Urtica magellanica Juss.

Weigend, Maximilian & Luebert, Federico, 2009, Weeding the nettles I: Clarifying species limits in perennial, rhizomatous Urtica (Urticaceae) from southern and central Chile and Argentina., Phytotaxa 2, pp. 1-12 : 7-9

2. Urtica magellanica Juss. ex. Poir., in Lamarck (1816: 223).

Holotype: [ Chile, XII Región, Magallanes y Antártica Chilena,] "Fonds de la Baye Bougainville et du Port Galant , sub alpibus Commersonianis", 10 [month illegible] 1767, Commerson s.n. (P- P00601921!). — Figs. 1 B, E–G ; 3A–E .

Urtica darwinii Hooker (1846: 343) . Holotype: [ Chile, XI Región, de Aisén, Archipiélago de los Chonos,] Chonos Arch [ipelag]o, Dec. 1834, J. S. Henslow 266 (K- K000575397!).

Urtica bracteata Steudel (1850: 258) , synon. nov. Ξ Urtica magellanica Poir. var. bracteata (Steudel) Weddell (1869: 47) . Ξ Urtica magellanica Poir. subsp. bracteata (Steudel) Geltman (1998:17) . Lectotype (designated by Geltmann, 1994: 23): [ Chile, VI Región, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins] ad sepes secus vias Rancagua Chili, Bertero 737 (P-P00601922!, isotype: G-DC!).

Urtica pseudodioica Steudel (1850: 257) , synon. nov. Ξ Urtica dioica L. var. steudelli Weddell (1869: 47) , nom. illeg. Lectotype (desigated by Geltmann, 1994: 23): [ Chile, VI Región, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins,] ad sepes secus vias Rancagua Chili, Bertero 737 (P-P00585546!). Syntype: Anon s.n. “ Chili, herb. Steud.” (L!).

Urtica magellanica is here interpreted as a wide-spread and morphologically variable taxon, which ranges throughout central and southern Chile and Argentina. The taxa here placed in synonymy correspond to ontogenetic and ecological variants that are typical for many taxa in Urtica , such as U. leptophylla Kunth (1817: 39) , U. echinata Bentham (1846: 252) and U. dioica ( Woodland 1982; Weigend 2005). U. bracteata and U. pseudodioica were based on different specimens from the same collection (Bertero 737) and are not homotypic (see also Geltman 1994). Steudel (1850) considered Bertero 737 to be a mixed collection representing two different species. We believe, however, that the superficial differences between different specimens of Bertero 737 simply reflect the morphological diversity in the population sampled. Variability of the putative differentiating characters further argues for their synonymy with each other (compare Fig. 1A–E ).

We have been unable to investigate the relationships of northern Argentinian Urtica magellanica Poir. var. lilloi Hauman (1925: 415) [≡ U. lilloi (Hauman) Geltman (1998: 17) ] for want of well-preserved herbarium material. The inclusion of Peruvian and Bolivian material under U. magellanica first proposed by Weddell (1856) and taken up by Killip (1937) and Soraru (1972) is, however, rejected. We believe that this material (e.g., Sagástegui & Mostacero 9132, MO; Brako and Zarucchi 1993) belongs to U. leptophylla (compare with Weigend et al. 2005) and that it is distinct from U. magellanica based on the following characters. Urtica leptophylla lacks stolons ( U. magellanica is extensively stoloniferous); its distal stipules are united for>3/4 of their length and subcircular in outline (versus basal stipules free, the distal sometimes united for ½ to 2/3rds of their length, oblong in outline in U. magellanica ). Both species are monoecious, but the distribution of male and female flowers differs: In U. leptophylla there are a few, small female inflorescences at the lower portion of the shoots, followed by bisexual branches with male flowers proximally and female flowers distally. In U. magellanica the lowest inflorescence branches are male, followed by female branches in the upper portion of the flowering shoot. As circumscribed here U. leptophylla’s southern distribution extends to Departamento Moquegua, Peru, further south of which it is replaced by U. mollis , which reaches central Chile.

Populations of Urtica magellanica from Fray Jorge in Coquimbo differ slightly in indument and leaf dentition (e.g., C. Marticorena et al. 467, C. Marticorena et al. 519, I. Meza & C. Villagrán 1211, F. Luebert & C. Becker 2912). This material cannot be ascribed to a known taxon and may sensibly be segregated at some taxonomic level from typical U. magellanica . We will not describe this new taxon until a clearer understanding of the systematics of the U. dioica complex emerges.

Representative specimens: ARGENTINA: Prov. Río Negro: Depto. Pilcaniyeu, road from San Carlos de Bariloche to Comallo , 41˚04´23´´S, 71˚06´22´´W, 965 m, 10.01.2002, M. Weigend et al. 8609 (B, BCRU, BM, M, MO) - cultivated from that collection in Berlin, M. Weigend et al. 8609-C (BM, BSB, GB, HUT, M, NY, USM, W) . Prov, Santa Cruz: Depto. Lago Argentino , Burmeister Peninsula, H.H. Pritchard s.n., anno 1900–1901 ( BM) . Prov. Tierra de Fuego: Depto. Ushuaia, lake Reca , Ushuaia , 10.02.1976, O. Zöllner 9711 ( MO) . SW Patagonia, 49˚80´–51˚S, 72˚–73˚30´W, Mayo Glacier , 14.02.1959, P. W. James 2260 ( BM) . CHILE: IV Región, Coquimbo: Prov. Limarí, Loma de Fray Jorge , 670 m, 19.08.1917, C. & I. Skottsberg 890 (GB, NY); Fray Jorge , 26.09.1935, C. Muñoz B-121 ( SGO) ; Bosque de Fray Jorge , 500–600 m, 25- 30.11.1940, C. Muñoz & A. Coronel 1380 ( SGO) ; Fray Jorge , 450 m, 30˚40´S, 71˚40´W, 22.11.1960, F. Schlegel 2873 ( CONC) . Bosque de Fray Jorge , 27.11.1942, C. Jiles ( SGO 57564) ; Parque Nacional Fray Jorge , márgenes del bosque, 500 m, 30˚40´S, 71˚40´W, 05.11.1974, C. Marticorena et al. 467 (B, CONC) ; Fray Jorge, Portada Carl Skottsberg , 500 m, 30˚40´S, 71˚40´W, 06.11.1974, C. Marticorena et al. 519 ( CONC) ; Parque Nacional Fray Jorge 15- 16.05.1982, I. Meza & C. Villagrán 1211 ( SGO) ; Bosque de Fray Jorge 30º39'S, 71º41'W, 535 m, 21.10.2005, F. Luebert & C. Becker 2912 ( SGO, EIF) . Prov. Choapa, Caleta Oscuro , 5–50 m, 31˚25S, 71˚35´W, 02.11.1974, C. Marticorena et al. 299 ( CONC) . Prov. Choapa, Quebrada Las Palmas , 800 m, 19.10.1965, C. Jiles 4678 ( CONC) . Prov. Choapa, El Mollar – Quebrada Valdivia , 320 m, 31˚55´S, 71˚22´W, 19.10.1965, C. Jiles 4741 ( CONC) . Prov. Choapa, Palo Colorado , 10.11.1961, C. Jiles 3889 ( CONC) . V Región, Valparaíso: Prov. Quillota, near Melon in the valley of the brook El Sauce, 100 m, anno 1974, O. Zöllner 8083 ( MO) . Prov. Quillota, [San Francisco de] Limache, Palos Quemados , 22.01.1933, A. Garaventa 5248 ( CONC) . Región Metropolitana, Santiago: Prov. Cordillera , El Canelo, 855 m, 19.11.1955, H. Gunckel 46.420 ( CONC) . VIII Región, Bío-Bío: Prov. Arauco, Trongol Bajo , 175 m, 37˚34´S, 73˚18´W, 15.01.1977, E. Riquelme 18 ( CONC) . XIV Región, Los Ríos: Prov. Valdivia, Valdivia , San Juan , January 1886, F. Philippi s.n. ( BM) ; San Juan , February 1886, F. Philippi s.n. ( BM) . Valdivia, F. Philippi s.n. (B). Valdivia, R.A. Philippi 577 (B, BM); Valdivia , 19.05.1975, E.C. Reed s.n. ( BM) . Prov. Valdivia, Corral, R.A. Philippi [exsicc. Hohenacker No. 656] (B, BM, FR, PR). Corral, 22.11.1937, Andreas 143 (B); Valdivia, Corral , 16.03.1931, H. Gunckel 1461 ( MO) . Valdivia, Corral, Quitaluto (?), 450 m, 29.03.1936, H. Gunckel 14.883 ( CONC) . X Región, Los Lagos: Prov. Osorno, road Osorno-Los Lagos-San Carlos de Bariloche, ca. 1 km before Chilean border post, km 94 from Entre Lagos , 40˚40´01´´S, 72˚10´03´´N, 05.02.2002, M. Weigend et al. 7078 (B, CONC, M, NY), cultivated from that collection in Berlin, M. Weigend et al. 7078-C (B, BM, KRAM, LE, M, NY, P, W). Prov. Osorno, Islote Rupanco, Mar. 1978, R. Godoy s.n. ( SGO 104607 ) . Prov. Chiloé , Chepu, E.J. Godley 313 ( SGO) . XI Región, Aisén: Prov. Aisén, Seno Ventisquero , 20 km S of Puyuguapi, 30.01.1986, T.M. Pedersen 14339 ( MO) . Prov. Aisén, Aysen, 06.02.1936, Andreas 525 (B); Aysen , 06.02.1936, Andreas 526 (B). Prov. Coihaique , Estancia Cuyhaique , 580 m, 13.02.1938, Andreas 559 (B). XII Región , Magallanes y Antártica Chilena : Prov. Última Esperanza , Dickson , 300 m, Feb. 1931, A. Donat 408 ( BM) . Prov. Última Esperanza, Territorio Magellanes, Last Hope Inlet , foot of Mt. Dorothy , 25 m, 09.04.1936, Y. Mexia 7992 (BM, GB). Prov. Magallanes, Patagonia, Port Famine [Punta Arenas], Capt. Kings Expedition, anon. 142 ( BM) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Flower, fruit and indument of Urtica: A, mature achene of U. dioica subsp. dioica (Henning & Schneider 313, B). B, mature achene of U. magellanica (Weigend 6078-C). C, nearly mature achene of U. mollis (Ricardi et al. 720). D, same, as enclosed in densely pubescent perianth (Ricardi et al. 720). E, sparsely pubescent adaxial leaf lamina of U. magellanica (Gunckel 46.420). F, sparsely pubescent adaxial leaf surface of U. magellanica (Riquelme 18). G, sparsely long-pubescent abaxial leaf surface of U. magellanica (Riquelme 18). H, densely pubescent adaxial leaf surface of U. mollis (Villagrán 1827). I, densely pubescent abaxial leaf surface of U. mollis (Villagrán 1827).

FIGURE 3. Urtica magellanica Poir., variability of leaf shape. A, sun-form (“pseudo-dioica” sensu Taylor, Prichard s.n.). B, intermediate form with elliptical-acuminate lamina (Riquelme 18). C, intermediate form with ovate-acuminate lamina (Zöllner 9711). D, long-petiolate shade-from form greenhouse cultivation (Weigend et al. 6809-C). E, shortpetiolate shade-form from the wild (Schlegel 2873).