Hypoxis limicola B.L.Burtt

Niemann, Hendrik J., Coetzer, Dewald J. & Glennon, Kelsey L., 2023, Hypoxis limicola and H. uniflorata (Hypoxidaceae) deserve species rank: multiple new lines of evidence, Phytotaxa 619 (1), pp. 63-85 : 78-79

Hypoxis limicola B.L.Burtt in Hilliard & Burtt (1988: 188)

Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Mac Mac Pools (QDS: 2530BB), 23 October 1985, Hilliard & Burtt 18455 (holotype E! [image]; isotype NU! [image]) .

Rhizome 3–6 mm in diam., oblong with few contractile roots, crowned by leaves and few fine bristles, white inside. Leaves few, 6–8, wrapped at base in membranous, white or brown tunic, lanceolate, 60–70 × 10–12 mm, soft to membranous, smooth or upper surface covered with translucent pustules visible against light, veins 14–18, all flush with surface; sparsely hairy throughout, mainly on lower surface; hairs bifurcate or stellate interspersed with simple hairs, white. Inflorescence 1(–3) per plant, corymbose; scapes as tall as or taller than leaves, weak, lax, 20–40 mm long, covered with soft, white hairs; bracts usually 1–2, 5–7 mm long, hairy, rarely absent. Flowers 1(2); pedicels, long, weak, 20–40 mm when flower open, conspicuous articulation between scape and pedicel; tepals yellow adaxially, 2–6 mm long in open flowers. Stamens 3+3, with filaments filiform, yellow, short inner filaments 2 mm, long outer filaments 2.5–3.0 mm; anthers 0.50–0.75 mm long, sagittate, apex split. Ovary 1.0– 1.5 mm long; style filiform, 3.50– 3.75 mm long; stigma minute, spherical, 0.25–0.50 mm in diam. Capsule turbinate or subglobose, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, opening by circular slit, splitting longitudinally into 3 lobes. Seeds ovoid, 0.8–1.0 × 0.75–0.85 mm, black, dull; seed coat epidermal cells isodiametric, 4–8-gonal with straight, channelled, anticlinal boundaries smooth and well defined; convex outer periclinal cell wall colliculate and/or columellate, micropapillate; micropapillae commonly overlap and get shorter towards anticlinal boundaries. Flowering time: September–December(–February).

Diagnostic characters and relationships:— Hypoxis limicola is most often confused with the H. parvula varieties (particularly the yellow-flowered var. parvula ). It is distinguished from H. parvula var. parvula by having tepals that are 2–6 mm long (and not (7–) 8–10 mm long), a conspicuously swollen articulation between the scape and the pedicel (not an inconspicuous articulation), and one or two 5–7 mm long bract(s) (not a single 1–4 mm long bract) when present. It can easily be distinguished from H. parvula var. albiflora by having tepals that are yellow adaxially (not white).

Distribution and habitat:— Hypoxis limicola occurs in South Africa and Eswatini. In South Africa, it is found in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. It is associated with marshy places where it occupies wet ground that is otherwise more or less bare—with plants forming small patches. It grows at 1260–1980 m.a.s.l.

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Buffelskloof Nature Reserve (QDS: 2530BC), 12 December 2013, Turpin 868 ( BNRH) ; Songimvelo Game Reserve (QDS: 2531CC), 11 February 1992, Stalmans 2643 ( LYD) ; Blydepoort Nature Reserve, Belvedere (QDS: 2430DD), 10 September 1970, Kerfoot 6459 (J); Mount Sheba Nature Reserve (QDS: 2430DC), October 1975, Getliffe, Hearne & Kerfoot 30 (J) . Limpopo: Serala forestry farm, Wolkberg 634 LT (QDS: 2430AA), 23 October 1985, Venter 10227 ( LYD) .

ESWATINI. Hhohho: Forbes Reef (QDS: 2631AC), 5 November 1959, Compton 29335 ( NBG); Mbabane District , Dalriach (QDS: 2631AC), 18 November 1957, Compton 27243 ( NBG) .