Xerochrysum copelandii J.J.Bruhl & I.Telford, 2022

Collins, Timothy L., Schmidt-Lebuhn, Alexander N., Andrew, Rose L., Telford, Ian R. H. & Bruhl, Jeremy J., 2022, There’s gold in them thar hills! Morphology and molecules delimit species in Xerochrysum (Asteraceae; Gnaphalieae) and reveal many new taxa, Australian Systematic Botany 35 (2), pp. 120-185 : 152-154

Xerochrysum copelandii J.J.Bruhl & I.Telford , sp. nov.

Type: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Northern Tablelands: Styx River, 50 m NW of bridge SW of Jeogla on road to Kempsey , 1 Apr. 2007, J.J. Bruhl 2649 & O.D.Q. Bruhl (holo: NSW!; iso: BRI!, CANB!, K!, MEL!, MO!, NE 90257 !) .

Xerochrysum sp. New England (L.M.Copeland 3731) NE Herbarium, CHAH, Austral. Pl. Census (2020) [accessed 20 February 2020].

[ Xerochrysum bracteatum auct . non (Vent.) Tzvelev: N.N. Tzvelev, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 27: 151 (1990), p.p., populations in gorgerim habitat in the New England Tablelands Bioregion only, but excluding the population at Henry River Falls thought to be a hybrid with X. viscosum ].

Diagnosis

Distinguished from X. bracteatum by a perennial life form ( v. annual or sometimes short-lived perennial), septate trichomes on leaf abaxial surface ( v. with glands), and acuminate phyllary apices ( v. apiculate ). Distinguished from X. murapan by foliaceous bracts subtending capitula 8–10 mm long (v. 10–25 mm long in X. murapan ), acuminate to cuspidate phyllary apex ( v. apiculate ), and cauline leaves 5–10 mm wide (v. 10–25 mm wide in X. murapan ).

Erect, shortly rhizomatous or taprooted, perennial herb, up to ~ 1 m tall. Stems and branches cobwebby, hirsute, or glabrescent, and with glands; internode length 15–30 mm. Basal leaf rosette absent at flowering. Basal leaves spathulate, 80–130 mm long and 20–35 mm wide, base subamplexicaul, margin hirsute with septate trichomes, apex apiculate; abaxial indumentum hirsute to hispid with septate trichomes, and with glands; abaxial midvein indumentum villous with septate trichomes; adaxial indumentum hispid with septate trichomes, and with glands. Cauline leaves oblanceolate or lanceolate, 20–90 mm long and 5–10 mm wide, base subauriculate and amplexicaul, margin hispid and scabrid with septate trichomes, apex mucronate; abaxial indumentum hirsute with septate trichomes, to glabrous, and with glands; abaxial midvein indumentum cobwebby and hispid with septate trichomes, and with glands; adaxial indumentum cobwebby and hispid with septate trichomes, and with glands. Foliaceous bracts subtending capitula 8–10 mm long or sometimes absent, margin glabrous or hispid. Capitula 25–50 mm wide, terminal, in panicles. Outer phyllaries broad-ovate, brown or straw-coloured, basal margin fimbriate and hispid, abaxial surface smooth, apex acuminate. Medial phyllaries narrow ovate to lanceolate, abaxially yellow, apex acuminate to cuspidate. Stylar appendages deltoid to ovate (female florets have clavate to rounded stylar appendages). Cypsela oblong, ~ 2.3 mm long and 0.75 mm wide, cross-section squarish to circular; pericarp brown to brass- or straw-coloured, idioblasts present. Pappus deciduous, ~ 6 mm long.

Distribution

Endemic to north-eastern New South Wales where it is known only from the New England Tablelands Bioregion ( Fig. 23 ). Mostly occurring along the eastern escarpment of the plateau from the Great Dividing Range south-east of Tenterfield, New South Wales, south to the gorges of the Macleay River catchment east of Armidale.

Phenology

Recorded flowering January–February and fruiting in February ( Fig. 24 ).

150°0 ̍ 0 ̎ E

150°0 ̍ 0 ̎ E

Habitat

The species inhabits ridge tops and gorge rims, often in rocky sites, at 900–1500-m altitude on skeletal or gravelly soils derived mostly from metasediments or basalt, rarely from granite. The species grows in grassy open forest or woodland with Eucalyptus laevopinea , E. nobilis , E. obliqua , E. pauciflora , E. retinens or E. caliginosa recorded as dominants. Other associated species include Acacia melanoxylon , Allocasuarina torulosa , Coprosma quadrifida , Pimelea neoanglica and Poa sieberiana .

Conservation status

Recorded as common, although localised at most sites. We recommend a status of ‘ Least Concern ’ ( IUCN 2019).

Notes

Cauline leaf lamina abaxial indumentum is variable: populations at Round Waterhole Creek, Metz Gorge, Werrikimbe National Park, Cathedral Rock National Park, and New England National Park, have an hirsute indumentum of scattered septate trichomes; populations at Washpool National Park, Styx River, Round Mountain, and the putative hybrid X. copelandii x viscosum at Henry River Falls have sessile glands.

Etymology

The species epithet recognises the work of outstanding fieldbotanist and taxonomist Lachlan Mackenzie Copeland (1973–) of Coffs Harbour.

Selected specimens examined

NEW SOUTH WALES: Northern Tablelands: Guy Fawkes River National Park, Henry River Falls , 24 Aug. 2017, T.L. Collins 969, R.L. Andrew, J.J. Bruhl & J.K. Janes ( NE!) ; Round Waterhole Creek , 11 Feb 2018, T.L. Collins 1013 & B. Wright ( CANB!, BRI!, NE!, NSW!) ; Hillgrove Gorge , 28 Feb. 1999, J.J. Bruhl 1840 & I.R. Telford ( NE!) ; Washpool National Park, S of summit of Mount Bajimba , 25 Feb. 2011, L.M. Copeland 4502 ( BRI, NE!, NSW) ; Great Dividing Range, Washpool National Park , 25 Jan. 2014, I.R. Telford 13440 & T. Vollbon ( NE!) .

Figures

Fig. 23. Distribution of Xerochrysum copelandii.

Fig. 24. Isotype of Xerochrysum copelandii (J.J.Bruhl 2649 & O.D.Q.Bruhl, NE 90257).