Ericameria nauseosa subsp. ammophila (Asteraceae), a new rabbitbrush from the San Luis Valley of Colorado

2006·4.6 MB·English

by  L C Anderson

AMMOPHILA
NAUSEOSA
ERICAMERIA SUBSR (ASTERACEAE),
NEW
EROM
A RABBITBRUSH THE SAN VALLEY
LUIS
COLORADO
OF
CAnderson
Loran
Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Science
Florida State University
32306-4370,
Tallahassee, Florida U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
A previously undescribed, distinctive subspecies of rabbitbrush has been recently discovered in south-central
named
Colorado where it is the dominant plant on sandsheet and is frequent on low sand dunes. It is here
A Comparisons made with
Encameria naiLseosasubsp. cimmophi detailed description given. are related taxa,
la. is
and key provided.
a
is
RESUMEN
Se ha descubierto recientemente una nueva subespecie de chamiso en el centro-sur de Colorado dindc es la
planta dommante en el arenal y frecuente en dunas bajas. Se ha nombrado como Ericamaia nawseosa subsp.
amm(7phi/c(.Seaportaunadescripci6ndetallada.Sehacencomparacionesconotrostaxarelacionados,yseaporta
una
clave.
One most widespread western North America the rabbitbrush
of the species in is
Nesom Canada
Ericameria nauseosa (Pallas ex Pursh) &r Baird. ranges from southern
It
south northern Mexico and from the Dakotas, Kansas, and Texas west to Washington
to
known
and This rabbitbrush was long as Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Pallas
California.
Clements) monographed Chrysothamnus 1923
ex Pursh) Britton. H.M. Hall (with E. in
F.
many when
North
and Haplopappus and views held However, the
in 1928, his for years.
South
American species of Haplopappus were demonstrated not to be closely related to the
American species (which included the type species for the genus), several sections of Hall's
One
such genus
North American HapJopappus were recognized as separate genera.
is
Erica meria. Some species of Chrysoi hamnus, such as C. nauseosus, have long been noted
DNA
When
Ericameria. data suggested that the traditional
for their close similarity to
Nesom
Chrysothamnus was not monophyletic, and Baird (1993) transferred four of
its
Ericameria,
including nauseosus,
species, C. to
C
Nesom
Anderson (1986a) recognized 22 subspecies of nauseosus, whereas and Baird
and mi
(1993) recognized two subspecies of E. nauseosa subsp. nauseosa subsp. consi lis)
(i.e.,
new
and Now, mfraspecific taxon of nauseosa to be described.
several varieties. a E. is
Should be a variety or a subspecies^ Nesom and Baird (1993) emphasized the category
it
my
and
(Anderson 1986b)
of variety but believe rationale for use of subspecies is solid,
I
new ammophila,
Ericameria nauseosa subsp. below.
therefore describe the subspecies,
I
my
and
Variability in the species great, and extensive study of the group in the field in
is
me names more
herbarium has convinced apply infraspccific to only the signifi-
the to
cant morphotypes. surprising that this new^ subspecies has escaped recognition for
It is
C
Specimens were not represented in the more than 12,000 collections of
so long. of
it
UNM)
NCM,
COLO, RM, and
nauseosus studied from 56 herbaria (including CS,
that
I
about 30 years ago.
SIDA 867 -872. 2006
22(2):
868 BRIT.0R6/SIDA
22(2)
make
intend to appropriate subspecific combinations in Ericameria nauscosa in a
I
future paper so that variation within the wider ranging subspecies can then be recog-
Some
nized through quadrinomials. argue that quadrinomials are cumbersome, but
at
may why
an appHed level, some field workers wonder the populations in their regions
name
same somewhat
have the subspecific that applied different-looking popula-
to
is
tions in other regions, and quadrinomials would help them see the relationships. There-
m
names
fore, the discussion section of the present paper, will use subspecies as they
I
occurred in Chrysothamnus nauscosus (Anderson 1986a) comparative purposes.
for
&
Nesom
Ericameria nauseosa (Pallas ex Pursh) Baird subsp. ammophila L.C Anderson,
nov
Subsp, UNITRDSTATnS.CorORADO.
(Figs. 1, 2). Type: Saguache Co.; abundant on sandsheet of
SW m
Baca National Wildlife Refuge, ca. 4.5 au" mi of Crestone, elcv. 2528 C7600 Lat. 37° 56' 12" N. Long.
f r),
105^ 44' 29" W, 2 Sep 2005, LC. Anderson 21303 (moi.otype; BRIT; isotypics; c:OLO, FSU, NY).
dm
Trurices usque ad 14 caulibus multis tomentulosis 20-45
alti fast igiatis el foliis flavovireniibus; folia linearia,
mm mm mm
longa, 0.6-1.2 lata; inflorcscentiae paniculatim cymosae; capiuila cylindrica, 9.3-14 aha, straminea,
bracteis exterioribus ovatis, tomentulosis vel glabratis, intenoribus oblongis, glabris, apicibus obtusis vel
acuminatis;flosculidisci5, pallideflavi,corollibusl0.5-13mm longis,lobispIerumquc minus quam Immlongis,
mm
aliquot pilissparsis in rubocorollae usque ad longis,appendicibussryli quam lineisstigmaticisplerumque
3.5
longioribus, plerumque longioribus; achaenia pubescentia.
dm
Fastigiate shrubs, 3.5-7(-14) usually broader than from considerable branch-
tall, tall
cm
ing; ultimate flowering branches (8-)10-20(-25) shallowly grooved,
yellovv^ish-
tall,
compact tomentum, somewhat
green
vv^th viscidulous. Leaves alternate, entire, linear,
mm
stiffly ascending or slightly spreading, (20-)25-30(-45) long, only slightly shorter
mm
toward stem with
tips, (0.6-)0.9"1.0(-L2) wide, subterete adaxial groove, light green,
pubescence compact, tomentum and few
of sparse, a longer, villous hairs. Inflorescences
mm
tightly congested paniculate cymes; heads
cylindrical, (9.3-)ll-12.5(-I4) (2-)2.5(-
tall,
mm
mm
wide, stramineous; with cusp
3) receptacle central (0.7-)l-2(~2.5) long. Phyllar-
mm
ies (15-)16-18(-20), in vertical rows, outermost (lowest) bracts ovate, L2-2 long,
mm
tomentulose to glabrate, inner bracts oblong, 8-10 long, glabrous with ± mar-
ciliate
mm
mm
weakly
gins (few with
cilia to 0.4 long), keeled, tips (rarely tufted pappilae
0.1
mm
long) obtuse to acuminate. Disk flowers corollas (10.5-)11.5-12.5(-13) long, nar-
5;
mm
ro\vly cylmdric gradually flaring to erect lobes (0.6-)0.7-1.0(-L3) long, yellow, sparse
mm mm
on
hairs tube generally long but few
0.2 a l-2(-3.5) long; styles (13-)14-16(-I7.5)
mm mm
long, style branches 3.9^4.7 long, the stigmatic lines more or less equal to branch
mm mm
tips in length (40-56%), anthers 4 long with appendage 0.8-0.9 mature
long;
when
achenes cylindric, 5-nerved (the nerves noticeable because of brownish material
mm
in associated secretory canals), 4.5-6(-6.8) long, sericious with hairs (0.4-)0.5-0.7(-
mm
mm
hO) pappus
long, (9-)10-ll(-12.5) long, finely barbellate, white.
A new
Phenology.— few shrubs of the subspecies bloom August; most
start to in late
bloom
are in full in mid-late September, whereas E. nauseosa subsp. consimiJis, or var.
&
Nesom
orcophila (A. Nelson) G.L. G.L Baird, found in nearby more mesic, saline
sites,
blooms
August.
earlier in
new
Habitat— The
rabbitbrush occurs (in descending frequency) on: sandsheet, dune
fields, stabilized sand dunes, and sandy soil of open pinyon-juniper (old dunes?). The term
sandsheet is variously defined by geologists; here refers to flat expanses of stabilized
it
coarse, poorly sorted sands that occur extensively along the margins of the high dunes of
m
Sand Dunes
the Great National Park (tallest North America). The rabbitbrush the
is
dominant
plant (hiding nearly equally frequent grasses) on the sandsheet, and sandsheet
NEW
ANDERSON, ERICAMERIA NAUSEOSA SUBSP. AMMOPHILA, A SUBSPECIES FROM COLORADO 869
FiGJ.CIose-upofofflowering branches of f/-/ramer/a/7flt/S(?5flsubsp.flmmopM£/ showing characteristic yellow
glabrous involucres, and short corolla lobes.
870 BRIT.ORG/SIDA
22(2)
common name new
rabbitbrush very appropriate as a for this subspecies (whose epi-
is
much
ammophila means From on
thet 'sand loving'). a distance, the vegetation of the
Baca National Wildhfe Refuge appears as a more or less evenly spaced, 'unbroken sea' of
Dune some
sandsheet rabbitbrush. fields are generally flat but have undulating topogra-
m
phy. The sandsheet rabbitbrush occurs elevations from 2518 2735 (7550 8200
at to to
ft).
Associaled specie^.— The grasses, Achnaihcrum (Oryzopsis hymcnoides (Roem. &r
)
Schult.) Barkworth and Chon J ro5um(BcMJtc/ou(^)gra(:iIeH.B.K., arc usually co-dominants
with the sandsheet rabbitbrush. The following are found one or more
at sites:
Chrysothamuusgreenei hyiogonum cernuum
(Gray) Greene, Nuttall, Hetcroslipa (Slipa)
&
comaia (Trin. Rupr.) Barkworth, Ipomopsis longijlora (Torn) Grant, Nutlallia
V.
(Mcntzclia) rushyi (Wooton) Rydb., Opuntia polyacantha Haworth, PsoraJidium
&
Rhus
lanccoJatum (Pursh) Rydb., trilobata Nuttall, Senecio muliilohatus Torr Gray,
Gray and The
5por(;b()Iuscr}^pfandru.s(Torr.) Yuccaglauca Nuttall. flora of thesandsheet-
m
numbers
sandhill ecosystem of this region sparse of taxa.
is
COLORADO.
Additional collections: Alamosa Co.; Clreat Sand Dunes National Park Visitors Center, 2 Sep 2005,
Hwy
L.C. Anderson 21,280 (F5U); sand sheet by road to Medano Ranch, 9.9 mi E of 17, 2 Sep 2005, L.C. Anderson
21291 (FSU). Saguache Co.: ca. 3.7 mi SSE of Crcstonc, 21 Aug Erduian 0113 (FSU), 6 Sep 2001J. Hrdman
2001,J.
0116 (FSU), 27 Sep 2001 Erdman 0121 (FSU); Sep 2005, LC. Anderson 21,276 (FSU); rd to San Isabel Canyon
J.
1
Aug
trailhcad, 21 2001 FrJmcni 0II4 CF5U); 7 Sep 2001 Frt/mcn] 0.n9(FSU); 28 Sep 2001 F/Jfndn 0123 (FSU)^
J. J. J.
near Pinyon Flats, Great Sand Dunes National Park. 2 Sep 2005, LC. Anderson 21/286 (FSU); dune near "Ox-
tield
bow Pond" between Spanish Creek and Cottonwood Creek, 22 Aug 2001, Erdman 0115 (FSU); 7 Sep 2005,
j.
J.
Erdman Erdman
0118 (FSU); 27 Sep 0122 (FSU); 2 Sep 2005, E.C. Anderson 212>0\ (FSU).
2001,J,
DISCUSSION
The sandslicct rabbitbrusli (subsp. ammop]\\\d) perhaps most closely related subsp.
is to
New
mtxdxxs L.C. Anderson which occurs in northern Arizona and adjacent Mexico. The
two share the features of yellow-green foliage and stramineous, shiny involucres. They dif-
fer in geography and habitat Csubsp. mlxdViS prefers sandy gravels of dry stream beds) and
mmoph cm cm
in that subsp. a la fomrs shorter shrubs usually 35-70 tall (60-150 in subsp.
i
and has flowering stems and more crowded than
nil id us), fastigiate in subsp. niM' dies; leaves
mm mm mm
usually 25-30 long and wide (30-50 by
or less 1-1.5 in subsp, n idus), corol-
1
i I
mm mm
las mostly 11.5-12,5 long (9.5-11 in niiidus), unusually long trichomes on the
m
and
corolla tubes pubescent achenes (usually glabrous Subspecies naius
nitidus). u rhi
t
m
M.E.Jones like the sandsheet rabbitbrush height and branching, but occurs gener-
is
it
ally in sandy regions of the Great Basin and has mostly longer involucres with
tomentulosc acuminate ammophiJa
phyllaries that arc acute to (phyllaries in subsp. are
mostly glabrous with obtuse to acute tips), and shorter corollas with lobes that arc vil-
&
Nesom
lous. Subspecies consimilisii.c., var. orcophila of Baird 1993) rarely grows with
ammoph
subsp. but subsp. consimilis usually grows in more saline or disturbed (mcsic)
la,
i
habitats in this region, and differs in forming generally narrower shrubs with
it taller,
darker green foliage and smaller involucres and flowers. The unusually long hairs (up
to
mm)
3.5 on the corolla tubes of the sandsheet rabbitbrush are 10 times longer than any
others found in the species or in all of the former genus Chvysothamnus (Anderson 1970).
A
portion of the Urbatsch et (2006) key to the varieties (hsted here as subspecies)
al.
Encamcria new
of nauscosa given bclow^ with the subspecies included; subsp.
is
ammophila
shares a couplet with subsp. hernardinus, but the two are not closely related
(ecologically, geographically or taxonomically within the species).
ANDERSON, ERICAMERIA NAUSE05A SUBSP. AMMOPHILA, A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM COLORADO
871
-
J
'ftitS^W^-^r-^- fl.'ft'flV.'.
W^ W»-
J .
^ -^^EW'
-Iff
r-«^'
.
A
f-^
j'ji
^
Fig. 2. Sandsheet rabbitbrush in foreground on stabilized dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park (in front of lower shoulder of large
dune
devoid of vegetation) with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background.
BRILORG/SIDA
22(2)
872
mm)
Cypselae glabrous (plants 60-150 cm;involucres 10-12.5 subsp. nitidus (in part)
1.
Cypselae
hairy.
1.
(sometimes
Corolla lobes villous sparse
16.
mm,
Leaf blades 30-50 faces glabrate subsp. nitidus (in part)
19.
mm, turbinatus
Leaf blades 10-20 faces tomentulose subsp.
19.
Corollas lobes glabrous.
16,
sometimes
23. aries usually glabrous, outer sparsely hairy.
mm.
10-12[13] mm;involucres [9.3]10-14
Corollas
24.
mm]
bernardinus
[24a. Corolla lobes 1.7-2.3 subsp. (in part)
mm
ammophila
[24a. Corolla lobes or less] subsp.
1
mm
6-9+ mm; 6-10 subsp consimil e,var oreophila
Corollas involucres
24. is
[i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Erdman accommodations, and valuable
James provided camaraderie, transportation,
general knowledge of the flora and geology of the area and obtained access for collecting
USDA
Richard Sparks of the and Fred Bunch and Phyllis Pineda Bovin
in restricted areas.
Mark
of Great Sand Dunes National Park also gave excellent assistance. Garland provided
the Latin diagnosis; William A. Weber and an anonymous reviewer offered important
suggestions improving the manuscript. Funds from the Friends ot the Robert K.
for
Godfrey Herbarium (FSU) helped defray publication costs of this paper.
REFERENCES
LC
anatomy Chrysothamnus Compositae), 3:466-503.
Anderson, 970. of (Astereae, Sida
Floral
1
LC
986a. An overview of the genus Chrysothamnus (Astereae), E.D.McArthur and B.L
rson, In:
Ani-ji
1
Welch. Symp. Biology of Artemisia and Chrysothamnus, USDA, Forest Service, Intermountain
Proc,
Ogden, 29-45.
Research Station, Utah, Pp.
Andi LC. 986b. Sympatric subspecies Chrysothamnus nauseosus. E.D. McArthur and B.L
rson, in In:
1
Welch. Proc, Symp. Biology of /Arfem/5/c:? and C/irysot/iamnivs. USDA, Forest Servicejntermountain
Ogden, 98-1
Research Station, Utah. Pp. 03.
The genus Haplopappus;d phylogenetic study the Compositae. Carnegie
Ha!i, H.M. 1928. in Inst.
Wash. Washington, D,C
Publ. 389,
and The phylogenetic method taxonomy. The North American spe-
Hall, H.M. RE. Clements. 1923. in
cies of ArtemisiaXhrysothamnus, and Atriplex. Carnegie Inst.Wash. Publ, 326, Washington, D.C.
Nlsom, G.L and Brno. 1993. Completion of Ericameria (Asteraceae: Astereae), diminution of
G.l.
Chrysothamnus. Phytologia 75:74-93.
Anderson, and K.M.NEUBiG.2006,The genus fr/carner/c?Nuttall (Asteraceae).
UHBAiseLi,LE.,LC. R.RRotiLKis,
North Amer. 26:50-77.
Fl.