Acanthopsis dregeana H.M.Steyn

Steyn, Hester M. & Van Wyk, Abraham E., 2017, Taxonomic notes on Acanthopsis Harv. (Acanthaceae, tribe Acantheae): the group with trifid bracts, Phytotaxa 295 (3), pp. 201-217 : 209

2. Acanthopsis dregeana H.M.Steyn in Steyn & Van Wyk (2016: 155)

Type: — SOUTH AFRICA. Northern Cape: Namaqualand District , NW of Eksteenfontein, 398 m, (2817 CA), 16 September 2010, Steyn 1822 (holotype PRE0861475 -0!; isotype NBG!) .

Perennial shrublet, 20–40 cm tall. Stems brown (maroon when young), ribbed, almost glabrous to pubescent with deflexed short, white hairs; internodes (10–) 15–30 mm long. Leaves sessile; lamina lanceolate to oblanceolate, 25– 45(–50) × (5–)7–10(–12) mm, appear glaucous with appressed, densely packed short hairs; base often decurrent; margin undulate, coarsely dentate-spinose, spines rigid, 2–6(–9) mm long, orange-brown; apex cuspidate. Inflorescences pedunculate, cylindrical, 25–55 mm long (excluding peduncle), 10–12(–15) mm in diameter; peduncle (3–)20–40(– 70) mm long, pubescent with short, spreading hairs. Bracts obovate to oblong, (16–)18–30(–38) mm long, lamina 10–13(–15) mm long; lower bracts ending in 3–5 primary spines, central primary spine always simple and spreading to recurved or spreading, spine tips often dark brown or maroon; middle to upper bracts oblong, 5 primary veins converging into 3 mucronate to spinose, ovate to oblong lobes with 2 outer lobes reduced, central primary spine always simple; peduncular bracts strigose with appressed, short hairs; lower bracts with deflexed to spreading short hairs becoming more densely pubescent with long, glandular hairs towards top of inflorescence. Bracteoles linear to sickleshaped, 3–6(–7) mm long, silky-hairy, also with glandular hairs. Calyx with dorsal sepal oblong to ovate, acuminate, 10–11 mm long, silky-hairy, also with short spreading and glandular hairs abaxially, (5–)7–9-veined from base; ventral sepal ovate, 10–11 mm long, silky-hairy, also with short spreading and glandular hairs abaxially, 5–7-veined from base; lateral sepals 8–9 mm long, silky-hairy, also with isolated glandular hairs. Corolla lilac to purple with lemon-yellow throat, 23–25(–27) × 8–10(–11) mm, tube 7–8(–9) mm long; central lobe constricted at base, truncate to emarginate. Filaments (5–)6–7(–8) mm long, glandular, silky-hairy towards the base; anthers orange-brown, 3 mm long. Style with patch or ring of glandular hairs at base. Capsules narrowly ovate to ovate, 7–8 × 2–3(–4) mm. Seeds ovate, 4–5 × 3 mm, covered with long white hygroscopic hairs.

Notes: —Subsequent to the publication of the name A. dregeana (a shrublet species in Steyn & Van Wyk 2016), a distinct form was discovered during field work in the Northern Cape; it is described here as a new subspecies.