Pauridia aquatica (L.f.) Snijman & Kocyan (2013: 25)

Snijman, Deirdre A., 2014, A taxonomic revision of the genus Pauridia (Hypoxidaceae) in southern Africa, Phytotaxa 182 (1), pp. 1-114 : 57-60

16. Pauridia aquatica (L.f.) Snijman & Kocyan (2013: 25) . Fig. 26

Bas.:— Hypoxis aquatica Linnaeus (1782: 197) ≡ Ianthe aquatica (L.f.) Williams (1901: 292) ≡ Spiloxene aquatica (L.f.) Salisb. ex Fourcade (1932: 76) . Type (lectotype designated by Snijman & Kocyan 2013: 25):— SOUTH AFRICA. in humidis argillosus, Sp[arrman] 124 (LINN! No. 1238.3, [under Chrysitrix Linnaeus (1771: 165) , with a note by J.E.Smith ‘found in Restio’], umbellate plant without flowers on right hand side of sheet [image]). Type (epitype designated by Snijman & Kocyan 2013: 25):— SOUTH AFRICA. [Western Cape], ad rivulos tum in stagnis prope Cape Town [QDS: 3318CD], Julio 1877, H. Bolus 2814 ( BOL!)

Aquatic plants (8.5–)15.5–39.0(–67.5) cm tall. Corm depressed-globose, 5–27 mm diam., nearly fibreless or loosely fibrous, old corms rarely persisting somewhat laterally; fibres soft, straight, brown, forming a short neck; roots spreading from near corm base. Cataphylls usually absent at flowering. Leaves up to 5, conspicuously sheathing and more or less thin-textured for up to 2–8 cm from base, tapering upwards, erect, linear, 110–450 × 2.0– 4.5 mm, subtrigonous proximally, subterete above, shiny green, apex acute; mesophyll spongy, aerenchymatous. Inflorescences usually 2 or 3 in flower at a time, 2–7-flowered, shorter than leaves; scape 20–219 × 2–4 mm, compressed adaxially, pale green, sometimes speckled with red; bracts 2–7, spreading, clasping pedicels at base, lanceolate, canaliculate, 15–60 × 4–8 mm, pale green, thin-textured, margin membranous, apex acute. Flowers pedicellate, stellate, white, rarely yellowish near centre of inner tepals, green-backed, occasionally red-striped on outer tepals, sometimes scented; pedicels spreading, often down-turned in fruit, laterally compressed, 15–25–60(–100) × 0.7–1.5 mm, pale green; tepals elliptical to lanceolate, 5–17(–36) mm long, outer 3.5–5.5(–10.0) mm wide, mucronate, inner 2.5–3.5(–8.5) mm. Stamens 6, subequal or inner slightly shorter than outer, suberect to inwardly arched; filaments inserted on ovary close to tepals, 0.5–1.5(–2.5) mm long, shorter than anthers, white; anthers oblong-elliptic, latrorse, 2–4(–8) × 1.5 mm, basal lobes 0.25 mm long, obtuse, apex emarginate; pollen yellow. Ovary subcylindrical, 4–13 × 2 mm, shortly beaked for up to 0.3(–0.6) mm, mostly 3- locular, becoming 1-locular distally, pale green, often red-lined; style 1.5 mmlong, greenish white; stigma branches spreading, narrowly ovate, 2.5–8.0 × 1.5 mm, distinctly broader than style, shorter than or rarely exceeding stamens, green or white, densely papillose. Capsules spreading to down-turned, subcylindrical, often curved, 5–18 × 2.5–3.5 mm, shortly beaked for less than 1 mm, walls splitting open lengthwise close to septa. Seeds ellipsoid, ca. 0.5 mm diam.; testa black to dark brown, smooth or minutely colliculate, with elevations in contiguous, longitudinal rows. Flowering period: (June–)July–October(–November).

Distribution and habitat:— Pauridia aquatica , a common aquatic, is widespread in the Greater Cape Floristic Region ( Fig. 27A ). Populations are found on the high-lying plateau of Namaqualand, near Steinkopf, on the Kamiesberg, the Bokkeveld and Roggeveld plateaus, extending southwards to the Cape Peninsula in the west and the area close to Albertinia in the east. Isaac Louis Drège made several collections of the species in the Port Elizabeth District in the early 20 th century, but no further records from the Eastern Cape are known. The plants occupy the margins of dams, pools, ditches, vleis and seasonal streams, in soils derived from granite, shale and sandstone. The corms remain firmly rooted in the soil and unless flooded, their leaves and flowers extend well above the water’s surface.

Diagnostic features:— Pauridia aquatica is recognized by a horizontally growing, often partially fibreless corm and by more or less terete leaves which are frequently free of sheathing cataphylls at flowering. The inflorescence has two to seven soft-textured bracts which support the same number of white flowers, often in a loose, umbel-like cluster and the flowers characteristically appear nipped-in between the subcylindrical ovary and perigone by a short ovary beak of less than 0.6 mm. Its closest relative, P. alba , flowers earlier in the season, from late April to June, often slightly in advance of the leaves which are clearly sheathed by two or three cataphylls. P. alba never has more than two flowers per inflorescence and the flower is characterized by a conspicuous constriction formed by an ovary beak, 2–19 mm long, between the subcylindrical ovary and perigone.

Discussion:—Plants of Pauridia aquatica vary greatly in size depending on local conditions that affect their aquatic habitats—water levels in pools or dams and the strength of currents in seasonal streams. Some especially small specimens come from the Agulhas Plain, where in years of less than average rainfall the vleis remain shallow and soon dry out.

Like many other aquatic plants, P. aquatica has long, straight, erect leaves with aerenchymatous mesophyll, which enables the plants to cope with diminished levels of gas exchange during periods of seasonal inundation. The seeds only remain afloat for as long as the water surface remains smooth, sinking as soon as it is disturbed ( Markötter 1936).

In the original description, the younger Linnaeus ( Linnaeus 1782) described P. aquatica as having an umbel of male flowers. Since field observations indicate that the flowers of this and other species of Pauridia are frequently visited by beetles that feed on the floral parts ( Kocyan et al. 2011: as Spiloxene ), it is probable that the ‘male flowers’ in the type of P. aquatica resulted from damage by beetles.

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA. Northern Cape: Little Namaqualand, Klipfontein (QDS: 2917 BA), August 1882, H. Bolus 6583 ( BOL!, SAM!) ; pad na Klipfontein (QDS: 2917 BA), 21 September 1930, Herre sub herb. Uniw. Stellenbosiensis 12050 ( NBG!) ; ca. 5 km along Kosies road NW of Steinkopf on track to E (QDS: 2917 BA), 8 September 1980, Goldblatt 5745 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Little Namaqualand, Khamieskroon (QDS: 3017 BB), 28 August 1935, Compton 5423 ( NBG!) ; Khamiesberg, Studers Pass, Goedemanshoek (QDS: 3018 AC), 19 August 1986, Bean 1716 ( BOL!) ; Kamiesberg, top of pass between Leliefontein and Garies (QDS: 3018 AC), November 1939, Esterhuysen s.n. ( PRE 38192!) ; Kamiesberg, Farm Wilgenhoutsfontein (QDS: 3018 AC), 5 September 1990, Le Roux 4208 ( NBG!) ; Kamiesberg, near Leliefontein (QDS: 3018 AC), 27 September 1932, Levyns 4030b ( BOL!) ; Kamiesberg Mtns, Farm Damsland (QDS: 3018 AC), 29 October 2007, Snijman 2189 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Roodbergkloof Farm , S Kamiesberg (QDS: 3018 CA), 13 August 2002, Rourke 2245 ( NBG!) ; kloof Sof Farm Welkom (QDS: 3018 CA), 19 September 1971, Thompson 1285 ( NBG!) ; Farm Langdam, NE of turnoff to Kliprand from Bitterfontein (QDS: 3018 CD), 19 May 1993, Snijman 1305 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Sedge of Namaqualand Hardeveld, along road from Bitterfontein to Kliprand (QDS: 3018 CD), 14 September 2007, Snijman 2172 ( K!, NBG!, PRE!) ; 17 miles [27.4 km] Sof Loeriesfontein (QDS: 3119 AB), 19 June 1948, Acocks 14412 ( PRE!) ; about 9 km from Nieuwoudtville towards Loeriesfontein at waterfall on Doring River (QDS: 3119 AC), 17 October 1984, N.P. Barker 15 ( PRE!) ; waterfall 10 miles [16.1 km] Nof Nieuwoudtville (QDS: 3119 AC), September 1930, L. Bolus s.n. ( BOL 19347!, BOL 31831!) ; kloof on way to Keyserfontein, 8–10 miles [12.9–16.1 km] out of Nieuwoudtville (QDS: 3119 AC), September 1930, L. Bolus s.n. ( BOL 19596!) ; 15km Eof Nieuwoudtville on Oorlogskloof road (QDS: 3119 AC), 3 September 1988, Crosby 914 ( PRE!) ; Glen Lyon Farm , road to rocky hills SE of Nieuwoudtville (QDS: 3119 AC), 11 September 1974, Mauve & I. Oliver 39 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; beyond top, Eof Vanrhynspas (QDS: 3119 AC), 8 September 1966, Thompson 222 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Lokenberg (QDS: 3119 CA), 29 August 1941, Esterhuysen s.n. ( BOL 31835!) ; Doornbosch, between Pakhuis and Calvinia within a meter of the Doornrivier (QDS: 3119 CC), 23 August 1972, H. Hall 4229 ( NBG!) ; top of Botterkloof Pass (QDS: 3119 CD), 21 July 1961, W.F. Barker 9295 ( NBG!) ; Roggeveldberge, Vondelingsfontein , ridge running Eof Brandkop, on escarpment edge (QDS: 3119 DD), 20 August 1975, Thompson 2491 ( NBG!) ; 30 km NW of Sutherland, Uitkyk , 2 km Sof homestead (QDS: 3220 AD), 27 September 1998, Helme 1664 ( NBG!) ; Klipfontein, SW of Sutherland, Kanariesfontein River bed (QDS: 3220 AD), 1 September 1973, Thompson 1785 ( NBG!, PRE!) ; Sof Sutherland along road to Komsberg Pass , ca. 4–5 km SE of Farm Tonteldoosfontein (QDS: 3220 DB), 15 September 2004, Snijman 1948 ( NBG!) . Western Cape: 2 km along Urionskraal road towards main road from Sandkraal (QDS: 3118 DA), 20 August 1986, Snijman 1053 ( NBG!) ; flats just SE of Mauwerskop, Sof Vanrhynsdorp (QDS: 3118 DB), 15 July 1974, Thompson 2111 ( NBG!) ; Onder Bokkeveld, Papelfontein (QDS: 3118 DD), 19 August 1897, Schlechter 10906 ( BOL!, PRE!, ZT!) ; Grey's Pass , Piquetberg to Clanwilliam (QDS: 3218DB), 15 September 1953, L.E. Taylor 3906 ( NBG!); Piquetberg (QDS: 3218 DD), date unknown, L.E. Taylor 3917A ( NBG!); Citadel Kop, Clanwilliam District (QDS: 3219 AA), 7 September 1953 , Compton 24244 ( NBG!); Bidouw Valley (QDS: 3219 AB), 23 September 1952 , Middlemost 1750 ( NBG!); Clanwilliam Division , Nieuwoudt Pass (QDS: 3219 AC), September 1942 , Stokoe s.n. ( SAM 55739!); Citrusdal, Cederberg (QDS: 3219 CA), 24 August 1997 , Van Rooyen, Steyn & De Villiers 572 ( NBG!); Cold Bokkeveld , Leeuwrivier (QDS: 3219 CC), September 1945 , Lewis 1024 ( SAM!); Leeurivier in northern Bokkeveld (QDS: 3219 CC), 2 October 1972 , Thompson 1549 ( NBG!, PRE!); umgegeund von Hopefield, Leliefontein (QDS: 3318 AB), August 1885 , F. Bachmann 1162 ( ZT!); umgegeund von Hopefield (QDS: 3318 AB), September 1885 , F. Bachmann 1163 ( ZT!); umgegeund von Hopefield (QDS: 3318 AB), June 1887 , H. Schinz 1918 ( ZT!); between Mamre and Darling (QDS: 3318 AD), September 1944 , Lewis 1439 ( SAM!); Halfmanshof, Porterville District (QDS: 3318 BB), 26 September 1962 , Immelman 5 ( NBG!); near turn out to Ganzekraal, Malmesbury District (QDS: 3318 BC), W.F. Barker 725 ( NBG!); 2 miles [3.2 km] from Hermon on Hermon-Tulbagh road (QDS: 3318 BD), 10 September 1968 , Marsh 728 ( PRE!); Kenilworth Race Course (QDS: 3318 CD), 13 September 1946 , W.F. Barker 4109 ( NBG!); Kenilworth Race Course (QDS: 3318 CD), 1 July 1941 , P. Bond 1510 ( NBG!); prope Cape Town (QDS: 3318 CD), July 1894 , H. Bolus 2814 ( BOL!, PRE!); Rondebosch Common (QDS: 3318 CD), 8 June 1950 , Heginbotham 148 ( NBG!); Kenilworth Race Course (QDS: 3318 CD), 10 October 1938 , Isaac s.n. ( BOL 31830!); prope Wynberg (QDS: 3318 CD), August 1885 , MacOwan 293 ( SAM!, ZT!); Cape Town (QDS: 3318 CD), without date, Rehmann 1876 ( ZT!); Rondebosch Common (QDS: 3318 CD), 17 August 2007 , Snijman 2113 ( NBG!, PRE!); Rondebosch Common (QDS: 3318 CD), 30 July 1941 , Walgate 258 ( NBG!); Mowbray (QDS: 3318 CD), 15 September 1933 , Walters 6 ( PRE!); Rondebosch Common (QDS: 3318 CD), 12 August 1959 , White 5282 ( PRE!); on road to Malmesbury , 33 miles [53.1 km] from Cape Town (QDS: 3318 DA), 11 September 1938 , Gillett 4145 ( PRE!); near Wellington (QDS: 3318 DB), 5 August 1929 , Grant s.n. ( PRE!); near Wellington (QDS: 3318 DB), 1 September 1938 , Hafstrom & Acocks 248 ( PRE!); Paarl (QDS: 3318 DB), 1914, Rogers 11334 ( PRE!, ZT!); Kaapflache (QDS: 3318 DC), August, Ecklon & Zeyher 422 ( BOL!); Heidevalley, Kaapflache, (QDS: 3318 DC) September, Ecklon & Zeyher 4134 ( BOL!); Hercules Pillar, Paarl (QDS: 3318 DD), 15 September 1942 , W.F. Barker 1779 ( NBG!); Stellenbosch (QDS: 3318 DD), 15 September 1974 , Hougaard 15 ( NBG!); RomansRiver , Worcester (QDS: 3319 AC), 14 September 1941 , Compton 11669 ( NBG!); Wellington, Elandsberg Private Nature Reserve (QDS: 3319 AC), 22 August 2000 , E. Parker 474 ( NBG!, PRE!); Romans River Nature Reserve near Wolseley (QDS: 3319 AC), 29 September 2006 , Snijman 2103 ( NBG!, PRE!); Gouda , Tulbagh (QDS: 3319 AC), 7 October 1965 , Thompson 124 ( NBG!, PRE!); Ceres (QDS: 3319 AD), September 1924 , Rogers 20792 ( ZT!); Bokkeveld Farms, Ceres (QDS: 3319 BD), 11 November 1063, Booysen 110 ( NBG!, PRE!); Worcester , on commonage (QDS: 3319 CB), 11 October 1944 , Compton 16306 ( NBG!); Worcester flats (QDS: 3319 CB), 17 May 1944 , Esterhuysen 10178 ( BOL!); Botha's Halt, Worcester District (QDS: 3319 CB), 14 September 1928 , Gillett 254 ( NBG!); Brandvlei , 7 miles [11.3 km] from Worcester (QDS: 3319 CB), 17 September 1968 , Marsh 901 ( NBG!, PRE!); Bokkekraal , NW of Brandvlei (QDS: 3319 CB), 18 September 1974 , Mauve & I. Oliver 250 ( NBG!, PRE!); Worcester (QDS: 3319 CB), August 1913 , Rogers 16324 ( ZT!); Groenrivier Farm , Worcester (QDS: 3319 CB), 2 September 1975 , Walters 348 ( NBG!); Groenrivier Farm , Worcester (QDS: 3319 CB), 7 October 1974 , Walters 1226 ( NBG!); Ratelfontien on road to Hammanshof (QDS: 3319 CD), 3 September 1970 , E.G.H. Oliver 3276 ( NBG!); Robertson (QDS: 3319 DD), July 1942 , A.A. Schmidt 19 ( PRE!); Robertson District, Vrolykheid Nature Reserve (QDS: 3319 DD), July 1976 , Van der Merwe 2868 ( PRE!); Pienaars Kloof vlei (QDS: 3320 AC), 30 June 1940 , Compton 8913 ( NBG!); Pienaars Kloof near Touws River (QDS: 3320 AC), 30 June 1940 , Esterhuysen 4875 ( BOL!); Touws River (QDS: 3320 AC), September 1924 , Levyns 889 ( BOL!); Buffelsjag, (QDS: 3320 DC), October 1923 , Levyns 705 ( BOL!, NBG!); Wynberg Flats (QDS: 3418 AB), September 1913 , Caporn s.n. ( BOL 62689!); near Wynberg (QDS: 3418 AB), August 1885 , MacOwan 293 ( BOL!, ZT!); Cape Flats , Isoetes Vlei (QDS: 3418 BA), 13 August 1962 , W.F. Barker 9744 ( NBG!); Isoetes Vlei (QDS: 3418 BA), 1977, Gubb 107 ( NBG!); Cape Flats (QDS: 3418 BA), 29 July 1933 , Humbert 9380 ( PRE!); Faure , Stellenbosch (QDS: 3418 BB), 16 September 1944 , Compton 15985 ( NBG!); Faure (QDS: 3418 BB), 9 September 1944 , R.N. Parker 3915 ( BOL!, NBG!); Strand, Harmony Reserve (QDS: 3418 BB), 28 August 2000 , Runnalls 1037 ( NBG!); Gordonsbaai (QDS: 3418 BB), 25 August 1974 , Schabort 14 ( NBG!); Sir Lowrys Pass (QDS: 3418 BB), August 1942 , Stokoe s.n. ( SAM 55726!); Boontjies Kraal, Caledon (QDS: 3419 AA), 9 August 1939 , Creasey sub NBG 1608/37 ( NBG!); Caledon division, flats Eof Viljoens Pass (QDS: 3419 AA), September 1949 , Davis s.n. ( PRE 95010!, SAM 63780!); Happy Valley Farm, High Noon Estates on road from Caledon to Fransch Hoek Pass (QDS: 3419 AB), 30 September 1971 , W.F. Barker 10829 (NBG!); commonage Sof Caledon (QDS: 3419 AB) , 4 September 1981, Goldblatt 6172 ( NBG!) ; Kleinmond, Jongensklip (QDS: 3419 AC) , 28 September 1949, De Vos 1455 ( NBG!) ; about 2 km Sof Viljoenshof (QDS: 3419 AD) , 13 September 1981, Fellingham 88 ( NBG!, PRE!); Riviersonderend River, near Greyton (QDS: 3419 BA) , 24 September 1995, Boucher 5969 ( NBG!) ; Greyton, Riviersonderend River (QDS: 3419 BA) , 29 August 2000, Boucher 6561 ( NBG!) ; Wof Elim, Bredasdorp District (QDS: 3419 DA) , 2 October 1935, Muir 4988 ( NBG!) ; on the Agulhas / Elim road, Sof Heuningrug (QDS: 3419 DB) , 3 July 1995, J.C. Paterson-Jones 415 ( NBG!) ; Farm Renosterkop , SW of Bredasdorp (QDS: 3419 DB) , 29 August 1995, Snijman 1513 ( K!, NBG!, PRE!); Bontebok Park, Swellendam, Nbank of Breede River (QDS: 3420 AB) , 10 October 1972, H.C. Taylor 8257 ( NBG!, PRE!); 2.6 miles [41.8 km] from Heidelberg to Riversdale (QDS: 3420 BB) , 25 September 1967, Thompson 545 ( NBG!) ; The Poort, Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , 2 September 1943, W.F. Barker 2489 ( NBG!) ; The Poort, Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , 2 September 1943, W.F. Barker 2523 ( NBG!) ; Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , 4 August 1940, Compton 9037 ( NBG!) ; Bredasdorp, Karsvlei along road to Agulhas (QDS: 3420 CA) , 21 August 1994, R. Glen 640 ( PRE!) ; The Poort, Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , September 1933, Levyns 4453 ( BOL!, NBG!); Farm Eliaskraal, next to Kleiheuwel, Sof Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , 21 August 1984, Snijman 826 ( NBG!, PRE!); Farm Kleiheuwel, Sof Bredasdorp (QDS: 3420 CA) , 11 September 2002, Snijman 1889 ( NBG!) ; Klipfontein, near Albertinia (QDS: 3421 BA) , September 1913, Muir 1399 ( PRE!) . Eastern Cape: left side of Cape Road, Port Elizabeth (QDS: 3325 DC) , November 1908, I.L. Drège 207 ( GRA!, ZT!); Port Elizabeth (QDS: 3325 DC) , October 1908, I.L. Drège 307 ( GRA!) ; Port Elizabeth (QDS: 3325 DC) , October 1910, I.L. Drège s.n. sub TM25862 ( PRE!) . Inexact localities: Bokkeveld, October 1916, Marloth 7934 ( PRE!) ; Cape, without date, Rogers 12092 ( ZT!) ; Cape Peninsula, s.d., Rogers 16304 ( ZT!) ; alongside road between Citrusdal and Clanwillliam , 5 June 1960, Thompson 208 ( NBG!, PRE!); Cap. bonae spei, Thunberg s.n. (UPS-THUNB! No. 8250) .

Figures

FIGURE 26. Pauridia aquatica. A, whole plant with corm and sheathing base separated from leaves and inflorescence; B, leaf in transverse section towards base; C, two outer stamens in dorsal and ventral views on left and right respectively; D, two inner stamens in dorsal and ventral views on left and right respectively; E, style and stigma branches; F, ovary in transverse section close to apex; G, ovary in transverse section midway along length; H, capsule; I, seed. Scale bar A = 20 mm; B = 2.5 mm; C, D = 3 mm; E–G = 2 mm; H = 7.5 mm; I = 0.5 mm. Drawn by Nicci Page-Cairns from Snijman 2103 (NBG!).

FIGURE 27. Distribution maps for A, Pauridia aquatica from Northern, Western and Eastern Cape; B, P. alba from Western Cape, South Africa.