Lebeckia sepiaria, (L.) Thunb.

le Roux, M. M. & Van Wyk, B. - E., 2007, A revision of Lebeckia sect. Lebeckia: The L. sepiaria group, South African Journal of Botany 73 (1), pp. 118-130 : 128-130

4.4. L. sepiaria

L. sepiaria (L.) Thunb. , Prod. Pl. Cap.: 122 (1800), Fl. Cap.: 561 (1823); Benth. in Hook., Lond. J. Bot. 3: 192 (1844) non Harv. (1862), nec Goldblatt and Manning (2000).

Type: South Africa, LINN 891.4 ( LINN!, lectotype, designated here).

S. sepiarium L. , Sp. Pl.: 995 (1753) and Pl. Rar. Afr.: 91 (1760), Gmelin, Syst. Nat. 2 (2): 1088 (1792). Type as for L. sepiaria .

Sarcophyllum carnosum Sims, Bot. Mag. : 51, t. 2502 (1824). Iconotype: Sims, Bot. Mag.: 51, t. 2502 (1824). [Note: The illustration and description leaves no doubt about the identity of the species illustrated. The calyx is not equally lobed, with the lateral sinus wider than the upper and lower sinuses and the wing petals are shorter than the keel petal. The proliferation of the apical bud of the inflorescence is very unusual. The Ecklon specimen on which Meyer based his description of L. sarcophylloides [Ecklon and Zeyher 1338 (SAM!)] also agrees with this species.

L. sarcophylloides E. Mey. in Linnaea 7: 155 (1832), nom. nov. pro S. carnosum Sims non L. carnosa Thunb. Type as for S. carnosum .

L. simsiana Eckl. and Zeyh., Enum. 2: 192 (1836); Harv. in Harv. and Sond., Fl. Cap. 2: 86 (1862); Goldblatt and Manning, Cape Plants, Strelitzia 9: 493 (2000), synon. nov. Type as for S. carnosum .

L. contaminata (L.) E. Mey ., Comm. Pl. Afr. Austr. 1: 34 (1836), non Thunb.

Erect, glaucous suffrutex, up to 0.8 m in height. Leaves simple, acicular, articulated near the middle; leaf density 4–11 per 10 mm length of stem. Inflorescences terminal, 50– 300 mm long; rachis furrowed; flowers numerous, relatively sparse (2–5 per 10 mm length of rachis), relatively large in size (12–18 mm long); pedicel 4–7 mm long; bract lanceolate, acute, ± 3 mm long; bracteoles narrowly triangular, acuminate, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Calyx 4.5–6.5 mm long, tube 2.5–3.5 mm long, lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long; subequally lobed but the upper lateral sinuses much wider than the medial sinus and lower lateral sinuses; lobes deltoid, tips minutely pubescent inside. Standard widely ovate to orbicular, 9– 15× 7.5–11.5 mm; apex obtuse; claw 1.0– 3.5 mm long. Wings oblong, shorter than the keel, 7.5–12.5 × 3.5–6.0 mm, with 13– 16 rows of sculpturing; apex obtuse; claws 1.5–4.5 mm long. Keel rostrate, 7–14 × 3.0–5.0 mm, usually with pockets; claws 2–5 mm long. Pistil subsessile; ovary 13.5–15.5 × 0.6–0.9 mm long, linear; ovules many (15–19); style 4.0– 5.5 mm long, curved upwards. Pods linear, straight, up to 40 × 4 mm; indehiscent; terete; fruit wall thick, spongy. Seeds oblong-reniform, ± 2.5 × 1.2 mm, rugose, pale brown, mottled dark brown to black; hilum black ( Fig. 11 ).

4.4.1. Diagnostic characters

L. sepiaria is one of the most well-known species in sect. Lebeckia . It differs markedly from L. brevicarpa in the long, linear fruits (up to 40 mm long) and wings that are shorter than the keel. In L. brevicarpa , the fruits are short and ovate (up to 13 mm long) and the wings are longer than the keel ( Fig. 11 ).

4.4.2. Distribution and habitat

L. sepiaria occurs only in the Western Cape Province ( Fig. 12 ). It differs markedly from L. ambigua and L. gracilis in occurring mainly at higher altitudes (300 − 1500 m, with only a few localities near Cape Town that are below 300 m). Plants grow in welldrained sandy soil.

4.4.3. Specimens examined

– 3218 (Clanwilliam): Piketberg , Redelinghuys (– BC), Stephans 7013 ( NBG); Paleisheuwel Station (– DA), Wisura 3486 ( NBG); Olifants Rivier Valley (– DB), Barker 10336 ( NBG); Warmbaths (– DB), Edwards 251 ( PRE); Citrusdal, Jansekraal (– DB), Hanekom 1300 ( NBG); Citrusdal (– DB), Hanekom 2851 ( NBG, PRE), Parker 3588 ( NBG); Citrusdal, Berg-en-Dal (– DB), Hanekom 3209 ( PRE); farm at the top of Zebrakop, Piketberg (– DB), Taylor 5319 ( PRE); Piketberg (– DC), Goldblatt 2743 ( PRE), Van Breda 2005 ( PRE); Piketberg (– DD), Bodkin 13537 ( PRE), Bolus 13537 ( PRE), Gulline 2585 ( NBG), Marloth 11477 ( PRE); on top of Piketberg mountain (– DD), Bodkin and Bolus 13537 ( PRE).

– 3219 (Wuppertal): Kleinplaas (– CA), Hanekom 2896 ( NBG, PRE); Middelberg Pass, Elandskloof (– CA), Le Roux, Boatwright, Magee and Van Wyk 13 ( JRAU); Olifants River Valley (– CA), Stephans 7013 ( BOL); 3.6 km N. of Warm Baths (– CA), Le Roux, Boatwright, Magee and Van Wyk 10, 11 ( JRAU); Cedarberg (– CB), Thode 2151 ( PRE); Wuppertal, Olifants River (– CC), Thompson 1505 ( NBG).

– 3318 (Cape Town): Above Riebeek Kasteel (– BD), Drège s.n. ( PRE, S); Riebeek Kasteel (– BD), Marsh 1053 ( NBG); Langverwacht above Kuilsrivier (– DC), Olivier 4753 ( NBG); Stellenbosch (– DD), Bolus 10722 ( BOL), Prior s.n. ( PRE); Jonkershoek (– DD), Borchardt 417 ( PRE); Jonkershoek (– DD), Hubbard 285 ( PRE); between Stellenbosch and Vlottenberg (– DD), Marloth 8755 ( NBG); Stellenbosch, Banhoek (– DD), Martley 32 404 ( BOL); Stellenbosch, Vredenburg (– DD), Salter 7800 ( NBG); Stellenbosch, Swartboskloof (– DD), van Rensburg 2135 ( NBG, PRE); Assegaaibosch (– DD), Van derMerwe 1224 ( PRE).

– 3319 (Worcester): Breederivier , Paspasvalley , Vierentwintigrivier (– AA), Ecklon and Zeyher 1338 ( SAM); Tulbagh, Winterhoek (– AA), Pappe s.n. ( SAM); Foothills of Witzenberg (– AC), Schonken 317 ( NBG, PRE); Boesmanskloof (– CA), Taylor 6507 ( PRE); Goudini road (– CB), Middlemost and Creasy 2143 ( NBG); Bastiaanskloof (– CB), Taylor 6507 ( PRE); Brandvlei Prison (– CD), Forrester 514 ( NBG); Villiersdorp (– CD), Schlechter 140 ( PRE); Louwshoek (– CD), Stokoe s.n. ( SAM); Stettynskloof (– CD), Walters 227, 1065 ( NBG); between Worcester and Villiersdorp (– CD), Walters 398 ( NBG); Villiersdorp, Doornrivier (– CD), Walters 1380 ( NBG); 20 km from McGregor on the way to Greyton (– DC), Grobbelaar 2209 ( PRE); McGregor (– DC), Grobbelaar 2856 ( PRE).

– 3320 (Montagu): Foot of Tradouw Pass , Barrydale (– DC), Marsh 864 ( NBG); Langeberg between Lemoenshoek and Naauwkrantz , Strawberry Hill (– DD), Stokoe s.n. ( NBG).

– 3419 (Worcester): Caledon (– AB), Zeyher s.n. ( SAM); Steenboksberg (– AD), Taylor 6507 ( NBG); Robertson, Boesmanskloof Pass at McGregor (– BA), Leipoldt 3153 ( BOL).

– 3420 ( Swellendam ): Nasionale Bontebok Park (– AB), Acocks 22894 ( PRE), Taylor 4262 ( PRE); Bontebok Park (– AB), Grobler 513 ( NBG, PRE), Liebenberg 6463 ( NBG), Taylor s.n., 4252 ( NBG, PRE), Van Wyk 2979 ( JRAU); Swellendam (– AB), Galpin 3721 ( PRE), Kennedy s.n. ( SAM); Robindale, Bredasdorp (– AB), Viviers 1179 ( NBG, PRE); Buffeljagsrivier (– BA), Anon s.n. ( SAM), Van der Merwe 2704 ( PRE); Grootvadersbosch (– BB), Meyer 1829 ( S), Ruiters 28 ( NBG, PRE); Naauwpoort (– BB), Thorne, s.n. ( SAM).

− 3421 ( Riversdale ): Aasvoëlbergnek (– AB), Horn 649 ( PRE).

Figures

Fig. 11. Morphology of Lebeckia sepiaria: (a) lateral view of flower; (b) abaxial view of bract and bracteoles; (c) abaxial view of calyx with the upper lobes to the left; (d) standard petal; (e) wing petal; (f) keel petal; (g) anthers; (h) long, basifixed anther, carinal (intermediate) anther and short, dorsifixed anther; (i) pistil; (j1 – j2) lateral view of pods; (k) cross section of pod; (l) leaf. Vouchers: (a, l) from Ruiters 28 (NBG); (b) from Forrester 514 (NBG); (c, g, h, i) from Barker 6515 (NBG); (d–f) from Anon 252 (NBG); (j1) from Grobler 513 (NBG); (j2) from Hanekom 2851 (NBG); (k) from Le Roux, Boatwright, Magee and Van Wyk 10 (JRAU). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Known distribution of Lebeckia sepiaria.