CASTILLEJA ALBOBARBATA SP. NOV. (OROBANCHACEAE) FROM SIERRAS MANANTLÁN AND CACOMA, JALISCO, MEXICO

8 Pages·2003·4.4 MB·English

by  Hugh H Iltis

ALBOBARBATA (OROBANCHACEAE)
CASTILLEJA NOV.
SP.
FROM MANANTLAN AND
SIERRAS
CACOMA, MEXICO
JALISCO,
Botanical Research
Institute
o,
509 Pecan
Street
WorthJX
Fort 761 02-4060,
L
J.Mark Egger
s geographically disjunct
fi
Orobancl
A'ORDS; Castilkja,
biogeography,
CO, rare plai
&
Nesom, MEXICO.
albobarbata 1-3)
Castilleja litis sp. nov. (Figs. Type: Ja
Mpio. Cuautitlan, [Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve], top of sharp cr
the Sierra de Manantlan Oriental just E of Cerro Las Capillas, along highest
km
Cumbre C
of gravel road from Cerro La to Los Jardines, 19 due SSE of El
(19" 3319" N, 104° 09' W), of basaltic sandstone conglomerate, 2800-2J
cliffs
elev, 10 Oct 1980, H.K lltis3227 withR. Guzmdn-M. (holotype WIS; isotypes
Herbaceous perennials, usually with numerous (up to 15) erect to ascending or
dm
common
sprawling stems originating from the base, the stems 2-4(-7)
tall,
basally woody, simple or few-branched in the upper half; stems, leaves, and
mm
bracts eglandular, moderately to sparsely invested with short 0.05-0.1
(ca.
long), white, flattened, antrorsely ascending-appressed hairs. Leaves yellow-
green, spreading to slightly def lexed, entire, not clasping or auriculate, those of
mm mm
25-45 2-4
the lower stems linear narrowly lanceolate, long, wide.
to

5. Distributions of Castilleja integrifolia in Mexico and C. albobarbata. Modified after Nesom
becoming
narrowly ovate-lanceolate near the inflorescence with subclasping
a
mm
and up
base to 6 wide, grading into the floral bracts. Floral bracts entne,
mm
lanceolate, 15-35 long, markedly enlarged from the uppermost the
leaves,
lower bracts completely green, the terminal persistent and conspicuous, mark-
edly differentiated from the lower, red and obovate widely Flowers
to ovate. in
mm
somewhat
racemose, secund 10-20
a inflorescence; pedicels long, ascend-
mm
29-35
ing; calyces long, slightly gibbous abaxially minutely hispid-stri-
gose, brick-red with a yellow-green apical margin or sometimes yellow the
at
mm
commonly
base, less yellow-green throughout, the abaxial 20-25 deep,
cleft
mm
the adaxial cleft 2-5 deep, the primary lobes with 2 short teeth or acute
mm
40-45
notches; corollas long, the tube pale yellowish, becoming brick-red
mm
near the lower the galea yellowish with red 25-27 5/8-5/
lip; flanges, long,
mm
9 the length of the corolla, exserted (2-)7-15 from the calyx, producing
a
mm),
long (ca. 12 densely pilose, adaxial, toothbrush-like beard of multicellu-
mm
white trichomes 2-3.5 long, the corolla otherwise glabrous, the lower
lar,
mm
composed
lip of small, thickened, greenish-yellow, incurved teeth 1-2
3,
pme
type collection near Cerro Las Capillas, woods with Arbutus and Comawslaphylos, 2800 m, 31
Aug Cuems
1986, 1617 (WIS) and 9 Jan 1980, litis etal 2507 (WIS, ZEA); Sierra de Manantlan, ca. 15
m
mi SSE of Autlan by way of Chante, rocky outcrops cypress-pine forest, 8700 30Jul 1949, Wilbur
ft,
and Wilbur 1989 (MICH, NY); Mpio. Cuautitlan: Sierra de Manantlan, rocky summit of canyon 3 mi
W
of El Guizar, 9300 ft [near type locality?], flowers red, white, and green, 23 Nov 1968, Boutin and
km
Brandt 2550 (MICH); Mpio. Talpa de Allende: [Sierra Cacoma], 4 due SE of Cuale along dirt road
km N Hwy
between El Tuito turnoff (5 of El Tuito and 32.2 mi by road E of Mex. 200 to Minas de
J3J36(IBUG,TEX,WIS,ZEA).
The closest relatives of Castilleja alhoharhata are within a group of species iden-
by Holmgren and by
tified as Castilleja subg. Castilleja (1976) sect. Castilleja
Nesoin (1992). These species are characterized by a racemose inflorescence,
(1)
colored calyces but usually green floral bracts, calyces with a deeply cut
(2) (3)
and and
(anterior) abaxial cleft a shallow (posterior) adaxial one, (4) corollas
A
with the galea equalling or longer than the tube. key to most of the Mexican
taxa with character constellation (including "white-bearded Casti/leja
this litis
&
C
Nesom and
ined." = alhoharhata), as well as detailed discussion distribu-
maps many Nesom
them, were provided
tion for of in (1992).
C C
Within most This
alhoharhata similar
sect. Castilleja, is to integrifolia.
mm
among
pair distinguished relatives by long pedicels (10-20 long), a
is its
dense beard on the upper side of the galea, and loose, racemose inflorescences
new
The from
terminated by a cluster of colored bracts. species differs C.
stem
integrifolia in short, ascending-appressed (antrorsely oriented) hairs,
its
m
C
compared caulme longer (mostly
to the vestiture integrifolia of slightly
mm
and appressed
0.2-0.4 long), deflexed (retrorsely oriented) closely hairs.
may
The orientation of stem hairs consistent within both species, although
is it
m
C
The
be variable related species Castilleja tenuijlora Benth.). galea of
(e.g.,
and
alhoharhata produces a beard similar in density trichome length to that of
C
new and
but the beard of the species bright white a striking
integrifolia, is
recognition
feature.
and
Castilleja integrifolia a wide-ranging variable species, distributed
is
from paramos Andes Mountains Colombia and Venezuela, broadly
the of the in
mountainous most America and southern
through the regions of of Central
Mexico, and on northward in the Sierra K4adre Oriental of northeastern Mexico
map
A
northern Nuevo Leon and Coahui of bution in Mexico
as far as its distri
la.
shown Nesom Map The specimen was Colom-
type collected in
in (1992,
is 2).
C
LINN, Within broad
bia (Mutis 82, holotype: fichel). its range, integrifolia is
common
and mostly mor-
in appropriate habitat consistent in basic
fairly its
phological Regional variants however, and these are incompletely
features. exist,
One
understood. taxon, described as chiapensis Brandegee, based on plants
C. is
from the mountains of central Chiapas, having a densely villous vestiture of
A
golden-yellovv' hairs. second form, apparently endemic to central Oaxaca and
C
described as longihracteata Mart. &r Gal., is distinguished by its broadly obo-
C
vate, fimbriate-tipped apical bracts. Type material for another variant,
integrifolia var alpigena Williams from Guatemala, appears to be referable
L.
&
C
to pecimata Mart. Gal. The range of C. integrifolia in Mexico most closely
C
approaches that of albobarhata in central Guerrero and Edo. Mexico, across a
gap of about 450 kilometers. The morphological distinction between the two
taxa consistent but not great - recognition of albobarhata specific rank
is C. at
emphasizes wide geographic disjunction from
its C. integrifolia.
This taxonomic disposition further supported by the discovery of
is
CastiUeja alboharbata at the far northwestern end of Sierra Cacoma, an exten-
mountain
two-parted, southeast-to-northwest oriented range of the Sierra
sive,
Madre def Sur that begins where Sierra de Manantlan ends Puerto Los Mazos.
at
This locality about 33 kilometers southeast of Puerto Vallarta and extends
is
C
more
the range of alboharbata than 110 kilometers northwest of the area of
the type locality at Cerro Las Capillas. also suggests that other stations of
It
may
this rare species yet be found at high elevations in between, in that vast
many
area of rough topography undercoUected despite years of concerted
still
The
type locality of CastiUeja albobarhata most remarkable loristically
is f
and ecologically (Vazquez-G. Perched atop an enormous, sheer and
et 1995).
al.
windswept,
south-facing this crest of the central section of Sierra dc
cliff,
Manantlan forms the very edge of the Sierra Madre del Sur and reaches high-
its
(2800-2860
est elevation meters) at Cerro Las Capillas. Below, one can sec on
any clear evening, far beyond the parallel ridges of ever-lower the shim-
hills,
mering Pacific Ocean at Manzanillo, some 60 kilometers to the south. Be due
it
to the near continual roaring winds from off the Pacific coast or the high
alti-
crumbly
tude, be the dry sandstone conglomerate or evidence of frequent
it
the vegetation on the crest one of an open, burnt-over pine-oak parkland
fires, is
comments
(Pinus hartwcgii Ijndl. scnsu lato, see below), the scattered trees
understoried by ericaceous shrubs and tussock grass ("sacaton"), giving the
appearance of a Mexican subalpine "sacatonal." The low, evergreen ericaceous
Comarostaphylos discolor (Hook.) Diggs subsp. manantlanensis Diggs, and the
&
McVaugh
remarkable diminutive Arbutus two
occidentalis Rosatti, the latter
Amongst
here at their type locality. our scattered and rare CastiUeja are small
patches of an as yet undescribed Alchemilla (A. manantlanensis nom. prov)
litis,
nowhere and known
seen else, of the robust grass tussocks of a giant Agrostis
dm
apparently only from one With 8 culms from woody
this fully a
site. tall
rhizome-like base, and with many, crowded, long leaves, A. novogaliciana
McVaugh ways The (McVaugh
unusual other author himself
in as well.
is
1983:42) noted that quite unlike any other N4exican species of Agrostis and
"it is
may
indeed be out of place in that genus."
On
the gentler, cooler, moister, north-facing slopes, a few hundred meters
below the crest and less susceptible to a mixed conifer-deciduous cloud
fire, is
&
forest of Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. Cham., Pinus hartwegii, Cupressus
Endl, and Quercus dense understory another grows
lindleyi spp. In Castilleja
its
C
in abundance, the yellow and red-flowered macvaughii N. Holmgren, a shrub
to or even 2 meters strictly endemic to the high elevation cloud forests a
1.5 tall,
and macvaughii
few kilometers east west of Cerro Las Capillas. Castilleja shares
cool habitat with the recently described, more widely distributed but al-
its
ways local Symplocos sousae Almeda and other endemics such as Ageratina
F.
manantlanensis more widespread
B.L. Turner. Other, Castilleja species, at
C
and
slightly lower elevations, include nervata Eastw. pterocaulon N.
C.
Holmgren.
Finally, even the pines at Cerro las Capillas present a taxonomic problem.
Vazquez
'Tinus hartwegiV' sensu lato (as noted above) listed in et (1995T06)
is al.
and
durangensis Martinez, according the botanists Cuevas-G. Car-
as to R.
S.
P.
Rosa
vajal-H. In the discussion, however, the local pine expert Perez de la sug-
J.
gested be martinezii Larsen, while W.B. Critchfield identified these
to E.
it P.
collections as an aberration of P hartwegii. Considering the great local ende-
mism may and
at this locality, yet prove to be an undescribed local variant,
it
thus Critchfield correct.
many
The concentration of so endemics on the slopes or at the very top of
some 40 (Vazquez Hernandez
Sierra de Manantlan, species in all et al. 1995;
many
1995:72-81), suggests that this mountain, like so others in Mexico, acted
and remnants
subalpine flora during periods of glacial cooling of its in the
warming an
present post-glacial but, in addition, because of isolation, as
its
now
"Inselberg," an island of autochthonous speciation, even only a few hect-
if
Cacoma
Similarly, the Sierra station for Castilleja alhoharhata lies in the
hotbed endemism, which though only 30 40 kilometers south-
center of a of to
mecca
east to southwest of the vacation of Puerto Vallarta, has until recently
now
remained relatively uncollected. exploration has been facilitated by the
Its
already deteriorating east-west gravel road that starts out (from Mexican High-
way
200) 5 kilometers north of El Tuito, goes east for 52 kilometers to the
now
near the abandoned Minas de Zimapan, and continues
Castilleja locality
beyond 47 kilometers Talpa de Allende. This "brecha" Tuito-Talpa opened
for to
up since the 1960's vast, previously inaccessible, forested lands, from the sub-
m)
tropical northern end of Sierra El Tuito (500-1880 south to the higher Si-
erra El Cuale (1000-2300 m) north of the road, and finally to the grand, rug-
m
end Cacoma
ged, isolated of the Sierra (with several peaks above 2600 and
one 2740 Most
to m!). of the collecting evidently occurred next to the road, as
with
the single plant of Castilleja. Yet, with its rocky pine forest habitat con-
tinuing up the mountain slopes for another 1800 meters to equal the altitude of
may much
the type one can
collection, predict that yet reveal a larger popula-
it
And
tion. the cloud forests that probably crown the peaks also offer potentially
rich scientific rewards. In any case, all along the Minas de Zimapan road, these
pine to oak woods have yielded a cornucopia of rarities and recently described
local endemics: Quercus tuitensis LM. Gonzalez and cualensis LM. Gonzalez
Q.
(Gonzalez- 2003a, Pi nusjaHsccjna Perez de Rosa, Muh/enbergiacualensis
V. b), la
&
Herrera and
Peterson, various novelties in the genera Aechmea, Agarista,
P.
and
Aristida, Triniochloa, Pedilanthus, Stevia, Wedelia.
What
may
the flora of the highest peaks
yet yield a tantalizing question.
is
These are, after extensions of Sierra de Manantlan and equivalent
all, in alti-
tude to that of Cerro Las Capillas (2740 vs. 2860 meters). Here a real botani-
is
challenge any young may
caf to botanist, for soon be too Not only are
late.
it
lumbering and cattle grazing expanding up the mountains to supply an ever
growing Mexican population, but global warming, worid-wide,
a fact bota-
is
What many
indeed will be the fate of of these high-altitude microcenters
of biodiversity, the "Inselbergs" of evolution, these biogeographic survivia, in
consequence warming? many
of global Surely endemics and
of these
rarities
woufd
soon be pushed off their high mountain perches by a warmer climate
and
displaced by pine forests or even cloud forests advancing from below. But
number
as for the large of rarities at Las Capillas, the type locality of Castilleja
alhoharbata, their survival for the time being assured by protection in the
is
Core Zone of the Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve (Guzman-M. and
litis
Vazquez
Halff
1991; ter 1987; et 1995).
af.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We
MICH
are grateful to for a loan of specimens, to Ted Cochrane for his excel-
and Rich
lent label data, Spellenberg for his review of the manuscript. Field
work was
supported by Manantlan
the Institute de Ecologia Conservacion de
y
la Biodiversidad (IMECBIO), Universidad de Guadalajara, and the National His-
Museums
tory Council, E.K. and O.N. Allen Herbarium Fund, and the Davis
Fund,
all ol the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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GoNZALtz-ViLLAREAL, L.M. 2003a. Quercus tuitensis (Fagaceae, Quercus Lobatae), new
sect. a
de^ de
/lanantlariylaconservaci6n/>
biosfera Sierra situ
a
1
iSoc.Mex. Nat;39:27-34.
Hist.
demica deal leManantlanJalisco-Colima, Mexico:
Sierra c
72-81.
Observaciones .InVazquesetalJoc:.cit.,FloradeManantlanpp.:
prelimin.
w
(subgenus
iOLMGREN, N.H. 1976. Foul species of Mexi can Castilleja Ccistilleja,
8:195-208.
Scrophulariaceae)and relatives. Brittonia 2.
t
Novo-Galiciana (Gramineae) 14:40-43.
/1cVaugh,R.1 983. /\grosf/s. Flora
JrsoM,G.L. 992.Taxonomy of the Castilleja tenuifbra group (Scrophulariaceae) in Mexico,
1
73:389-415.
with an overview of Casr/7/e/a.Phytologia
sect.
and L Guzman-H.
Cuevas Cochranf, H.H. Santana-M., 995. Flora
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3:1-315,
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