Carex modesti M.Escudero, Martín-Bravo & Jim.Mejías, 2012

Carex modesti M.Escudero, Martín-Bravo & Jim.Mejías View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 1a – h View Fig ; Map 1 View Map 1

A simili Carex vallis-rosetto K.Schum. rhizomatibus elongatis,foliis coriaceis et spicis solitariis differt.— Typus: J. Prins-Lampert 317 (holo WAG 0112511; iso WAG 0112512), Tanzania,Kitulo,along Makengalima river , 25 Nov.1967 .

Etymology. This new taxon is dedicated to our PhD supervisor Dr.Modesto Luceño, who performed his PhD on the systematics of the Iberian species of genus Carex at the Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid ( Spain). Later on, he continued his research on systematics of Cyperaceae in the Botanic Garden of Geneva ( Switzerland) and Pernambuco University ( Brazil). At present, he is a Professor at Pablo de Olavide University (Seville, Spain), where he leads a research group focused on the systematics and evolution of tribe Cariceae .

Robust rhizomatous, perennial herb. Rhizome creeping, with ± long internodes. Stems 50– 90 cm, ± stout, trigonous, smooth, green to yellowish green, with dark purplish red spots. Leaves 15– 35 cm by 5–11 mm, plicate, with revolute margins, rigid, coriaceous, slightly scabrid on apical parts; sheaths brown, reddish brown to purplish red; ligule 3 –6 mm, subacute; anteligule concave. Inflorescence 28– 49 cm, lowest internode 8.5– 21 cm and the second one 6.5–12.5 cm. Lowest bract 13.5– 40 cm by 5 –8 mm, shorter than the inflorescence, with revolute margins; sheath 5 –7.5 cm long, the inner side dark purplish red. Spikes 7–13, heteromorphic to subheteromorphic, 1–3 upper male spikes, 0– 2 androgynous spikes and 3 –11 lower female spikes; terminal spike 2.5 – 8.5 cm by 3 –12 mm, terete, sessile or with a peduncle up to 1.2 cm; female spikes, 4.5 –12 cm by 7–12 mm, dense-flowered, terete, always arising solitary, peduncle up to 5.9 cm. Male glumes 5 –7 by 0.9 –1.6 mm, oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovate, dark purplish red with a narrow, straw-coloured midrib, mucronate, mucro up to 1 mm. Female glumes (3.5 –)4 –6(–8) by 1–2.2 mm, oblong-elliptic, dark purplish red, with a narrow and green or straw-coloured midrib, acuminate, acumen up to 1.2 mm. Utricles 3.5 – 5 by 1.1–1.6 mm, elliptic to elliptic-obovoid, straight or slightly curved, many-nerved, gradually or abruptly narrowed into a beak, brown to reddish brown with dark purplish red speckles; beak 0.8–1.5 mm, bifid, with ± similar dorsal and ventral sinus, 0.2 – 0.5 mm depth, smooth or ± aculeolate. Achenes 2.3 – 2.5 by 1–1.2 mm, oblong-elliptic to oblong-obovoid.

Distribution & Ecology — Southern Tanzania, Kitulo Plateau. Stream sides, peat bogs, 2750 m.

Additional specimens studied. Carex modesti ( paratypes) – TANZANIA, Kyimbila, north of lake Nyasa , 1915, A. Stolz 2284 (BR, C, H, HUH, PRE, UPS) ; Kitulo Plateau, just left of Igoma-Kitulo road, 1 km beyond Kikondo , streamside, bog, 2750 m, 31 Dec. 1969, RW 530 (K). — Carex vallis-rosetto – MALAWI, Southern region , Mt Mulanje, Litchenya Plateau, near C.C.A.P. Hut, 1990 m, 28 Nov. 1986, J.D. Chapman & E.G. Chapman 8276 ( MO; Fig. 2i–k, PRE); Williams falls Zomba Plateau , 21 Oct. 1986, A.J. Salubeni 4768 ( MO, PRE) ; N Nkhata Bay, ENE Chikangawa , 1780 m, 13 Oct. 1978, E. Phillips 4081 ( WAG) ; 1962, P.J. Tyrer 746 ( BM) ; Mt. Milanji , 1891, White s.n. ( BM) . – TANZANIA, Same, Kilimanjaro, T3, south Pare Mts, Chome Forest Reserve ( Shengena Forest ), 1900 m, 18 Nov. 1999, J. Elia 130 ( MO, PRE) ; Iringa, Mufinidi, Luisenda , 1830 m, 24 Aug.1984, D.W. Thomas 3577 ( MO, K) ; Morogoro, Uluguru Mts, Luwkwangulu Plateau , 2400 m, 19 Sep. 1970, M. Thulin & B. Mhoro 1060 ( UPS) ; Tanganyika, Morogoro, Uluguru Mts, Lukguangule Plateau ,above Chenzema Mission , 2500 m, 13 Mar.1953, R.B. Drummond & J.H. Hemsley 1511 ( BR, NY) ; Tanganyika, Tanga, Lushoto, Mkuzi forest reserve, 18 Oct. 1962, S.R. Semsei 3527 ( PRE) ; Tanganyika, Southern Tanganyika, Luwira-Kitega forest , 25 Oct.1962, S.R. Semsei 2550 ( PRE) ; Tanganyika,T.T., Southern Highlands, Kigogo, Mufindi , 1800 m, July 1959, J. Procter 1284 (K, PRE) ; Tanganyika, Rungwe, Ngozi , Poroto Mts , 2100 m., 17 Oct. 1956, H.M. Richards 6573 (K) ; Mbeya, Poroto Mts, Ngozi , 1950 m, 17 Oct.1956, H.M. Richards 6577 (K); Usambara, Rosetto-Thal an Bächen, Sept. 1882, Holst s.n. (B); Usambara, Sept. 1892, Holst 3823 (B) .