Massonia inaequalis W.F.Barker ex Mart.-Azorín, M.Pinter, M.B.Crespo, M.A.Alonso & Wetschnig, 2018

Martínez-Azorín, Mario, Pinter, Michael, Crespo, Manuel B., Vargas, María Ángeles Alonso & Wetschnig, Wolfgang, 2018, Massonia inaequalis (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), a distinct new species from South Africa, Phytotaxa 343 (1), pp. 94-98 : 94-96

Massonia inaequalis W.F.Barker ex Mart.-Azorín, M.Pinter, M.B.Crespo, M.A.Alonso & Wetschnig sp. nov.

Species notabilis combinatione propria characterum ab ceteris speciebus Massoniae bene distincta. Tunicae interiorae bulbi rubrescentes, membranaceae. Segmenta perigonii 9 − 10 × 2 − 2.5 mm, integerrima, albicantia, semper erecta, ad stamina occultantia. Staminum filamenta inaequalia, tria exteriora (5 − 7 mm long.) quam tria interiora (3 − 4 mm long.) subduplo longiora. Antherae caeruleae polline subconcoloro. Ovarium oblongum, 2.5 − 3.5 × 1.2 − 2 mm, viridulum, ad apicem leviter truncatum stylo bene distinctum.

Type:— SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape. Clanwilliam (3218): Piketberg C.P., Elands Bay , on hill near school (-AD), 3 June 1968 (in flower ex hort), W.F.Barker 10435 (holotype NBG88401 !) .

Deciduous geophyte. Bulb ovoid to subglobose, 1 − 1.7 × 1 − 2 cm, slightly depressed in old plants, with white, fleshy bulb scales covered by membranous, reddish, inner tunics, and dark reddish-brown coriaceous outer tunics. Leaves 2, synanthous, opposite, appressed to the ground, ovoid to lanceolate, longitudinally striate, limb 2 − 8 × 1 − 4 cm, with narrow, membranous, minutely papillose margins; adaxial side green, with 10 − 50 isodiametric emergences per cm 2, up to 2 mm in length, with narrowly conical trichomes, 0.2 − 1 mm long; abaxial side smooth, green; petiole 5 − 10 mm long. Inflorescence dense, subcapitate raceme, ca. 1 cm long, with up to 20 flowers, shortly overtopping ground level. Bracts narrowly obovate-lanceolate, attenuate at the apex, 14 − 28 × 4 − 9 mm, green in the upper half with white entire membranous margins and base, glabrous, minutely papillate on margins. Pedicels at anthesis 6 − 9 mm long. Flowers pentacyclic, trimerous. Perigone long and narrowly tubular, slightly widening at the end of the tube formed by 6 white tepals; free segments of tepals 9 − 10 × 2 − 2.5 mm, entire, white, straight and erect from bud to full anthesis; perigone-filaments tube 16 − 22 × 2 − 3 mm, narrowly conical, widening in the upper portion, the ovary deeply included in the tube. Stamens 6. Filaments white, cylindrical, long-attenuate, unequal in size, outers much longer than inners, outers 5 − 7 mm long, inners 3 − 4 mm long, erect at anthesis, connate at the base for ca. 1 mm above the perigone segments; anthers oblong, dark blue, 1.2 − 1.6 × 0.4 − 0.6 mm when closed, dorsifixed, with blue pollen. Gynoecium tricarpelar, syncarpic. Ovary oblong, pale green, 2.5 − 3.5 × 1.2 − 2 mm, slightly truncate on top, clearly differentiated from the style. Style white, gradually tapering into the apex, erect, 12 − 17 mm long at anthesis. Capsule ovate-oblong in lateral view, trigonous with blunt edges in apical view, 8 − 11 × 4 − 8 mm. Seeds globose, black, (1.1 −)1.3(− 1.5) × (0.9 −)1.1(− 1.4) mm, smooth.

Etymology:—The specific epithet ( inaequalis ) refers to the stamen filaments that are unequal in length, with the outer about twice as long as the inner ones. W.F. Barker in scheda named the new Massonia “ Massonia? inaequalis Barker ms.” in May 1969, a name we follow here.

Phenology:— Massonia inaequalis flowers between May and July in the wild and fruits appear from July to September.

Habitat:— Massonia inaequalis is found in crevices of exposed sandstone supporting arid FFs2 Graafwater Sandstone Fynbos vegetation and on shallow soil of arid strandveld covering slopes of coastal koppies. Climatically the region is characterised by winter rainfall peaking from May to August, with frequent occurrence of dense morning fog in winter; the mean annual precipitation of about 270 mm and frost is rare ( Mucina & Rutherford 2006).

Distribution:—The new species is known to us only from a few local populations in the surroundings of Elands Bay.

Taxonomic relationships:— Massonia inaequalis is unique in the genus showing permanently erect free segments of tepals enclosing the stamens that together with the reddish inner tunics of the bulb, leaves bearing emergences with narrowly conical trichomes, the unequal length of the stamen filaments, the blue anthers and pollen, and the ovary slightly truncate to the style allow easy recognition. Barker first doubted about its generic classification to Polyxena or Massonia , based on her notes in schedis in June 1968. However, the study of the flower morphology leaves no doubt about its inclusion in Massonia , as Barker finally concluded, a fact also supported by our phylogenetic analyses in Massonia (not shown), in which M. inaequalis is deeply nested in Massonia .

Additional material studied (paratypes):— SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape. Clanwilliam (3218): Piketberg, Elands Bay , on hill near school (-AD), 16 August 1966 (fruiting), W.F.Baker 10435 ( NBG88184 !) ; ibidem, 3 June 1968 (photographs in flower in cultivation), W.F.Baker 10435 ( NBG153624 !) ; ibidem, 28 May 1969 (photographs in flower), W.F.Baker 10435 ( NBG153623 !) ; Clanwilliam (3218): Elands Bay , near deposits ca. 300 m S of large koppie on southern side slopes of river (-AD), 60 m elevation, 16 August 2017 (fruiting), M. Martínez-Azorín, M.B. Crespo, M.A. Alonso, M. Pinter MMA1726 ( ABH!, GRA!) ; Clanwilliam (3218): Elands Bay , photo on iSpot 5 May 2013 in flower, Johan Potgieter (https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/view/observation/353093/ wildflowers288); Clanwilliam (3218): Elands Bay , photo on iSpot 22 August 2016 in fruit, Jean André Audissou (https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/view/observation/664265/bulb).