Suaeda neuquenensis (Chenopodiaceae), a new species from Argentina

2004·2.6 MB·

by  M A Alonso

Volume 14 NOVON
Number 1
2004
Suaeda neuquenensis (Chenopodiaceae), a New Species
from Argentina
M. A. Alonso
GIB (Institute Universitario de la Biodiversidad), Universidad de
Alicante, Apartado 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain, [email protected]
L. Conticello and M. B. Cerazo
Departamento de Botanica Aplicada, Universidad Nacional del Comahue,
Rio Negro, Argentina
Abstract. Suaeda neuquenensis, a new species of Material and Methods
Suaeda (Chenopodiaceae), is described from Ane-
Dried specimens of Suaeda at ARC, CORD, and
lo’s Bowl near Anelo, Neuquen Province, Argenti¬
MERI , were studied, as well as fresh material col¬
na. It differs from other perennial Argentinean spe¬
lected in the Neuquen Province.
cies in being a decumbent shrub with creeping
Taxonomic and nomenclatural treatments follow
stems that root at the lower nodes bearing short,
Standley (1916), Morello (1958), Bassett and
oblong, often reflexed leaves and a large seed.
Crompton (1977), Hopkins and Blackwell (1977),
Key words: Argentina, Chenopodiaceae, Neu¬ Correa (1984), Pedrol and Castroviejo (1988), Teill-
quen, Suaeda. er (1996), Guisti (1997), Greuter el al. (2000), and
Schenk and Ferren (2000, 2001). Herbarium sheets
Two perennial species of Suaeda Forsskal ex J. of Suaeda neuquenensis are conserved at ABH of
F. Gmelin (Chenopodiaceae), S. divaricata Moquin- the University of Alicante (Holmgren & Holmgren,
Tandon and .S', argentinensis Soriano, are currently 1993).
known from Argentina (Soriano, 1942; Giusti,
1997). Suaeda fruticosa (L.) Forsskal was reported Results and Discussion
from the Boca district of Buenos Aires by Soriano
Suaeda neuquenensis M. A. Alonso, Conticello &
(1945), who nonetheless suggested it was a recent
Cerazo, sp. nov. TYPE: Argentina. Neuquen
introduction and not likely to persist; there is now
Province: Anelo’s Bowl near Anelo,
no evidence that it did. Species of the genus are
38°11'56"S, 69°00'46”W, 350 m.s.m. on sa-
highly variable as to succulence, habit, and size of
line-sodic soil, 24 Mar. 1998, L. Conticello &
leaves (Morello, 1958; Hopkins & Blackwell, 1977;
M. A. Alonso s.n. (holotype, ABH 41516; iso¬
Bassett & Crompton, 1977; Pedrol & Castroviejo,
type, ABH 42972). Figure 1.
1988). Other features are more constant: herba¬
ceous versus woody habit, type of inflorescence (in¬ Nanophanerophitus in fructicibus pulvinatis usque ad
cluding the density of the glomerules), relationship 50 cm altitudinis et 2.50 m diametri se extendentihus.
of leaf length and internode length, shape of the Caulis atramineus leviler strialus, glaber cum internodiis
1 mm, interdum inaestimabilis in gemmis recentibus, 2-
calyx, stigma shape and length, and seed size (Hop¬
3 mm longis in ramis adultis. Folia adulta patentia aut
kins & Blackwell, 1977; Pedrol & Castroviejo,
reflexa, iuvenilia perpendicularia, alterna oblonga, sue-
1988). culenta cum apiee obtuso ac leviter mucronato, parum aut
Novon 14: 1-5. 2004.
2 Novon
Figure 1. Suaeda neuquenensis M. A. Alonso, Conticello & Cerazo. —A. Habit (holotype, ABH 41516). —B, C.
Flowering branches. —I). Young sterile shoot. —E. Detail of an axillary floral glomerule from the holotype.
nihil ad basim attenuata, dorsi ventral iter compressa, mar- hermaphroditi cum sterili gynaecio, 5 staminibus et calyx
gines integri et rotundi, cum nitore virentia ant glauea vel 5 sepalorum. Flores feminei cum gynaecio fecundo unil-
albescentia propter salina eorpuscula (|uae in superficie oculari, stylis 3 ad 0.5 mm longis, stigmatibus papillis
deponuntur, 5—15 mm longa et 3—8 mm lata. Gynodioe- elongatis atque pilis acutis vestitis. Flores isti minores
cius. sessiles llores iuncti in glomerulis axillaribus 2-6, sunt quam hermaphroditi, sed dia parte eius, et cum apice
Volume 14, Number 1 Alonso et al. 3
2004 Suaeda neuquenensis from Argentina
abtuso glabris ac inflexis, 2—3 mm longi. Fructus utricu- nodes, a feature that is absent in both S. argenti-
lalus, ovoideus, 3X4 mm, in calycis segmentis inclusus
nensis and S. divaricata; seeds are vertical and
sed illis non affixus. Semen vertieale, nigrum, lenticulare,
have a reticulate testa (neither horizontal and
testa reticulata.
smooth as in S. argentinensis, nor tuberculate as in
Plants woody, cushion-shaped, dwarf shrubs with S. divaricata). With regard to other American spe¬
creeping stems, forming mats 20—50 cm high and cies, S. neuquenensis resembles ,S. conferla (J. K.
25 dm across, the decumbent branches rooting at Small) 1. M. Johnston by its delicate cushion¬
the nodes. Stems light brown, weakly striated, the shaped habit, though it differs by its robust, strong¬
internodes of new branches 1 mm long or less, 2— ly woody stems, large fruits up to 4 X 3 mm (the
3 mm long in mature branches. Leaves alternate largest in the section), and its narrower and shorter
and positioned perpendicular on new branches, be¬ leaves, among other features. Connections to other
coming reflexed on mature branches, succulent, ob¬ Central and North American taxa are very weak.
long, 5—15 mm long, 3—8 mm wide, entire, shining It is unlikely that Suaeda neuquenensis is an ex¬
green to glaucous or white due to saline deposited otic, introduced taxon. Its natural habitat is quite
on the surfaces, the apices obtuse to rounded or far from populated or frequented areas, and the soil
slightly mucronate, the bases attenuated. Flowers in which it grows has a high salt content, making
gynodioecious, axillary, sessile, 2 to 6 per glomer- it unsuitable for agriculture. It is difficult therefore
ule, the perianth composed of 5 sepaloid perianth to support an alien origin for this plant, since no
segments, 2—3 mm long, these inflated in the mid¬ taxon is currently known to which it could be re¬
dle, apically obtuse and indexed, the hermaphro¬ ferred.
dite flower with 5 stamens and a sessile, sterile
gynoeeium, the female flowers with a solitary, 1-
Key to Related Species ok Suaeda in the Argentine
loeular gynoeeium with 3 stigmas up to 0.5 mm
Republic
long, bearing elongate papillae and acute hairs.
The following is part of Giusti's (1997) kev for the genus
Fruit an ovoid utricle, 3 X 4 mm, enclosed by the
Suaeda, to which S. neuquenensis has been added.
perianth segments, which are not closely attached
la. Shrubs or small shrubs.
to it; seeds vertical, black, lens-shaped, reticulate 2a. Plants with ramification in acute angles.
on the testa. Leaves appressed to stem. Flowers in axil¬
lary, pedicellate glomerules. Seeds usually
Ecology. Suaeda neuquenensis is known only horizontal . Suaeda argentinensis
from Anelo’s Bowl near Anelo in the province of 2b. Plants with ramification in divergent angles.
Leaves divergent, not appressed to stem.
Neuquen, where it occurs on saline-sodic soils in
Flowers in axillary, sessile glomerules.
monospecific communities or in association with
Seeds vertical.
Atriplex undulata (Moquin) Dietrich, Distichlis spi- 3a. Shrubs erect, 1—3 m high. Leaves sem-
cala (L.) Greene. Halophytum ameghinoi Spegaz- icylindric, perpendicular to the stem.
zini, Sesuvium portulacastrum (I,.) L., and Suaeda Young stems downy. Stems brown to
reddish. Suaeda divaricata
divaricata.
3b. Sbrubs decumbent, 0.2—0.5 m high.
Leaves flat, reflexed on the stem. Young
Taxonomic Discussion stems glabrous. Stems light brown . . .
. Suaeda neuquenensis
In a recent paper on the nomenclature of Suae¬ lb. Annual herbs . . Suaeda patagoniea, Suaeda altisima,
da, Schrenk and Ferren (2001) stressed features and Suaeda densiflora
characterizing sections in the genus. According to
Acknowledgments. We thank Fidel Roig and Ma¬
their arrangement, Suaeda neuquenensis belongs to
nuel B. Crespo for comments on the manuscript, Ar-
section Limbogermen lljin (sect. Salsina Moquin,
eadio Alonso for his assistance with the Latin descrip¬
pro parte), which includes American shrubs and
tion, and Pedro Marco for the illustration of this
subshrubs, with radial flowers, stigmas from a pit
species.
at the top of the ovary, and leaves with suaedoid C4
anatomy, consisting of a ring of dark green palisade
and Kranz cells surrounding internal aqueous tis¬ Literature Cited
sue, among other characters. Bassett, I. J. & C. W. Crompton. 1977. lhe genus Suaeda
Relationships among taxa of section Limboger¬ (Chenopodiaceae) in Canada. Canad. .1. Bot. 56: 581—591.
men are shown in Table 1. Morphologically, S. neu- Correa, M. N. 1984. Flora Patagoniea. Parte I\ a. Tomo \ 111.
Coleccion Cientffica del INTA. Buenos Aires.
quenensis shows a syndrome of characters that is
Ferren. W. R. & H. J. Schenk. 2000. Flora of North America.
not found in other South American taxa in the sec¬ (http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/FNA/sueda 11.16.00.html)
tion. Stems are decumbent and root at the basal Gehu, J. M. & S. Rivas-Martfnez. 1982. Notions fondamen-
4

Table 1. Comparison of morphological features among the species of Suaeda sect. Limbogt 6E

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Fruit size (mm) 1.5—2 X 1 1.5 X 1.5 4 X 3 2—3 0.8—1 1—3 1.5—2 0.7—2 1.5—2 1.5—2
Seed position vertical usually hori- vertical horizontal or horizontal horizontal or horizontal or horizontal or horizontal vertical and
zontal vertical vertical vertical vertical horizontal
Seed size (mm) 1.5—2 X 1 1.5 X 1.5 4 X 3 0.8 X 1.2 0.8—1 1—2 0.8—1.2 0.5—2 1.5 0.8—2
Surface of testa tubercled smooth reticulate reticulate reticulate smooth reticulate reticulate smooth smooth
Volume 14, Number 1 Alonso et al. 5
2004 Suaeda neuquenensis from Argentina
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