Nototriche heroica Mazzei, 2025

4. Nototriche heroica Mazzei , sp. nov. ( Figs. 9 View FIGURE 9 , 10 View FIGURE 10 ).

Type: — PERU. Dept. Tacna, Prov. Tarata, Dist. Tarata, before Área de Conservación Regional Vilacota Maure , 17° 19’ 32.47” S, 69° 52’ 22.023” W, 4,755 m, 02 Mar. 2024. P. Mazzei et al. 568 ( Holotype: USM [accession number] 347127; isotype: USM [accession number] 347122, ODU) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis:— Nototriche heroica is closely related to N. estipulata . It is differentiated by having wider lamina ( 6.5–10 mm vs. 5–6 mm), stipulate leaves ( vs. exstipulate), glabrescent abaxial lamina surface ( vs. densely pubescent), densely pubescent corolla tube ( vs. glabrous), and longer staminal tube ( 4.5–5 mm vs. 1.5–2 mm).

Description:— Perennial, acaulescent, rosulate herb 2–3 cm in diameter, caespitose; slender subcylindrical caudex, very branched at the top, 5–10 cm long and just over 0.5 cm in diameter. Leaves numerous, arranged in rosettes of 1–1.5 cm in diameter; greyish tomentum with tiny stellate trichomes. Stipules and petioles fused together to form a broad, membranous sheath. Sheath 5–6 mm long; free part of the stipules triangular, purplish, 2–3.3 × 0.5–1.5 mm, apex acute, middle nerve not very pronounced. Lamina widely flabellate, 7–9 lobed; lobes ovate, about 1 × 1.5 mm, apices obtuse. Adaxial lamina surface densely pubescent, abaxial surface glabrescent. Free part of the petiole glabrescent, free part of the stipules only with short filiform trichomes on the margins; sheath only with short filiform trichomes on the margins. Flower solitary and sessile, located below the point where the free parts of the stipules separate. Epicalyx absent. Calyx of fused sepals, campanulate, accrescent, 5-lobed; calyx tube 7–8 mm × 5–6 mm; lobes 2–3 × 1.8–2 mm, apices subacute; outer side densely hairy, inner side hairy towards the margins of the lobes. Internal nectaries isolated, with rounded apices, about 0.7 mm in diameter. Corolla whitish to pinkish, brown when dry; corolla tube 4–5 mm long, hairy; free part of the petals slightly asymmetrical, obovate, apex obtuse, glabrous, 6–7 × 1.8–2.3 mm. Staminal tube 4.5–5 × 1 mm, glabrous; anthers arranged in a globose mass. Ovary subglobose, with 8 carpels; uniovulate carpels, erect ovum; styles in equal numbers as carpels; stigma capitate. Ripe fruit not observed; immature fruit with 8 mericarps hairy on the back and edge. Seed not observed.

Etymology:— This new species is named with the epithet “ heroica ” based on the heroic participation of the departments of Moquegua and Tacna during the historical events of the Independence of Peru and the Pacific War. The presence of stipules, which distinguishes it from the related species N. estipulata and N. auricoma , being a visual metaphor for these events, evoking the image of a pair of raised swords and symbolizing the spirit of the region in its defense of the Peruvian territory.

Distribution and habitat:— Nototriche heroica is known in the districts of Tarata (province of Tarata, department of Tacna) and Carumas (province of Mariscal Nieto, department of Moquegua), an area located on the western side of the western Andean mountain range ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ). This species grows in sandy cryoturbated soils, on rocky slopes and summits, around scattered bushes, between 4,500 –4,700 m elevation. It is common to find it in groups of small rosettes. The type specimens were found flowering in the month of March. This species is associated with other species characteristic of cryoturbated soils ( Montesinos-Tubée et al. 2021), such as Nototriche foetida Ulbrich ( Ulbrich 1932: 530) , Nototriche rugosa (Phil.) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1906: 579) , Nototriche obcuneata (Baker f.) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1906: 579) , Nototriche pulverulenta B.L.Burtt & A.W. Hill ( Burtt & Hill 1948: 135) ( Malvaceae ) and Stangea rhizhanta (A. Grey) Killip ( Killip 1937: 317) ( Caprifoliaceae ).

Preliminary Conservation threat assessment:— At least three populations of this species have been found, for which we estimate an area of occupancy of more than 240 km 2. There is no clear evidence that there is anthropogenic activity near the distribution area of this species. However, considering that there is currently a lack of sufficient data on threats, habitat conditions and populations size, according to the IUCN (2022) criteria it is considered as a Data Deficient (DD) species.

Discussion:— Nototriche heroica is morphologically related to N. auricoma (Phil.) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1906: 579) and N. estipulata A.W. Hill (Hill 1948: 579) by the widely flabellate form of their lamina, slender caudex, their densely hairy adaxial lamina surface, a calyx with entire lobes, glabrescent petiole, and the presence of a corolla tube.

Despite these similarities, these species differ in several characters ( Table 4). Nototriche heroica has well-developed stipules ( vs. absent in N. estipulata ), a 9–13 mm long petiole ( vs. 8–11 mm), a hairy corolla tube ( vs. glabrous), and a staminal tube 4.5–5 mm long ( vs. 1.5–2 mm). N. heroica is found in the departments of Moquegua and Tacna in southern Peru, while N. estipulata inhabits the regions of Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta in Chile; their closest populations are separated by about 100 km.

Unlike Nototriche estipulata , N. auricoma shares with N. heroica the presence (though reduced) of stipules. However, N. auricoma differs by having poorly developed stipules ( vs. well-developed in N. heroica ), a 5-lobed lamina ( vs. 7–9 lobed), incano–golden tomentum ( vs. greyish tomentum in N. heroica ), and a yellowish corolla ( vs. whitish to pinkish). It is distributed in the Chilean regions of Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta, and its closest populations are separated by about 100 km from those of N. heroica .

Additional specimens examined:— PERU. Dept. Moquegua, Prov. Mariscal Nieto, Dist. Carumas, Before Anilune, 16° 45’ 0.307” S, 70° 27’ 54.04” W, 4,592 m, 01 Mar. 2024. Piero Mazzei, Yoissy Pari , Sandro Sardon & Iván Sardon 532 ( USM [accession number] 347128; ODU). Dept. Tacna, Prov. Tarata, Dist. Tarata, Near Ccalaccalani, 17° 22’ 39.279” S, 69° 53’ 48.47” W, 4,574 m, 02 Mar. 2024. Piero Mazzei, Yoissy Pari, Sandro Sardon & Iván Sardon 574 ( USM [accession number] 347123; ODU) GoogleMaps .