Coespeletia palustris M. Diazgranados & G. Morillo, 2013

Diazgranados, Mauricio & Morillo, Gilberto, 2013, A new species of Coespeletia (Asteraceae, Millerieae) from Venezuela, PhytoKeys 28, pp. 9-18 : 11-15

Coespeletia palustris M. Diazgranados & G. Morillo sp. nov. Figs 1 -4

Diagnosis.

Related to Coespeletia moritziana but differs in indumentum primarily whitish, larger leaf sheaths, proximal portion of young leaves white, thicker scapes, which are ebracteate, larger phyllaries with pubescence unkempt, capitula with fewer flowers, which are much larger, and smaller pollen grains.

Type.

Venezuela, Mérida, Páramo de Santo Domingo, alrededores de la Laguna de los Patos, en zona de turbera. Alt. 3729 m., 8.77522 N, - 70.80349 E, 29 September 2011, G. Morillo, M. Diazgranados, L. Gámez, S. Rodríguez & J. Parra 14155 (holotype: MER, isotype: VEN). Additional collections from the type locality (paratypes): L. Gamez, G. Morillo, J. Parra & S. Rodríguez 1097, 1100 (MER).

Description.

Acaulescent (or subsessile) rosette of 60-80(-100) cm (including inflorescences) and of 40-60 cm in diameter; numerous inflorescences monocephalous, twice longer than leaves, with naked axes. Rosettes whitish, densely covered by whitish lanose indumentum, with little accumulation of marcescent leaves at the base. Leaves linear, with laminae (28-)32-36(-38) cm long, (0.7-)0.8-1.2(-1.3) cm wide, length to width ratio (28-)30(-35):1, thick, subsessile, with a pseudopetiole greenish and almost glabrous, 2 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. The leaves are covered by a dense lanose indumentum, grey-whitish. When young, leaves are golden yellow in the distal portion, and white in the proximal portion. The sheath is oblong, adaxially glabrescent and greenish or whitish, abaxially reddish-brown and slightly covered by hairs, (7-)7.5-9.5(-10) cm long, (2-)2.2-2.5(-2.7) cm wide.

Inflorescences numerous (>30), coetaneous, axillary, aphyllous, monocephalous, with a single nodding capitulum. Scape about twice longer than leaves, 60-80 cm long, 1.0-1.4 cm in diameter, erect, densely lanate, yellowish, relatively thick and stout, totally naked, without leafy bracts at the base.

Capitula radiate, patelliform, nodding, 4.5-6 cm in diameter including the ligules of the ray flowers; ligular circle well developed, as large as the involucre; discs (without counting ligular circle) 2.2-2.4 cm in diameter. Involucre sub-hemispherical, densely lanate, the pubescence unkempt, yellowish or whitish. Phyllaries pluriseriate, narrow and curved (almost curly), the outer ones 18-20 mm × 4.0-4.2 cm, linear to narrowly-lanceolate, becoming progressively shorter towards the inner-most phyllaries, 13-14 mm × 2.8-3.2 mm, only apically hairy.

Ray flowers ligulate, 95-200 per capitulum, in 3-5 rows. Corolla abaxially dark pink, adaxially yellowish becoming brown-reddish towards the apex, carnosulous, 12-14.2 mm long; ligules elliptical or oblong, bi- or tridentate, with 6 reddish-purple conspicuous nerves. Tube glanduliferous, 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter and 3.8-4.8(-6.0) mm in length, dark pink, the glands pediculate capitate, 150-160 μm long × 30-35 μm in diameter; tubes with 2 linguiform appendages 1.5-2.2 mm long; ovary whitish when young, becoming red in the extremes. Paleas 12-16(-17.5) mm long, 2.7-3.0 mm wide, brownish, with 3 main nerves. Styles 8-9 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm wide, with branches about (1.7-)2.0-3.2 mm long, papillose. Cypselae oblong, triangular, 3.6-3.9 mm × (1.6-)1.7-2.3 mm.

Disc flowers 215-280, (8-)9-10 mm long (not counting the anthers), of purple appearance; corolla 5-5.5 mm long, reddish, yellowish pink or translucid in the lower half, lobes 5, 1-1.1 mm long and 0.5-0.6 mm wide at the base; tube glanduliferous, 0.8 mm wide × 2.6-4.5 mm long; anthers purple, sometimes exceeding the corolla by 2 mm, slightly translucid; paleas 9.8-10.2 mm long, 1.5-1.7 mm wide, brownish, with 3 main nerves.

Pollen yellow when fresh, tricolporate, 22.1-23.7 μm in equatorial diameter (not including spines), 25-26 μm in polar diameter; spines 110-116 total, equatorial spines 18, 2.3-3.2 μm long, slightly curved.

Distribution

( Fig. 4 ). Endemic to Venezuela. This species has been found in a few marshy areas of the Páramo de Santo Domingo (e.g. around the Laguna de los Patos) and the Sierra de la Culata, always in small areas of less than 0.5 km2.

Ecology.

Small population of about 200-400 individuals growing in marshes, on very swampy and wet soil. Other Espeletiinae found on the proximate drier slopes are: Coespeletia timotensis , Espeletia schultzii Wedd., Espeletia weddellii Sch. Bip. ex Wedd., and Libanothamnus neriifolius (Bonpl. ex Humb.) Ernst.

Etymology.

The name “palustris” is given because of the boggy habitat in which this species is found.

Conservation status.

This species may be at a certain risk of extinction, since it is found in a very particular habitat, sensitive to climate change.

Specimens examined.

Coespeletia moritziana : VENEZUELA. Mérida: Sierra Nevada de Mérida: 4000 m, 1842, Linden 398 in part (isolectotype; BR, P, US!); Sierra Nevada, flower, Sep-Dec, Moritz 1416 (F!); Páramo de Mucuchíes around Pico del Aguila, 4300 m, in Apartaderos, Steyermark 55883 (F!, NY, VEN); id., 4150 m, Sep 1952, Humbert 26458 (P, US!); id., Pico del Aguila, 4100 m, Apr 1952, Gines 4794 (US!); id., 4200 m, 5 Oct 1969, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & Lopez-Figueiras 28031 (MERF, US!); id., 4000 m, 5 Dec 1936, Chardón 5007 (COL!, US!); id., 20 Apr 1946, Burkart 16802 (US!, VEN); id., Apartaderos towards Timotes, 3 Nov 1976, Bernardi, Charpin & Jacquemoud 17064 (G, US!); id., 4118 m, 21-26 Apr 1959, Barclay & Juajibioy 9649 (US!); id., 4200 m, 15 Nov 1975, Badillo & Páez 6857 (MY, US!); id., 4000 m, 26 Jan 1939, Alston 6631 (GH, NY, P, S, U, US!); Sierra Nevada above Mérida, Loma Redonda, 4000-4045 m, 14 Oct 1969, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figueiras 28093 (MERF, US!); id., 4050 m, 9 Dec 1983, Sobrevila 1552 (US!); id., around Laguna Verde, below Pico Humboldt, 4100 m, 26 Feb 1971, Ruiz-Terán & Lopez-Palacios 1617 (MERF, US!); id., Laguna Verde, 4000 m, on rocky slope, 4 Dec 1959, Barclay & Juajibioy 10043 (US!); between Laguna Coromoto and Laguna Verde, 3800 m, Oct 1956, Aristeguieta 2610 (F, NY, US!, VEN); Páramos around Pico Bolivar and Pico Espejo on trail to Nevados, 4150 m, 15-18 Dec 1959, Barclay & Juajibioy 10224 (US!); id., Cañada of Laguna de Los Anteojos, 3930-3900 m, 22 Feb 1973, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figueiras 28584 (MERF, US!); Pico Toro, southern slope on the way to Los Nevados, frequently humid and marshy places, 4000-4200 m, 22 Jan 1972, Ruiz-Terán 6882 (MERF, US!); Sierra Nevada de Santo Domingo; NW slopes, 4000-4400 m, 24-26 Sep 1952, Humbert 26479 (COL, P, US!); Páramo de Laguna Brava, 3300 m, 22 May 1971, López-Figueiras 8721 (MERF, US!); Páramo de Timotes, 3800-4200 m, 24 Jan 1928, Pittier 12729 (F!, M, MO!, NY, VEN); id., 4200 m, 21 Jan 1922, Jahn 869 (GH, K, M, NY!, US!, VEN); id., 3000-3500 m, 6 Dec 1910, Jahn 150 (US!, VEN); id., Cabeceras of Quebrada El Turmero, afluent of Rio Motatan, 4260 m, in marshy places, 12 Nov 1984, Berry 4402 (US!); between Timotes and Laguna Huacha, 3850 m, 21-26 Nov 1959, Barclay & Juajibioy 9853, 9889 (US!); Sierra del Norte west of La Culata: Alto de Piedras Blancas, vert N, in marshy spots, 17 Jul 1970, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figueiras 369 (MERF, US!); id., 4100 m, 23 Nov. 1976, Quintero 1697 (MER!), 1698 (MER!); Llano de Piedras Blancas, 4150-4200 m, 16 Jul 1970, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figueiras 331 (MERF, US!); id., Páramo de Los Conejos in Zanjas de Los Castillos, 3800 m, 24 Mar 1972, Ruiz-Terán 6975 (MERF, US!); id., in Indio Dormido, 3750 m, 23 Jul 1980, López-Figueiras 23688 (MERF, US!); id., 3500 m, 1933, Jahn 235 (US!); id., 24 Sep 1938, Hanbury-Tracy 155 (K, NY, US!). Coespeletia palustris (paratypes): VENEZUELA. Laguna de Los Patos, 4000 m, 23 Nov 1959, Barclay & Juajibioy 9741 (US!); id, 6 Feb 1966, Schulz 252 (MER!); Páramo de Los Granates, Cañada del Padre, 3550 m, 10 Oct 1969, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figuieras 28057 (MERF, US!); id., 3480 m, 10 Oct 1969, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figuieras 28055 (MERF, US!); Páramo de Mucubaji, 6100 m, 6 Jun 1952, Gines 4801 (US!); id., 3700 m, Sep 1956, Aristeguieta 2445 (MER!, US!, VEN); id., 4670 m, 17 Nov 1958, Buza 107 (F!, MER!); id., Laguna Negra, 18 May 1952, Vareschi & Pannier 1019 (MER!); id., Cañada of Laguna de Los Anteojos, 3930-3900 m, 22 Feb 1973, Cuatrecasas, Ruiz-Terán & López-Figueiras 28584 (MERF, US!); Páramo de Mucuñuque, 4100 m, 20 June 1958, Buza 109 (MER!).

Figures

Figure 1. Coespeletia palustris: A abaxial view of the involucre B young leaves showing white basal portion C parts of the collection D capitulum of the holotype collection (Morillo et al. 14155) E acaulescent (or subsessile) habit and marshy habitat F whitish rosette from top. Coespeletia moritziana: G capitulum H caulescent habit and rocky habitat I yellowish rosette from top.

Figure 4. Distribution map showing collections for Coespeletia palustris (red circles) and Coespeletia moritziana (green triangles). Photograph of marshes around Laguna de los Patos, with a population of Coespeletia palustris.