Arctotis gazanioides R. J. McKenzie & Helme 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Robert, McKenzie
name: Helme, Nick
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Asterales
Asteraceae
Arctotis
Arctotis gazanioides

description: Key to species allied toArctotis gazanioides
This key is to the perennial Arctotis species with scapigerous shoots and an ‘ acaulis ’- type cypsela in which the cypsela is conspicuously constricted at the base, with three abaxial wings fused above the cypsela base, and crowned with a biseriate pappus of scales. Wherever possible, material from mature (ideally fruiting) plants should be used for reliable identification in Arctotis. Young plants of rhizomatous species might appear taprooted but are identifiable from leaf characters.
1a. Rootstock taprooted, woody, ± turbinate, often lacking secondary roots in upper portion; aerial shoots arising from rootstock crown:
2a. Mature leaves discolorous, adaxial surface pilose or glabrescent, not densely lanate, abaxial surface densely lanate, either simple (lamina outline ovate to elliptic) or pinnatisect or lyrate-pinnatisect (lamina outline obovate to elliptic; terminal lobe ovate, rarely ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic), with 0–5(–7) pairs of lateral lobes 2–35 mm long, the longest lobes typically similar in length to terminal lobe width; apical appendage of outer involucral bracts 3.0–8.5(–10.5) mm long, ascending or reflexed................................. Arctotis acaulis L. var. acaulis
2b. Mature leaves densely lanate on adaxial and abaxial surfaces, usually simple (lamina outline ovate to subcordate), rarely lyrate-pinnatisect (lamina outline obovate to obovate-elliptic; terminal lobe ovate to subcordate) with 1–2 pairs of lateral lobes 2–15 mm long and considerably shorter than terminal lobe width; apical appendage of outer involucral bracts 0.5–2.5(–7.0) mm long, appressed or ascending or shortly reflexed............................. Arctotis verbascifolia Harv.
1b. Rootstock rhizomatous, rhizomes stout, woody, branching, with abundant fibrous adventitious roots; aerial shoots terminal on rhizome branches:
3a. Leaves simple (lamina outline lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic), or pinnatisect (lamina outline lanceolate-elliptic or obovate-elliptic; terminal lobe lanceolate, lanceolate-elliptic or lanceolate-ovate), lateral lobes usually longer or of similar length to terminal lobe width, lobe apex frequently curved towards leaf apex; cypsela abaxial and lateral (radial) surfaces sparsely to moderately lanate................... Arctotis gazanioides sp. nov.
3b. Leaves simple (lamina outline ovate to subcordate) or lyrate-pinnatisect (lamina outline obovate to obovate-elliptic; terminal lobe ovate to subcordate), lateral lobes similar in length or shorter than terminal lobe width, lobe apex not curved towards leaf apex; cypsela abaxial and lateral (radial) surfaces glabrous........ Arctotis acaulis var. undulata DC.
Arctotis gazanioides R.J.McKenzie & Helme, sp. nov.
Type: SOUTH AFRICA, Northern Cape, Nieuwoudtville (3119): Avontuur Nature Reserve (–AC), 29 Sept. 2019, R.J. McKenzie 3536 (NBG, holo.; GRA, K, PRE, iso.)
Evergreen herb initially rosulate, caespitose with age, clumps to ± 400 mm diameter and 100–200 mm tall. Rootstock of young plants taprooted, rhizomatous with age, rhizome cylindrical, stout, branching, woody, to ± 15 mm diameter, bearing abundant fibrous adventitious roots. Stems terminal on rhizome branches, internodes indistinct. Leaves crowded basally, spreading to ascending, lamina simple to pinnatisect (typically varying on the same plant), lamina simple (outline lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic) or pinnatisect (outline lanceolate-elliptic or obovate-elliptic), (40–)60–180 × (6–) 10–27 mm, length:width ratio 1.9–6.7, terminal lobe when present lanceolate, lanceolate-ovate or lanceolate-elliptic, 20–60(–80) × 6–25 mm, length:width ratio 1.5–7.1, acute to obtuse, lateral lobes 0–4 pairs, longest lobes usually exceeding terminal lobe width, decreasing in length towards leaf base, oblong to oblong-triangular, often antrorse (i.e., lobe apex curved towards leaf apex), 2.5–15 × 1.5–14 mm wide at base, obtuse, lamina plane or subcanaliculate, margin plane or weakly undulate, dentate-crenate to incised, mucronate, discolorous, adaxial surface with soft short dense pilose pubescence, developing leaves sparsely–moderately lanate becoming glabrescent, abaxial surface densely lanate between major veins, pseudopetiolate, pseudopetiole 20–70 × 2–4 mm, whitish green or reddish purple, adaxial surface sparsely lanate, abaxial surface densely lanate between ribs, often with dense translucent pilose pubescence on both surfaces, base broadened, 3–6 mm wide, semi-amplexicaul, exauriculate, base densely lanate on both surfaces. Capitulum terminal, scapose, radiate, 40–55 mm diameter across open rays. Peduncle erect, longitudinally ribbed, densely lanate between ribs, dense dark red-purple pilose pubescence along entire length, 90–150 mm long, elongating until fruit maturation, naked. Involucre multiseriate, 14–18 × 18–21 mm; outer bracts triangular to triangular-ovate, appendiculate, glabrous to sparsely lanate, margins often flushed red-purple, base 1.5–5.6 × 1.2–4.2 mm, apical appendage linear, reflexed, 2.0–8.8 × 0.5–2.5 mm, obtuse, adaxial surface moderately lanate and pilose, abaxial surface densely lanate, appendage length:base length ratio 1.0–2.0; medial bracts ovate-triangular, margins flushed red-purple, obtuse to rounded, appendage rudimental or lacking, glabrous; inner bracts ovateoblong to obovate-oblong, glabrous, obtuse to rounded, occasionally retuse, 10–16 × 2–5 mm, margin entire to erose, usually flushed red-purple, glabrous. Receptacle hemispherical, shallowly alveolate, alveolae to 1.25 mm high, fimbriate, fimbria to 4.3 mm long. Ray florets 21–27, functionally female, ray limb 18–24 × 4.4–4.9 mm, acute to obtuse, tridentate, limb adaxial surface orange or yellow-orange with black spot at base, adaxial lobe absent, abaxial surface flushed red-purple, abaxial surface with moderate glandular hairs, corolla tube glabrous, 3.9–4.0 × 1.11.2 mm; staminodes ovate-lanceolate, blackish; style arms ovate-lanceolate, blackish green, 1.0–1.2 × 0.40.5 mm; cypsela obovoid-obconical, base conspicuously constricted below the cavities, 3.0– 3.5 mm long × 2.2–2.4 mm wide (tangential) × 2.1–2.5 mm wide (radial), abaxial surface with three wings fused above the base and forming two cavities, medial wing equal in length to or slightly longer than lateral wings, lateral wings hardly incurved, cavities 1.5–1.6 × 0.5–0.6 mm, triangular-linear, obtuse at base, wing margin entire or with incurved acute triangular-linear teeth to 0.5 mm long, partially to ± fully occluding cavity in lower half, medial wing margin entire or rugose-dentate; abaxial surface sparsely lanate, lateral (radial) surfaces moderately lanate, adaxial surface densely lanate; basal whorl of twin hairs ± equal in length to or slightly longer than cypsela, to 3.8 mm long, twin hair apex shortly forked (to 0.1 mm) of unequal or equal length; apical plate shortly pubescent, twin hairs to 0.6 mm long; pappus of scales, biseriate, pigmented purple-brown, strawbrown or ± translucent, outer whorl 0.4–2.1 × 0.40.8 mm, longer on adaxial side, lanceolate to obovateoblong, acute to obtuse, lacerate to erose, inner whorl longer than cypsela, 3.7–7.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, longer on abaxial side, obovate to obovate-oblong, rounded to obtuse, erose, outer surface acutely papillate. Disc florets ∞, outer florets hermaphrodite, inner florets functionally male, corolla funnelform, corolla tube 4.0–5.0 × 1.4–1.5 mm, glabrous, corolla lobes abaxial surface black, adaxial surface greenish orange, 1.2–1.8 × 0.7–0.9 mm, glandular trichomes sparse–moderate; anthers blackish, apical appendage subrotund-ovate, rounded, pollen orange-yellow; style thickening blackish grey, 1.9–2.2 mm long, arms oblong-ovate, to 0.4 mm long; cypsela of outer florets as for ray florets. Figures 1–3.
Distribution and habitat
Known only from a small area on the Bokkeveld Plateau north of Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa (Figure 4). The species is associated with seasonally wet loamy sands in the Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 1) vegetation unit (Rebelo et al. 2006).
Ecology
The species grows in seasonally wet, deep loamy sand at approximately 800 m elevation. The seasonally wet areas constitute discrete localised areas within a matrix of the surrounding fynbos and transitional renosterveld vegetation. Average annual rainfall at Avontuur is approximately 400 mm falling predominantly in winter (March–October), but with a strong rainfall gradient from the edge of the Bokkeveld Escarpment eastwards and marked inter-annual variability in the Nieuwoudtville area (Snijman & Perry 1987; Oettlé et al. 2019). The flowering period is August–October.
Etymology
The epithet is an adjective derived from the genus name Gazania and the suffix - oides, indicating resemblance, alluding to the superficial resemblance to certain Gazania Gaertn. species in producing dimorphic leaves (simple and pinnatisect forms).
Illustration
Oettlé et al. (2019): 122 (“ Arctotis species nova ”).
Diagnosis and relationships
Perennial herb differing from Arctotis acaulis L. var. undulata DC. in having leaves with a lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic lamina (when simple) or terminal lobe (when pinnatisect) (versus ovate to subcordate in both cases), and cypselae lanate on all surfaces (versus cypselae glabrous or lanate only on adaxial surface); and from Arctotis acaulis L. var. acaulis in having a branching rhizome bearing abundant fibrous adventitious roots (versus ± turbinate taproot), and leaf lamina lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic in outline (versus variable in outline but never lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic).
Arctotis gazanioides is hypothesised to be closely allied to A. acaulis on the basis of cypsela morphology (see McKenzie et al. 2005). Arctotis gazanioides is diagnosable by the combination of a rhizomatous habit, leaves with a lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic lamina (when simple) or lanceolate to lanceolate-elliptic terminal lobe (when pinnatisect), and cypselae lanate on all surfaces. Arctotis gazanioides and A. acaulis var. undulata are hypothesised to have arisen independently from A. acaulis -like progenitors as adaptations to seasonally inundated habitats. Arctotis gazanioides is distinguishable from other morphologically similar species by caulescence, lamina shape, pubescence and involucral bract characters (Table 1).
Conservation status
The species is geographically localised, being currently known from a single property, and is ecologically specialised. It is currently protected within the Avontuur Nature Reserve, which contains the last extensive area of relatively undisturbed Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos on the northern Bokkeveld Plateau (Oettlé et al. 2019). Currently, the reserve is partly managed for sustainable agricultural production. Most of the similar habitat on nearby properties in the area has been transformed by cultivation, and it is likely that most other potential subpopulations have thus been lost, but much of this loss probably occurred more than 30 years ago. Predicted climate change as a result of global warming, leading to a warmer and drier regional climate with a shorter rainfall season (Engelbrecht et al. 2009), may impact on the future extent of available habitat. The Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is <10 km 2 and Area of Occupancy (AOO) is <2 km 2. Given the plausible potential threats noted here, a conservation status of VU D2 (IUCN 2012) is warranted.
Additional specimens examined
SOUTH AFRICA. Northern Cape: Nieuwoudtville (3119): 20 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Avontuur 641, 1 km E of Klipvlei (–AC), 9 Sept. 2012, N.A. Helme 7620 (NBG); Avontuur Nature Reserve (–AC), 25 Sept. 2019, R.J. McKenzie 3524, 3533, 3535 (NBG).
description: Published as part of Robert, McKenzie & Helme, Nick, 2022, Arctotis gazanioides (Asteraceae: Arctotideae), a new species from the Bokkeveld Plateau, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, pp. 1-8 in Bothalia (a 10) (a 10) 52 (1) on pages 2-6, DOI: 10.38201/btha.abc.v52.i1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/10515145