Cyphocarpus perennis Santilli & Lavandero, 2025

Santilli, Ludovica, Cruz, Natali, De Schrevel, Claire, Dandois, Philippe, Lavandero, Nicolás & Perez, Maria Fernanda, 2025, Cyphocarpus perennis (Asterales, Campanulaceae, Cyphocarpoideae), a new species endemic to the Andes of the Atacama Desert, Chile, PhytoKeys 259, pp. 111-129 : 111-129

Cyphocarpus perennis Santilli & Lavandero sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 4 , 5

Type.

Chile • Atacama: Copiapó, Tierra Amarilla, Cerro Morros Negros , 28°13'42"S, 69°37'48"W, 3,613 m, 27 December 2024, fl., Claire de Schrevel, Natali Cruz & Philippe Dandois CDS- 931, (holotype SGO 171975 !; isotype CONC) .

Diagnosis.

Cyphocarpus perennis differs to other Cyphocarpus species due to its perennial habit, rosette-like growth form, rounded leaves, and tomentose indumentum.

Description.

Perennial herb, forming groups of seasonally persistent annual rosettes, up to 3 cm tall and 4 cm wide. Rhizome creeping to extended, lignified and branching, buried several centimetres below the substrate. Stems emerging from the nodes of the rhizome, almost entirely subterraneous, belowground portion up to 15 cm long, glabrous, bearing leaves reduced to scales, aerial portion of the stem pubescent (same indumentum of the leaves), up to 3 cm long. Leaves flabellate, densely strigose to hirsute, trichomes subulate, petioles up to 5 times as long as the lamina, approx. 15 mm long, arranged in short internodes. Lamina as long as wide, up to 6 mm long and 6 mm wide, crisped; base attenuate towards the petiole; apex rounded; margin crisped, bidentate. Inflorescence an axillary solitary flower, subtended by small leaflike bracts. Flowers pentamerous, sessile, epigynous, zygomorphic, bilabiate, hermaphrodite, protandrous. Sepals 5, free, linear, ⅕ of corolla tube length, same indumentum as leaves, margin entire. Petals 5, hirsute outside, glabrous inside, basally fused into a 13–15 mm long corolla tube, then free; lobes white, the upper lip comprised of a single corolla lobe, ca. 4 mm long, that forms a hood with connivent, winged margins; wings fused at the distal end of the hood to form a small appendage that slightly projects off the hood; the remaining 4 ventral corolla lobes, ca. 5 mm long, forming a palate ca. 11 mm wide, with three prominent yellow ridges at the base, alternating with the lobes. Stamens 5, epipetalous, haplostemonous, free portion of the filaments ca. 3 mm, pubescent, anthers included in corolla tube, connivent around the style, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary inferior, hirsute, cylindrical, syncarpous; carpels 2, locules 1, placentation parietal, style 1, 16–17 mm, stigma globose, 1 × 2 mm, slightly two-lobed, included in the hood and eventually protruding from it. Fruit a rounded capsule, 10–11 × 10 mm, hirsute, crowned by persistent sepals, becoming papery and releasing the seeds by irregular longitudinal ruptures. Seeds ca. 2 mm long, cylindrical and slightly curved, pale yellow to brown, surface ribbed longitudinally.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the perennial habit which distinguishes the novel species from the other species of the genus, which are all annual herbs.

Phenology.

Flowering from late November to early January.

Distribution and habitat.

Endemic to the eastern Andean ranges of the Atacama Desert, in the municipality of Tierra Amarilla. It is known from the localities of Morros Negros, Carrizalillo and Iglesia Colorada (Fig. 1 ). The species is recorded to grow at high elevations between approx. 2900 and 3700 m, in loose gravelly and sandy soil, at full sun exposure.

Associated vegetation.

Cyphocarpus perennis has been observed at elevations near the upper limit of the arborescent growth, represented by a scrub of Adesmia hystrix Phil. Accompanying species recorded in the field include Adesmia hystrix , Menonvillea cuneata (Gillies & Hook.) Rollins , Doniophyton weddellii Katinas & Stuessy , Pachylaena atriplicifolia D. Don ex Hook. & Arn.

Conservation status.

Cyphocarpus perennis is assessed here as Endangered (EN) under the IUCN categories and criteria B 1 ab (iii) + 2 ab (iii). Criteria B 1 and B 2 were selected because its extent of occurrence (EOO) is <5,000 km 2 (588.908 km 2) and its area of occupancy (AOO) is <500 km 2 (12 km 2). Criterion “ a ” was selected because it is known to exist in only three locations, criterion “ b (iii) ” was selected because there is a projected decline in the area, extent, and quality of habitat. According to Luebert and Pliscoff (2017), the low tropical-desertic Andean scrub is not represented in the national system of protected area and its extent is projected to decrease by 48.45 % under the IPCC AR 5 scenario 2.6, and by 63.37 % under the scenario 8.5 for the period 2040–2070. Similarly, the low tropical-mediterranean Andean scrub dominated by Adesmia hystrix and Ephedra breana is expected to decrease its extent by 27.21 % under the IPCC AR 5 scenario 2.6 and by 30.05 % under the scenario 8.5 for the period 2040–2070. Additionally, high Andean plants are particularly sensitive to global warming and the reduction in snow cover and precipitation is worsened by the increase of temperatures which are predicted to keep rising by models of climate change ( Juliá et al. 2008; Cordero et al. 2019). Moreover, Cyphocarpus perennis is found in the second region with more mining concessions in Chile (after Antofagasta), with more than 8,918 concessions and nearly 2,500,000 ha under this real estate right (SERNAGEOMIN 2024). All localities where the species is found are under mining concessions (https://catastro.sernageomin.cl/). Finally, Cyphocarpus perennis is not present in any statal or private protected area in Chile. It is important to highlight that the type locality of the species is within the boundaries of the indigenous Colla community of Dos Álamos, and permission must be requested to enter.

Additional material examined.

Chile • Atacama Region: [Copiapó Province] Cerro Morros Negros 28°13'37"S, 69°37'45"W, 3637 m, 27 Dec 2024, Claire de Schrevel, Natali Cruz & Philippe Dandois CDS- 929 ( SGO!) ; • Cerro Morros Negros 28°13'38"S, 69°37'45"W, 3636 m, 27 Dec 2024, Claire de Schrevel, Natali Cruz & Philippe Dandois CDS- 930 ( SGO!) ; • Cerro Morros Negros 28°13'42"S, 69°37'48"W, 3613 m, 27 Dec 2024, Claire de Schrevel, Natali Cruz & Philippe Dandois CDS- 932 ( SGO!) ; • 24 km south of Iglesia Colorada, along route C- 463 , 27°43'22"S, 69°42'47"W, 9 Jan 2018, observation by Aira Francisca Faúndez Fallau (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50569276) ; • Approx. 17 km south of Carrizalillo along route C- 503 , 28°19'55"S, 69°49'31"W, 10 Jan 2018, observation by Aira Francisca Faúndez Fallau (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/50569279) .

Cyphocarpus innocuus : Chile • Coquimbo Region: [Choapa Province] Reserva Nacional Las Chinchillas, Qda. Los Pilques, 31°28'60"S, 71°04'60"W, 1100 m, 01 Oct 2002, L. Suarez 1115 ( CONC); • [Elqui Province] Los Algarrobos, Km. 40–41 Vicuña-Hurtado, 30°16'00"S, 70°39'00"W, 1200 m, 29 Nov 1939, R. Wagenknecht 18445 ( CONC); • Andacolla [Andacollo] Valley, 30°14'30"S, 71°04'16"W, 900 m, Oct 1927, C. Elliott & W. Balfour Gourlay 98 ( K); • Cerro Tololo, 30°10'00"S, 70°47'60"W, 1800 m, 07 Nov 2008, M. Rosas 6033 ( CONC); • Quebrada San Carlos, 30°04'60"S, 70°47'60"W, 700 m, Dec 1974, Edding & Villagrán s. n. ( CONC); • Quebrada San Carlos, 30°01'60"S, 70°49'00"W, 520 m, 05 Oct 1991, G. Arancio 91623 ( ULS); • 15 Km. Al interior de Guanta, 29°46'60"S, 70°19'00"W, 1850 m, 06 Dec 1991, G. Arancio 91948 ( ULS); Cuesta de Andacollo, 16 Sept 1957, C. Muñoz 4280 ( SGO); • [Limarí Province] Los Molles, 30°45'32"S, 70°39'23"W, 1207 m, 15 Nov 1996, L. Olivares s. n. ( ULS); • Corral Quemado, 30°25'00"S, 71°02'60"W, 1100 m, 30 Oct 1956, C. Jiles 3092 ( CONC); • 6 Km North of Hurtado, 4 Km S of Portezuelo tres cruces, 30°14'17"S, 70°38'47"W, 1800 m, 31 Oct 1997, T. Ayers et al. 1514 ( SGO); • Valparaiso Region: [Petorca Province] Cuesta de Alicahue, 32°16'19"S, 70°48'38"W, 1220 m, 06 Nov 2017, J. Macaya & al. 367 ( CONC); Cuesta Alicahue, 32°16'01"S, 70°48'31"W, 1100 m, 09 Nov 1970, JP. Simon 112 ( SGO).

Cyphocarpus psammophilus : Chile • Atacama Region: [Huasco Province] Cruce a observatorio La Silla, 29°14'45"S, 71°00'19"W, 999 m, 08 Oct 1991, G. Arancio 91604 ( ULS); • Cruce a observatorio La Silla, 29°14'39"S, 71°00'02"W, 980 m, 08 Oct 1991, G. Arancio 91609 ( ULS); • Peaje Cachiyuyo al Este, 29°04'60"S, 70°54'00"W, 370 m, 30 Oct 1991, G. Arancio 91753 ( ULS); • Panamericana, Cruce a Observatorio La Silla, 29°04'60"S, 70°54'00"W, 370 m, 23 Sept 1991, G. Arancio 91658 ( CONC); • 1 Km S de Cachiyuyo, 29°02'37"S, 70°54'16"W, 950 m, 22 Oct 1971, Marticorena & al. 1766 ( CONC); • Cachiyuyo, 29°01'60"S, 70°54'00"W, 23 Oct 1965, F. Behn s. n. ( CONC); • Cachiyuyo, 29°01'60"S, 70°54'00"W, 800 m, 19 Oct 1957, Ricardi & Marticorena 4460 ( CONC); • Camino a los observatorios La Silla y Campana, 29°01'44"S, 70°43'57"W, 1641 m, 23 Sept 1991, G. Arancio 91650 ( ULS); • Agua Amarga, 27.1 Km S of junction to Vallenar, 1.5 Km E of Hwy 5, 28°47'23"S, 70°46'19"W, 1050 m, 02 Nov 1997, T. Ayers et al. 1553 ( SGO); • C- 455 Los Morteros, 28°35'24"S, 70°24'25"W, 2062 m, 18 Nov 2022, C. De Schrevel 577 ( CONC); • C- 455 Los Morteros, 28°35'24"S, 70°24'25"W, 2062 m, 18 Nov 2022, C. De Schrevel 578 ( CONC); • Huasco. Qda. San Antonio, 28°29'59"S, 70°28'53"W, 1717 m, 14 Dec 2011, M. Rosas 7869 ( ULS).

Cyphocarpus rigescens : Chile • Atacama Region: [Chañaral Province] Ruta C- 257 al Oeste, 26°40'60"S, 69°43'60"W, 1845 m, 25 May 2007, L. Letelier & J. Reyes 1360 ( ULS); • [Copiapó Province] Quebrada Yerbas Buenas, 28°03'19"S, 70°14'48"W, 1200 m, 12 Oct 2010, M. Rosas 6988 ( ULS); • Valle del [Río] Jorquera, 28°00'00"S, 69°54'00"W, 12 Jan 1979, Gunckel 4056 ( CONC); • Quebrada de Totoral (Boquerones), 27°53'60"S, 70°46'60"W, 160–180 m, 24 Nov 1941, E. Pisano & R. Bravo 793 ( CONC, SGO); • Cerro Bandurrias, 27°51'33"S, 70°24'32"W, Dec 1888, Geisse 9569 ( CONC); • Valle del Río Jorquera, 27°49'60"S, 69°45'00"W, 12 Jan 1970, O. Zöllner 4056 ( CONC); • Camino a Lomas Bayas, 27°38'36"S, 70°00'56"W, 1385 m, 18 Oct 2022, C. de Schrevel 428 ( CONC); • Quebrada San Miguel, km 46, 27°30'10"S, 69°45'06"W, 2021 m, 19 Apr 2006, M. Rosas 3690 ( ULS); • Camino Tinogasta, Quebrada Cruz de Cañas, 27°13'00"S, 69°55'00"W, 1100 m, 06 Jan 1973, Marticorena & al. 473 ( CONC); • Hwy 31, 54–56 Km NE of Copiapó, 27°11'25"S, 69°54'28"W, 1165 m, 05 Nov 1997, T. Ayers et al. 1581 ( SGO); • Camino al Salar de Maricunga Km. 56, 27°04'44"S, 69°42'10"W, 1780 m, 31 Jan 1963, Ricardi & al. 541 ( CONC); Quebrada de San Andrés, 27°04'00"S, 69°42'00"W, 1000 m, 03 Nov 1963, F. Behn s. n. ( CONC); • Quebrada de Puquios, 1885, Geisse ( SGO); [Huasco Province] Inicio norte Cuesta Pajonales, Km 580, 29°09'49"S, 71°00'03"W, 1015 m, 28 Oct 2002, M. Muñoz 4250 ( SGO); • Cuesta Pajonales, 29°08'60"S, 70°58'00"W, 900 m, 16 Sept 1957, Ricardi & Marticorena 4382 / 767 ( CONC); • Cuesta Pajonales, 29°07'60"S, 70°58'60"W, 1150 m, 31 Oct 1991, R. Rodriguez 2763 ( CONC); • Cajon del Río Conay, 3 Km al interior de Conay, 28°58'00"S, 70°07'60"W, 1450 m, 13 Oct 1983, Marticorena 9558 ( CONC); • 1.5 Km al E de Conay, 28°55'00"S, 70°55'00"W, 2000 m, 12 Dec 2008, M. Rosas 6159 ( CONC); • Rio Laguna Grande, entre las Papas y Potrero de Toledo, 28°52'60"S, 70°07'60"W, 2000–2400 m, 19 Jan 1983, Marticorena & al. 83344 ( CONC); • Rio Laguna Grande, Entre la Junta de Valeriano y Las Papas, 28°51'00"S, 70°07'00"W, 1800–2000 m, 18 Jan 1983, Marticorena & al. 83313 ( CONC); • R. N. P. Los Huascoaltinos, Qda. Seca, 28°42'59"S, 70°13'00"W, 2067 m, 12 Dec 2008, Y. Tracol & M. Leon 6278-12 ( ULS); • Cuesta Los Morteros, Precordillera, 28°35'33"S, 70°28'57"W, 1940 m, 16 Oct 2011, Mieres s. n. ( CONC); • Quebrada Baratillo Sur, 28°22'17"S, 71°07'51"W, 55 m, 06 Oct 2017, C. Delpiano 520 ( ULS); • Quebrada Las Máquinas C- 461, 28°17'48"S, 70°23'47"W, 954 m, 25 Oct 2022, C. de Schrevel 464 ( CONC); • Sector Higuerita Norte, 28°11'53"S, 70°55'02"W, 418 m, 10 Nov 2008, A. Stoll & J. Nickerl 1519 ( ULS); • Camino a Carrizal Bajo, 28°07'60"S, 71°07'00"W, 250 m, 31 Oct 1991, G. Arancio 91685 ( CONC, ULS); • Camino Canto del Agua, Cerca de Carrizal Bajo, 28°07'17"S, 71°06'11"W, 83 m, 27 Sept 2016, P. Medina 3142 ( CONC); • Camino Totoral a carrizal, 28°04'37"S, 71°03'15"W, 585 m, 28 Oct 1989, J. Armesto 89734 ( ULS); • Cordón Aguadita, Cerro El Volcán, 10 May 1998, L. Minoletti s. n. ( SGO); • Coquimbo Region: [Elqui Province] Rio Seco, Los Choros, Tres Cruces, 30°13'00"S, 70°39'00"W, 700 m, 21 Sept 1975, O. Zöllner 8333 ( CONC); • Cerro Tololo, 30°10'00"S, 70°47'60"W, 1800 m, 26 Nov 1967, C. Jiles 5126 ( CONC); Camino a Hurtado, 30°08'60"S, 70°42'00"W, 1410 m, 23 Oct 2008, M. Rosas 5895 ( ULS); • Camino Río Hurtado-Vicuña, bajando hacia Vicuña, 30°08'32"S, 70°41'27"W, 1460 m, 11 Nov 2017, J. Macaya & al. 412 ( CONC); • 16 Km. N of Portezuelo tres cruces, 30 Km N of Hurtado, 12–14 Km S of Vicuña, 30°08'28"S, 70°41'22"W, 1400 m, 01 Nov 1997, T. Ayers et al. 1543 ( SGO); • 10 Km al sur de Vicuña, en el camino a Hurtado, 30°07'60"S, 70°40'60"W, 800–1000 m, 13 Oct 1940, G. Looser 4284 ( CONC); • Camino Vicuña-Hurtado, Cuesta el Almendro, 30°07'60"S, 70°40'60"W, 1150 m, 10 Oct 1939, R. Wagenknecht 18452 ( CONC); • Sides of Mountains near Payguano [Paihuano], 30°01'47"S, 70°30'48"W, 1841, Bridges 1298 (E); El Molle, 29°58'60"S, 70°55'60"W, 600 m, Nov 1952, C. Jiles 2347 ( CONC); • Quebrada Guanta, 29°49'60"S, 70°24'00"W, 1300 m, 06 Nov 1991, G. Arancio 91818 ( ULS); Cuesta de la viñita, al interior de Marquesa. Camino al Mineral de Arqueros, 29°48'59"S, 70°50'19"W, 20 Sept 1957, C. Muñoz 4205 ( SGO); • Mineral Los Plomos, 16 Km al S de Tres Cruces, 29°31'05"S, 70°56'59"W, 900–1200 m, 03 Nov 1949, W. Biese 2908 ( SGO); • Ruta D- 115, 29°27'50"S, 70°42'50"W, 1340 m, 26 Jan 2009, A. Stoll & G. Arancio 1970 ( ULS); • Los Corrales al N, 29°27'45"S, 70°38'29"W, 2028 m, 26 Jan 2009, A. Stoll & G. Arancio 1983 ( ULS); • Cerca Mineral Los Fierros, 29°22'60"S, 71°10'60"W, 540 m, 31 Oct 1961, R. Wagenknecht 908 ( CONC); • 104 Km S of Vallenar, near turnoff to Punta Colorada, 29°21'03"S, 71°02'21"W, 430 m, 01 Dec 1991, U. Eggli & B. E. Luenberger 1839 ( SGO); Rio Turbio, Volckmann s. n. ( SGO); • [Limarí Province] Corral Quemado, 30°25'00"S, 71°02'60"W, 1100 m, 05 Oct 1950, C. Jiles 3501 ( CONC).

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of Cyphocarpus. Green circles: C. rigescens; white triangles: C. innocuus; red squares: C. psammophilus; yellow stars: C. perennis. Type localities for each species are shown in black. Black line indicates boundaries between administrative regions of Chile and the borderline between Chile and Argentina. Service Layer Credits: Esri Maxar Earthstar Geographics and the GIS user community.

Figure 3. Cyphocarpus perennis. A – C. Habitat of Cyphocarpus perennis showing gravelly slopes dominated by Adesmia hystrix.

Figure 4. Cyphocarpus perennis. A. General view of the plant; B. Upper view of the plant; C. Details of the vegetative rosette.

Figure 5. Cyphocarpus perennis. A. Upper view of a flower; B. Lateral view of a flower showing corolla tube and calyx; C. Frontal view of a flower during the male phase of the protandry; D. Frontal view of a flower during the female phase of the protandry; E. abaxial side of a leaf; F. adaxial side of a leaf.