Hilliardiella sutherlandii (Harv.) H. Rob.

Swelankomo, N., Manning, J. C. & Magee, A. R., 2016, The genus Hilliardiella (Asteraceae: Vernonieae) in southern Africa *, South African Journal of Botany 106, pp. 41-59 : 47-48

3. Hilliardiella sutherlandii (Harv.) H. Rob. in Phytologia 87: 82 (2005).

Vernonia sutherlandii Harv. in Harv. & Sond., Fl. Cap. 3: 52 (1865); Hilliard, Comp.Natal: 45 (1977).

Type: South Africa, Natal, [KwaZulu-Natal], Klip River, Oct. 1858, Sutherland s.n. (TCD0002909—ALUKA image!, holo.)

Herbaceous perennial, 0.15–0.9 m tall, with one or several erect annual stems from woody rootstock; stem simple, closely leafy below, nearly nude in upper part with a few distant, much reduced leaves, striate, gland-dotted and densely hispid-tomentose below with harsh whitish or yellowish hairs, becoming more sparsely hispid above; eglandular vesiture of short-stalked or subsessile medifixed to spurred hairs, interspersed below with long-stalked purple medifixed or assymetrically Y-shaped hairs. Leaves subsessile or shortly petiolate, elliptic to oblong, rarely broadly ovate, 10–65 × 10–30 mm, gland-dotted and sparsely to more densely hispid-pilose on both surfaces, apex acute or obtuse, base cuneate, margins coarsely serrate or sub-entire, vestiture of mostly long-stalked medifixed or assymetrically Y-shaped hairs with arms mostly shorter than stalk; petiole up to 5 mm long. Capitula few to several, corymbose, often congested and sub-capitate, or rarely solitary, 20- to 30-flowered. Involucre campanulate, 10–15 mm diam. when pressed; bracts ± 4-seriate, gland-dotted and sparsely sericeous-tomentose, eglandular vestiture of medifixed T-shaped hairs, outer two series subulate, 2–5 × 0.5–1.0 mm, inner two series linear-lanceolate, acuminate to attenuate-mucronate, 5–10 × 1.0– 1.5 mm. Florets purple, corolla 5–9 mm long, gland-dotted and with scattered, appressed hairs on lobes, vestiture of short-stalked, 1-armed or spurred hairs, lobes 1.5–2.0 mm long. Anthers sagittate with ovate apical appendages. Style 3.5 mm long, branches 1.5–2.0 mm long. Cypselas sub-cylindric, 4- or 5-ribbed, 2.5–3.0 mm long, gland-dotted and densely strigose; pappus bi-seriate, outer scales 1–2 mm long, inner bristles 4–6 mm long, white. Flowering time: September to January. ( Figs. 1C , 2C , 3C and 9 ).

Distribution and habitat: near-endemic to southern Africa, ranging from Utrecht in KwaZulu-Natal northwards through Mpumalanga and western Swaziland inland through Gauteng to Rustenburg in Northwest and Ellisras and Warmbaths in Limpopo ( Fig. 10 ), and also Mozambique ( Pope, 1992), on quartzite ridges in grassland, from 455–1830 m, flowering after fire.

Diagnosis: recognised by its broad, relatively soft-textured leaves that are equally thinly to more densely hispid-pilose on both surfaces, often with coarsely toothed margins, the vestiture of prominently stalked hairs with relatively short arms mostly shorter than the stalks ( Fig. 4B ). The stems are typically closely leafy only in the lower part and nearly nude in the upper part but this is not invariable ( Fig. 1C ). The capitula are relatively large, 10–15 mm across when pressed, with inner involucral bracts 5–10 mm long ( Fig. 2C ). The 1-armed or spurred hairs on the perianth lobes are also characteristic for the species.

The often leafless upper parts of the stem, fewer and larger capitula, and scarcely discolorous foliage with characteristic, harsh vestiture of long-stalked trichomes with short, stiff arms ( Fig. 4B ) distinguish Hilliardiella sutherlandii from H. fl anaganii and H. hirsuta , both with stems leafy to the top and with more numerous, smaller capitula, the inner involucral bracts 3–7 mm long, and more or less discolorous leaves, thinly tomentose above and densely woolly-tomentose beneath, with short-stalked eglandular hairs with long, slender arms ( Fig. 4C ).

Additional specimens seen.

Swaziland. 2531 (Komatipoort): Pigg's Peak, Horo Road (–CD), 20 Sep 1957, Compton 27065 (NBG, PRE); Komati Bridge (–CD), 22 May 1957, Compton 26926 (PRE); 28 Oct 1958, Compton 28239 (NBG, PRE). 2631 (Mbabane): top of Komati Pass (–AA), 5 Nov 1959, Compton 29344 (NBG, PRE); Mhlambanyati (–AC), 26 Oct 1961, Compton 30889 (NBG, PRE); Mpisi (–AD), 17 Nov 1961, Compton 31076 (PRE); Lebombo mountaims, 25.6 km S of Stegi (–BD), 25 Sep 1958, Compton 28025 (PRE); 15 miles [24 km] S of Stegi (–BD), 29 Dec 1960, Leach & Bayliss 10652 (PRE); Hlatikulu Dist., Verdun (–CD), 14 Nov 1956, Compton 26318 (PRE); Shiselweni (–CD), 20 Aug 2002, Dlamini A2373 (PRE); Shiselweni, Mehlwabovu (–CD), 19 Aug 2002, Dlamini A2360 (PRE). 2632 (Bela Vista): Lebombo Mountains, Blue Jay Ranch 1 mile [1.6 km] north of ranch gate (–AA), 21 Nov 1976, Culverwell 357 (PRE); Mbuluzipoort, Umbelosi Beacon south bank of poort (–AA), 5 Sep 1976, Culverwell 196 (PRE); Tsatsaweni Dist. (–AC), 24 Nov 2002, Maserumule 85 (PRE).

South Africa. LIMPOPO. 2327 (Ellisras): Moorddrift (–DA), Oct 1909, Leendertz TRV 7368 (PRE). 2330 (Tzaneen): Woodbush (–CC), Dec 198, Hutchinson 2248 (PRE); Wolkberg (–CC), 20 Nov 945, Gerstner 5650 (PRE); Marovuni (–CD), Junod PRE 20356 (PRE); Thabina (–CD), Jun 1916, Rogers 18916 (PRE). 2428 (Nylstroom): Geelhoutkop (–AD), Jan 1918, Breijer TRV 18011 (PRE); 9 miles [14.4 km] north of Warmbaths on road to Nylstroom (–CD), 3 Dec 1947, Codd 3450 (PRE); 9 miles [14.4 km] due north of Warmbaths (–CD), 27 Nov 1947, Sidey 1337 (PRE). 2430 (Pilgrim's Rest): Soutpansberg Dist., The Downs (–AA), Feb 1919, Junod 4410 (PRE); Feb 1919, Junod 4411 (PRE).

NORTH-WEST. 2527 (Rustenburg): Magaliesberg north-east of Maanhaarrand (–BD), 18 Nov 1993, Burgoyne 1898 (PRE); Rustenburg Nature Reserve, in w area near river (–CA), 8 Oct 1970, Jacobsen 1071 (PRE).

GAUTENG. 2627 (Potchefstroom): Ontdekkerspark (–BB), 15 Oct 1973, Venter 144 (PRE); Johannesburg, Kelland (–BB), Nov 1976, Liebenberg 8507 (PRE); Roodepoort, Transvaal Botanical Garden, above waterfall in open grassland (–BB), 4 Nov 1983, Behr 619 (NBG, PRE). 2628 (Johannesburg): ridge above Jeppestown (–AA), 11 Feb 1897, Galpin 1443 (PRE); Houghton Estate (–AA), 3 Oct 1918, Moss 9835 (PRE); Johannesburg (–AA), Nov 1904, Marloth 3671A (PRE); Mondeor (–AA), 6 Nov 1977, Jacobsen 4761 (PRE); Heidelberg (–AD), Oct 1915, Elbrecht TRV 14682 (PRE); Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Heidelberg Kloof (–AD), 25 Nov 1972, Bredenkamp 871 (PRE); Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Sedaven (–CA), 6 Nov 1971, Bredenkamp 225 (PRE).

MPUMALANGA. 2430 (Pilgrim's Rest): 2 miles [3.2 km] south of Ohrigstad (–DC), 21 Nov 1933, Young A520 (PRE); Ohrigstad Nature Reserve (–DC), 19 Nov 1970, Jacobsen 1240 (PRE). 2530 (Lydenburg): Belfast Dist., west end upper slopes of Schoemanskloof (–AD), 14 Nov 1933, Young A354 (PRE); Nelspruit; Wonderkloof Nature Reserve (–BC), 29 May 1973, Kluge 29 (PRE); hillside at Schagen (–BD), 27 Sep 1930, Liebenberg 2664 (PRE); Nelspruit (–BD), Nov 1917, Breijer TRV 18343 (PRE); Waterval Boven (–CB), 4 Sep 1905, Rogers 497 (PRE); Machadodorp (–CB), 3 Nov 1907, Burtt Davy 7647 (PRE); Airlie, E of Waterval Onder between railway line and road (–DA), 2 Oct 1949, Prosser 1253 (NBG, PRE). 2531 (Komatipoort): Barberton (–CC), 27 Feb 1889, Thorncroft 76 (PRE); Dec 1916, Pott-Leendertz 5397 (PRE); Sep 1932, Williamson 69 (PRE); Barberton, Rimer's Creek (–CC), Oct 1906, Thorncroft TRV 2775 (PRE); Barberton, Plaston (–CC), Oct 1931, Holt 68 (PRE); Twelo Forest, 3 miles [4.8 km] south of Barberton (–CC), 29 Sep 1970, Buitendag 705 (NBG, PRE); Saddleback Mountain (–CC), Aug 1889, Galpin 483 (PRE, SAM). 2729 (Volksrust): Volksrust (–BD), Oct 1907, Grey 492 (PRE). 2730 (Vryheid); Piet Retief (–BB), Oct 1913, Collins TRV 13237 (PRE); 29 Oct 1948, Sidey 1528 (PRE).

KWAZULU-NATAL. 2730 (Vryheid): Utrecht Dist., Kaffirdrift (–AD), Jul 1922, Thode A229 (PRE); near Paulpietersburg on Sunkelsdrift road (–BD), 14 Sep 1945, Acocks 11750 (PRE).

Figures

Fig. 1. Habit and morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella. A.H. capensis flowering plant, Cathcart;B.H. aristata flowering plant, Kwelera; C.H.sutherlandii flowering plant, Johannesburg;D.H.elaeagnoides foliage,Bloemfontein;E.H.hirsuta flowering plant,Witsieshoek;F.H.hirsuta foliage,Swaziland;G,H.flanaganii foliage,Bergville.Photographs:A,B and E, J. Manning; C,A.Hankey; D, N.Berkel; F, K. Brauns; G, P. Warren.

Fig. 2. Capitulum morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella. A.H.hirsuta (Liebenberg 3083, PRE);B.H.flanaganii showing long-acuminate involucral bracts (West 27, PRE);C. H.sutherlandii (Bester 8248, PRE); D.H.nudicaulis (Pegler 60, PRE);E.H.elaeagnoides (Jacobsen 1161, PRE);F.H.capensis (Moll 2363, PRE);G.H.aristata showing long-attenuate involucral bracts (Kluge 249, PRE).Scale bar = 5 mm.

Fig. 3. Cypsela morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella (pappus mostly excluded). A. H. hirsuta (Steyn 842, PRE); B. H. flanaganii (Bolus sub Guthrie 4820, NBG); C. H. sutherlandii (Compton 31076, NBG); D. H. nudicaulis (Compton 23855, NBG); E. H. elaeagnoides (Müller 402, NBG); F.H. capensis (Anon, NBG183430, NBG); G. H. aristata (MarkÖtter s.n., NBG). Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 9. Hilliardiella sutherlandii (Compton 31076, NBG).

Fig. 10. Distribution in southern Africa of Hilliardiella sutherlandii.

Fig.4. Eglandular stem trichome morphology in southern African species of Hilliardiella. A. H. hirsuta (Compton 24599, NBG), short-stalked medifixed Y-shaped trichome with arms longer than stalk; B. H. sutherlandii (Compton 31076, NBG), long-stalked asymmetrically Y-shaped trichome with arms shorter than stalk; C. H. aristata (Barker 7971, NBG), short-stalked medifixed T-shaped trichome with arms almost appressed to surface. Scale bar = 250 μm (0.25 mm).