Polylepis lanuginosa Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.) 6: 228. 1824.

Boza Espinoza, Tatiana Erika & Kessler, Michael, 2022, A monograph of the genus Polylepis (Rosaceae), PhytoKeys 203, pp. 1-274 : 1

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.203.83529

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E69E8E29-38C7-EAAB-1B2F-BFCCBD3F6C61

treatment provided by

PhytoKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Polylepis lanuginosa Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.) 6: 228. 1824.
status

 

1. Polylepis lanuginosa Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.) 6: 228. 1824.

Figs 14 View Figure 14 , 15 View Figure 15

Polylepis lehmannii Hieron. Bot. Jahrb. Syst.20: Beibl. 49: 29. 1895. Type. Ecuador. Azuay: west of Cuenca, Lehmann 6487 (holotype: B destroyed; isotype: F!).

Polylepis coriacea Bitter Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45: 603. 1911. Type. Ecuador. Chimborazo: Valley of Pangor Spruce s.n (holotype: W, photos at F!, MO!, US!).

Type.

Ecuador. Chimborazo: near Calpi "ad radicem montis Chimborazo", June 1903, Humboldt & Bondpland 2191 (holotype: P!; isotypes: P!, photo at F!) .

Description.

Trees 3-8 m tall. Leaves slightly congested at the branch tips, imparipinnate with 2-3 pairs of lateral leaflets, obtrullate in outline, (4.5-)5.2-7.7 × 3.4-4.5 cm; rachises densely villous, points of leaflet attachment with a tuft of long, lanate hairs; stipular sheaths apically acute with spurs, densely lanate on the outer surfaces; leaflets elliptic in outline, second pair from the terminal leaflet the largest, one of this pair 1.7-2.8 × 0.7-1.4 cm; margin crenate with 8-9 teeth, apically emarginate, basally unequally cordate; upper leaflet surfaces glabrous or sparsely lanate; lower leaflet surfaces densely lanate with yellowish hairs 1.5-2.5 mm long. Inflorescences branched at the base or simple, pendant, (4.3-)6.2-9.5(-13.0) cm long, bearing 13-16 flowers; floral bracts 3.8-5.5 mm long, narrowly triangular, densely lanate on the outer surface; rachises villous. Flowers 5.8-7.5 mm diam.; sepals 4, ovate, green, densely sericeous outside; stamens 13-15, anthers orbicular, with a dense tuft of straight white hairs on the upper half; styles fimbriate, 1.9-2.3 mm long. Fruits turbinate, with variable numbers and placement of flattened spines, densely villous; 4.4-6.0 × 6.1-7.4(-9.8) mm including spines. Diploid.

Distribution, habitat and ecology.

Polylepis lanuginosa is endemic to central and southern Ecuador (Azuay, Bolívar, Cañar and Chimborazo) (Fig. 24 View Figure 24 ). It occurs in Andean forests at 2300-4200 m elevation. It has been recorded within Cajas National Park where it forms patches mainly on hillsides. Among the Polylepis species that co-occur in this area ( P. incana , P. lanuginosa , P. reticulata , P. simpsoniae and introduced P. racemosa ), P. lanuginosa occupies the warmest habitats, has the largest foliar area (17.3 cm2) and the highest leaf mass (> 200 mg). In its forest habitat, P. lanuginosa is co-dominant with other tree species, such as Oreopanax andreanus , Weinmannia fagaroides and Sessea corymbosa , which often exceed it in height ( Montalvo et al. 2018).

Conservation status.

Based on 17 collecting localities, the estimated EOO is 6,910 km2 and the occupied habitat or AOO is 96 km2. It is protected within Cajas National Park. The species was categorized as VU B1+2c by Oldfield et al. (1998) and as VU B1ab(iii) by León-Yánez et al. (2011). Small patches of Polylepis lanuginosa growing close to roads are especially exposed to erosion and logging. We assess P. lanuginosa as Endangered (B1a+B2a, C1).

Notes.

Polylepis lanuginosa is most similar to P. multijuga , with which it shares the leaflet shape and hair density. However, it differs from it and all other members of the genus by its branched inflorescences. Further, P. lanuginosa has crenate leaflets 1.7-2.8 cm long, whereas P. multijuga has serrate leaflets 2.9-5.4 cm long. In P. lanuginosa , the hairs on the lower leaflet surfaces are densely lanate, whereas in P. multijuga , they are densely villous. Polylepis lanuginosa is also morphologically similar to P. canoi , but differs in its elliptic and shorter (1.7-2.8 cm long) leaflets (versus leaflets obovate and 2.4-3.9 cm long). Additionally, P. lanuginosa has shorter styles (1.9-2.3 mm long) than P. canoi (2.4-3.8 mm long).

Specimens examined.

Ecuador. - Azuay: Chaucha, Angas on western slope of western cordillera (due west of Cuenca), 02°55'S, 079°25'W, 3400 m, 05 January 1981, Balslev 1507 (AAU!, NY, QCA!, S); Angas "Parroquia chaucha" colecciones en margenes de Río Angas, 3400 m, 02 August 1983, Jaramillo 5464 (AAU!, NY, QCA!); 5468 (AAU!); 5478 (AAU!, MO!, NY, QCA!); Cuenca, Area Nacional de Recreación Cajas, collection made along Río Patul from the Comunidad Baute/Laguna Patul (watershed of Río Patul), 02°33'S, 079°21'W, 3500-4200 m, 05 February 2001, Clark 6227 (QCA!, QCNE, US!); Molleturo, on the road from Las Cajas National Park to Molleturo, about 10 km from Molleturo, 02°50'S, 079°20'W, 3400 m, 19 September 1983, Brandbyge 42264 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); Cuenca-Molleturo road ca. 11 km W of pass in Las Cajas, 02°48'S, 079°18'W, 3350 m, 01 May 1992, Lægaard 102637 (AAU!, QCA!); Páramo de Cajas, W of Cuenca, along new road, ca. 14 km W of pass, 02°48'S, 079°17'W, 3450 m, 31 March 1985, Lægaard 53932 (AAU!); Páramo de Cajas, W of Cuenca, along new road, ca. 20 km W of pass, 02°48'S, 079°17'W, 2900 m, 31 March 1985, Lægaard 53934 (AAU!, MO!, QCNE); Páramo de las Cajas, W of pass, 02°46'S, 079°15'W, 2500 m, 26 August 1985, Lægaard 55036 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); carretero Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal, 4.2 km de Molleturo, desvío a Río Blanco 16.4 km, 02°48'40"S, 079°23'07"W, 3630 m, 15 January 2003, Ulloa 1203 (HA, MO!, US!); Sayausi, Area Recreacional Las Cajas, 02°49'S, 079°07'W, 3740-4070 m, Romoleroux 1192 (AAU!); Zhud, at Panamericana, app. 3 km S of Zhud, 02°29'S, 079°00'W, 2800 m, 02 May 1992, Lægaard 102697 (AAU!, QCA!); límite del parque nacional, 3359 m, 20 April 2012, Barba BOP236 (QCA!); Río Blanco, Curiquinga, 3645 m, 05 May 2001, Calle 1 (QCA!); Cuenca-Molleturo road, 49 km NW of Cuenca, 26 July 1982, Clemants 2184 (AAU!, NY, QCA!); El Chorro ca. 6 km above Molleturo on road to Cuenca, 2800-2900 m, 07 March 1985, Harling 22858 (AAU!, GB, MO!, QCA!); Molleturo, 2600-2700 m, 31 October 1988, Harling 25539 (GB, MO!); Descente occidentale du páramo de Cajas vers Molleturo, 3350 m, 14 April 1988, Huttel 1021 (QCA!); Vallée du río Angas, à 1 Km au-dessus du hameau d’Angas, zone trés humide, 3300 m, 10 May 1988, Huttel 1112 (QCA!); Vertiente del Pacífico, 3200 m, 07 July 1995, León 3601 (QCA!); Área recreacional Cajas, 3470 m, 21 September 2000, Lizarzaburu 25 (QCA!); 3500 m, Romoleroux 408 (NY); Parque Nacional Cajas, carretera Soldados, 3260 m, 04 April 2007, Romoleroux 4461 (QCA!); 3040 m, 04 April 2007, Romoleroux 4466 (QCA!); Vía Soldados Angas, al frente del caserío Angas, 3321 m, 19 August 2008, Romoleroux 5030 (QCA!); Carretera Soldados-Angas, 3040 m, 04 April 2007, Romoleroux GPI4466 (QCA!); Cajas, found along path from Cochapamba to Molleturo, 3500-3600 m, 22 July 1999, Smeets 559 (QCA!); 2670-3275 m, Steyermark 52599 (F!); 3160 m, Valencia 458 (QCA!). - Bolívar: carretera Guaranda-Santiago-Totoras, 3000-3150 m, 21 February 1987, Romoleroux 269 (AAU!, QCA!). Cañar: Molleturo, along Páramo road to Manu W of Cañar, W of pass, 02°33'S, 079°02'W, 3300-3700 m, 20 June 1988, Lægaard 71563, 71565, 71569 (AAU!, QCNE); Molleturo, Páramo de Cajas, W of Cuenca, aong new road, ca. 11 km W of pass, 02°48'S, 079°17'W, 3200 m, 30 March 1985, Lægaard 53911 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); Zhud, along Panamericana, 4 km S of Zhud, 02°28'S, 079°00'W, 3000 m, 26 August 1985, Lægaard 55030 (AAU!, MO!); along a paved road to Carshao, ca. 15 km off the Panamerican highway, 02°29'S, 079°00'W, 3180 m, 10 June 1999, Sklenar 7115 (AAU!); carretera entre Dacur y Gun, 2250 m, 08 October 1999, Bonifaz 3974 (QCA!); North rim of the valley of the río Cañar, between Tambo and Suscal, 3000 m, 23 April 1944, Camp E-2773 (F!, NY, VEN); colecciones entre Zhud, Joyagshi, 3500 m, 31 December 2007, Jaramillo 26120 (QCA!); 3300-3700 m, Romoleroux 1563 (QCA!); 3270 m, Romoleroux 384 (QCA!); 3100 m, Romoleroux 387 (NY, QCA!); carretera entre Zhud y El Tumbo, 3011 m, 06 December 2007, Romoleroux 4681 (QCA!); Oeste de Cañar, Km 10.5, Cerro Caucay, 3450 m, 27 April 1988, Romoleroux 588 (AAU!, MO!); Rose 2389 (NY). Chimborazo: Columbe, road Pallantanga-Riobamba, 01°55'S, 078°50'W, 2400-2900 m, 01 April 1993, Romoleroux 1565 (AAU!, QCA!); Juan de Velasco, Pangor-Tepeyac, 01°48'S, 078°52'W, 3200 m, 09 February 1983, Brandbyge 42059 (AAU!, MO!);, 3300 m, 03 May 1983, Brandbyge 42153 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); Colta (Cajabamba)-Pallatanga, km 27, 01°50'S, 078°53'W, 2880 m, 21 May 1990, Jørgensen 91822 (AAU!); Km 64-68 on road Cumandá-Cajabamba, at Río Pangor, 01°55'S, 078°54'W, 2750-2800 m, 08 April 1985, Lægaard 54125 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!), 54128 (AAU!, QCA!); road Pallatanga-Cajabamba, 32 km from Pallatanga, 01°51'S, 078°53'W, 3000 m, 28 August 1976, Øllgaard 8959 (AAU!, MO!, NY, S). Penipe, Parroquia Puela, Palictahua, 01°31'05"S, 078°29'43"W, 2600 m, 20 January 1997, Estudiantes ESPOCH 701 (CHEP); Colta, Pangor, puente del Río Agua Dulce, 3000 m, 31 January 2007, Caranqui 1659 (QCA!); Colta. Pangor, Achín alto, 3140 m, 21 May 2013, Caranqui 2290 (QCA!); Comunidad de Tauris, Zona Zagin, 3700-3900 m, 03 September 2009, Cárate 1202 (QCA!); Comunidad de Ambrosio Lazo, Quebrada de Cumbo, 3374 m, 07 June 2009, Cárate 623, 624 (QCA!); Páramo cerca de la comunidad Yerba Buena, Cantón Pallatanga, 3374 m, 19 July 2012, Peyre 315 (QCA!); 2800-3200 m, Romoleroux 373 (NY, QCA!); Vía Cajabamba-Pallatanga (km 24 desde la Y), entrada a Pangar, 3298 m, 27 December 2011, Romoleroux 5696 (QCA!); Vía Cajabamba-Palatanga (km 24 desde la Y), entrada al Pangar, 3298 m, 27 December 2011, Romoleroux 5697 (QCA!); Carretera Alausi-Cañar, km 16, localidad Achupallas, 3400 m, 26 April 1988, Romoleroux 574 (AAU!, QCA!); Cañar, 2 km al sur de Zhud, 2850 m, 27 April 1988, Romoleroux 584 (AAU!, QCA!); 3250 m, Romoleroux 591 (QCA!), W Andes of Cuenca, Lehmann 6487 (F!).

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Marchantiophyta

Class

Aves

Order

Rosales

Family

Rosaceae

Genus

Polylepis