Nicotiana latifolia M.W.Chase and Christenh., 2023

Bruhl, Jeremy J., Andrew, Damien D., Palsson, Ruth, Jobson, Richard W., Taseski, Guy M. & Samuel, Rosabelle, 2023, Nine new species of Australian Nicotiana (Solanaceae), Australian Systematic Botany 36 (3), pp. 167-205 : 184-186

Nicotiana latifolia M.W.Chase and Christenh. ,

sp. nov.

( Fig. 16, 17.)

Type: Queensland. Mount Isa, Mondarra Drive, Leichhardt River crossing, 335 m, 20°40′57″S, 139°29′45″E, 27 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18191 (holo. BRI; iso. CANB) .

Diagnosis

Nicotiana latifolia is closely related and morphologically similar to N. sessilifolia , from which it differs in its broadly winged petiole and auriculate leaf base v. a more narrowly winged petiole and a much narrower auriculate base. It is also similar to N. latzii , which has a shorter petiole and floral tube and lacks the broadly auriculate leaf base of N. latifolia .

Erect, herbaceous, annual to short-lived perennial herbs, up to 2.2 m tall, not forming a rosette, numerous large leaves in the basal portion of the stems, the main stem with major branches from near the base and few branches in the upper portion. Leaves with such broadly winged petioles they appear sessile, the wing 2.0– 3.5 cm wide, blades 6.2–25.8 × 2.3–13.2 cm, ovate, widest near the base, the apex acute in the basal leaves to acuminate in those higher up; upper leaves as wide at their base as in the middle, auriculate, margins entire, undulating, ciliate, often bullate, especially on the base, upper leaves sessile often with an auriculate base. Vestiture of dense pubescence all over, short to long-haired, the shorter ones with glands predominating on upper stems and on leaf surface, longest hairs often with swollen bases on the upper stems, calyx and peduncle similar, with some long hairs but shorter glandular hairs predominate. Inflorescence bracts sessile, linear lanceolate, ~ 0.5–2.3 cm long, the apex acuminate. Calyx 1.2–1.4 × 0.3 cm, one lobe slightly longer and one shorter than the others, the tips acuminate, flaring to reflexed, especially in fruit, 0.5–0.6 cm longer than and surrounding the mature fruit, the calyx persistent and enlarged at maturity. Corolla tube pale green, 4.6–5.0 cm long (from tip of the calyx), 0.2–0.3 cm in diameter, with no throat cup, the limb white, 2.7–3.5 cm across, the lobes minutely cleft, cleft 0.1 cm deep, sinus 0.5–0.9 cm deep, lobes 1.1–1.4 cm long; four stamens of the same length 0.1–0.2 cm inside throat of the floral tube and the fifth ~ 0.7–0.9 cm deeper in the tube, all with the filaments 0.2–0.3 cm long. Fruit a capsule splitting in four lobes, 0.8–1.1 cm long at maturity.

Distribution

Known from Queensland west of Middleton to the Northern Territory east of Tarlton Downs Station ( Fig. 14) .

Habitat and ecology

In open to slightly shaded river courses, sometimes in riverbeds in red sand near woodland of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and E. coolabah . It is frequent under road and rail bridges over watercourses and floodways ( Fig. 17).

Phenology

Collected in flower from June through September.

Etymology

Named in reference to the broad, sessile leaves of this species (from the Latin, latus, wide, and folium, leaf).

Chromosome number

Unknown.

Notes

Specimens of Nicotiana latifolia have long been considered to belong to N. megalosiphon subsp. sessilifolia , now N. sessilifolia ( Chase and Christenhusz 2021 d; Fig. 18). The new species is sister to this ( Fig. 1 a) but easily distinguished by its sessile leaves with a broadly auriculate base (i.e. petioles so broadly winged that the leaves appear sessile). The two species are disjunct ( Fig. 14), N. latifolia in the east, in western Queensland and the adjacent Northern Territory, in the Lake Eyre drainage, and N. sessilifolia in the southern half of the Northern Territory, particularly in the central ranges. A voucher grown from seeds removed from Forster 37332 ( BRI AQ 0816103) will be deposited at BRI and K, as Chase & Christenhusz 18054 and was used for Fig. 1 a.

Selected specimens examined

QUEENSLAND. Cravens Peak, near Salty Bore; Simpson Desert , west of Boulia , 200 m, 23°1′21″S, 138°13′12″E, 18 June 2010, Forster 37332 ( BRI AQ0816103 ) ; Ramsay Street (Barkly Highway), Cloncurry , bridge over the anabranch of the Cloncurry River , 180 m, 20°42′16″S, 140°29′47″E, 21 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18176 ( BRI, CANB) ; Hemsley Drive, Cloncurry River , west of the bridge, 180 m, 20°40′53″S, 140°29′40″E, 21 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18177 ( BRI, CANB) ; Duchess–Cloncurry road, Malbon River , 65 m, 21°4′6″S, 140°17′13″E, 22 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18179 ( BRI, CANB) ; Duchess–Cloncurry road, Spring Creek , 280 m, 21°13′33″S, 140°10′23″E, 22 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18180 ( BRI, CANB) ; Duchess–Mount Isa road, north-west of Duchess, Wills River , near Bushy Park airstrip, 380 m, 21°16′10″S, 139°43′39″E, 22 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18182 ( BRI, CANB) ; Mount Isa, Twenty Third Avenue, under high-voltage pylon near Leichhardt River , high on banks near river, 350 m, 20°44′42″S, 139°29′36″E, 22 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18184 ( BRI, CANB) ; Barkly Highway, Spear River Bridge, near Mount Isa airport, 335 m, 20°39′6″S, 139°29′28″E, 23 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18186 ( BRI, CANB) ; Wills Developmental Road, Leichhardt River bridge, 40 m, 18°48′27″S, 139°47′13″E, 26 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18187 ( BRI, CANB) ; Kajibbi–Kamilaroi road, near Coolullah Station , 100 m, 19°49′33″S, 140°9′9″E, 26 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18188 ( BRI, CANB) ; Burke Developmental Road, Corella River Bridge, northwest of Cloncurry , northern bank on rocks, 165 m, 20°26′24″S, 140°19′11″E, 26 Sep. 2018, Chase & Christenhusz 18189 ( BRI, CANB) .