Polylepis albicans, Pilger, Bot. Jahrb. Syst.

1. POLYLEPIS ALBICANS Pilger View in CoL ,

Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 37: 535. 1906.

TYPE: PERU. Ancash, Cordillera Blanca above Caraz, Jun 1903, Weberbauer 3229 (holotype: B destroyed, photograph in F!, GH!, NY!).

Trees 3–7 m tall. Leaves strongly congested at the branch tips, imparipinnate with 4–5 pairs of leaflets, obtrullate in outline, 3.5–4.9 X (2.5–) 2.8–3.4 cm; rachises densely sericeous, points of leaflet attachment with a tuft of long, straight hairs, with ferruginous resin at leaflet insertion; stipular sheaths apically acute with spurs, densely sericeous on the outer surfaces; leaflets elliptic in outline, second pair from the terminal leaflet the largest, one of this pair 1.4–2.0 X 0.4–0.7 cm; margin crenulate, coriaceous, apically emarginate, basally unequally cordate; upper leaflet surfaces glabrous or sparsely sericeous; lower leaflet surfaces densely sericeous with short silky hairs 0.3–0.5 mm. long. Inflorescences pendent, 3.9–6.6(7.5) cm long, bearing 18–21 flowers; floral bracts 5.5–6.9 mm long, narrowly triangular, densely sericeous on the outer surface; rachises sericeous. Flowers 3.4–7.5 mm diam; sepals 3–4, ovate, green, densely sericeous outside; stamens 7–18, anthers orbicular, with a dense tuft of straight white hairs on the upper half; styles fimbriate, 1.4–3.2 mm long. Fruits turbinate, with variable numbers and placement of flattened spines, densely sericeous; 3.1–5.6 X 2.3–5.6 mm, including spines.

Distribution and Habitat — Polylepis albicans occurs in northwestern Peru in the Cordillera Blanca in Ancash and in the adjacent high Andes of La Libertad. It grows in semi-humid montane forest at 3200–4800 m elevation, often alongside P. weberbaueri ( Fig. 2 View FIG ).

Conservation Status —The extent of occurrence (EOO) for Polylepis albicans is estimated as 13,028 km 2, the area of occupancy (AOO) is assessed at 156 km 2, and it occurs at 24 locations. It has been collected in Huascaran National Park, which encompasses almost the entire Cordillera Blanca, so it does not seem to be under direct threat. Therefore, it would likely qualify for the Least Concern (LC) or Near Threatened (NT) category according to IUCN (2015) criteria and categories.

Notes —This species was described by Pilger (1906) based on material from Caraz, Cordillera Blanca, Peru. It was placed under Polylepis sericea by Simpson (1979) who mentioned that populations of P. sericea from the Cordillera Blanca are distinct by having leaflets with pronounced pubescence in both sides. We here argue that based on its distinct morphology and ecology, this taxon should be reinstated at species level. Polylepis albicans differs from P. sericea by a sparse to dense sericeous hair cover on the upper leaflet surfaces and on the leaf rachises (vs. glabrous in both cases in P. sericea ), shorter hairs (0.3–0.5 mm vs. 0.7–1.0 mm), and commonly reddish glandular hairs at leaflet bases (lacking in P. sericea ). Occasionally, specimens of P. albicans resemble those of P. argentea in leaflet shape, but leaflet margins are crenulate in P. albicans and entire in P. argentea . Further, P. argentea differs from P. albicans by the lower number of flowers in the inflorescence (5–9 vs. 18–21).

Additional Specimens Examined — Peru. — ANCASH: Road from Yungay to Yauyos , vicinity of Lagunas Llanganuco , open Polylepis forest, 09°02’S 077°35’W, 10 Jul 1982, A. H. Gentry et al. 37376 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; 1901–1929, A. Weberbauer 3229 ( B, MO) ; Cordillera Blanca near Ingenio in upper Pumapampa Valley , 11°04’S 077°36’W, 15 Feb 1987, D. Boertmann 53 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Parque Nacional Huascarán: Llanganuco , 11 Jul 1982, E. M. Zardini 1535 ( MO) ; Llanganuco Valley , 09°00’S 077°30’W, Aug 1959, J. Compton Tothill 174 ( F) GoogleMaps ; Cordillera Blanca, Laguna Paron, 30 km NE of Caraz in northern Huascaran National Park , 10 Oct 1988, L. W. Peterson s.n. ( MO) ; Llanganuco , 29 Nov 2007, B. Lasermann II /1 ( USM) ; Quebrada Paron, Cordillera Blanca ( West of L. Paron ), 09°00’S 077°41’W, 18 Aug 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 042 ( AAU), 043 ( AAU), 044 ( AAU), 059 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Carhuasccancha, Cordillera Blanca , 09°29’S 077°15’W, 15 Oct 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 132 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Matará in Quebrada Ulta, Cordillera Blanca , 09°07’S 077°32’W, 03 Sep 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 104 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Paron, Cordillera Blanca ( W of L. Paron ), 09°00’S 077°41’W, 18 Aug 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 045 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Ishinca, Cordillera Blanca , 09°23’S 077°28’W, 23 Aug 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 073 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Ulta, Cordillera Blanca , 09°06’S 077°32’W, 02 Sep 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 107 ( AAU), 108 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Rurec, Cordillera Blanca , 09°25’S 077°17’W, 11 Oct 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 125 ( AAU), 126 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Rurichinchay, Cordillera Blanca , 09°21’S 077°18’W, 06 Oct 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 118 ( AAU), 123 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Ishinca, Cordillera Blanca , 09°23’S 077°28’W, 23 Aug 1988, O. Frimer & S. M. Nielsen 070 ( AAU), 071 ( AAU), 074 ( AAU), 099 ( AAU), 101 ( AAU) GoogleMaps ; Cordillera Blanca. 35 km east of Yungay , 05 Apr 1988, S. A. Renvoize & S. Laegaard 5074 ( AAU, MO) ; 40 km east of Yungay , 05 Apr 1988, S. A. Renvoize & S. Laegaard 5088 A ( AAU), 5088 B ( AAU) ; Cordillera Blanca. East of Yungay. Laguna de Llanganuco , 05 Apr 1988, S. A. Renvoize & S. Laegaard 5066 ( AAU), 5075 ( AAU) ; Carhuaz. Huascarán National Park ; Quebrada Ulta, north side of valley. Shrublandgrassland mosaic with scattered Polylepis sericea trees; S- facing, moderate to gentle slopes; soils of morainal origin, 09°07’S 077°32’W, 29 Jul 1985, D. N. Smith 11410 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. N-side of main valley, Quebrada Honda. Brushfields with a few open stands of Polylepis sericea, 09°18’S 077°25’W, 3 Oct 1985, D. N. Smith et al.11641 ( F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park . mouth of Quebrada Ishinca. Warm slopes ; mix of shrubby grassland and Polylepis sericea woods, 09°23’S 077°29’W, 15 Feb 1985, D. N. Smith et al. 9597 ( F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Shacshicucho , 26 Aug 1978, J. Mostacero L. et al. 569 ( MO) ; Valley of R´ıo Marcará , 2.5 hr from Vicos on trail to Lejiacocha , 09°19 ' 00"S 077°31 ' 00"W, 11 March 1964, P. C. Hutchison & J. K. Wright 4325 ( F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Sonquenua, Shilla , 21 Dic 1989, R. Arce & J. Sánchez 188 ( MO) ; Huaraz. Huascarán National Park . Quebrada Shallap. Polylepis weberbaueri woods and bouldery slopes with grassy shrubland, 09°30’S 077°24’W, 20 Feb 1985, D. N. Smith et al. 9709 ( F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; 28 May 1982, E. Cerrate 7696 ( MO, USM) ; Comprado en la feria de plantas medicinales de Huaraz, 07 Jul 1988, E. Cerrate & M. A. Ferreyra 9123 ( USM) ; Quebrada Quillcayhuanca , 30 Oct 1989, R. Arce & A. Martel 163 ( MO) ; Huari. Huascarán National Park. Quebrada de Yuraccocha , a lateral valley of Quebrada Rurichinchay Shrublands, grassland, and woods ; slopes gentle to very steep; soils over rock or morainal material, 09°22’S 077°17’W, 16 Jun 1986, D. N. Smith et al. 12737 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park . Quebrada Pachachaca, a lateral valley of Quebrada Rurichinchay. Dense brushfields with some grassy or boggy areas ; moderate to steep, E-facing slopes; soils of morainal material, 09°27’S 077°16’W, 12 Jun 1986, D. N. Smith et al.12542 ( F, MO) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park .southside of Quebrada Carhuazcancha. Wooded ravines ; steep, northernly slopes, 09°28’S 077°15’W, 6 May 1986, D. N. Smith et al. 12255 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Llanganuco , 29 Nov 2007, B. Lasermann I12 ( USM) ; Acopalca , 09°20 ' 25"S 077°12 ' 19"W, 11 Aug 2010, Xue-Jun, Ge et al. 194 ( USM) ; Huaylas. Huascarán National Park. terminal moraine at W end of lake Dry , steep, bouldery moraine, 09°00’S 077°41’W, 29 Sep 1985, D. N. Smith 11537 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Quebrada Parón. Shrublands on bouldery terrain, 09°01’S 077°43’W, 8 May 1985, D. N. Smith 10606 ( MO) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Parón valley. Morainal material, very rocky. Between permanent camp and lake, 09°00’S 077°42’W, 1 Jan 1985, D. N. Smith & K. Goodwin 8924 ( AAU, F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Parón Valley . Shrubland, field of large boulders, 09°01’S 077°43’W, 1 Jan 1985, D. N. Smith & K. Goodwin 8939 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Western flank of Cordillera Blanca, Alpamayo-Cashapampa trail. Ravines with small trees and shrubs, grassland, and shrubby grassland, 08°53’S 077°45’W, 13 Mar 1985, D. N. Smith & R. Valencia 10013 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Quebrada Santa Cruz at base of and entering Quebrada Artizonraju. Shrubland at lower elevevation, and grassland above, 08°55’S 077°36’W, 16 Jan 1985, D. N. Smith et al. 9298 ( F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park . Lower slopes of Cerro Pakla Puna grassland ; steep to moderately- steep slopes, southern aspects, 08°49’S 077°57’W, 9 Apr 1986, D. N. Smith et al.12055 ( AAU, F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Yungay. Laguna de Llanganuco , 19 Feb 1968, A. Gutiérrez R. 249- AGR ( MO), 249 ( F) ; Laguna Llanganuco , 1 Nov1984, A. Sagástegui A. et al. 12315 ( F, MO) ; Huascarán National Park. Lake Llanganuco. Polylepis forest at lake side, 09°05’S 077°39’W, 16 Aug 1984, D. N. Smith 8210 ( MO) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park . Llanganuco sector, Quebrada Deman- da, side valley to Nevado Pisco. Grasslands and Polylepis sericea woods on morainal material ; E-facing slopes, 09°02’S 077°37’W, 13 Apr 1985, D. N. Smith & V. Cautivo 10302 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park. Quebrada Ranincuray. Polylepis weberbauerii forest, including wet bottoms and talus slopes, 09°00’S 077°33’W, 11 Jan 1985, D. N. Smith et al. 9049 ( AAU, F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Huascarán National Park . Morococha at largest lake. Polylepis woods and steep slopes with tussock grassland, 08°55’S 077°35’W, 15 Jan 1985, D. N. Smith et al. 9215 ( AAU, F, MO, USM) GoogleMaps ; Quebrada Llanganuco. Cerca de la laguna y el albergue, 04 Jul 1981, E. Peréz 062 ( USM) ; Slopes below Laguna de LLanganuco in quebrada de Llanganuco ca. 25 Km above Yungay. Just above and below the lake, 27 Jun 1966, G. Edwin & J. Schunke V. 3826 ( A, F) ; Ruta Vaqueria-Portachuelo , 05 noviembre 1989, R. Arce 165 ( MO) ; Huaytajirca, en el distrito de Yanama. Procedencia: Matca ( Yanama ), 16 Dic 1989, R. Arce & Abilio 186 ( MO) ; Llanganuco encima de Yungay, 27 Jun 1966, R. Ferreyra 16860 ( MO) ; Llanganuco arriba de Yungay , 14 Dic 1967, R. Ferreyra & Blount 18727 ( GOET, MO, USM) ; Llanganuco , arriba de Yungay, 22 Oct 1965, R. Ferreyra & R. M. Tryon 16503 ( MO, USM) ; near Laguna Llanganuco , 09°03 ' 54"S 077°38 ' 00"W, 14 Aug 2002, Schmidt-Lebuhn 507 ( USM), 510 ( USM) GoogleMaps ; 30 km, hacia arriba: Parque Nacional de Huascaran , 10–3-1983, S. G. Beck 7914 ( GOET, MO) ; Llanganuco P. N. Huascarán , 09°07 ' 00"S 077°37 ' 00"W, 07 Aug 2010, Xue-Jun et al. 025 ( USM) GoogleMaps . — LA LIBERTAD: Sanchez Carrion. senal ~ Huayllides. Grassland dominated by Festuca , “jilca” vegetation, many rock outcrops, NW- facing. Freezing nightime temperatures. Rockiest sites, few grasses, 07°53’S 078°02’W, 21 Aug 1982, D. N. Smith 2278 ( MO, USM) GoogleMaps .