Marasmodes undulata, Compton, 1946

Magee, A. R., Ebrahim, I., Koopman, R. & von Staden, L., 2017, Marasmodes (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), the most threatened plant genus of the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa: Conservation and taxonomy *, South African Journal of Botany 111, pp. 371-371 : 371-

13. Marasmodes undulata . Compton, J. S. African Bot. 12: 87 (1946).

Type: South Africa. Western Cape, Cape Town (3318): Paarl division, gravelly flats north of Hueguenot (– DB), 26 Apr 1946, Compton 17987 ( NBG, holo.; BOL!, PRE!, iso.) .

Well-branched, multistemmed, twiggy shrublets, 0.3–0.7 m tall. Leaves alternate, regularly arranged along branches, adpressed to erect, lanceolate, 2.5–5.0 × 0.5 mm, simple, mucronulate, secondary basal lobes absent; axillary fascicles absent or poorly developed. Capitula solitary, terminal or on axillary shoots 2–25 mm long. Involucre campanulate, 4–6 × 4–5 mm; bract margins and apices scarious, sessile glands at appendage base inconspicuous, stereome prominent; outer bracts ovate, 1.5–2.0 mm long, margin scarious, apex with a broadly ovate scarious appendage, undulate, ± spreading; middle bracts ovate, 2.5–3.5 mm long, margins broadly scarious, apex with a broadly to very broadly ovate scarious appendage; inner bracts oblong, 4–5 mm long, margins broadly scarious, apex with a broadly to very broadly ovate scarious appendage, yellowish brown to reddish pink. Florets ca. 18 to 30; limb 5-lobed from midpoint; lobes recurved. Pappus with adaxial scales ±half to ¾ length of corolla tube.

Diagnostic characters. This species is easily distinguished by the prominent, broadly to very broadly ovate scarious apical appendages on the outer, middle and inner involucral bracts ( Fig. 7K–M ). In all other species scarious apical appendages are present only on the innermost involucral bracts. The scarious appendages are often prominently undulate, so that they appear ruffled ( Fig. 7M ).

Distribution and ecology

Marasmodes undulata

Occurs on seasonally damp gravelly alluvial flats near Paarl ( Fig. 6 ). It is known from only one population on a 4 ha fragment of natural vegetation within the New Orleans municipal campsite, together with Annesorhiza articulata Magee (Magee, 2015). This remaining population has been monitored since its discovery in the 1980s, when there were 300 plants. However, only 20 plants were recorded in 2005 and the site was partially burnt in 2006 in an attempt to promote recruitment. However, no new post-fire recruitment have been recorded during surveys in 2006 and 2011. In 2012, we counted about 30 individuals in the unburnt area. For these reasons M. undulata is considered Critically Endangered, B1ab(iii,v) + 2ab(iii,v); C2a(ii).

Additional specimens examined. South Africa. Western Cape: 3318 (Cape Town): New Orleans campsite, Paarl (– DB), 13 Apr 1980, Burgers 2334 ( K, PRE) ; 17 May 1992, Ivey 20 ( NBG) ; 12 Dec 2004, Helme 3172 ( NBG) ; 12 May 2005, Mucina 120505/ 1 ( NBG, 2 sheets) ; 9 Jul 2012, Magee & Koopman 502 ( NBG) .

Figures

Fig. 7. General morphology of Marasmodes oubinae (A & B), M.polycephala (C & D), M.spinosa (E–G), M. trifida (H–J), M.undulata (K–M).

Fig. 6. The known geographical distribution of Marasmodes oppositifolia (star), M.trifida (circle) and M.undulata (triangle).