Hieracium scopolioides Gottschl. & S. Orsenigo, 2021

Gottschlich, Günter & Orsenigo, Simone, 2021, New taxa of Hieracium (Asteraceae) from Mount Lesima and adjacent regions (Northern Apennine, Italy), Phytotaxa 505 (1), pp. 39-55 : 43-50

3. Hieracium scopolioides Gottschl. & S. Orsenigo , spec. nov. (scopolii – umbrosoides) ( Fig. 4 , 8c )

Type:— ITALY. Emilia-Romagna, prov. Piacenza, Zerba, Monte Lesima , 44°41’N, 09°15’E, 1500–1650 m, meadows along the road to the summit, 21.07.2020, G. Gottschlich & S. Orsenigo 75894 (holotype: FI!; isotypes: B!, M!, PAV!, W!, Hb. Gottschlich-75894, Hb. Dunkel-38251) .

Diagnosis:— Hieracio scopolii simile, sed hypophyllopodum, foliis caulinis minus numerosis, involucri phyllis pedunculisque pilis glandulosis modice densis obsitis differt.

Perennial, rhizome stout, oblique or vertical. Stem erect, vertical, cylindrical, stout (Ø 2–3 mm), (35)40–50(60) cm tall, reddish green, brownish-purple at the base, striated, phyllopodous or pseudophyllopodous, in the lower part with moderate to numerous, in the upper part with sparse 1.5–2.5 mm long, whitish, soft, simple and dentate hairs, sparse microglands and sparse stellate hairs.

Basal leaves (0)1–2, often withered at anthesis, with 3–5 cm long petiole, elliptical, entire, acute, rarely slightly denticulate, grass-green, upper surface and margins with sparse 1 mm long white, soft, dentate simple hairs, vein of the lower surface with moderate 1.5–2 mm long simple hairs. Cauline leaves (6)7–8(9), 2–10 × 1–6 cm, elliptical, acuminate, 1–3 of them inserted with a broadly winged 1–3(5) long petiole near the stem base, the others broadly cordate to semiamplexicaul, remotely denticulate, inserted along the stem between gradually increasing internodes, simple hairs similar to those of the basal leaves, lower surface additionally with sparse stellate hairs.

Synflorescence paniculate, branches (4)6–8(10), straight or curved, (1.5)3–7(10) cm long, each with 1–3(5) capitula (sometimes abortive); capitula (7)10–15(20); acladium 2–5 cm long. Peduncles with 1–2 linear, bracts, 2.5– 3 mm long, with moderate 0.5–0.6 mm long, black glandular hairs, moderate stellate hairs, without simple hairs. Involucre campanulate, 9–10 mm long. Involucral bracts in a few series, blackish green, linear-lanceolate, 1–1.3 mm wide, acute, with scattered 1 mm long simple hairs, moderate 0.5–0.6 mm long black glandular hairs, and sparse stellate hairs. Corolla limb ligulate, yellow, indistinctly ciliate. Styles obscure, margins of alveoli shortly dentate, achenes brown.

Etymology:—The epithet scopolioides refers to the similarity to Hieracium scopolii .

Phenology: —Flowering late July to August. Fruiting in August.

Distribution and ecology:— Hieracium scopolioides is currently known only from the grasslands above the treeline of Mount Lesima. It grows on meadows at elevations between 1550 and 1650 m.

Conservation status:—Due to its restricted range and reduced number of mature individuals (<1,000), Hieracium scopolioides could preliminary be listed as “Vulnerable” (VU) under criterion D1, according to the IUCN criteria (2019). Despite at the moment there are no ongoing threats, changes in grazing pressure could have a negative impact on H. scopolioides .

Remarks:—In its habit H. scopolioides resembles H. scopolii from the same locality, but differs by developing an indistinct basal rosette, the more entire leaves and the long glandular hairs on peduncles and phyllaries. In these characters it resembles H. umbrosoides Gottschlich (2009: 179) , occurring in the same region. Thus, it may have originally evolved from these two species. Currently it is more frequent on M. Lesima than H. scopolii . Hieracium scopolioides should be classified in H. sect. Umbrosa Stace & P. D. Sell in Stace (1998: 438).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Hieracium scopolioides (isotype: Hb. Gottschlich-75894).

FIGURE 8. Single capitula of a: H. lesimanum, b: H. scopolii, c: H. scopolioides, d: H. umbrophilum, e: H. lachenalii subsp. zerbanum, f: H. prenanthoides subsp. penicense.