Hesperantha secunda, Goldblatt & J. C. Manning

Goldblatt, P., Manning, J. C. & van Wyk, P. C. V., 2015, New species, combinations and range extensions in Hesperantha Ker Gawl. (Iridaceae: Crocoideae) from western South Africa *, South African Journal of Botany 98, pp. 114-121 : 120

4.1. H. secunda Goldblatt & J.C. Manning in Bothalia 43: 150 (2013)

Described in 2013 from a single collection made in 1980 on the northern Roggeveld Escarpment west of Middelpos, H. secunda is recognized by the secund spike of relatively small, nodding flowers with unusually short style branches, ± 4 mm long reaching to the base or lower fourth of the anthers in the closed flower ( Goldblatt and Manning, 2013). The slightly succulent foliage leaves are sparsely hairy and have thickened margins and main veins. We discovered a second population of the species in September 2013 on southern slopes of the Keiskie Mtns SE of Calvinia ( Fig. 2 ). Flowers in plants maintained in water opened ±19:00 and produced a strong, somewhat acrid scent. We confirmed this phenology in a second population close to the type locality, Farm Knechtsbank, in a wet meadow at the top of Perdekloof. H. secunda was common at the site and grew together with H. pseudopilosa Goldblatt , then in fruit. The population included at least 150 mature plants in flower or early fruit. A short distance away but in drier, well drained places the closely related, pink-flowered H. pilosa subsp. bracteata (R.C. Foster) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning was in flower.

South Africa. NORTHERN CAPE. 3119 (Calvinia): Keiskie Mtns , gentle S-trending rocky slope in shale, 1 258 m, (− DB), 25 Sept. 2013 , Goldblatt & Porter 13906 (K, MO, NBG, PRE). 3120 (Williston): northern Roggeveld Escarpment, Farm Knechtsbank, wet sandy meadow, 1 470 m, (− CC), 26 Sept. 2014 , Goldblatt & Porter 14027 ( MO, NBG, PRE) .

Figures

Fig. 2. Distribution of Hesperantha palustris (○), H. filiformis (●), H. eremophila (Δ) and H. secunda (▲).