Viola triflabellata W. Becker (1925b: 357)

Nicola, Marcela Viviana, Salomón, Luciana & Zuloaga, Fernando Omar, 2018, Nomenclatural and taxonomic study in species of Viola (Violaceae) from Argentina, Phytotaxa 338 (2), pp. 151-176 : 172-173

Viola triflabellata W. Becker (1925b: 357)

Type:— ARGENTINA. Salta: Cachipampa, prope Amblayo, 2500 m, January 1897, C.L. Spegazzini s.n. (holotype, BAF 6308!).

Protologue citation:— “ Argentina : in altiplanitie boratifera Cachipampa vocata prope Amslaio, Salta, 2500 m, leg. Carlos Spegazzini I.1897 (typus); Arcas-Trancas inter Tucuman et Salta 2000 m leg. idem II.1897; in alpinis 3000 m Pirhua del Sol, Pampa grande inter Tucuman et Salta, leg. idem II.1897.”

Distribution:—Endemic of Argentina; known for the provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Salta, and Tucumán.

= Viola tucumanensis W. Becker (1926b: 352) , syn. nov.

Type (lectotype, designated here):— ARGENTINA. Tucumán: Lara , 3200 m, 30 February 1912, F.M. Rodríguez 291 (BAF 00000304!; isolectotypes A 00067185 [digital image!]), B [destroyed], SI 003763!, SI 003764 !).

Protologue citation:— “ Argentina : prov. Tucumán, Lara, 3200 m, leg. F. M. Rodríguez 30.II.1912, no. 291 (Typus); herb W. Bckr. et Inst. de Bot. y Farmacol. Buenos Aires.”

Notes:—According to the protologue, types were deposited at B (the Wilhelm Becker Viola herbarium, “herb. W. Bckr.”, which was acquired by the Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, B, in 1929 [ Hiepko 1987]) and BAF (the herbarium of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires, which Becker referred to as “Inst. Bot. et Farmacol. Buenos Aires ”. The B specimen has been destroyed (Robert Vogt pers. comm.; Hiepko 1987), but we were able to examine the specimen at BAF, which is designated herein as the lectotype of Viola tucumanensis since it is an abundant and complete specimen, agrees with the protologue, has labels with clear notes handwritten by Rodríguez indicating its location, and was identified by Becker.

Becker (1926b) differentiated V. tucumanensis from Viola triflabellata by a combination of characters. Nevertheless, the differences are minimum and probably due to the environment. The width of the rosette overlaps between both species. Leaf blades were differentiated by being glabrous in V. triflabellata and with hairy margins in V. tucumanensis ; however, V. tucumanensis also presents blades with glabrous margins in the same plant. The presence of entire or fimbriated margins in the stipules is a variable character. Finally, the difference between the style crest of both entities is subtle; the three flabeliform appendages of V. tucumanensis would be distinctly stipulated, while the three flabeliform appendages of V. triflabellata would be gently dilated. No decisive, diagnostic differences are observed to identify both entities as distinct species.

= Viola joergensenii W. Becker (1926b: 353) , syn. nov.

Type (lectotype, designated here):— ARGENTINA. Catamarca: [Tinogasta,] Cerro Negro , February 1917, P. Jörgensen 1173 (BAF 6340!; isolectotypes, A 00067174 [digital image!], B [destroyed], GH 00067175 [digital image!], LIL 001929 upper plant [digital image!], MO 2267111 [digital image!], SI 003775!, US 00114572 [digital image!]).

Protologue citation:— “ Argentina : prov. Catamarca, Cerro Negro, leg. P. Jörgensen II. 1917, no. 1173 (Typus); herb. W. Bckr. et Inst. de Bot. y Farmacol. Buenos Aires.”

Notes:—According to the protologue, original type material was deposited at B (Wilhelm Becker’s Viola herbarium, “herb. W. Bckr.”, which was acquired by the Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, B, in 1929 [ Hiepko 1987]) and BAF (the herbarium of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires, which Becker referred to as “Inst. Bot. et Farmacol. Buenos Aires ”). The specimen deposited at B was destroyed (Robert Vogt pers. comm.). We have therefore selected the specimen with the herbarium reference number BAF 6340 as lectotype since it is a discrete but complete specimen, agrees with the protologue, possesses an original label with clear notes handwritten by Peter Jörgensen indicating location, date of collection, and identification, and a label added later with the identification handwritten in 1926 by Becker. The herbarium labels of the lectotype and the isolectotypes were either erroneously printed, or the text was mistakenly transcribed as: “dep. de Andalgalá, prov. de Catamarca ”. The precise and handwritten locality is “Cerro Negro”, located in the Tinogasta department of the same Catamarca province.

Becker (1926b) differentiated V. joergensenii from Viola triflabellata by a combination of characters, although the differences are subtle and probably due to the environmental conditions. The width of the rosette overlaps between both species. Leaves were differentiated by being glabrous in V. triflabellata and with hairy margins in V. joergensenii ; however, V. joergensenii also has leaves with glabrous margins in the same plant. Viola joergensenii was differentiated by having small blackish circular glands on the abaxial surface of the leaves, although they are sometimes scarce and even absent (for example, in the US isolectotype). The presence of entire or fimbriated margins in the stipules is a variable character. Finally, there are no differences between the style crest of both entities; the three flabeliform appendages of V. joergensenii and V. triflabellata are gently dilated. No diagnostic differences are observed to identify both entities as independent species.