Plazia daphnoides Wedd., Chlor. Andina 1: 13. 1855.

Dillon, Michael O. & Luebert, Federico, 2014, Synopsis of Plazia Ruiz & Pav. (Onoserideae, Asteraceae), including a new species from northern Peru, PhytoKeys 34, pp. 1-13 : 4-5

3. Plazia daphnoides Wedd., Chlor. Andina 1: 13. 1855.

Plazia daphnoides α villosa Wedd., Chlor. Andina 1: 13. 1855. Type. CHILE. XV Region, Prov. Parinacota: Cordillera de Tacora, entre Tacna et La Paz, H. Weddell s.n. (lectotype desiganted by Ferreyra 1995, pg. 83: P, P00703594!; isolectotype: ex P, F971331!).

Plazia daphnoides ß glabrescens Wedd., Chlor. Andina 1: 13. 1855. Type. BOLIVIA. Tomas Frias: Potosi, A. d’Oribigny 1386 (lectotype, chosen here: P00793599!; isolectotypes: BR0000552180!, GH, P00703595!).

Harthamnus boliviensis H. Rob., Phytologia 45(6): 451. 1980. Type. BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: S E of Cochabamba, vicinity of Rodeo, 3500 m, 5 Mar 1979, J. A. Hart 1739 (holotype: US2854177!; isotype: A, n.v.; photograph ex US, FM neg. 1944785!).

Description.

Shrubs to 2 m, resinous. Leaves sessile; blades oblanceolate to lanceolate, 10-18(-20) mm long, (2-)3-4 mm wide, apically acute, basally cuneate, glandular-pubescent, the margins ciliate. Capitula with cylindrical involucres (15-)18-20 mm high, 7-8(-14) mm wide; phyllaries 3-6-seriate, lanceolate, the inner 20-21 mm long, 2.4-3 mm wide, the outer smaller; ray florets (5-)7-8(-10), the corollas 20-21 mm long, the tube 11-11.5 mm long, the outer lip 9-9.5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, tridentate, the inner lip bipartite, 6-7 mm long; disc florets (7-)10-11(-12), the corollas white, 13-14 mm long, the tube 10-11 mm long, the lobes 7-8 mm long; anthers 5-6 mm long. Achenes [ray] 4.5-5 mm long, 1.2-1.4 mm wide, glandular; pappus c. 13 mm long; [disc] 5-5.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, glandular; pappus c. 12.5 mm long.

Distribution.

In Plazia , Plazia daphnoides displays the widest distribution with collections from the Andean Cordillera of southern Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina (3000-4000 m). While locally it may come while locally may come under stress from habitat reduction, it would be considered as of "least concern" ( IUCN 2001).

Discussion.

This species is distinctive with the narrowest capitula with the fewest ray and disc florets within the genus. Ferreyra (1995) lists the type specimen as collected by H. Weddell near the locality of Tacora, which is now in northern Chile.

Weddell (1855) failed to describe a nominative variety (p. 13); however, the manner in which he presented the material examined in his studies suggests that his first variety represented his nominative variety [α villosa, foliis utrinque villosis]. Examination of a large suite of collections has failed to find consistant morphological variation combined with any geographic pattern to support recognition of varieties in this taxon.

Robinson’s (1980) new genus and species, Harthamnus boliviensis , was discovered by him to be a synonym of Plazia daphnoides shortly after its publication.

Specimens examined.

ARGENTINA. Jujuy: Dept. Humahusca, Mina Aguilar, Espinosa del Diablo, 3800 m, 12 Jan 1968, A.L. Cabrera et al. 18985 (LP, n.v.; SI014474!). Dept. Tumbaya, El Angosto de San José del Chañi, 3550 m, 26 Feb 1972, A.L. Cabrera, J. Frangi, A.M. de Frangi, R. Kiesling & E.M. Zardini 22463 (LP, n.v.; P04318222!). Salta: Dept. Poma, Colres, 31 Jan 1944, A. L. Cabrera 8331 (LP, n.v.; F1549306!, P02405527!).

BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Sivingani, 11,000 ft, 24 Mar 1950, W.M.A. Brooke 6219 (F1547725!). Tarija: Cercado, Tarija, 3900 m, 20 Feb 1904, K. Fiebrig 3101 (F520491!).

CHILE. Region XV. Prov. Parinacota. Putre, 3500 m, 29 Dec 1995, L. Landrum & S. Landrum 8883 (ASU0061610!); Quebrada Murmuntani, 3800 m, 13 May 2008, M.A. Trivelli s.n. (SGO156326!); Cordillera de Chapiquiña, 3600 m, 7 Mar 1927, C. Troll 3235 (B!).

PERU. Ayacucho, 83 km W of Puquio, 76 km E of Nazca, 3430 m, 22 Jun 1978, A. Gentry, M. Dillon, P. Berry, & J. Aronson 23273 (F1918361!).