Taxonomy of the small southern African endemic genus Echiostachys Levyns (Boraginaceae: Boraginoideae) Author Velani, N. Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa Author Boatwright, J. S. Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa Author Magee, A. R. Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa. c Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont 7735, South Africa Author Manning, J. C. c Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont 7735, South Africa. Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa jmanning@sanbi.org.za text South African Journal of Botany 2023 2023-05-31 156 244 256 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2023.03.019 journal article 10.1016/j.sajb.2023.03.019 8013411 Echiostachys Levyns in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 49: 445 (1934) . Lectotype : Echiostachys incanus ( Thunb .) Levyns , effectively designated by Phillips, Gen. S. African Fl. Pl.: 632 (1951) . Echium sect. Trichobasis DC . & A.DC . in Candolle, Prodr. 10: 13 (1846 ). Lobostemon sect. Trichobasis ( DC. & A.DC.) G¨ urke in Nat. Pflanzenfam. [Engler and Prantl] IV, 3 A: 128 (1893 ). Type: E. caudatum Thunb . (= Echiostachys spicatus ( Burm.f.) Levyns ) , effectively designated by Johnston in J. Arnold Arbor. 34: 293 (1953) . Caespitose perennial herbs, producing one or more tufts of deciduous radical leaves annually, the flowering stem arising laterally at base of new growth; rootstock a woody taproot, slender or cylindrical-tapering, covered with maroon-purplish flaking bark. Radical leaves , linear-oblanceolate or elliptic, obtuse, acute or attenuate, narrowed and petiole-like below, adpressed strigose-villous with a mixture of short and longer hairs, hairs simple or pustular; cauline leaves on flowering stem smaller, sub-erect, linear-oblanceolate or elliptic, obtuse to attenuate, decreasing in size acropetally, indumentum as for radical leaves. Flowering stem villous or rarely subglabrous below. In fl orescence a pseudo-spike of numerous 1 to 4(6)-flowered cymules, ovoid to cylindrical, elongating in fruit; pedicels short, villous; bracts linear-oblanceolate or elliptic, lowermost leaf-like, villous. Calyx slightly accrescent, sepals 5, ± free, equal, linear-oblanceolate, adpressed-pilose or -sericeous on both surfaces. Corolla funnel-shaped, white, cream-coloured, pink, purplish or blue; tube sparsely pubescent on outer surface, mainly opposite filament insertion, bearded within between filament bases; lobes 5, obtuse, central veins sparsely hairy on inner surface or glabrous. Stamens subequal or usually one stamen shorter than others, epipetalous, attached near middle of tube, exserted; filaments bearded or tufted at base; anthers dorsifixed, subglobose. Style gynobasic, villous in basal third; stigma small. Ovary four-lobed. Fruit of four nutlets, nutlets ellipsoid with median ventral ridge, surface rugose-tuberculate or nearly smooth, echinulate with small glassy trichomes. Three species; South Africa , endemic to the south-western parts of the core Cape Floristic Region, in fynbos shrubland on sandy and loamy soils. 3.2. Key to the species 1a Corolla ± 12 mm long, white; radical leaves 15 − 50 mm wide; plants from deep coastal sands from St Helena Bay to Yzerfontein... 3. E . spicatus 1b Corolla 5 − 9 mm long, cream-coloured to purple; radical leaves 6 − 20 mm wide; plants from clay or loam soils from Clanwilliam to Swellendam : 2a Corolla whitish; radical leaves mostly attenuate apically, base sericeous; hairs at base of filaments in a brush-like tuft; nutlets rugose-tuberculate... 2. E . incanus 2b Corolla purplish, pinkish or blue; radical leaves obtuse, base strigose-villous; hairs at base of filaments in a linear beard extending shortly up free part; nutlets ± smooth... 1. E . ecklonianus