Menonvillea virens (Phil.) Rollins (1955: 15)

Salariato, Diego L., Zuloaga, Fernando O. & Al-Shehbaz, Ihsan A., 2014, A revision of the genus Menonvillea (Cremolobeae, Brassicaceae), Phytotaxa 162 (5), pp. 241-298 : 269-270

10. Menonvillea virens (Phil.) Rollins (1955: 15) . Hexaptera virens Philippi (1891: 6) . Type:— Chile. [Región de Antofagasta]. Prov. Tarapacá, entre Machuca a Copacoya, 3200−3500 m, 18 February 1885, F. Philippi 1838 [lectotype designated by Al-Shehbaz et al. (2011: 284), SGO 63960!; isolectotype SGO 68264!].

Perennials with deep, woody to subfleshy, much branched, rhizome-like caudex. Stems 4−15 cm, subfleshy, erect to subdecumbent, generally unbranched above, glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent with short, spreading or retrorse, terete trichomes to 0.7 mm long. Leaves cauline, not rosulate, distinctly petiolate; blade orbicular to broadly spatulate or obovate, 1−3 × (0.6−)1−1.5(−2.2) cm, pubescent or rarely glabrescent, abruptly narrowed below, margin entire, apex rounded or 3−5-toothed. Racemes terminal, ebracteate or proximally bracteate, corymbose, not or just slightly elongated in fruit, slightly exerted to subincluded among leaves, (1.5−) 2−5 mm long; rachis straight, pubescent or glabrous; fruiting pedicels divaricate, usually curved, 6−10(−13) mm long, glabrous or pubescent. Sepals oblong, (2.5−)3−5 × 1.8−2.2 mm, pubescent, erect, not saccate, caducous, margin membranous; petals white, spatulate to obovate, (4−)5−7(−9) × (1.5−)2−2.5(−3) mm, clawed, not papillate at base; stamens tetradynamous; filaments free, erect, white, not papillate and only slightly dilated or not at base, 2–4.5 mm long; anthers narrowly oblong, 1−1.4 mm long; nectar glands confluent, surrounding bases of all filaments, not petaloid. Fruits subglobose, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; valves 3-winged, 5−6(−8.5) × 4−7 mm; wings 0.5− 1.6(−2) mm wide; gynophore 0.8−2(−3) mm long; style 1−2.5(−3) mm long, stout; stigma slightly decurrent. Seeds ovate to suboblong, 2.5−3 × 1.5−1.8 mm, wingless, flattened; cotyledons accumbent.

Distribution and habitat:— Menonvillea virens is distributed in northern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, Tucumán, and La Rioja provinces) and northern Chile (II Antofagasta, III Atacama), where it grows at elevations between 2000 and 5300 m. It is common on rocky soils of metamorphic rocks as shales and slates ( Fig. 12J ).

Phenology:— Flowers between November and April.

Taxonomic notes:— Menonvillea virens is morphologically related to M. cuneata , and more distantly to M. nordenskjoeldii and M. rigida , and molecular phylogenies indicate a closer relationship with M. cuneata . It is easily distinguished from these species by having distinctly petiolate, orbicular to broadly spatulate leaves abruptly narrowed at base and rounded or 3−5-toothed at apex. The trichomes in M. virens differ from those of M. nordenskjoeldii by being short, terete, spreading or retrorse (vs. long, flat, crisped or twisted, spreading) and, although similar in form and orientation, they are shorter than those of M.cuneata and M. rigida .

Representative Specimens:— ARGENTINA. Catamarca: Depto. Ambato, Sierra de Ambato , falda E, subiendo desde El Rodeo, cerca de la cumbre del Cerro Manchado, 21 February 1971, Hunziker 20873 ( BAA) ; Depto. Santa Maria, El Cajón, Cumbres del Negro Ara , La Bolsa, 17 January 1914, Castillón 3361 ( GH, LIL) ; Depto. Tinogasta, San Francisco , El Hoyito, camino a Chile, 2 November 1930, Schreiter 6109 ( LIL) . Jujuy: Depto. Dr. Manuel Belgrano , de Refugio Militar al Chañi, 28 January 2012, Zannoti & Suescún 286 ( SI) ; Depto. Rinconada, Mina Pirquitas, Cerro Granada , ladera sur, 1 March 1970, Fabris & Zuloaga 7740 ( LP) ; Depto. Susques, Cerro Tuzgle , 2 February 1944, Cabrera 8365 ( LP) . La Rioja: Depto. Famatina: Sierra de Famatina, camino a la mina La Mexicana, Cueva. De Noroña , 20 January 1986, Kiesling et al. 6384 B ( BAA) ; Depto. Felipe Varela, Las Trancas , Cerro Coloradito, 10 March 1907, Kurtz 14583 ( CORD) . Salta: Depto. Cachi, Cerro de Cachi , January 1897, Spegazzini 21243 ( LP) ; Depto. Los Andes , a ca. 40 km al SW de San Antonio de los Cobres, en camino a Pastos Grandes, 17 December 1946, Krapovickas 3206 ( LIL) ; Depto. San Carlos, Nevado del Cajón , 25 February 1914, Rodríguez 1399 ( LIL, LP, SI) . Tucumán: Depto. Chicligasta, Aconquija, Nevado Overo , Falda SE, 9 March 1941, Rohmeder s.n. ( LIL 300670 ) ; Depto. Tafí del Valle , Cumbres Calchaquíes, 9 March 1952, Sparre 9742 ( BAA) . CHILE. II Antofagasta: Prov. El Loa, Com. San Pedro de Atacama, Cordón Cerro de la Pacana, cuesta entre Salar de Aguas Calientes y Quebrada Quepiaco, 11 April 1997, Arroyo et al. 97500 ( CONC) . III Atacama: Prov. Chañaral, Com. Diego de Almagro, Chañaral , Cuesta entre Salar de Gorbea y Salar de la Isla, 22 January 1994, Arroyo et al. 94156 ( CONC) .

Sect. Menonvillea

Annual or perennial herbs, with simple or branched caudex. Stems 1 to many, simple or branched basally and/or above, erect to decumbent, herbaceous. Trichomes when present simple or branched and arachnoid. Leaves subsessile, filiform to linear, entire, trifid, or pectinate. Racemes ebracteate. Sepals base of inner pair saccate or not. Petals yellow to creamy white, claw undifferentiated or strongly differentiated from blade, glabrous or minutely papillate at base. Stamens subequal or tetradynamous; filaments slender, glabrous or minutely papillate, free. Nectar glands commonly 4 and petaloid, rarely 1 and confluent or inconspicuous. Fruits glabrous or papillate, never pilose, 2- or 3-winged, rarely wingless ( M. minima ), with or without central or 2 lateral callosities dorsally, sometimes with 2 lateral callosities ventrally. Stigma decurrent, 2-lobed. Cotyledons incumbent, rarely obliquely accumbent.

Eleven species.

Key to the species of Menonvillea sect. Menonvillea

1. Fruit valves hemispherical, strongly convex dorsally, flat ventrally, wingless or with rudimentary wings ........... M. minima

- Fruit valves not hemispherical, 2- or 3-winged, wings distinct ............................................................................................. 2

2. Fruit valves without conspicuous callosities dorsally ............................................................................................................ 3

- Fruit valves with conspicuous callosities dorsally ................................................................................................................. 5

3. Valve wings 2 (both lateral); stems glabrescent to floccose with arachnoid simple and branched trichomes ....... M. flexuosa

- Valve wings 3 (2 lateral and 1 dorsal); stems glabrous or only with arachnoid simple trichomes ........................................ 4

4. Leaves subapically 3-lobed; pedicels ascending to recurved, 1.5−3.5(−4) mm long; seeds oblong, plump ....... M. purpurea

- Leaves undivided; pedicels ascending to arcuate, 3.5−6 mm long; seeds ovate, compressed ....................... M. constitutionis

5. Fruit valves dorsally with a conspicuous central callus over midvein, with or without clavate papillae between the callosities and midvein...................................................................................................................................................................... 6

- Fruit valves dorsally with two lateral callosities adjacent to wings, surrounded or not by clavate papillae ......................... 9

6. Perennials with woody caudex ................................................................................................................................ M. linearis

- Annuals without caudex ......................................................................................................................................................... 7

7. Sepals strongly saccate at base, 4−5(−6.5) mm long; petals linear, (6.5−)7−11 (−12) mm long; fruiting pedicels 1.5−3(− 4.5) mm long ........................................................................................................................................................... M. filifolia

- Sepals slighty saccate or not saccate at base, 1.2−2.5(−3) mm long; petals narrowly-spatulate to broadly obovate, 2−4.5(− 5) mm long; fruiting pedicels (1.5−)4−8(−9) mm long.......................................................................................................... 8

8. Petals yellow, narrowly spatulate; fruit valves with crenate to entire wings ................................................. M. marticorenae

- Petals white, broadly obovate; fruit valves with entire or rarely undulate wings. ................................................. M. litoralis

9. Stems with simple or more frequently branched arachnoid trichomes; rachis of raceme conspicuously flexuous in fruit; sepals narrowly oblong, all or at least inner pair saccate at base; cotyledons obliquely accumbent ................. M. pinnatifida

- Stems with only simple arachnoid trichomes; rachis of raceme straight in fruit; sepals oblong to broadly so, not saccate at base; cotyledons incumbent.................................................................................................................................................. 10

10. Annuals with sparsely floccose to glabrescent stems; sepals 1.5−2(−2.5) mm long; petals 2.5−4.4 mm long, not papillate at base; fruit valves broadly oblong, 2.5−3.2(−4.2) mm long; wings undulate, 0.2−0.4(−0.7) mm wide ................ M. chilensis

- Perennials with densely floccose stems (rarely glabrescent or sparsely pubescent annuals or biennials); sepals 2.5−4(−4.4) mm long; petals (3.5−)−7(−8) mm long, sparsely papillate at base or rarely glabrous; fruit valves suborbicular, (2.5−)3.5− 5.5(−6) mm long; wings flat, (0.5−) 0.8−1.2 mm wide ....................................................................................... M. orbiculata

Figures

FIGURE 12. Distribution of species of Menonvillea sect. Cuneata. A, M. cicatricosa. B, M. comberi. C, M. cuneata. D, M. frigida. E, M. macrocarpa. F. M. nordenskjoeldii. G. M. patagonica. H, M. rigida. I, M. spathulata. J, M. virens.