Callilepis nepotiana P.P.J.Herman, 2022

Herman, Paul P. J., 2022, A taxonomic revision of the genus Callilepis (Asteraceae) in South Africa, Phytotaxa 563 (1), pp. 1-62 : 40-42

6. Callilepis nepotiana P.P.J.Herman , sp. nov.

Differs from all the other Callilepis taxa by having brownish tomentose involucral bracts. Similar to C. laureola var. laureola but stems, leaves and involucral bracts brownish tomentose.

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Piet Retief District, near Commondale Station , grassveld, beside railway, protected from fire, 3000 ft [914 m], (QDS: 2730BD Vryheid), 19 October 1946, Codd 2121 (holotype PRE). Fig. 24 .

Etymology:—Named for my grandchildren.

Erect, perennial herb up to 400 mm high, with tufts of annual stems from underground rootstock. Stems unbranched or rarely some side branches from lower leaf axils, becoming pedunculoid upwards, ribbed, sparsely to densely tomentose. Leaves sessile, opposite basally, alternate upwards, ovate to broadly ovate, decreasing in size upwards and passing into peduncular bracts, 15–50 × 10–30 mm, apex acute to acuminate, base subcordate and semi-amplexicaul or in upper leaves cuneate to broadly cuneate, margin entire, rarely very sparsely serrulate near apex of leaf, slightly paler than rest of blade, blade brownish tomentose, indumentum evenly distributed on entire surface (Fig. 25A), 3(–5)-veined. Capitula solitary, heterogamous, radiate. Involucre hemispherical, 15–20 mm wide. Involucral bracts in 2 or 3 rows, subequal, hairy ( Fig. 6C ); outer row linear-triangular, narrowly triangular or narrowly ovate, 7.0–9.2 × 1–2 mm, apex acute to long acuminate, margin very narrowly membranous basally, surface brownish tomentose; second row lineartriangular, narrowly triangular or (very) narrowly ovate, 7.0–9.2 × 1–2 mm, apex acute to long acuminate, surface brownish tomentose; third row / inner ray palea narrowly ovate, 7.2–8.8 × 2 mm (excluding infolded margins), apex acute to long acuminate, margin membranous in lower part and folded inwards there, surface brownish tomentose. Receptacle conical, paleate; paleae boat-shaped, 6.5–7.0 mm long, apex acute. Ray florets zygomorphic, female, fertile, arranged in 1 or 2 rows; corolla white or cream; tube 0.5–3.0 mm long; limb 10.0–13.5 × 3.0– 3.5 mm. Staminodes (0)1 to 3, ± 2.5 mm long. Styles 2–4 mm long, bifurcate, exserted; style branches oblong, 0.8–1.4 mm long, apex obtuse or rounded, with broad marginal stigmatic areas, confluent apically, or entire inner surface stigmatic. Ray ovaries obovate-trigonous, 2.5–5.0 mm long, or those of second row similar to disc ovaries, glabrous. Mature cypsela not seen. Pappus dimorphic, consisting of one long awn, 3.0– 4.5 mm long, two shorter awns, 2.0– 3.5 mm long and some obtuse scales in between. Disc florets actinomorphic, bisexual, fertile, many; corolla dark violet, dark brown, tubular; tube 3.0– 3.8 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes narrowly ovate, 1.5–2.0 mm long. Anthers 1.8–2.0 mm long, apical appendages narrowly ovate, 0.5–0.8 mm long, bases caudate and calcarate, tails 0.5–0.8 mm long, ciliate. Styles 4–5 mm long, bifurcate; style branches 1.0– 1.5 mm long, apex conical with acute hairs at base outside, with broad marginal stigmatic areas, confluent apically. Ovaries obovate, 2.8–4.5 mm long, laterally compressed, glabrous. Mature cypsela not seen. Pappus dimorphic, consisting of one long awn, 3.2–4.5 mm long, one shorter awn, 2.5–3.5 mm long and obtuse or acute scales, ± 2.0 mm long in between. Flowering time August to October. Figs 6C , 24, 25A.

Distinguishing characters:— Callilepis nepotiana is distinguished by its brownish tomentose stems, leaves and involucral bracts, ovate to broadly ovate leaves with acute to acuminate apex and subcordate, semi-amplexicaul base or upper leaves with cuneate to broadly cuneate bases, solitary capitula with narrow, subequal involucral bracts, white or cream ray florets, dark violet or brownish disc florets, and glabrous ovaries (cypselae?). The brownish tomentose indumentum is evenly distributed on the leaf surfaces and the leaf margins are not hairy (Fig. 25 A). Very similar to C. laureola var. laureola which also has ovate leaves but with a villose indumentum on stems and leaves and glabrous involucral bracts. The leaf margins of C. laureola var. laureola are often villose.

Distribution:— Callilepis nepotiana is near endemic to Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal and occurs in a small area in south-eastern Mpumalanga, southern eSwatini and northern KwaZulu-Natal (Fig. 26).

Additional specimens examined

SWAZILAND [eSWATINI]. Mankaiana [Mankayane] District, near Gege, 3500 ft [1067 m], (QDS: 2631CC Mbabane), 30 September 1965, Compton 32392 (NBG image, PRE). Shiselweni, Nhlangano, grassland, sandy loam soil, 895 m, (QDS: 2631CD Mbabane), 20 August 2002, Dlamini A 2370 ( PRE).

SOUTH AFRICA. Mpumalanga: Piet Retief, hill slopes in grass, (QDS: 2730BB Vryheid), 7 October 1929, Galpin 9864 ( PRE).

KwaZulu-Natal: Paulpieter(s)burg District, near Paul(s)pietersburg on Sunkelsdrift Road, Eulalia Sourveld, sandy soil, 3500 ft [1067 m], (QDS: 2730BD Vryheid), 14 September 1945, Acocks 11747 ( PRE).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Involucral bracts in the genus Callilepis. A. Digital image of the glabrous, narrow and subequal involucral bracts in C. leptophylla (Van Vuuren 1307, PRE). B. Digital image of the glabrous, broad, imbricate involucral bracts in C. caerulea (Venter 6197, PRE). C. Hairy, narrow and subequal involucral bracts in C. nepotiana (Dlamini A2370, PRE).