Valeriana nahuelbutae sp. nov. (Caprifoliaceae), a new endemic plant from Nahuelbuta mountain range in central-south Chile Author Penneckamp, Diego N. Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Ecología del Dosel. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Austral de Chile, P. O. Box 567, Valdivia, Chile. text Phytotaxa 2020 2020-05-04 441 2 217 220 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.441.2.9 journal article 303949 10.11646/phytotaxa.441.2.9 66ecc6f2-54af-4485-8600-74b565e2d830 1179-3163 13872545 Valeriana nahuelbutae Penneck. sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 ) Type:— CHILE . Araucanía Region : Malleco Province, Nahuelbuta National Park at edge of “Coimallín” peat bog, ( 37°47’55.0’’S , 73°0’54.0’’W ), elev. 1260 m , 10 December 2014 , D. Penneckamp & A . Zúñiga s.n. ( holotype SGO 168352!) Diagnosis:—Ad Valeriana hebecarpa similis, differt in habito usque folia; sufrutice ramulosi perenne, 1, 5 m altae; caules quadrangularibus, ligna at base et herbacea at apice; folia integra, 1-3,5 × 1-2,5 cm, vel 1-3(5)-foliolis (lobulatis) at folias apice caule, lamina orbicularecordata, margine sinuate ut lobulate. Perennial shrub of 1.5 m tall, branched at base. Stems tetragonal, sublignificated at base and herbaceous towards apex. Leaves petiolate; petioles winged at base, canaliculate, about 1/2 of the total length of the leaf, margins with hairs towards base; blades entire, suborbicular to cordate, 1–3.5 × 1–2.5 cm , with sinuate to lobulated margins. Basal leaves usually entire, upper leaves from flowering stems compounds, imparipinnate, with 1–3(–5) small lobules and bigger terminal lobule. Inflorescence a lax panicle, with flowers arranged in terminal dichasia. Peduncle winged; pedicels winged, 1.5 mm long. Bracts sessile, lanceolate, acute, 2.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm . Flowers hermaphroditic. Corolla campanulate, 0.75 mm long, white; lobes 0.35 × 0.5 mm . Style exserted, 0.8–0.9(–1) mm, trifid. Stamens 3, included, 0.4 mm long. Ovary 2 mm long. Fruit unknown. FIGURE 1. Valeriana nahuelbutae iconography: A. Branch, B. Leaf detail; bar = 2.5 cm (B). Drawn by Gustavo Alvarez de Araya based in living plants. Etymology:— The specific epithet refers to the locality where the type was collected, Nahuelbuta National Park. The word “Nahuelbuta” in Mapudungun language means “big jaguar”. Ecology and distribution:— Valeriana nahuelbutae grows on banks of stream at riparian vegetation, shrub lands, and forest undercanopy of Araucaria araucana ( Molina 1782: 355 ) Koch (1873: 206) , Nothofagus antarctica ( Forster 1789: 24 ) Oersted (1871:354) , Nothofagus dombeyi ( Mirbel 1827: 467 ) Oersted (1871: 354) , Nothofagus pumilio ( Poeppig & Endlicher 1838: 68 ) Krasser (1896: 161) , Ovidia pillo-pillo ( Gay 1849: 315 ) Meisner (1857: 524) , being part of the “Coastal temperate resinous forest of Araucaria araucana” ( Luebert & Pliscoff 2017 ) vegetation community. This species grows on forest edges, in full sun exposure or semi-shade habitat, being typical of vegetation of stream and peat bogs edges of Nahuelbuta high mountain range, mainly above 700 m of elevation, specifically associated with metamorphic schist origin soils. Phenology:— It blooms principally from November to December. Conservation status:— This plant has a small distribution range being known only in two localities, and consequentially, would probably be considered as Vulnerable under IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2012 ). Further exploration of the potential habitat area is needed for known their really conservation status; however the populations of this species are protected because grow in a National Park. Notes:— Valeriana nahuelbutae is morphologically similar to Valeriana hebecarpa Candolle (1830: 638) , from which differs by their larger shrub habit, leaves sub-rounded to cordate, also Valeriana hebecarpa have an Andean distribution range. Valeriana nahuelbutae is easy to distinguish from other Valeriana spp. of southern Chile ( Kutschker 2011 ) by their basal leaves orbicular to suborbicular cordate to almost entire, and is characteristic of a very specific habitat. Additional specimens examined: — CHILE . Biobío Region : Arauco Province , Cañete, Sector San Alfonso, predio Caramávida (Bosques Arauco ) beside Sendero Sendas de Rucapehuen, 37°42’24.9’’S , 73°10’19.6’’W , 793 m , 14 November 2004 , P. Baxter, M.F. Gardner, P. Hechenleitner V. & P.I. Thomas DCI-1333 (E 00224092, duplicate SGO 162647 and CONC 176907). Plants cultivated Ex situ (from type locality): Malleco Province , Nahuelbuta National Park at edge of “coimallín” peat bog, 37°47’55.0’’S , 73°0’54.0’’W , 1260 m , cultivated at Los Ríos Region : Ranco Province , Ranco Lake, Pitriuco 40°16’34.50”S 72°37’14.28”W , 192 m , 1 November 2016 , D. Penneckamp s.n. (SGO 168353, 168354)