Nototriche bicentenaria Mazzei & A. Cano, 2025

2. Nototriche bicentenaria Mazzei & A. Cano , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4 View FIGURE 4 , 5 View FIGURE 5 ).

Type: — PERU. Dept. Junín, Prov. Yauli, Dist. Santa Bárbara de Carhuacayán, Canta–Huayllay road, 11°11’40.43”S, 76°26’43.63”W, 4,706 m, 03 Feb. 2024. P. Mazzei et al. 443 ( Holotype: USM [accession number] 347124).

Diagnosis:— Nototriche bicentenaria is closely related to N. chancoae . It is differentiated by having a longer free part of the stipules ( 4–6 mm vs. 1–2 mm in N. chancoae ), longer sheath ( 10–15 mm vs. 4–7 mm), lamina with 5–7 lobuled lobes ( vs. 3–5), sparsely pubescent abaxial lamina surface ( vs. densely pubescent), larger petals (5–7 × 3 mm vs. 3–4.5 × 2 mm), and petals with an obtuse apex ( vs. with a slit at the apex).

Description:— Perennial, acaulescent, rosulate herb 5–7 cm in diameter; woody subcylindrical caudex, branched at the top, 5–10 cm long and 0.8–1 cm in diameter. Leaves numerous, arranged in rosettes of 2.5–4 cm in diameter; with tiny stellate trichomes. Stipules and petioles fused together to form a broad, membranous sheath. Sheath 10–15 × 3–5 mm; free part of the stipules triangular, 4–6 × 0.8–1.3 mm, apex acute, conspicuous middle nerve. Lamina flabellate, reniform, 5-lobed, lateral lobes 5–lobuled, middle lobe 7–lobuled; lobules ovate, about 2 × 1.5–2 mm, apex obtuse. Adaxial lamina surface densely pubescent, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent. Free part of the petiole pubescent, free part of the stipules only with trichomes on the margins; sheath glabrescent. 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 prominent purple veins; calyx tube 4–5 × 3.5–4.5 mm; lobes 3.5–4 × 3 mm, subacute apices; outer side hairy towards the lobes, inner side hairy towards the apex of the lobes. Internal nectaries isolated, with rounded apices, about 0.5 mm × 1.2 mm. Corolla white, turning yellow inwards, brown when dry; corolla tube 2.5–3 mm long, glabrescent; free part of the petals slightly asymmetrical, obovate, apex obtuse, glabrous, 5–7 mm × 3 mm. Staminal tube 5 mm × 1 mm, glabrous; anthers arranged in a subglobose mass. Ovary globose, with 8 carpels; uniovulate carpels, erect ovum; styles in equal numbers as carpels; stigma capitate, violet to reddish. Schizocarp not observed; immature fruit with 8 mericarps hairy on the back and edge. Seed not observed.

Etymology:— The specific epithet is homage to the 200 th anniversary of the Battle of Junín, which occurred on 06 August 1824.

Distribution and habitat:— Nototriche bicentenaria is known only for the type locality, in the district of Santa Bárbara de Carhuacayán in the province of Yauli (department of Junín), an area located on the western side of the western mountain range of the Andes ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). This species grows above 4,700 m elevation in reddish cryoturbated soils, on rocky slopes and summits of puna grassland. It is commonly found growing in groups of small rosettes. The specimen was found flowering in the month of February, in the association of Arenaria digyna Willd. ex Schltdl. ( Schlechtendal 1816: 201) ( Caryophyllaceae ), Nototriche pinnata (Cav.) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1906: 579) , Nototriche stenopetala (A. Grey) A.W. Hill ( Hill 1909: 251) ( Malvaceae ) and Saxifraga magellanica Poir. ( Poiret 1804: 686) ( Saxifragaceae ).

Preliminary Conservation threat assessment:— So far, the distribution of this species ranges from 1–2 hectares in the type locality and in cryoturbated soils ( Cano et al. 2010, 2011). 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 IUCN (2022) criteria it is considered as a Data Deficient (DD) species.

Discussion:— Nototriche bicentenaria is morphologically related to N. chancoae Mazzei & P.Gonzáles (2024a: e27239), N. glacialis Ulbr. (1916: 62) and N. nigrescens A.W. Hill (1906: 580) by the flabellate shape of their lamina, their hairy abaxial lamina surface, a calyx with entire lobes, an external side of the calyx hairy only towards the lobes, and the presence of a corolla tube.

Despite these similarities, these species differ in several characters ( Table 2). Nototriche bicentenaria the sheath is 10–15 mm long ( vs. 4–7 mm in N. chancoae ), the middle lobe of the lamina is 7-lobed ( vs. 5-lobed in N. chancoae ), the abaxial lamina surface is sparsely pubescent ( vs. densely pubescent in N. chancoae ), the petals are 5–7 × 3 mm ( vs. 3–4.5 × 2 mm in N. chancoae ) and the staminal tube is 5 mm long ( vs. 4 mm in N. chancoae ); Nototriche bicentenaria is found in the department of Junín and N. chancoae inhabits the departments of Lima and Pasco; their closest populations are separated by about 40 km.

Unlike Nototriche chancoae , N. glacialis and N. nigrescens share with N. bicentenaria the characteristic of having a free portion of the stipules longer than 3 mm. However, N. glacialis is distinguished by having a sheath 2 mm wide ( vs. in N. bicentenaria ), a middle lobe of the 3-lobed lamina ( vs. 7-lobed in N. bicentenaria ), and purplish hairy corolla ( vs. white and glabrous in N. bicentenaria ); Nototriche glacialis is distributed in the province of Huancayo in the department of Junín, with its nearest populations being separated by about 300 km from the population of N. bicentenaria .

Nototriche nigrescens is distinguished from N. bicentenaria by having a densely pubescent sheath ( vs. glabrescent in N. bicentenaria ), lamina lobes with 3–5 lobules ( vs. 7 lobules in N. bicentenaria ), and a bluish to purplish corolla ( vs. white, turning yellow inwards in N. bicentenaria ); it is distributed in central and southern Peru, in the departments of Cusco and Junín, its populations separated by about 70 km. from the population of N. bicentenaria .