Haplopappus teillieri A. Cadiz-Veliz , V.Morales & Nic. Garcia, 2024

Garcia, Nicolas, Cadiz-Veliz, Aron, Villalobos, Macarena & Morales, Vanezza, 2024, Taxonomic novelties in Haplopappus (Asteraceae, Astereae) from Chile, PhytoKeys 237, pp. 201-218 : 201

Haplopappus teillieri A. Cadiz-Veliz, V.Morales & Nic. Garcia sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5

Diagnosis.

Haplopappus teillieri is similar to H. punctatus (Willd.) H.M.Hall, but differs from the latter in its leaves 1-2.5 cm long (vs. 3-6 cm), leaf margin always entire (vs. entire to up to 6 teeth per side), 1-3 peduncles per twig (vs. 2-6 peduncles per twig), outer series of phyllaries 1.2-1.8 mm wide (vs. 0.5-1.0 mm), ~7 ray florets per capitulum (vs. 10-12), and achenes 6.5-7 × 0.8-1.0 mm (vs. 3-4.4 × 1.5-1.8 mm).

Type.

Chile. Región de Valparaíso: Provincia de San Felipe de Aconcagua, Comuna de Putaendo, rio Rocin , sector Las Tejas , 2530 m a.s.l., 32°28'22"S, 70°25'25"W, 04 January 2023, A. Cádiz-Véliz, J.L. Álvarez & S. Grau 991 (holotype: EIF 17305!; isotypes: CONC!, JBN!, MO!, SGO!, SI!, VALPL!) .

Description.

Shrubs 0.25-0.4(-0.5) m high and 0.35-0.7 m in diameter, ascending to erect, with slight citric odor. Stems growing parallel to the ground at first and branching later in an ascending way. Stems furrowed, papery bark at base, greenish near the base, turning yellowish to reddish towards the apex, sparsely covered by sessile glands (same indumentum up to the peduncles), glutinous. Leaves (0.5-)1.0-2.5(-3.0) × (0.1-)0.2-0.3(-0.55) cm; lamina narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, rarely linear, gradually reduced in size towards the tip of branches, around five to eight times as long as they are wide; bases attenuate; apices acute to acuminate, ending in a slender seta, 0.2-0,5 mm long; margins entire, scabrid due to short subulate trichomes; leaves glutinous, covered by sessile glands throughout and sparsely by short subulate unicellular trichomes (~0.25 mm long) on margins and upper central vein, coriaceous, simple, sessile, alternate or frequently fasciculate with 3-5 smaller leaves on the axils of major leaves; venation reticulate and inconspicuous. Capitula radiate and heterogamous, rarely discoid and homogamous, with 3-4 small subulate leaf-like bracts at the base, solitary on the apex of a long peduncle. Peduncles up to 28 cm long, 0.6-1.0 mm wide at base, 1-3 per twig, with 3-8 evenly distributed subulate bracts. Involucres 9-14 × 8-12 mm, cylindrical. Phyllaries spirally arranged in 5-6 series, covered by sessile and short capitate glands, glutinous, ending in a slender seta; external series 2.7-4.7 × 1.2-1.8 mm at its widest, ovate to elliptic, mostly green (parenchymatous), sclerenchymatous basally, margin purplish along the middle and towards the tip, straight, acuminate; intermediate series 4.4-7.4 × 1.6-2.0 mm at its widest, lanceolate to oblong, green-purplish on distal half, sclerenchymatous on proximal half, straight or only tip reflexed, acuminate; internal series 7.4-8.3 × 1.5-2.0 mm across the middle area, ligulate, apices straight or shortly reflexed, acuminate, parenchymatous and purplish on distal third, sclerenchymatous elsewhere, margins and below hyaline. Receptacles flat, epaleate, alveolate. True ray florets with tubular portion 4.7-5.5 × ~0.4 mm and limbs 2.3-3.0 × ~1.0 mm at its widest, with 3-4 marked veins ending in 3 small apical teeth, also 2-3 segments fused forming the limb and an extra shorter segment free, glabrous, ~7 per capitulum, pistillate, corollas pale saffron, zygomorphic, tubular portion covered with short, multicellular eglandular trichomes; styles 4 mm long, ending in two asymmetrical style branches 1.2 and 0.7 mm long each or undivided, glabrous; ovaries 1.0-1.5 × ~0.8 mm, densely strigose. Disk florets 5.6-6.6 × 0.7-0.8 mm at their widest portion, numerous (~40), perfect, corollas pale saffron, actinomorphic, infundibuliform, with 5 short lobes, 0.3-0.8 mm deep, edges thickened, shortly papillate; anthers ~2.5 mm long; styles 5.3 mm long, with two style branches, 1.2-1.3 mm long each, apical triangular portion papillate; ovaries 1.0-1.5 × ~0.5 mm, densely strigose. Cypselae: achenes 6.5-7.0 × 0.8-1.0 mm, linear-oblanceolate, slightly flattened, asymmetrical, ribbed, only two lateral ribs prominent, densely covered by white, stiff trichomes, ~0.25 mm long, slanted 20-45° relative to the exocarp; pappus 4.5-5.5 mm long in ray florets and 3.1-7.0 mm long. in disk florets, with numerous bristles (57-58), ochreous, persistent, barbellate.

Distribution and habitat.

Haplopappus teillieri inhabits the Mediterranean Andean low scrub of Chuquiraga oppositifolia D.Don and Nardophyllum lanatum (Meyen) Cabrera, between 1500-2600 m a.s.l. ( Luebert and Pliscoff 2017). Only four populations have been recorded in the Andes, along the valleys of rivers Choapa, Petorca, Rocín and Aconcagua (Fig. 1B ). It seems to be a very rare species but it can become locally dominant.

Etymology.

The specific epithet teillieri honours the Chilean botanist Sebastián Teillier Arredondo (1956-), who has made significant contributions to the knowledge of the vascular flora of Chile.

Phenology.

Haplopappus teillieri starts flowering in January, probably extending its bloom until early March. Fruits from February onwards.

Conservation status.

Haplopappus teillieri was rarely collected since 1924, within a very restricted area in the Andes mountains of the Choapa and San Felipe de Aconcagua provinces (Fig. 1B ), which suggests that it is a rare species. Here, we propose the species conservation status as Endangered (EN), considering the criteria B1+B2ab(iii). It has been assessed under the criterion “B1” as its Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is <5,000 km2 (266 km2), while the criterion “B2” corresponds to the Area of Occupancy (AOO) <500 km2 (16 km2). Criterion “a” is invoked given the species presence in less than five localities (4). Its populations are potentially threatened since all these mountainous areas are located within a zone of high interest for mining development and consequently is fully covered by mining petitions ( SONAMI 2023). The criterion “b(iii)” corresponds to the inferred and projected decrease in the quality of the habitat due to the presence of bovine and caprine livestock and mining activities (e.g., opening of roads, prospecting, excavations, removal of soil and vegetation due to installation of facilities). The habitat will also be affected by climate change the consequences of which are a decline in precipitation (35-50 mm) and temperature increase (~2 °C) ( MMA 2023a). In this sense, the species inhabits an area that is projected to suffer a moderate to high risk of loss of the flora because of precipitation decrease ( MMA 2023a).

Additional specimens examined

(paratypes). Chile. Región de Coquimbo: Provincia de Choapa, Comuna de Salamanca, Cuenca Camisas , sector Antena , 2350 m a.s.l., 32°3'S, 70°58'W, 02 July 2000, G. Arancio & F. Squeo 13236 (ULS 13692, 13693) . Región de Valparaíso: Provincia de Petorca, valle del río Alicahue, 1500 m a.s.l., 32°17'56"S, 70°36'10"W, March 2016, S. Teillier & J. Torres-Mura 8039 (CONC 182727); Provincia de San Felipe de Aconcagua , Laguna del Copin , 3000 m a.s.l., 32°26'S, 70°33'W, April 1924, C. Joseph 15052 (CONC 59861) .

Taxonomic notes.

Considering its phyllaries acute ending in a slender seta, bracts subulate, peduncles distinct from the twigs, leaves mostly narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, and sterile ray florets, H. teillieri clearly belongs in H. sect. Gymnocoma Nutt. ( Brown and Clark 1982; Klingenberg 2007). Due to its capitula with ray florets and tips of the phyllaries straight to slightly spreading, it most closely resembles H. punctatus , with which it is directly contrasted in the diagnosis. It also resembles H. integerrimus (Hook. & Arn.) H.M.Hall due to its leaves glutinous and scabrid, presence of 1-3 peduncles per twig, and ray florets inconspicuous (~7-9 mm long), but H. teillieri differs from the latter species by its shorter and narrower leaves ((0.5-)1.0-2.5(-3.0) × (0.1-)0.2-0.3(-0.55) cm vs. 3.0-7.5 × 0.3-0.9 cm), leaf margin always entire (vs. 0-6 teeth per side), peduncles 0.6-1.0 mm wide at base (vs. 1.5-3.0 mm), tips of phyllaries straight to slightly spreading (vs. spreading to recurved), and internal series of phyllaries 1.5-2.0 mm wide (vs. 1.2-1.5 mm) ( Klingenberg 2007).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of Haplopappus in central Chile A H. colliguayensis (red dot), H. undulatus (blue dots) B H. teillieri (red dots), H. integerrimus (blue dots), H. punctatus (orange dots) C H. kingii (red dots), H. parvifolius (green dots), H. remyanus (blue dots), H. retinervius (orange dots).

Figure 4. Haplopappus teillieri A. Cadiz-Veliz, V. Morales & Nic. Garcia A habit B capitulum C immature capitulum D style and asymmetrical stigmatic branches of true ray floret E true ray floret F flowering branch G style and stigmatic branches of disk floret H disk floret I series of phyllaries J fascicle of leaves K leaf. Drawn by Daniel Martinez Pina from A. Cadiz-Veliz et al. 991.

Figure 5. Haplopappus teillieri A. Cadiz-Veliz, V. Morales & Nic. Garcia A general view of the Rocin valley B habitat in Andean scrub-grassland of Chuquiraga oppositifolia, Festuca acanthophylla and H. teillieri C habit D detail of branches and leaves E flowering branches F immature capitulum G homogamous mature capitulum H, I heterogamous mature capitula. All photographs by Aron Cadiz-Veliz.