Arenaria peruviana (Muschl.) Molinari, Polish Bot. J. 61(2): 276. 2016

Montesinos-Tubee, Daniel B. & Iamonico, Duilio, 2023, Neotypification for five names linked to Arenaria (Caryophyllaceae) for the endemic flora of Peru and Bolivia, PhytoKeys 230, pp. 131-144 : 131

Arenaria peruviana (Muschl.) Molinari, Polish Bot. J. 61(2): 276. 2016

Pycnophyllum peruvianum ≡ Pycnophyllum peruvianum Muschl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 45(4): 457-458. 1911.

Neotype

(designated here). Peru. Junín: Pacuy-Wila, 4250 m, 16 Jun 1960, G.W.H. Kunkel 6211 (B100538376!, Fig. 4 ).

Muschler (1911: 276) validly published Pycnophyllum peruvianum with a detailed description; including the provenance and habitat reported as "Peru: Prope La Oroya in departamento Junin, in formation planti caespitosis ac pulviniaribus composite, 4300 m s. m.", as well as the collector and number of the original collection ("Weberbauer 2597") followed by "Specimina florigera fructiferaque Februario 1903. - Herb. Berol.". The only known collection of Pycnophyllum peruvianum by Weberbauer at B ("Herb. Berol." = Herbarium Berolinensis) was destroyed (see Hiepko 1987). The cited collection by Molinari (2016) at MOL (where additional material of Weberbauer is preserved; see HUH-Index of Botanists 2013b) is inexistent (pers. observ.; see also Timaná 2017). Lacking original material, a lectotype cannot be designated (Arts. 9.3 and 9.4 of ICN) and a neotypification is required (Art. 9.8 of ICN). Despite knowing this, Molinari (2016) published the new combination without observing or selecting a type specimen ( Timaná 2017). We consider a collection made by Kunkel nearby the locus classicus as the neotype of the name Pycnophyllum peruvianum .

Observations.

Muschler’s taxon is a member of Arenaria sect. Dicranilla which has the characteristic of having ciliate leaves and bisexual flowers (see also Timaná, 2017). The species is considered as narrowly endemic and treated as Critically Endangered by Cano and Sánchez (2006).

Description

(see also Muschler 1911 and Macbride 1937). perennial herb, densely caespitose, 3-5 cm long × 15 cm width; densely leaved, leaves 1.2-1.8 mm long, imbricate, shortly appressed, thick, lamina subtriangular in outline, rigid or fleshy, densely ciliate, apex acuminate; margins ciliate and shortly revolute, trichomes long and thin, shortly distant at the base, ca. 0.2 mm long; flowers with short pedicels, less than 0.5 mm long, sepals 2 mm long, linear to ovate-lanceolate, scarious and with an acute apex; petals absent; stamens 2-3 mm long, style slightly longer; seeds triangular and compressed, shiny.

Figures

Figure 4. Neotype of Arenaria peruviana (Muschl.) Molinari (G. W. H. Kunkel 6211, B 100538376).