There’s gold in them thar hills! Morphology and molecules delimit species in Xerochrysum (Asteraceae; Gnaphalieae) and reveal many new taxa
Author
Collins, Timothy L.
Author
Schmidt-Lebuhn, Alexander N.
Author
Andrew, Rose L.
Author
Telford, Ian R. H.
Author
Bruhl, Jeremy J.
text
Australian Systematic Botany
2022
2022-06-09
35
2
120
185
http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sb21014
journal article
10.1071/SB21014
1446-5701
10903939
Xerochrysum alpinum
Paul G.Wilson
,
Nuytsia
28: 36 (2017)
Type
:
Lake Lea Road
,
Tasmania
,
17 Feb. 1998
,
A.M. Buchanan
15101
(holo:
HO 324393
)
.
Erect, perennial, rhizomatous herb up to
20 cm
.
Stems
and
branches
cobwebby and with glands, internode length
10–35 mm
.
Basal leaf rosette
present at flowering.
Basal leaves
obovate,
20–60 mm
long and
10–25 mm
wide, base attenuate, margin cottony and with glands, apex apiculate; abaxial indumentum with glands, midvein glabrous; adaxial indumentum hispid and with glands (hispid indumentum on midvein basally).
Cauline leaves
obovate,
20–50 mm
long and
1–3 mm
wide, base attenuate, margin cobwebby or cottony, apex apiculate;
abaxial indumentum
with glands, midvein indumentum with glands;
adaxial indumentum
with glands.
Foliaceous bracts subtending capitula
10–12 mm
long (with fimbriate apical hairs), margin cobwebby and with glands.
Capitula
30–45 mm
wide, terminal, solitary.
Outer phyllaries
ovate, straw-coloured, basal margin fimbriate, extending to apex, abaxial surface scabridulous towards apex, apex fimbriate.
Medial phyllaries
lanceolate, abaxially yellow, apex cuspidate.
Stylar appendages
clavate.
Cypsela
2.3 mm
long and
0.75–1 mm
wide, cross-section with oblique angles; pericarp grey–brown, idioblasts absent.
Pappus
persistent, ~
5–6 mm
long.
Distribution
Occurring in the Tasmanian Central
Highlands and Ben
Lomond bioregions (
Fig. 45
).
Phenology
Recorded flowering February–March and fruiting in March.
Habitat
Alpine herbfields and shrublands at>900-m altitude.
145°0
̍
0
̎
E
145°0
̍
0
̎
E
Fig. 45. Distribution of
Xerochrysum alpinum
.
Fig. 46. Distribution of
Xerochrysum andrewiae
.
Conservation status
Considered widespread (
Wilson 2017
), and recorded in several conservation reserves, currently listed as ‘
Data Deficient
’ in
Tasmania
(‘Natural Values Atlas’, see www. naturalvaluesatlas.tas.gov.au). We recommend a status of ‘
Data Deficient
’ (
IUCN 2019
) and suggest that a detailed analysis of area of extent, population sizes and health be conducted to determine appropriate conservation status.
Selected specimens examined
TASMANIA
:
Vale of Belvoir Conservation Reserve
,
Lake Lee Road
,
2 Mar. 2018
,
T.L.
ttp://anpsa.org.au/APOL2006/ju
Collins
1024 &
R.L. Andrew
(
CANB
!,
HO
!,
NE
!)
;
Cradle Mountain National Park
,
Face Track
,
3 Mar. 2018
,
T.L. Collins
1030 &
R.L. Andrew
(
CANB
!,
HO
!,
NE
!)
,
summit of Blue Tier
,
23 Feb. 1878
,
A. Simson
1101
(
MEL 0061148A
)
.