Harpalyce marianensis R.Rankin, P.A. Gonzalez & Greuter, 2023

Rankin Rodriguez, Rosa Gloria, Gonzalez Gutierrez, Pedro Alejandro & Greuter, Werner, 2023, A note on the type of Harpalyce (Fabaceae, Brongniartieae), with description of two new local endemic species from Cuba, PhytoKeys 225, pp. 83-97 : 83

Harpalyce marianensis R.Rankin, P.A. Gonzalez & Greuter sp. nov.

Type material.

Holotype. Cuba - Guantánamo Prov. • San Antonio del Sur, Abra de Mariana en el barranco, 5 km al noroeste de San Antonio del Sur; [20.08828°N, 74.85846°W]; A. Álvarez de Zayas et al. HFC 43077; montes secos, caliza; 11 May 1980; JE 28983.

Isotypes. Cuba • Same collection data as for preceding; B 100364878 [http://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100364878]; HAJB 1289, 1290; JE 28984.

Other material examined.

Cuba - Guantánamo Prov. • San Antonio del Sur, manigua costera cerca de Playa Baitiquirí; [20.02482°N, - 74.85226°W]; May 1968, Bisse & Köhler HFC 9259; HAJB, JE; Baitiquirí, en el camino a la Mina del Yeso; [20.02482°N, 74.85226°W]; 11 Apr. 1972; Bisse & Berazaín HFC 21818 ; HAJB, JE; Abra de Mariana , loma al oeste del barranco; [20.08828°N, 74.85846°W]; 6 Feb. 1978; Bisse et al. HFC 36575 ; B 100362446, HAJB, JE; Abra de Mariana , loma al oeste del Abra; [20.08828°N, 74.85846°W]; 9 Feb. 1979; Berazaín et al. HFC 39129 ; B 100361112, HAJB, JE .

Shrubs or small trees; young branches very suberous (corky), with a spongy appearance, deeply longitudinally ridged (Fig. 1 ), ferruginous-pubescent, old branches also suberous, but glabrescent. Stipules not seen, probably early shed. Leaves imparipinnate, normally alternate, or frequently subopposite, 4-7.5 cm long; petiole 10-18 mm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent; rachis 2-5.5 cm long, ferruginous-pubescent; leaflets (5-)7-9(-11) per leaf, coriaceous; lamina elliptic to narrowly elliptic, with a rounded base, the tip rounded or slightly emarginate, sometimes shortly mucronulate; the margin entire, mostly flat; adaxially glabrous, shiny (when dry), abaxially subglabrous except on the midvein; the leaflets, abaxially, are densely covered with showy orange, apparently disk-shaped glands of " type A" (the plump, apically flattened gland body is sessile in a wide open depression of the mesophyll: Fig. 2A, B ); leaflet midvein sunk adaxially, prominent and ferruginous-pubescent abaxially, glabrescent with age, secondary veins in 6-9 pairs, ± conspicuous abaxially; lateral leaflets in opposite pairs, with a 1-1.5 mm long, thick, ferruginous-pubescent petiolule, the lamina 1.2-2.5(-3) × 0.8-1(-1.3) cm; terminal leaflet with a 1.5-2.5 mm long, thick and ferruginous-pubescent petiolule, the lamina 2-3.3 × 0.8-1.5 cm. Inflorescence terminal, many-flowered (with ≤ 50 flowers), 4-4.5 cm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent; bracts c. 1 mm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent; pedicels ≤ 2.5 cm long, ferruginous pubescent. Flowers zygomorphic. Calyx lips narrowly triangular, acute, outside densely covered with ferruginous hairs and sessile glands, inside glabrous or with scattered hairs; vexillary calyx lip (Fig. 3A ) 3-3.2 × 0.5-0.6 cm, carinal calyx lip (Fig. 3B ) 3.4-3.5 × 0.5-0.6 cm; petals membranaceous (when dry); standard (Fig. 3C ) with a c. 2 mm long claw, the blade orbicular or broadly elliptic, apically rounded, 5-6 mm in diameter; wings (Fig. 3D ) with a c. 2 mm long claw, the blade ± triangular, 2-3 × c. 2 mm, apparently lacking a basal auricle; keel petals (Fig. 3E ) with a c. 2 mm long claw, the blades not connate, 2.3-2.5 × 0.2-0.3 cm, with a basal auricle on the vexillar side. Stamens 10; filaments 1.8-2.2 cm long, basally fused into a tube, distally free for 4-5 mm; anthers ± sagittate, c. 1.5 mm long (when dry). Pistil 3-3.2 cm long; ovary fusiform, laterally compressed, 7-8 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous, 6-7-ovulate; style filiform, curved, 2.3-2.5 cm long, glabrous. Legume linear, 3-3.3 × c. 1 cm, brown, tipped with a c. 2 mm long mucro. Seeds up to 6 per legume, 4 × 1.5 mm (when dry).

Phenology.

Collected in flower and with fruits in April and May.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality, Abra de Mariana.

Distribution.

Southern part of E Cuba, province Guantánamo, municipality San Antonio del Sur: Abra de Mariana and Baitiquirí. Grows in dry scrub vegetation on limestone substrate. Fig. 4 .

Affinities and diagnostic features.

Harpalyce marianensis has morphological affinities with H. revoluta (see below) and other Cuban species that have a relatively small (≤ 8-9 mm in length or diameter), orbicular to broadly elliptic standard and free keel petals, such as: Harpalyce ekmanii Urb., H. villosa Britton & P. Wilson, and H. baracoensis Borhidi & O. Muñiz, particularly with H. ekmanii , with which it also shares glabrous or subglabrous leaflets; however, H. ekmanii has larger leaflets (2.5-7.5 × 1.5-3 cm vs 1.2-3.3 × 0.8-1.5 cm). Harpalyce marianensis has pronounced suberous young branches with a spongy consistence and deep longitudinal ridges, a feature that is not found in H. ekmanii . Also, H. marianensis grows in dry scrub on limestone in the southern part of E Cuba, whereas H. ekmanii grows in rainforest, pine woods or dry scrub on ultramaphic soils such as serpentines in the northern portion of E Cuba.

Sterile plants or specimens of Harpalyce marianensis might be confused with H. maisiana León & Alain, a species that also occurs in limestone areas of southern E. Cuba, but these two can be distinguished from each other through the colour of the glands on the adaxial face of the leaflets, yellow in H. maisiana vs orange in H. marianensis . When in flower, they can be easily told apart: the standard is oblanceolate, 1 × 0.2-0.3 cm and apically slightly emarginate in H. maisiana but orbicular or broadly elliptic, 5-6 mm in diameter or length and apically rounded in H. marianensis ; the keel petals are partially connate in the apical third and 1.2-1.3 × 0.2-0.3 cm in H. maisiana , but totally free and 2.3-2.5 × 0.2-0.3 cm in H. marianensis .

Figures

Figure 1. Flowering branch of Harpalyce marianensis. Drawing by PAGG from an isotype specimen (JE 28983).

Figure 2. A-D leaf glands of Harpalyce marianensis (A, B from holotype specimen) and H. revoluta (C, D from specimen HFC 44956, B 100374694) A, C surface view B, D cross section. Preparations and photographs by Bibiana Moncada, Berlin. Scale bars: 100 μm.

Figure 3. A-E analysis of the perianth of Harpalyce marianensis A vexillary calyx lip, from inside B carinal calyx lip, from outside C standard, frontal view D wing E keel, lateral view. Drawings by PAGG from a flower of an isotype specimen (JE 28983).

Figure 4. Distribution of the two new species and of related, small-flowered Harpalyce species with free keel petals endemic to E Cuba.