Phymaspermum junceum sensu Less. (1832)

Phymaspermum junceum sensu Less. (1832) View in CoL non Osteospermum junceum Berg. [See Magee et al. 2013]

Single-stemmed, leafy shrub, 0.5–1.6 m high. Stem much-branched; branches erect to spreading, silvery pubescent; fascicles sometimes present in leaf axils. Leaves alternate, spreading to erect, 6.0–25.0 × 1.1–2.0 mm, linear, mucronate, revolute, entire to trifid, without petiole-like base, sometimes with secondary basal lobes, silver hairs on both surfaces, fleshy to leathery; basal swelling present, continuous with stem ribs; lobes 2–3, 2.0–7.0 × 1.0 mm, linear, mucronate. Capitula radiate, heterogamous, terminal, solitary, with 0–3 additional capitula from leaf axils below, pedunculate; peduncles 15–95 mm long, silvery pubescent. Involucre 5.0–6.0 × 6.0–9.0 mm, hemispherical, rarely tapering at the base; involucral bracts 4-seriate, tightly arranged, margins and apices scarious, membranous apices of all bracts 0.5–1.8 mm long, villous silvery hairs, brown margins sometimes present, median resin canals present; outer bracts triangular to lanceolate, 3.3–3.4 mm long, acute; middle bracts lanceolate to oblong, 4.3–4.5 mm long, acute; inner bracts oblong, 5.7–6.2 mm long, acute to obtuse; innermost bracts oblong, 6.5–7.0 mm long, rounded. Receptacle convex; paleae in marginal series, narrowly oblong, 5.2–6.0 mm long, rounded, scarious. Ray florets 10–22; tube 1.1–4.2 mm long; limb obovate, 10.0–12.0 × 3.0– 4.3 mm, apically 3-dentate, rarely entire or 2-dentate, white to mauve. Disc florets up to 100, without resin canals; corolla 3.5–4.0 mm long, with only glandular trichomes, yellow; tube 1.6–1.7 mm long; limb campanulate, 1.7 mm long (excluding lobes); lobes spreading, 0.7–0.8 mm long, triangular. Anthers 4.3–6.5 mm long (including apical appendage); apical appendage ovate. Style 2.8–3.6 mm long (excluding branches); branches 1.0– 1.3 mm long. Cypselas 2.5 × 0.8 mm, oblong to obovate, 10-ribbed, apical rim absent, inconspicuous glandular trichomes present, dense, appearing sessile on ribs, mucilaginous when soaked, discontinuous resin canals in ribs absent. Figure 8 View FIG .

Diagnostic Characters — Phymaspermum leptophyllum is unique in that the epidermal cells of the cypselas are anticlinally elongated so that they obscure the ribs and hide much of the stalk on the trichomes, making them appear sessile. It can be confused with the sympatric and closely related P. aphyllum both of which have linear leaves and

lanceolate to oblong involucral bracts (outer bracts of P. leptophyllum are sometimes triangular). However, in addition to the anticlinally elongated epidermal cells of the cypselas P. leptophyllum differs from P. aphyllum in that it is more densely leafy, with persistent leaves, ± 1.0–2.0 mm wide, the branches are not longitudinally white striped and the peduncles do not become spinescent ( Fig. 1L View FIG ).

Distribution and Ecology — Phymaspermum leptophyllum is endemic to the Little Karoo where it occurs on quartz outcrops ( Vlok and Schutte-Vlok 2010), at an altitude of 400–650 m, from Montagu to Oudtshoorn ( Fig. 8G View FIG ). Flowering is from May to November.

Additional Specimens Examined — SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape: 3320 (Montagu): Wildehondekloof Pass, 44 km E of Montagu (–AD), Nordenstam and Lundgren 1194 (PRE); Near Barrydale (–DC), Morris 168 (BOL, PRE); 12 miles SW of Barrydale (–DC), Theron 2032 (BOL). 3321 (Ladismith): Ladismith (–AD), Bayliss 2814 (NBG); Levyns 7488 (BOL), Levyns 7487 a (BOL); Ladismith, koppie behind the town (–AD), Levyns 11145 (BOL). Little Karoo, Noukloof Nature Reserve, level spur N of road, 2.8 km from north gate where road reaches its highest point (–CA), Laidler 465 (PRE); Klein Karoo, Kliphoogte by Springfontein (–CC), Bohnen 9371 (NBG, PRE); Little Karoo, Gouritsrivier (–DC), Ecklon 622 (MO–image, P–image, S–image). 3322 (Oudtshoorn): lower northern slopes of Outeniqua Mountains, near Saffraanrivier Farm (–CC), Vlok 2402 (PRE); road from Oudtshoorn to Robinson Pass (–CC), Ueckert and Oberprieler 10274 (B–image); 23 km along R328 from Oudtshoorn to Mossel Bay (–CC), Magee and Boatwright 372 (NBG); Perdepoort (–CD), Tyson 3078 (BOL, SAM); Uniondale, Laudina (–DB), Esterhuysen 6502 (PRE, BOL- three sheets); Laudina store (–DB), Acocks 14642 (PRE).

PRECISE LOCALITY UNKNOWN: Karoo, Ecklon s.n. (G-DC–image).

cal rim absent, glandular trichomes present, dense, scattered, mucilaginous when soaked, discontinuous resin canals in ribs absent. Figure 9 View FIG .

Diagnostic Characters — Phymaspermum aphyllum has in the past been incorrectly identified as P. junceum (Berg.) Less. (the latter now a synonym of Osteospermum junceum, Magee et al. 2013 ). It is a sparsely leafy shrub with caducous leaves, ± 0.5 mm wide, longitudinally white striped stems which are densely white wooly between the ribs and persistent peduncles which often become spinescent. It differs further from the closely related P. leptophyllum by the obviously ribbed cypselas with prominently stalked myxogenic trichomes. In P. leptophyllum the cypselas appear unribbed and the myxogenic trichomes appear sessile due to the prominently elongated epidermal cells.

Distribution and Ecology — Phymaspermum aphyllum is known from only a handful of localities between Barrydale and the Witteberg in the Little Karoo at an altitude of around 700 m ( Fig. 9G View FIG ). The leaves of this species are apparently highly palatable for livestock (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok pers. comm.). Flowering is from June to December.

Additional Specimens Examined — SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape: 3320 (Montagu): 14 miles SSE of Laingsburg (–BB), Acocks 20509 (PRE); Ladismith, Farm Comae, near Plathuis Station (–DB), Van Breda 4407 (PRE); Swellendam, “Poortfontein”, along Barrydale/ Ladismith road (–DD), Van Breda 4545 (PRE).