes present, above and behind the insertion of the filaments, filiform and irregularly capitate (up to 1.4 mm long). Gynobasic horn 1.1–1.5 mm long, apex truncate; style 11.1–11.9 mm long, apex pilose, the lower branch acute. Nutlet ovoid, 1.1–1.2 × 0.7–0.8 mm, tan, glabrous, smooth.

Distribution, habitat and phenology: — Salvia topiensis is known only from the municipalities of Topia and Canelas, Durango, Mexico ( Fig. 2 ). It grows in oak and pine-oak forests, from (1450–) 1900–2320 m elevation, and shares habitat with Pinus maximinoi H.E. Moore , several especies of Quercus , and Juniperus L.

Etymology: —The species is named after the municipality of Topia, Durango.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — MEXICO. Durango: Topia , 1450 m, 19 September 1985 (fl, fr), P. Tenorio-L 9822, C. Romero de T. & P. Dávila ( MEXU!); Canelas, 10 km por el camino a

Cuevecillas, [2320 m], 25º7’ N, 106º30’ W, 10 March 1987 (fl), S . Acevedo 196 & D. Bayona ( CIIDIR!, IBUG!); Topia , Los Molinos, al S , Arroyo del Agua , 1530 m, 25º12’05” N, 106º34’00” W, 15 March 1987 (fl), S . Acevedo 332 & D. Bayona ( CIIDIR!, IBUG!); 2 km al N de Topia , 1930 m, 4 August 1990 (fl), A . Benítez-P. 1771 (MEXU!).

The characters of Salvia topiensis do not exactly agree with any of the sections within the subgenus Calosphace as defined by Epling (1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1947, 1951), Epling & Mathias (1957), and Epling & Játiva (1966). Trying to find the section where S. topiensis fits well based on the keys provided by Epling and coworkers, does not lead to any clear answer due to the incongruence of some characters. Nonetheless, the morphologically most similar section is Polystachyae Epling (1939: 213). Both are similar in their herbaceous to suffrutescent habit, ovate, lanceolate to elliptic blades, 12–24 flowers per verticillaster, deciduous floral bracts, 3-veined upper calyx lip, dentate connectives, and pubescent styles. However, those species included in section Polystachyae , as opposed to S. topiensis , present rounded blade bases, and 2–4- papillate corolla tubes. Among the species of section Polystachyae , the most similar is Salvia decora Epling (1939: 222) ; however, this differs in its rounded blade bases; smaller floral bracts, calyces, corollas and fruits; usually less crowded inflorescences; and internally papillate corolla tubes ( Table 2). It should be noted that some authors rejected the name S. decora , and submerge it within Salvia filipes Bentham (1848: 309) ( Epling 1941, Govaerts et al. 2012); but, for the comparison purpose in this paper, both names have been retained as distinct species. In this approach, S. filipes can be recognized by means of its cordate blade bases and blue to pale-blue corollas, and for its distribution limited to the Sierra Madre Oriental in Hidalgo, Mexico.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Salvia albicalyx (square) and Salvia topiensis (triangles); municipal boundaries of Topia, Canelas and El Mezquital are shown.

FIGURE 3. Salvia topiensis A. Habit. B. Floral bract, outer surface. C. Calyx. D. Corolla. E. Connectives and thecae. F. Apex of the style. G. Nutlets, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) surfaces. Illustration based on A. Benítez-P. 2426 and S. Acevedo 196 & D. Bayona; drawn by J.G. González-Gallegos.