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

Type material.

Holotype. Cuba - Holguín Prov. • Cuchillas de Moa; alrededores del aserrío La Melba; A. Álvarez de Zayas et al. HFC 42194; charrascales altos con Bonnetia cubensis ; [20.51944°N, 74.81778°W]; alt.450-500 m; 28 Apr. 1980; B 100364586 [http://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100364586].

Isotype s. Cuba • Same collection data as for preceding; HAJB 1286-1288, JE 28985.

Other material examined.

Cuba - Holguín Prov. • Moa; La Melba; charrascal cerca del aserrío; [20.51944°N, 74.81778°W]; Mar. 1968; Bisse & Köhler HFC 7066; HAJB, JE; La Melba, charrascal cerca del aserrío; [20.51944°N, 74.81778°W]; Mar. 1968; Bisse & Köhler HFC 7626; HAJB, JE; La Melba; charrascal cerca del aserrío; [20.51944°N, 74.81778°W]; 22 Dec. 1968; Bisse & Lippold HFC 11062 , 11329; HAJB, JE; Cayo Probado; orillas de las cabezadas del rio Jiguani ; [20.48864°N, 74.82188°W]; 3 Apr. 1972; Bisse & Berazaín HFC 21968 ; B 100462873, HAJB, JE; alrededores del aserrío La Melba; [20.51944°N, 74.81778°W]; 25 Apr. 1981; Bisse et al. HFC 44956 ; B 100374694, HAJB, JE .

Shrubs or small trees; young branches pubescent, old branches (Fig. 5 ) suberous and glabrescent. Stipules not seen, probably early shed. Leaves imparipinnate, normally alternate, sometimes subopposite, 3-7 cm long; petiole 0.5-10 mm long, very thick particularly at the basis, pubescent; rachis 2-6 cm long, pubescent, glabrescent with age; leaflets 7-11 per leaf, rigidly coriaceous, opposite or very rarely subopposite; lamina mostly suborbicular or ± broadly elliptic, with a rounded or obtuse base, the tip emarginate; margin entire, recurved to strongly revolute; the surface shiny (when dry), adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrous except on the midvein and beset with well-spaced yellow to orange, somewhat funnel-shaped glands of " type B" (in which the obconical gland body is stalked in the bottom of a mesophyll cavity, barely protruding through its narrowed opening; Fig. 2C, D ); leaflet midvein sunk adaxially, prominent and with some scattered hairs abaxially, secondary veins inconspicuous on both faces; lateral leaflets with a c. 1 mm long, thick and ferruginous-pubescent petiolule, the lamina 0.6-1.2 × 0.5-1 cm, terminal leaflets with petiolule 1-3 mm long, thick and ferruginous pubescent, lamina 1-2 × 0.8-1 cm. Inflorescence terminal, with ≤ ca. 20 flowers, 2-4 cm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent; peduncle 1-1.5 cm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent, bracts linear, 2.5-3 mm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent; pedicels 1-1.5 cm long, densely ferruginous-pubescent. Flowers (Fig. 5 ) zygomorphic. Calyx lips narrowly triangular, acute, outside densely covered with ferruginous hairs and sessile glands, inside glabrous and with scattered glands; vexillary calyx lip (Fig. 6A ) 2.1 × 0.3 cm, carinal calyx lip (Fig. 6B ) 2.3 × 0.4 cm; petals membranaceous (when dry); standard (Fig. 6C ) with a 2-2.5 mm long claw, the blade broadly elliptic, apically rounded, c. 3.5 × 2.5 mm; wings (Fig. 6D ) with a c. 2 mm long claw, the blade ± triangular, c. 2 × 2 mm, apparently lacking a basal auricle; keel petals (Fig. 6E ) with a 2-3 mm long claw, the blades not connate, 1.2-1.3 × c. 0.2 cm, with an auricle on the vexillar side. Stamens 10; filaments 1.7-2 cm long, basally fused into a tube, distally free for 4-5 mm; anthers sagittate, c. 1.5 × 0.7 mm (when dry). Pistil c. 2.3 cm long; ovary fusiform, laterally compressed, 4 × 1-1.5 mm, glabrous; style filiform, 1.9-2 cm long, glabrous. Legume (immature) linear, 13-14 × 3-3.5 mm. Seeds not seen.

Phenology.

When collected in late April, the type material was in flower and with immature fruits. Some other specimens seen, collected in April as well, similarly were in flower and with immature fruits.

Distribution.

Northern part of E Cuba, province Holguín. Grows in rainforest, pine woods or xeromorphic scrub on ultramaphic substrate (serpentine). Fig. 4 .

Etymology.

The epithet refers to the characteristic, revolute leaflet margin.

Affinities and diagnostic features.

Harpalyce revoluta , shows morphological affinities with H. marianensis (see above) 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, particularly with H. ekmanii , with which it shares glabrous or subglabrous leaflets; however, in H. ekmanii the leaflets are much larger (2.5-7.5 × 1.5-3 cm vs 0.6-2 × 0.5-1 cm), with flat (vs recurved to revolute) margins, and the sessile glands on the abaxial leaf face are fairly dense, less spaced. The size and shape of the standard relates H. revoluta to H. villosa , but the latter has leaflets that, particularly when young, are densely hairy abaxially, not glabrous except on the loosely hairy midvein, as in H. revoluta .

Figures

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

Figure 5. Branch with immature fruits of Harpalyce marianensis. Drawing by PAGG from the holotype specimen.

Figure 6. A-E analysis of the perianth of Harpalyce revoluta 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 specimen HFC 44956, B 100374694.