Urtica lucifuga, Grosse-Veldmann & Weigend, 2016

Grosse-Veldmann, Bernadette & Weigend, Maximilian, 2016, Weeding the nettles IV: A redefinition of Urtica incisa and allies in New Zealand and Australia, including the segregation of two new species Urtica sykesii and U. perconfusa, Phytotaxa 245 (4), pp. 251-261 : 253-254

1. Urtica incisa Poir. in Lamarck (1816: 224)

Lectotype (here designated):—[ AUSTRALIA. Nouvelle Hollande]. Urtica incisa (n), nov. holl., labill. [J. J. H. de Labillardière s.n.] (P-DESF 00601927!). Syntype:—[ AUSTRALIA. Nouvelle Hollande]. n. holl., bill. [J. J. H. de Labillardière s.n.] (FI-WEBB 169977!).

= Urtica lucifuga Hook.f. var. lucifuga Hook.f. (1847: 285) . Lectotype (here designated):—[ AUSTRALIA. Tasmania.] Urtica incisa Poir. Urtica lucifuga n.sp. V.D. Land [Van Diemen´s Land], “541”, Gunn s.n. (K 000351867!); Isolectotype: “541” [Gunn s.n.], Urtica incisa Poir. Urtica lucifuga n.sp. common—chiefly in damp shady ravines and creeks [? illegible] V. D. Land (K 000351868!).

= Urtica linearifolia (Hook.f.) Cockayne (1914 [1915]: 111). Basionym: Urtica lucifuga Hook.f. var. linearifolia Hook.f. (1847: 285) . Holotype:—[ AUSTRALIA. Tasmania.] V. D. Land [Van Diemen´s Land], Urtica incisa Poir. , Urtica lucifuga n.sp. var. β., Circular Head, 1842, 4/11/37, “ 541 ”, Gunn s.n. (K 000351869!).

≡ Urtica incisa Poir. var. linearifolia (Hook.f.) Cheeseman (1906: 636) .

non Urtica incisa B.Heyne ex Wall. (1831) , illeg. homonym [= Girardinia diversifolia (Link) Friis (1981: 145) ].

Erect, perennial, rhizomatous herb (0.25–) 0.43–2 m, usually unbranched. Stem indumentum of few stinging hairs with pluricellular base c. 0.2–0.3(–0.5) mm overall and erect setae 0.2–0.3(–0.4) mm long and few simple trichomes 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf lamina 60–120(–150) × (10–)15–30(–60) mm triangular-ovate to narrowly oblong; surface sparsely pubescent with short simple trichomes 0.2–0.5 mm long and few stinging hairs (abaxially only on the veins), adaxially with punctiform cystoliths; leaf base cuneate to truncate; margins regularly dentate, rarely doubly dentate, with 14–20 teeth on each side; leaf apex acute to acuminate; lamina light greenish; stipules free (4 per node) 2–4 mm long; petioles (10–)15–25(–40) mm long. Plants mostly unisexual, rarely male and female flowers on the same plant. Staminate flowers with tepals c. 1.3–1.8 mm long. Pistillate flowers with short tepals 0.5–0.8 mm long and long tepals 0.9–1.2 mm long, sparsely pubescent, esetulose. Inflorescence 24–40(–60) mm long, often longer than petioles. Mature fruit with longer tepals 1.3–1.5 mm long, achenes subcircular in outline, rounded at base and at the tip, laterally flattened, c. 1.2–1.5(–2.0) × 0.8–1.2 mm.

Notes:— Urtica incisa is a perennial rhizomatous herb with tall and mostly unbranched flowering shoots. Like U. dioica this species is polygamous and the vast majority of clones are male or female. There are a few collections with both male and female flowers on the same shoot (E.g. F. Hood 137, A. M. Buchanan 2592, M. D. Crisp 3495, V. Klaphake s.n. NSW 797263 & 797264, S. W. L. Jacobs 2781). The leaves are generally much longer than wide and triangular-ovate to narrowly oblong and the inflorescences are comparatively long, often longer than the petioles. In overall appearance, it is very similar to northern hemisphere Urtica dioica and U. gracilis , but molecular data clearly show it to be only remotely related.

Distribution:— The species is widely distributed in (south-)eastern Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat and ecology:— Urtica incisa is found at disturbed sites, forest edges, in swamps and on river banks from sea-level to c. 250 m.

Phenology:— Urtica incisa flowers throughout the year.

Conservation status:— According to the New Zealand Threat Classification System ( de Lange et al. 2013), Urtica incisa is considered “Not Threatened”.

Selected additional specimens examined:— AUSTRALIA. New South Wales: North Coast: 470 Bulli Creek Road, SSE of Byabarra, S 31° 34’ 6’’, E 152° 31’ 54’’, 12 May 2009, V. Klaphake s.n. ( NSW 797270–797274 !) ; Central Coast: Bents Basin, Nepean River , S 33° 55’, E 150° 37’, 5 Oct. 1964, B. G. Briggs s.n. ( NSW 656029 !) ; Leacocks Lane, below Glenfield Farm, near railway line, Casula , S 33° 57’ 38’’, E 150° 54’ 21’’, 3 July 2009, V. Klaphake s.n. ( NSW 797263–797267 !) ; Glenbrook Creek , [4/j/1959], H. S. McKee 6776 (P 06820929!) ; S side of Mogo Creek Road, 20 km S of Bucketty towards St Albans , S 33° 12’ 3’’, E 151° 1’ 37’’, 5 Oct. 1996, P. S. Jobson 4407 ( NSW!) ; South Coast: 20 km SW of Eden, Mount Imlay , near trig, S 37° 11’, E 149° 44’, 25 Oct. 1977, M. D. Crisp 3495 ( NSW!) ; Kiah (or Towamba) River , c. 2.5 km NE of Kiah, S 37° 8’, E 149° 52’, 27 Nov. 1976, S. W. L. Jacobs 2781 ( NSW!) ; Northern Tablelands: Alongside Barrington Trail at either end of bridge over Tugalow Creek , Barrington Tops State Conservation Area , S31° 54’ 31’’, E 151° 26’ 41’’, 24 Feb. 2008, J. R. Hosking 3073 ( CANB!, NSW!) ; Central Tablelands: Mt Tomah ( Blue Mts ), 10 Feb. 1978, collector unknown, legit G. Sag, Feb. 1978 (P 06456160!) ; Newnes, Wolgan River Valley , NW of Lithgow, S 33° 12’, E 150° 14’, 30 Mar. 1983, T. A. James 278 & W. Bishop ( NSW!) ; Southern Tablelands: Cave Creek, 0.25 mile below The Blue Waterholes , 11 miles NE of Rules Point, S 36° 33’, E 148° 49’, 11 Dec. 1969, A. N. Rodd 912 & R. G. Coveny ( NSW!) ; North Western Slopes: 17 km from Bingara along highway towards Warialda , S 29° 43’ 46’’, E 150° 32’ 26’’, 16 Nov. 2000, J. J. Bruhl 1976 & I. R. Telford (NE, NSW!) ; Central Western Slopes : 4.4 km S of Mumbil, S 32° 45’ 52’’, E 149° 3’ 12’’, 20 Nov. 1999, A. R. Bean 15814 ( BRI, NSW!) ; South Western Slopes: Murrumbidgee River, off the Leeton-Narrandera Road , S 34° 42’, E 146° 28’, 30 Sept. 1989, T. A. James 1129 ( NSW!) ; Victoria: East Gippsland: Croajingolong National Park, Kingfisher Point , Bottom Lake , Mallacoota , S 37° 31’ 5’’, E 149° 46’ 20’’, 20 Oct. 1991, J. H. Ross 3488 & C. A. Coles ( MEL, NSW!) ;

South Australia: Murray River: Second swamp S of Blanchetown, S 34° 22’ 26’’, E 139° 37’ 23’’, 21 Mar. 1973, J. Z. Weber 3475 (AD, NSW!) ; Wellington, c. 30 km south-southeast of Murray bridge, at east bank of the River Murray , 01 Feb. 1970, L. D. Williams 3499 ( AD 97007330 !) ; Kangaroo Island: Near Cape Borda , 24 Sept. 1908, R. S. Rogers s.n. (AD, NSW 656026 !) ; Tasmania: Without locality data, W. Archer s.n. (P 06456147!) ; without locality data, King s.n. (P-DESF 00601928!) ; without locality data, King s.n. (P-DESF 006456159!) ; without locality data and collector ( CHR 524242 !) ; Central Highlands Region, Serpentine Rivulet, Gully 250 m W of Serpentine Rivulet, approximately 2.5 km NE of where it crosses Bronte Canal , S 42° 06’ 20.9’’, E 146° 31’ 35.4’’, 745 m, 27 Feb. 2014, M. F. de Salas & L. Cave 779 ( HO 574971 !) ; Central Highlands Region, 2 km from junction with Tarraleah Canal No. 1 and Lyell Highway , S 42° 19’, E 146° 25’, 02 Feb. 1981, A. Brown 193 ( HO 407037 !) ; East Coast Region, St. Patricks Head , S 41° 34’ E 148° 13’, 400 m, 5 Feb. 1982, A. M. Buchanan 911 ( HO 50265 !) ; East Coast Region, Mt. Wellington, S 42° 54’, E 147° 17’, Oct. 1873, S. G. Hannaford s.n. ( HO 23589 !) ; East Coast Region, Orford , S 42° 34’, E 147° 52’, 27 Nov. 1973, F. Hood 137 ( HO 569876 !) ; East Coast Region, Tunnack, S 42° 27’, E 147° 28’, Sept. 1977, collector unknown, ex Tasmanian Department of Agriculture Herbarium ( HO 569053 !) ; Furneaux Region, East Flinders Island, behind Planter Beach , S 40° 09’, E 148° 17’, 0 m, 26 Sept. 1989, P. Collier 4198 ( HO 119905 !) ; Furneaux Region, Big Dog [Great Dog] Island , S 40° 15’, E 148° 15’, 08 Oct. 1996, S. Harris s.n. ( HO 534769 !) ; Furneaux Region, Logan Lagoon Conservation Area [Cameron Inlet], Flinders Island , S 40° 06’ 41.9’’, E 148° 17’ 31.7’’, 26 Mar. 2014, M. L. Baker & M. F. de Salas 2931 ( HO 574022 !) ; Midlands Region, Bessels Road, below northern slope of Western Tiers , S 41° 43’ E 146° 36’, 630 m, 16 Oct. 1984, W. F. Pataczek 033 ( HO 86026 !) ; Midlands Region, Tunbridge Tier, Tunbridge Tier Rd. , S 42° 07’, E 147°, 16’, 800 m, 26 Sept. 2001, A. C. Rozefelds 2072 ( HO 531053 !) ; North East Region, near Thomas Plain , S 41° 12’, E 147° 54’, 05 Feb. 1877, A. Simpson s.n. ( HO 504805 !) ; North West Region, Nettle Bay, west of Marrawah , S 40° 55’ 02’’, E 144° 39’ 13’’, 20 m, 24 Oct. 1992, A. C. Rozefelds 577 ( HO 324652 !) ; South West Region, Cox Bight, west of Freney Lagoon exit, S 43° 29’ E 146° 13’, 0 m, 30 Nov. 1982, D. I. Morris 82115 ( HO 68047 !) ; North West Region, Hellyer Gorge Valley , c. 350 m, 7 Jan. 1977, H. D. Wilson s.n. ( CHR 310840 !) ; Mouth of Oxley Creek, Spero Bay , S 42° 37’, E 145° 19’, 2 m, 16 Jan. 1984, A. M. Buchanan 2592 ( HO 98479 !) ; West Coast Region, Sundown Point, south of Arthur River , S 41° 07’ 12’’, E 144° 40’ 25’’, 5 m, 24 Oct. 1997, A. C. Rozefelds 569 ( HO 324646 !) ; Victoria. County of Follett , “Nine mile creek”, 03 Mar. 1904, F. M. Reader s.n. (P 06456149!) ; — NEW ZEALAND. Canterbury (South Island): Waimate Distr., Waimate , South Canterbury, 30 Apr. 1979, J. Oliver s.n. ( CHR 355708 !) ; Greater Wellington (North Island): Wairarapa Distr. , Ruamahanga River , SW of Martinborough, 3 m, 15 Nov. 1970, B. H. Macmillan 10/254 ( CHR 525260 !) ; Wellington Land Distr., Martinborough-Pirinoa Rd , 21 Sept. 2006, B. Winder s.n. ( CHR 585611 !) ; Wellington, Haywards Hutt Valley , 04 Jan. 1953, A. J. Healy 53/11 ( CHR 88531 B!) ; Manawatu-Wanganui (North Island): Ruapehu-Distr., near Raetihi , Dec. 1940, J. S. Attwood s.n. ( CHR 48288 !) ; Marlborough (South Island): Marlborough Land Distr., Lake Rotorua , Kaikoura Lakes near Peketa , 30 m, 28 Sept. 1998 C. Jones CJ01: 17 ( CHR 525311 !) ; Taranaki (North Island): Taranaki Land Distr., Taranaki, Eltham , S 39° 25’, E 174° 18’, 243 m, 19 Nov. 1982, C. J. Webb s.n. ( CHR 404138 A!, CHR 404138B!) ; Waikato (North Island): Cambridge Domain, Cambridge , 17 Mar. 1964, R. K. Ward s.n. ( CHR 234516 A!) .