Hypoxis membranacea Baker (1878: 106)

Niemann, Hendrik J., Coetzer, Dewald J. & Glennon, Kelsey L., 2023, Hypoxis limicola and H. uniflorata (Hypoxidaceae) deserve species rank: multiple new lines of evidence, Phytotaxa 619 (1), pp. 63-85 : 77-78

Hypoxis membranacea Baker (1878: 106)

Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: Tugela River , 1 March 1872, Gerrard 1835 (holotype K! [image]; isotype P! [image]) .

Rhizome 4–6 mm in diam., oblong with few contractile roots, crowned by leaves and few fine bristles, white inside. Leaves few, 6–8, wrapped at base in membranous, brown tunic, lanceolate or ovate, 80–150 × 8–25 mm, membranous, scattered with pustules, translucent and visible against light; veins 13–14, all flush with surface, sparsely hairy on both surfaces; hairs long, weak, stellate interspersed with simple hairs, white. Inflorescence 1 or 2 per plant, corymbose, covered in long, weak, white hairs; scapes shorter than or as tall as leaves, delicate, 40–90 mm long, flattened in cross section (ancipitous); bracts 2, subulate, 3–6 mm long, lightly hairy below. Flowers (1)2 or 3; pedicels weak, lax, 12–40 mm when flowers open; tepals white adaxially, 4.5–8.0 mm long in open flowers. Stamens 3+3, with filaments filiform, white, 1.5–2.0 mm long; anthers 1.2–1.5 mm long, sagittate, apex split. Ovary 1.0– 1.5 mm long; style filiform, 2.0– 2.5 mm long; stigma minute, spherical, ca. 0.5 mm in diam. Capsule turbinate or subglobose, 2–3 × 1.5–3.0 mm, opening by circular slit, splitting longitudinally into 3 lobes. Seeds ovoid, 1.10–1.25 mm × 0.95–1.00 mm, black, dull; seed coat epidermal cells isodiametric, 4–8-gonal with straight, channelled, anticlinal boundaries smooth and well defined or indistinct and/or covered with micropapillae; convex outer periclinal cell wall columellate and/or capitate/ pilate, micropapillate; micropapillae commonly overlap with no clear pattern in distribution of different lengths across periclinal wall. Flowering time: November to February (–April).

Diagnostic characters and relationships:— Hypoxis membranacea is most often confused with the H. parvula varieties (particularly the white-flowered var. albiflora ). It is distinguished from H. parvula var. albiflora by having white (not yellow) anther filaments and usually having two or three flowers per inflorescence (not just one flower). It can easily be distinguished from H. parvula var. parvula by having tepals that are white adaxially (not yellow). Hypoxis membranacea is closely related to H. angustifolia and H. nivea with which it shares soft leaves and lax inflorescences. It is distinguished from both taxa by having lanceolate leaves (not linear leaves) that bare translucent pustules on the adaxial surface (not smooth). It can further be distinguished from H. angustifolia by having tepals that are white adaxially (not yellow).

Distribution and habitat:— Hypoxis membranacea is thought to be a South African endemic, restricted to KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces, with a coastal to inland distribution. The species is also reported to be present in Eswatini by Singh (2009). Although there is lack of verifiable evidence to support its presence in that country, it is feasible given the proximity of Mountainlands Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa (where H. membranacea can be found) to Eswatini. The species is plentiful in coastal forest where it can occur with H. angustifolia var. buchananii Baker (1878: 111) and/or H. nivea . It grows on the forest floor or cliff faces in rock crevices and is known from altitudes of 20– 900 m.a.s.l.

Additional specimens examined:— SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu-Natal: Oribi Gorge (QDS: 3030CB), 7 January 1971, Glen 274 ( NH) ; Alexandra county, Ellesmere, Umgaye flat (QDS: 3030CB), 16 October 1910, Rudatis 910 ( NH) ; Richmond (QDS: 2930CD), 3 November, Weeler s.n. (AMD 75317); District Alexandra, Station Dumisa, Ellesmere (QDS: 3030CB), 11 December 1911, Rudatis ( WAG) ; Kranskop Escarpment (QDS: 2830DD), 25 December 1969, Bourquin 708 ( CPF) ; Umtamvuna Nature Reserve, Bulolo Trail (QDS: 3029DD), 11 November 1994, Abbott 6528 ( NU) ; Near Clydesdale, Griqualand East (QDS: 3029DB), December 1885, Tyson 2880 ( SAM) ; Ndwedwe Municipality Area, Mona, KwaNgongoma Village , Ifafa Hill (QDS: 2930DB), 21 November 2008, Ngwenya 3282 ( NH) ; Inanda District (QDS: 2930DB), 22 October 1987, Ngwenya 489 ( NH) . Eastern Cape: Butterworth, Kei Mouth (QDS: 3227DB), March 1963, Bokelmann 9 ( NBG) ; Kabongaba (QDS: 3228DA), 26 October 1951, Taylor 3710 ( NH) ; Mansfield Nature reserve (QDS: 3326BD), 25 September 2005, Styles 2618 ( NH) ; Transkei, Mtentu river near Flagstaff (QDS: 3129BA), 14 November 1970, Strey 10241 ( NH) ; Komgha (QDS: 3227BD), December 1891, Flanagan 1172 ( SAM) ; East London, Near Kwenquira River mouth (QDS: 3228CC), 23 December 1900, Galpin 5810 ( SAM) ; East bank of Umzimvubu River, near Lutengela (QDS: 3129AD), 27 August 2002, Van Jaarsveld & Harrower 73 ( NH) ; Mateku, Tezana River (QDS: 3129BD), 29 November 2002, Singh 826 ( NH) ; Lumbasi Administrative Area (QDS: 3129BD), 29 November 2002, Nombekela 366 ( NH) ; Stutterheim, Keibolo above Bolo River gorge (QDS: 3227BC), 23 October 1997, McMaster s.n. (NBG 267840) . Mpumalanga: Hyslops Creek, near Barberton (QDS: 2531CC), January 1906, Thorncroft 634 ( NH) ; Barberton (QDS: 2531CC), December 1900, Thorncroft 1063 ( PRE) .