Polylepis pauta Hieron., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 21: 313. 1895.

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/8644932D-A0DC-D57A-2CBE-D07B68E567B9

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PhytoKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Polylepis pauta Hieron., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 21: 313. 1895.
status

 

4. Polylepis pauta Hieron., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 21: 313. 1895.

Figs 20 View Figure 20 , 21 View Figure 21

Polylepis annulatipilosa Bitter, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45: 596. 1911. Type. Ecuador. Pichincha: Andes of Quito, Jameson 16 (lectotype, designated by Simpson 1979, pg. 27: W, isolectotypes: G, GH; photos at F!, MO!, US!).

Polylepis stuebelii Hieron., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 21: 313. 1896. Type. Ecuador. Napo: E slope of Cerro Quilindaña near Bambasacha, 3700 m, Stübel 204 (holotype: B destroyed; photos at F!, MO!, NY!, US!).

Type.

Ecuador. Pichincha: "Corredor Machai", 3900 m, Oct 1871, Stübel 232a (holotype: B destroyed; photos at F!, GH!, MO!) .

Description.

Trees 2-12 m tall. Leaves strongly congested at the branch tips, imparipinnate with 4-5(-6) pairs of the lateral leaflets, obtrullate in outline, 3.2-4.9 × 2.2-3.0 cm; rachises sparsely sericeous, points of leaflet attachment with a tuft of long, straight whitish hairs; stipular sheaths apically acute with spurs, glabrous to sparsely sericeous (adult) or densely sericeous (juvenile) in the upper surface; leaflets elliptic in outline, second pair from the terminal leaflet the largest, one of this pair (1.1-)1.4-1.6 × 0.5-0.6 cm; margin crenate with 4-6 teeth, subcoriaceous, apically emarginate, basally unequally cordate; upper leaflet surfaces glabrous or sparsely sericeous with few hairs on the mid-veins; lower leaflet surfaces sparsely sericeous with whitish hairs 0.4-0.9 mm long. Inflorescences pendant, (8.1-)12.6-14.3(-19.3) cm long, bearing 9-15(-21) flowers; floral bracts (9.1-)10.0-12.2 mm long, narrowly triangular, densely sericeous on the outer surface; rachises densely villous. Flowers 6.0-7.4(-9.2) mm diam.; sepals 4, ovate, green, densely sericeous outside; stamens 9-15, anthers orbicular, with a dense tuft of straight white hairs on the upper half; styles fimbriate, 2.2-3.0 mm long. Fruits turbinate, with variable numbers and placement of flattened spines, densely sericeous; (2.6-)3.4-5.5 × 3.3-6.0(-8.2) mm including spines. Tetraploid, aneuploid; perhaps also diploid.

Distribution, habitat and ecology.

Polylepis pauta occurs in the north-eastern Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador (Fig. 24 View Figure 24 ). It grows in high Andean Forest at 2600-4200 m elevation, often mixed with other tree species such as Gynoxys acostae , Solanum stenophyllum and Hesperomeles obtusifolia ( Cierjacks et al. 2007b, 2008). Many populations are restricted to small, isolated forest patches, but in Napo, Ecuador, the species shows no evidence of genetic isolation by distance ( Aragundi et al. 2011). Larger forest patches with broader elevational ranges have higher genetic diversity than forest patches on steeper slopes and at higher elevations, possibly due to increasing vegetative reproduction with elevation ( Cierjacks et al. 2007a; Aragundi et al. 2011). In the same general region, Cierjacks et al. (2008) found a decrease of the number of inflorescences with elevation. Overall, reproductive success is low and decreases with elevation, being higher in the forest interior than outside and even higher when the litter layer is removed ( Cierjacks et al. 2007b). Forests of P. pauta support a diverse bryophyte flora with numerous endemic species ( Gradstein and León-Yañez 2018).

Conservation status.

The EOO for Polylepis pauta is estimated as 1,590 km2, the AOO is assessed at 132 km2 and it occurs at 14 locations. Large populations occur within Cayambe-Coca National Park and Antisana Ecological Reserve, but there is genetic evidence for a loss of genetic diversity due to forest fragmentation ( Aragundi et al. 2011). Moderate cattle grazing increases seedling abundance, presumably due to the removal of the litter layer ( Cierjacks et al. 2008). We assess P. pauta as Vulnerable (A1, B1a+B2a, C1).

Notes.

Simpson (1979) noticed that it is possible to morphologically differentiate various geographical populations within P. pauta as defined by her to include the populations here separated under P. longipilosa and P. serrata . Based on our fieldwork in Ecuador to clarify the taxonomic position of the ecologically well-studied populations to the east of Quito, we recognize two species based on their morphology, ecology and geographical distribution: the populations of the north-eastern Cordillera Oriental as P. pauta and the northern population as P. longipilosa ( Boza Espinoza et al. 2020a). Polylepis pauta differs from P. longipilosa by having shorter leaflets (1.1-1.6 cm versus 1.4-2.2 cm in P. longipilosa ) with crenate margins and emarginate apex (versus entire to slightly crenate margins and acute to rarely emarginate apex), shorter hairs (0.4-0.9 mm versus 1.1-1.6 mm) and fewer flowers per inflorescence (9-21 versus 19-29). Occasionally, specimens of P. pauta resemble those of P. ochreata in having the same number of lateral leaflets, but leaflet margins are crenate in P. pauta and entire to slightly serrate in P. ochreata .

An outstanding feature of P. pauta are the differences in leaflet number, shape and indument between young and adult plants. On young plants, leaves look very similar to those of P. longipilosa , whereas as the plants mature, the leaves become almost glabrous and have 4-5 lateral leaflet pairs.

Specimens examined.

Ecuador. Cotopaxi: 2 km S of Paso de la Virgen on road Quito-Baeza, 00°20'S, 078°13'W, 3850-4000 m, 16 May 1984, Lægaard 52133 (AAU!, QCA!). Imbabura: González Suárez, Lagunas de Mojanda, Laguna Negra, 00°08'N, 078°15'W, 3700 m, 22 September 1990, Øllgaard 98194 (AAU!); vía hacia la laguna de Mojanda, 00°08'N, 078°15'W, 3500-3700 m, 02 November 1987, Romoleroux 475 (AAU!, QCA!). Otavalo, road from Otavalo to lagunas Mojanda, ca. 3 km before the lakes, 00°10'N, 078°17'W, 3500-3700 m, 23 October 1983, Balslev 4450 (AAU!, QCA!). Quiroga, Cotacachi, Reserva Ecológica Cotacachi-Cayapas, 00°18'N, 078°22'W, 3300-3350 m, 02 March 1992, Peñafiel 1091 (MO!). Tocachi, Laguna Grande de Mojanda, 15 km S of Otavalo, 00°08'N, 078°16'W, 3750 m, 14 May 1985, Eriksen 59359 (AAU!); 59374 (AAU!). Mojanda, Tomauco, 3309 m, 05 June 2008, Salgado 428 (QCA!); Mojanda, Tomauco, 3274 m, 05 June 2008, Salgado 458 (QCA!); Páramo de Mojanda, on the SW slope of the peak Nudo de Mojanda, 4130 m, 06 November 2007, Sklenar 10746 (QCA!). Napo: Oyacachi, 0°12'S, 78°8'W, 3680 m, 08 April 2012, Homeier 4948 (QCA!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 00°12'S, 078°10'W, 4200 m, 27 July 1985, Lægaard 54756A (AAU!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 00°12'S, 078°10'W, 3850-3900 m, 28 July 1985, Lægaard 54756B (AAU!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 00°12'S, 078°10'W, 3850-3900 m, 28 July 1985, Lægaard 54756C (AAU!); 54756D (AAU!); 54756E (AAU!); 54756F (AAU!); 54761 (AAU!, MO!); Reserva Ecológica Oyacachi, 00°13'49"S, 078°08'44"W, 3915 m, 16 December 2008, Romoleroux 5346 (MO!, QCA!). Papallacta, Oyacachi, 0°18'6"S, 78°8'28"W, 3970 m, 10 June 2009, Homeier 4191 (QCA!); Páramo de Papallacta, 00°20'S, 078°10'W, 12 January 2015, Kessler s.n (Z!); Pifo-Papallacta, 3-5 km E of Paso de La Virgen, Páramo-swamp, 00°21'S, 078°11'W, 3700-3900 m, 09 June 1992, Lægaard 103115 (AAU!, GOET!, QCA!); 3 km E of Paso de la Virgen on road Pifo-Papallacta, 00°20'S, 078°11'W, 3950-4050 m, 02 June 1985, Lægaard 54442 (AAU!, QCA!); 54443 (AAU!); 54444 (AAU!, MO!); 54446 (AAU!); 54447 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 54448 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 54449 (AAU!, QCA!); 54450 (AAU!, MO!); 54451 (AAU!, MO!); 54452 (AAU!, MO!); along road Pifo-Papallacta, E of Paso de la Virgen, 00°21'S, 078°11'W, 3750-3850 m, 21 June 1985, Lægaard 54558B (AAU!); 54558C (AAU!); 54558D (AAU!); 54559 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 54560 (AAU!, MO!); 54561 (AAU!); road Quito-Baeza, 7-8 km NW of Laguna de Papallacta ( Páramo de Guamaní), 00°19'S, 078°08'W, 3800 m, 20 July 1976, Øllgaard 8156 (AAU!, MO!, NY); Reserva Ecológica Oyacachi, 00°17'46"S, 078°08'49"W, 3927 m, 20 September 2008, Romoleroux 5194 (MO!, QCA!); carretera Quito-Baeza, páramo above Papallacta, 00°21'S, 078°10'W, 3400-3700 m, 28 May 1987, van der Werff 9638 (AAU!, GB, MO!). Pintag, Paso de Guamaní, quebrada, about +- 4 km E Paso de Guamaní, on road to Papallacta, 00°20'S, 078°20'W, 3900 m, 26 March 1967, Sparre 15029 (AAU!, S). Quijos, Parroquia Papallacta, 00°21'S, 078°11'W, 3700 m, 28 May 1990, Cerón 10054 (MO!); Reserva Ecológica Antisana, carretera Pifo-Baeza, Páramo de la Virgen, 00°20'S, 078°12'W, 3960 m, 23 November 1998, Freire 2852 (AAU!, ILLS, MO!, QCNE); Reserva Ecológica Antisana, carretera Pifo-Baeza, Páramo de la Virgen, 00°23'S, 078°12'W, 3730 m, 24 November 1998, Freire 2870 (ILLS, MO!, QCNE); Reserva Ecológica Antisana, Páramo de Guamaní, carretera Pifo-Papallacta, La Virgen, 00°20'S, 078°12'W, 4140 m, 24 July 1998, Vargas 1946 (AAU!, ILLS, MO!, QCNE); carretera Quito-Tena via Baeza km 52, 3820 m, 03 August 1984, Dodson 14832 (MO!); 8 kms de la población de Oyacachi, siguiendo el sendero hacia Cochapamba, 3500 m, 12 March 1991, Gavilánez 462 (QCA!); carretera Oyacachi-Papallacta, colecciones a 11 km de la Laguna de Loreto, 3800 m, 27 April 1998, Guerrón 343 (QCA!); Papallacta, 3400-3600 m, 16 August 1990, Jaramillo 11832 (AAU!, MO!); Papallacta, 3400 m, 17 August 1990, Jaramillo 11842 (MO!); Páramo de Guamaní, road Quito Papallacta, 4000 m, 04 March 1979, Kieft 228 (QCA!); 3 km E of Paso de la Virgen on road Pifo-Papallacta, 3951-4050 m, 06 February 1985, Lægaard 54452 (QCA!); along road Pifo-Papallacta, E of Paso de la Virgen, 3750 m, Lægaard 54558 (QCA!); along road Pifo-Papallacta, E of Paso de la Virgen, 3750-3850 m, 21 June 1985, Lægaard 54560 (QCA!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 3850 m, Lægaard 54756 (QCA!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 3850-3900 m, 28 July 1985, Lægaard 54757 (QCA!); N of Volcán Los Puntos, 3851-3900 m, 28 July 1985, Lægaard 54758 (QCA!); 54759 (QCA!); Oyacachi, Yarupaccha, 3620-3680 m, 16 January 1996, Navarrete 1449 (QCA!); Reserva Ecológica Oyacachi, 3940 m, 28 January 2007, Romoleroux 4282 (QCA!); 4297 (QCA!); Reserva Ecológica Oyacachi, 3895 m, 23 February 2007, Romoleroux 4340 (QCA!); Reserva Ecológica Oyachachi, 3465 m, 08 March 2008, Romoleroux 4751 (QCA!); Páramo de Guamaní, alrededores de la laguna de Papallacta, 3900-4000 m, 06 December 1987, Romoleroux 491 (AAU!, NY, QCA!); Reserva Ecológica Oyachachi, 3929 m, 13 September 2008, Romoleroux 5167 (QCA!); 3681 m, 06 February 1985, Romoleroux 5168 (QCA!); 3917 m, 14 April 2009, Romoleroux 5475 (QCA!); 3880 m, 16 May 2009, Romoleroux 5489 (QCA!); Reserva Ecológica Oyacachi, 3560 m, 2 February 2007, Romoleroux A4321 (QCA!); Páramo de la Virgen, 3904 m, 29 September 2004, Salgado 1 (QCA!); about 3 km W of Oyacachi, 3550 m, 27 March 1996, Ståhl 2278 (QCA!); crescit prope Bambasacha in declivibus orientalibus mentis Quilindaña sitis, 3700 m, s.d., Stübel 204 (B, F!, MO!, NY, US!). Pichincha: Cayambe, carretera Cayambe-Hda. Piamonte-Patapamba, 00°02'S, 078°04'W, 3700 m, 04 December 1993, Freire 2606 (AAU!, QCA!). Papallacta, Along road Pifo-Papallacta, E of Paso de la Virgen, 00°21'S, 078°11'W, 4200-4300 m, 20 June 1985, Lægaard 54558A (AAU!); Pichincha-Napo, base del Volcán Antisana, entrada por Pintag hacia laguna Micacocha, campamento de EMAP, 00°27'S, 078°10'W, 4000-4100 m, 09 October 1990, Romoleroux 1117 (AAU!, QCA!); Pichincha-Napo, base del Volcán Antisana, entrada por Pintag hacia laguna Micacocha campamento EMAP, 00°27'S, 078°10'W, 4000-4100 m, 09 October 1990, Romoleroux 1118 (AAU!, QCA!); Páramo de la Virgen, camino antiguo, 0°20'S, 78°12'W, 3938 m, 20 September 2004, Salgado 3A (QCA!). Pifo, Mount Guamaní, 0°20'S, 78°33'W, 3600-3800 m, 15 September 1939, Asplund 8767 (QCA!); 2 km west of La Virgin on the road from Pifo to Papallacta, 00°17'S, 078°12'W, 3950-4050 m, 20 May 1984, Brandbyge 42638 (AAU!, MO!); Pifo-Papallacta (new road) app. 1 km W of Paso de la Virgen, 00°19'S, 078°13'W, 3700 m, 16 April 1992, Lægaard 102327 (AAU!, GOET!); 2 km S of Paso de la Virgen on road Quito-Baeza, 00°20'S, 078°13'W, 4000-4200 m, 19-20 May 1984, Lægaard 52134 (AAU!); 52135 (AAU!); 52138 (AAU!, MO!); 52162 (AAU!); 52176 (AAU!, QCA!); road Pifo-Papallacta, near Paso de la Virgen, 00°19'S, 078°13'W, 4000-4100 m, 13 March 1985, Lægaard 53849 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); road Pifo-Papallacta, 3 km W of Paso de la Virgen, 00°18'S, 078°14'W, 3700-3900 m, 07 August 1985, Lægaard 54901A; 54901B; 54901C; 54901D; 54902AA; 54902K; 54902M; 54902P; 54902S; 54902U; 54902W; 54902Y (AAU!); at Paso de la Virgen, 00°18'S, 078°12'W, 4000-4050 m, 28 November 1985, Lægaard 55729 (AAU!, GOET!, MO!); carretera Quito-Papallacta, 1 km al este de la cumbre (La Virgen), 00°20'S, 078°15'W, 3800 m, 06 October 1986, Neill 7378A (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 2 km al E de la cumbre de la carretera Pifo-Papallacta (La Virgen), 00°20'S, 078°15'W, 3900 m, 28 November 1987, Neill 8018 (AAU!, GB, MO!, QCA!, QCNE); Vía Baeza, 1 km antes del cruce de la Virgen, 00°18'S, 078°12'W, 3950 m, 01 March 1989, Palacios 3994 (AAU!, MO!); carretera Quito-Papallacta km 40-53, 00°16'S, 078°15'W, 3300-3800 m, 27 December 1992, Romoleroux 1507 (AAU!, QCA!); 00°21'S, 078°13'W, Romoleroux 353 (QCA!); Páramo de Guamaní, on the left side of the road Quito-Papallacta, 0°19'S, 78°12'W, 4000 m, 28 June 1997, Sklenár 2019 (QCA!). Quito, Parroquia Pifo, carretera Quito-Baeza, Páramo de la Virgen, 00°14'S, 078°20'W, 3500-3900 m, 25 April 1992, Cerón 18792 (MO!); Jameson 16 (MO!); road from Quito via Pifo to Papallacta, 00°34'S, 078°19'W, 3950 m, 04 July 2014, Kessler 14602; 14603; 14604; 14605 (Z!); Pass on Quito-Papallacta road, 3800-3900 m, 06 April 1991, Kessler 2750 (GOET!); 2755 (GOET!); Páramo de Guamaní, carretera Pifo-Papallacta, Km 27, 00°19'S, 078°12'W, 3960 m, 13 June 1990, León 1149 (QCA!); Baeza-Quito km 53, 00°20'S, 078°12'W, 4200 m, 08 July 2002, Schmidt-Lebuhn 378 (GOET!, QCA!). Tabacundo, at highest pass on road Mojanda-Tabacundo, 00°07'N, 078°15'W, 4030 m, 08 April 2001, Lægaard 21538A; 21538B (AAU!). Tocachi, Páramo de Mojanda, at Laguna Negra and S-side of Laguna Grande, 00°08'N, 078°16'W, 3800 m, 14 May 1985, Lægaard 54316B (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 54330 (AAU!, MO!); 54333 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); 54336 (AAU!); 54346 (AAU!, MO!, QCA!); Lagunas Mojanda, 00°07'N, 078°16'W, 3800 m, 30-31 Jul 1992, Palacios 10210 (AAU!, MO!); 10239 (AAU!, MO!); Lagunas de Mojanda, ca. Laguna Grande, 00°08'N, 078°16'W, 3700-3800 m, 01 June 1988, Romoleroux 654 (AAU!, QCA!); 3400-3500 m, Acosta-Solís 8379 (F!); 3700-4000 m, s.d., Asplund 18244 (S); alrededores de la Laguna Grande de Mojanda Cajas, 3960 m, 27 February 1999, Jaramillo 20986 (QCA!); the pass on Quito-Papallacta road, 3800-3900 m, 06 April 1991, Kessler 2749 (GOET!, MO!); 2750 (GOET!, MO!); 2753 (GOET!, MO!); 2754 (GOET!, LPB, MO!); Páramo de la Virgen, 3100 m, 01 November 2006, Muñoz 4 (QCA!); Laguna grande de Mojanda-Cajas, 3800 m, 19 September 2011, Pérez 5117 (QCA!); 3960 m, 01 August 1975, Little 22 (MO!).

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Marchantiophyta

Class

Aves

Order

Rosales

Family

Rosaceae

Genus

Polylepis