Nototriche chambii Mazzei & P.Gonzáles, 2025

3. Nototriche chambii Mazzei & P.Gonzáles , sp. nov. ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ).

Type:— PERU. Dept. Puno, Prov. Carabaya, Dist. Corani, Minaspata , 14°01’18.77”S, 70°41’35.93”W, 5,072 m, 15– 21 Oct. 2017. P. Gonzáles 3836 ( Holotype: USM [accession number] 349664; isotype: USM [accession number] 349665) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis:— Nototriche chambii is closely related to N. carabayensis but differs in having 7-lobed leaf lamina ( vs. 8–9 lobed in N. carabayensis ), longer corolla tubes ( 4–6 mm long vs. 3 mm), smaller petals (7–9 × 4–6 mm vs. 13–14 × 10 mm), the corolla is white ( vs. white cream corolla), small and undefined crown of 4–5 mm diam. ( vs. longer and inflate crown of 9 mm), and longer free part of the staminal tube ( 3.5–5.5 mm long vs. 1.8 mm).

Description:— Perennial, acaulescent, rosulate herb 3–5 cm in diameter; woody subcylindrical caudex, branched at the top, 5–15 cm long and 0.8–1.2 cm in diameter. Leaves numerous, arranged in rosettes of 2–4 cm in diameter; with sessile and stipitate stellate trichomes. Stipules and petioles fused together to form a broad, membranous sheath. Sheath 5–8 × 2–4 mm; free part of the stipules linear to triangular, 4–8 × 0.8–1 mm, apex acute, conspicuous middle nerve. Lamina flabellate, 7-lobed, lobes 0–1 lobuled (lobules originating in the middle part of each lobe); lobules oblanceolate, about (1)1.5–2.5 × (0.4) 1–1.3 mm, apex rounded. Adaxial lamina surface densely pubescent, abaxial surface glabrescent. Free part of the petiole, free part of the stipules and sheath glabrescent with stipitate trichomes at the margins. Flower solitary and subsessile, located below the point where the free parts of the stipules separate. Epicalyx absent. Calyx of fused sepals, campanulate, accrescent, 5-lobed, with purple veins; calyx tube 4–6 × 3.5–5 mm; lobes 3.5–5 × 3–5 mm, subacute apices; outer side hairy with larger hairs at the apex, inner side glabrous. Internal nectaries connivent, subdeltoid, with rounded apices, about 1 × 1.8–2 mm. Corolla white with purple veins, mustard when dry; corolla tube 4–6 mm long, glabrescent; free part of the petals symmetrical, obovate, apex retuse, glabrous, 7–9 × 4–6 mm. Free part of the staminal tube 3.5–5.5 × 1.5 mm, glabrous. Undefined crown 5-lobed, 4–5 mm diam. and 1–1.5 mm high; non–fused lobes, trapezoid shaped, 1 mm wide; anthers arranged in a subglobose mass. Ovary conical, with 6 carpels; uniovulate carpels, erect ovum; styles and stigmas in equal numbers as carpels; stigma capitate, violet. Schizocarpic fruit; 6 dehiscent mericarps, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm, with two awns 1.8–2.3 mm long, wall glabrous, back and awns hairy with stellate trichomes of 1.5 mm long. Reniform seed, 1.8 × 1.5 mm, sulcate back, greyish to brown.

Etymology:— This species is named in honour of Martín Jerónimo Chambi Jiménez (1891–1973), who was born in Carabaya ( Puno), the same province where this species is found. Chambi was one of the greatest photographers of the Peruvian Andes. The name also underscores the vital role of photography as a tool for documenting and communicating both the social reality and the natural landscapes of the Andes.

Distribution and habitat:— Nototriche chambii is known only for the type locality, in the district of Corani in the province of Carabaya (Dept. of Puno), an area located on the eastern side of the Western Andes mountain range of the Andes ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ). This species grows in cryoturbated soils, above 5,000 –5,100 m. It is often found in scattered groups of rosettes; the type specimen was found flowering in the month of July. Along with this species grow others species such as Nototriche carabayensis P.Gonzáles, Ed.Navarro & Chanco ( Gonzáles et al. 2015:110) , Werneria marcida S.F. Blake ( Blake 1928: 492) , Werneria pseudodigitata Rockh. ( Rockhausen 1939: 288) ( Asteraceae ), and Weberbauera incisa Al-Shehbaz, P.Gonzáles & A. Cano ( Al-Shehbaz et al. 2015: 6) ( Brassicaceae ).

Preliminary Conservation threat assessment:— So far, the distribution area of this species ranges from 10–20 hectares in the type locality and in cryoturbated soils. Here is evidence that mining activity has existed very close to the distribution area of this species. However, considering that this species is only known from the type locality, according to the IUCN (2022) criteria it is considered as a Data Deficient (DD) species.

Discussion:— Nototriche chambii is morphologically related to N. carabayensis P.Gonzáles, Chanco & Ed. Navarro ( Gonzáles et al. 2015: 108) , N. peruviana Chanco ( Chanco 1992: 14) and N. antoniana Chanco ( Chanco 1992: 12) by the flabellate shape of their lamina and the presence of a crown between the insertion of the petals and the staminal tube.

Despite these similarities, these species differ in several characters ( Table 3). Nototriche chambii has a 7-lobed lamina ( vs. 8–9 lobes in N. carabayensis ), a 7.5–11 mm long calyx ( vs. 14 mm), a 4–6 mm long corolla tube ( vs. 3 mm), petals 7–9 × 4–6 mm ( vs. 13–14 × 10 mm), and a white corolla with purple veins ( vs. cream-white with reddish veins in N. carabayensis ). The free part of the staminal tube measures 3.5–5.5 mm long ( vs. 2 mm), surrounded by an undefined crown of 4–5 mm in diameter and 1–1.5 mm high ( vs. a well-defined, cupuliform crown 9 mm in diameter and 1.8 mm high). The populations of N. chambii and N. carabayensis grow sympatrically.

Unlike Nototriche carabayensis , N. peruviana and N. antoniana share with N. chambii the characteristic of having a lamina with 7 or fewer lobes and crown lobes not completely fused. However, N. peruviana is distinguished by having a hairy corolla tube ( vs. glabrous in N. chambii ), a dark purple corolla ( vs. white with purple veins), a staminal tube free part 1.5 mm long ( vs. 3.5–5.5 mm), and a patelliform crown ( vs. undefined crown). It is distributed in the province of Pasco, department of Pasco, and its nearest populations are separated by over 700 km from those of N. chambii .

Nototriche antoniana differs from N. chambii by its scutelliform nectaries ( vs. subdeltoid in N. chambii ), a white to bluish corolla ( vs. white with purple veins), and a patelliform crown ( vs. undefined crown). It is found in the province of Huari, department of Áncash, with the closest populations more than 800 km distant from those of N. chambii .