Nototriche ancashensis Mazzei, 2025

1. Nototriche ancashensis Mazzei , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 ).

Type: — PERU. Dept. Áncash, Prov. Huari, Dist. Pontó, cerca al límite con la región Huánuco, 9°24’07.28”S, 76°56’10.23”W, 4,430 m, 25 Mar. 2024, P. Mazzei et al. 628 ( Holotype: USM [accession number] 347126; isotypes: USM [accession number] 347125, ODU) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis:— Nototriche ancashensis is closely related to Nototriche aretioides A.W. Hill but differs in having narrower sheath 1–1.3 mm ( vs. 2–3 mm in N. aretioides ) with silky stellate hairs on the lower surface of the sheath ( vs. spinescent rigid stellate hairs), sparsely pubescent abaxial surface of lamina ( vs. glabrescent), lateral lobes of the lamina with 2 lobules ( vs. 3–4), longer corolla tube ( 4–6 mm vs. 3–4 mm) and longer ( 9–11 mm vs. 3–7 mm) and sparsely hairy ( vs. glabrous) staminal tube.

Description:— Perennial, acaulescent, cushioned, rosulate herb 15–25 cm in diameter; woody subcylindrical caudex, branched at the top, 5–12 long and 0.8–1 cm in diameter. Leaves numerous, arranged in subcylindrical rosettes of 1–2 cm in diameter; with long sessile stellate trichomes of 0.5–1 mm diam. Stipules and petioles fused together to form a broad, membranous sheath, sometimes referred to as a “vagina” ( Hill 1909: 201). Sheath 3.8–6.8 × 1–1.3 mm; free part of the stipules triangular, 0.8–2 × 0.3–0.5 mm, apex subacute, conspicuous middle nerve. Lamina flabellate, 5-lobed, lobes entire, oblong–obovate, 1–1.5 × 1.5 mm, apex obtuse, adaxial surface densely covered with stellate hairs, abaxially subglabrous with stellate hairs at margins, tomentum greyish to sulphureous. Free part of the petiole pubescent, free part of the stipules with trichomes restricted to the margins; sheath hairy on the underside only and along the margins with stellate trichomes with rays of 0.5–0.7 mm long. Flower solitary and subsessile, located slightly below the point where the free parts of the stipules separate. Epicalyx absent. Calyx of fused sepals, campanulate, accrescent, 5-lobed, foliaceous with purple veins or turning purplish in the upper two–thirds; calyx tube 6.5–7.8 × 5–5.5 mm; lobes 2.5–3.3 × 2–3 mm, apices subacute; outer side hairy towards the upper two–thirds, inner side hairy towards the apices of the lobes. Inner nectaries isolated, semicircular, 0.4 × 0.8–1 mm wide. Corolla purplish–blue, turning whitish inside, blue–brown when dry; corolla tube 4–6 mm long, slightly hairy; free part of the petals symmetrical, obovate, apex slightly retuse, truncate or obtuse, glabrous, 12–14 × 5–7.3 mm. Staminal tube 9–11 × 1–1.3 mm, sparsely hairy; anthers arranged in a globose mass. Ovary subglobose to conical, with 8 carpels; uniovulate carpels, erect ovum; styles in equal numbers as carpels; capitate, whitish stigma. Ripe fruit not observed; immature fruit with 8 mericarps hairy on the back and edge. Seed not observed.

Etymology:— This new species is named in honor of the Áncash region, where the type specimen was found.

Distribution and habitat:— Nototriche ancashensis is known only from the type locality, from the district of Pontó in the province of Huari (department of Áncash), an area located on the eastern side of the western mountain range of the Andes ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). This species grows above 4,400 m elevation, on rocky slopes and summits with patches of scree and grasslands. It is commonly found growing in groups of large cushions. The type specimen was found flowering in March. The species has an association with Werneria nubigena Kunth ( Humboldt et al. 1818: 193) ( Asteraceae ) and Geranium sessiliflorum Cav. ( Cavanilles 1787: 198) (Geraniceae).

Preliminary Conservation threat assessment:— So far, the distribution area of this species ranges from 1–2 hectares in the type locality, in grassland with scattered rocks, with patches of cryoturbated soils. There is no clear evidence that there is anthropic activity near the distribution area of this species. However, considering that this species is only known from the type locality, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN, 2022) criteria it is considered as a Data Deficient (DD) species.

Discussion:— Nototriche ancashensis is morphologically related to N. aretioides ( Hill 1906: 580) and N. macleanii (A. Grey) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1906: 579) by the flabellate form of their lamina, their densely hairy adaxial lamina surface, a calyx with entire lobes, the inner side of the calyx being hairy towards the apex of the lobes, and the presence of a corolla tube.

Despite these similarities, these species differ in several characters ( Table 1). Nototriche ancashensis has 2- lobuled lateral lamina lobes ( vs. 3–4 in N. aretioides ), the sheath lacks spinescent hairs ( vs. spinescent hairs in N. aretioides species), the abaxial surface of the lamina is subglabrous ( vs. densely pubescent in N. aretioides ), the corolla tube measures 4–6 mm long ( vs. 3–4 mm in N. aretioides ), the staminal tube is sparsely hairy ( vs. glabrous in N. aretioides ) and measures 9–11 mm long ( vs. 3–7 mm in N. aretioides ); Nototriche ancashensis is found in the department of Áncash and N. aretioides inhabits the departments of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Junín, Lima and Pasco; their closest populations are separated by about 120 km.

Nototriche macleanii is distinguished from N. ancashensis by its cespitose habit ( vs. cushioned in N. ancashensis ), the free part of the stipules being 5–6 mm long ( vs. 0.8–2 mm in N. ancashensis ), a 15–20 mm long staminal tube ( vs. 9–11 mm in N. ancashensis ), and a corolla up to 30 mm long ( vs. 4–6 mm in N. ancashensis ); furthermore, it is distributed in the province of Concepción in the department of Junín, its populations being separated by about 320 km from the nearest population of N. ancashensis .