Aptenia × vascosilvae Gideon F.Sm., E.Laguna, F.Verloove & P.P.Ferrer, 2020

Aptenia × vascosilvae Gideon F.Sm., E.Laguna, F.Verloove & P.P.Ferrer , nothosp. nov.

[ A. cordifolia (L.f.) Schwantes × A. haeckeliana (A.Berger) Bittrich ex Gerbaulet ].

Type:— SPAIN. Valencia: El Saler, próximo La Kasba , 30SYJ3159, 2 m a.s.l., 10 February 2020, Laguna s.n. (holotype VAL! , isotype ABH! 1) .

Diagnosis:— Aptenia × vascosilvae is a long- and weak-stemmed, soil-hugging creeper that remains prostrate or will scramble into surrounding plants. The stems are thin and brittle and break rather easily. The leaves of A. × vascosilvae are usually basally cuneate as in A. haeckeliana , not cordate as in A. cordifolia , and a light to mid-green colour. The flowers of A. × vascosilvae are bright strawberry red and not bright pinkish purple as in A. cordifolia , nor yellowish as in A. haeckeliana ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ).

Description:—Perennial, prostrate, freely branching, leaf succulent. Roots fibrous. Stems and branches to 100 cm long, creeping, rooting at nodes, four-angled to slightly cylindrical, light green when young, aging light greyish brown; internodes 1–5 cm long. Leaves ± 25 × 20 mm, light to mid-green, sometimes creamy- to white-variegated, flat, soft-fleshy, opposite sometimes becoming alternate, broadly to somewhat ovate; blade surface shimmering-shiny as a result of the presence of minute bladder cells; base cuneate, more rarely flattened, sometimes asymmetrical, not cordate; petiole ± 10 mm long. Flowers 1.5–2.0 cm in diameter, daisy-like in appearance, usually solitary, pedicels short; sepals ± free, 2–5 mm long; ‘ petals ’ bright strawberry red; ovary inferior. Fruit 4-celled capsules to 15 mm in diameter, usually smaller.

Chromosome number:—unknown.

Etymology:—The epithet vascosilvae honours Vasco Manuel Almeida da Silva (2 July 1978, Évora, Portugal-) who studied at the Universidade de Évora, and is currently reading for a PhD degree at the Centre for Applied Ecology Prof. Baeta Neves, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. He is based in Cascais west of Lisbon, from where he provides scientific and technical consulting services, including floristic surveys, habitat assessments, and vegetation monitoring and management plans. Vasco has a longstanding interest in the indigenous and exotic floras of Portugal, including in succulent plants. He has published nomenclatural novelties under ‘Vasco Silva’.

Phenology:—Main flowering time is February‒August, whereas fruiting time is July‒October (northern hemisphere). In South Africa Aptenia × vascosilvae has been observed to sporadically flower, often profusely, throughout the year, but usually with a peak in spring and early summer.

Specimens examined (paratypes):— Aptenia × vascosilvae :— SOUTH AFRICA. Gauteng province. 2528 (Pretoria): ex hort. domestic gardens , (–CB), as Aptenia ‘Red Apple’, 10 March 2019 (both specimens), Smith & Figueiredo 71 & 72 ( PRU). SPAIN. Castellón, Orpesa, bc. de Bellver , 31TBE5239, 18 December 2004, Herrero-Borgoñón s.n. ( VAL190843 ) ; Valencia, Sot de Chera, fuente del Pocillo , 30SXJ7987, 320 m, 09 May 2004, Torres Gómez s.n. ( VAL217650 ) ; Valencia, Chelva, hacia La Playeta , 30SXK7001, 420 m, 01 November 2006, Torres Gómez s.n. ( VAL217796 ) ; Valencia, Godelleta, Camino de Buñol , 30SXJ9966, 260 m, 05 November 2013, Campestre s.n. ( VAL220027 ) .

Notes:—Some of the leaves on a specimen collected by Villaescusa & Tirado vary from lanceolate to sublanceolate, whereas other ones are cordate or even subhastate, as is commonly found in Aptenia cordifolia . In addition, in terms of shape, size, and consistency, the sepals of this specimen more closely resemble those as found in A. cordifolia , and not those of A. × vascosilvae . Finally, this specimen was collected on 20 October 1990, whereas A. × vascosilvae was for the first time observed as a cultivated plant that escaped into natural vegetation in Spain by the end of the 1990s, some 10 years later, therefore.

Specimen excluded:— Aptenia cordifolia :—Castellón, Alcalà de Xivert, Platja Romana, 31TBE 65, 2 m, 20 October 1990, Villaescusa & Tirado s.n. (VAL-26320).