Pentzia tysonii Thell.

Ruiters, Ashton K., Tilney, Patricia M., Wyk, Ben-Erik Van & Magee, Anthony R., 2016, Taxonomy of the Genus Phymaspermum (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), Systematic Botany (Basel, Switzerland) 41 (2), pp. 430-456 : 449-451

Pentzia tysonii Thell. in Vierteljahrsschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich. 61: 454 (1916). —TYPE: SOUTH AFRICA. KwaZulu Natal , Kokstad (3029): Mount Currie (–AD), Mar. 1883, Tyson 1254 (lectotype: Z–image!, designated here; isolectotypes: BOL! SAM!) [Note: The specimen in Z is selected as it forms part of the collection which Thellung would have studied.]

[ Pentzia pinnatifida var. chenoleoides Hutch. p.p. excl. type.]

Multistemmed, densely leafy shrublet, 0.4–0.6 m high. Stems few-branched; branches erect, white to silvery tomentose; fascicles present in leaf axils. Leaves alternate, spreading, 4.0–35.0 × 0.5–0.8 mm, linear, sometimes involute, deeply pinnatifid, narrowed into petiole-like base, sometimes with secondary basal lobes, white to silvery villous on both surfaces, leathery; basal swelling present, continuous with stem ribs; lobes 3–5, 2.0–28.0 × 0.5–1.0 mm, linear, mucronate. Capitula discoid, homogamous, terminal, few- to many-headed (3–40), simple to compound corymbs, pedunculate; peduncles 2.0–33.0 mm long, white to silvery tomentose. Involucre 5.0–8.0 × 3.0–5.0 mm, narrowly campanulate to urceolate, apically constricted, sometimes tapering at the base; involucral bracts 4- or 5-seriate, tightly arranged, margins and apices scarious, membranous apices of all bracts 0.3–0.8 mm long, glabrous to slightly or densely pubescent or villous, especially edges, very rigid, brown margins light and inconspicuous,

but can be distinguished by the sparsely villous leaves with narrower lobes (≤ 0.5 mm wide) and the 5-seriate, apically constricted involucres with at most indistinct brown margins. This species could also be confused with the spring flowering P. pinnatifidum with which it shares the smaller habit and narrowly lobed leaves but can be readily distinguished by the much narrower campanulate to urceolate, apically constricted involucres with closely appressed involucral bracts, the absence of a prominent membranous crown on the fruit and the later flowering time (late summer into autumn).

Distribution and Ecology — Phymaspermum woodii is distributed on rocky hillsides in moist grasslands along the southern and eastern Drakensberg in KwaZulu Natal and Free State ( Fig. 16F ), at altitudes of 1,700 –2,750 m. Flowering is in late summer to autumn from February to May.

Additional Specimens Examined — SOUTH AFRICA. FreeState: 2828 (Bethlehem): Royal Natal National Park, Tugela gorge (–DB), Hilliard 2851 (NU). KwaZulu Natal: 2829 (Harrismith): Cathedral Peak (–CC), Unknown s.n. (NU); Cathedral Peak Reserve, Mikes Pass (–CC), Magee et al. 460 (NBG); Cathedral Peak Forest Reserve station, on spur leading to Organ Pipes Pass (–CC), Killick 1705 (BOL, PRE). 2929 (Underburg): Giants Castle, contour walk (–AD), Retief 1687 (PRE); Giants Castle Game Reserve, Bannerman area (–AD), Trauseld 763 (NU), Trauseld 758 (PRE); Highmoor Forest Reserve (–BC), Hilliard 4814 (NU); Merinodale (–BC), Wright 483 (NU); Garden Castle Forest Reserve, Mlabonja Valley (–CA), Hilliard and Burtt 15061 (NU); 5–7 miles NNW of Castle View farm, headwaters of Mlahlangubo River (–CB), Hilliard and Burtt 15271 (NU–image). 2930 (Pietermaritzburg): Near Currys Post (–AC), Wood 4457 (BOL), Wood 1007 (GRA–image, SAM); Table Mountain (–DA), Acocks 11505 (PRE); 3029 (Kokstad): Summit of Ntsikeni Mountain in Ntsikeni Nature Reserve (–AB), Magee et al. 547 (NBG); Summit of Mount Currie (–AD), Magee et al. 447 (NBG).

acuminate to rounded. Receptacle convex; paleae in marginal series, oblong, linear, 3.8–4.5 mm long, rounded, rigid with scarious apices, scarious apices ± 0.5 mm long. Disc florets 6–23, without resin canals; corolla 2.3–3.1 mm long, with only glandular trichomes, yellow; tube 1.2–1.7 mm long; limb narrowly to broadly campanulate, 1.0– 1.4 mm long (excluding lobes); lobes spreading, 0.7–1.0 mm long, narrowly to broadly triangular. Anthers 2.8–3.4 mm long (including apical appendage); apical appendage oblong to lanceolate. Style 2.0–3.0 mm long (excluding branches); branches 0.2–0.3 mm long. Cypselas 2.0–2.8 × 0.7 mm, oblong, 10-ribbed, apical rim thickened, entire, brown, glandular trichomes present, sparse, scatterred, not mucilaginous when soaked, discontinuous resin canals in ribs absent. Figure 17 .

Diagnostic Characters — Phymaspermum argenteum shares the fleshy, usually silvery sericeous leaves with the closely related P. comptonii , but can be readily distinguished by the narrowly campanulate involucres with closely appressed, deltoid to ovate involucral bracts with prominent dark margins.

Distribution and Ecology — Phymaspermum argenteum occurs from around Polokwane and Zebediela in Limpopo to near Pilgrims Rest in Mpumalanga ( Fig. 17F ). It is found in grassland vegetation in dolomite soils at an altitude of 1,450 –2,080 m. It flowers from May to September.

14. PHYMASPERMUM ARGENTEUM Brusse in Bothalia 19: 29 (1989); K. Bremer and Humphries in Bull. Nat. Hist. Mus. Lond. (Bot.) 23(2): 94 (1993) ; Retief and Herman, Pl. N. Prov. S. Afr.: 330 (1997); Germish. and N.L. Meyer, Pl. S. Afr.: 273 (2003); Klopper et al. Checklist of the flowering plants of Sub- Saharan Africa: 147 (2006); Germish. et al. Checklist S. African Pl.: 243 (2006). —TYPE: SOUTH AFRICA. Limpopo (2429): 18 km from the main Polokwane- Tzaneen road near Boyne to Wolkberg Estates , 1 km from the turn-off to Frosch Farm to Wolkberg Estates (– BB), 30 May 1988, Brusse 5567 (holotype: PRE!; isotypes: BM–image!, B–image!, E–image!, K–image!, M–image!, MO–image!, NBG!, P–image!, S–image!, WAG –image!) .

Multistemmed, densely leafy shrub, 0.3–1.5 m high. Stems few-branched; branches erect, sparsely to densely silvery tomentose; fascicles present in leaf axils. Leaves alternate, spreading, 8.0–18.0 × 0.8–2.0 mm, linear when undissected, mucronate, sometimes revolute, entire to pinnatifid, narrowed into petiole-like base, without secondary basal lobes, sparsely to densely silver villous on both surfaces, fleshy; basal swelling present, continuous with stem ribs; lobes 3–5, 3.0–15.0 × 1.0– 1.5 mm, linear, mucronate. Capitula discoid, homogamous, terminal, few to many-headed (10 to +100), compound corymbs, pedunculate; peduncles 5.0–30.0 mm long, slightly to densely silvery-tomentose. Involucre 5.0–7.0 × 1.8–3.5 mm, narrowly campanulate to cylindrical, tapering at the base; involucral bracts 3- or 4-seriate, tightly arranged, margins and apices scarious, membranous apices of all bracts 0.5–1.0 mm long, glabrous to villous (rarely beyond margins), brown margins dark and distinct, median resin canals present; outer bracts deltoid to lanceolate, 1.7–1.9 mm long, acuminate; middle bracts deltoid to ovate, 2.4–3.1 mm long, acuminate; inner bracts broadly oblong to lanceolate, 2.8–3.8 mm long,

Additional Specimens Examined — SOUTH AFRICA. Limpopo: 2329 (Polokwane): Iron Crown (–DD), Mathews 896 (PRE). 2429 (Zebediela): Mokopane, Makapansgat, “nek” at top of rock gulley (–AA), Maguire 2913 (B–image), near top of Diabase gulley, Maguire 8200 (B–image); Ga-Maja, Donkerkloof road off the main Polokwane- Burgersfort road, near Chuniespoort, 1.5 km from the radio masts to Chuniespoort, Farm Stylkop 344KS (–BA), Brusse 5783 (B–image, NBG); Bewaarkloof, 3 km from the main Boyne-Wolkberg road to Ashmole Dales, at the Ashmole Dales sign (–BB), Brusse 5611 (B–image, BOL, NBG, NU, WIND); Wolkberg, 12 miles SE of Boyne on road to Ashmole Dales (–BB), Codd 10403 (PRE two sheets); Farm Paardevlei 201 KS (–BB), Venter 10704 (PRE); Wolkberg plateau 14 km SE of Boyne (–BB), Van Vuuren 1533 (K–image, PRE). Mpumalanga: 2430 (Pilgrims Rest): Motlatsepoort Dam Reserve, rocky plateau at Motlatsepoort View Point (–DB), Venter 9524 (PRE); Road from Pilgrim’ s rest to Bourke’ s Luck, near TGME Sports Club (–DB), Burrows and Manning 9004 (NBG, PRE); 31 km from Ohrigstad on road to Pilgrims Rest (–DC), Clark 1239 (PRE); Lisbon Falls, Graskop (–DD), Compton 19801 (NBG); Lisbon, “Motlatse”, on rocky slopes on top of escarpment (–DD), Liebenberg 3555 (PRE).

Figures

FIG. 16. Phymaspermum woodii. A. Leaves. B. Capitula. C. Involucral bracts (outermost to innermost series, from left) and single palea (far right). D. Disc floret. E. Cypselas (both non-glandular and glandular). F. Known geographical distribution. Vouchers: A. Wood 1007 (SAM); B. Magee et al. 457 (NBG); C, D. Trauseld 763 (NU); E1. Magee et al. 447 (NBG); E2. Killick 1705 (PRE). Scale: A–B = 4 mm; C–D = 1 mm; E = 500 μm.

FIG. 17. Phymaspermum argenteum. A. Leaves. B. Capitula. C. Involucral bracts (outermost to innermost series, from left) and single palea (far right). D. Disc floret. E. Cypsela. F. Known geographical distribution. Vouchers: A. Brusse 5567 (NBG); B. Burrows and Manning 9004 (NBG); C–E. Brusse 5611 (NBG). Scale: A–B = 4 mm; C–D = 1 mm; E = 500 μm.