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Nuytsia 13(1):23-27(1999) 23 Two new species ofActinotus (Apiaceae) from Western Australia GJ.Keighery Department of Conservation and Land Management, Wildlife Research Centre, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, Western Australia 6065 Abstract G.J.Keighery.TwonewspeciesofActinotus(Apiaceae)fromWesternAustralia. Nuytsia 13(1): 23-27(1999). TwonewperennialspeciesofActinotus(Apiaceae)aredescribedandillustrated. One W isconfinedtothehigherrainfallareasofsouthWesternAustraliabetweenMargaretRiverand alpole. Theotheris only known fromafew populations in theWhicher Range south-eastofBusselton. Introduction ThegenusActinotus(Apiaceae)inWesternAustraliaconsistsoffour(oneundescribed)speciesof post-fire annual herbs, which are widespread in the Mediterranean and semi-arid areas ofsouthern WesternAustralia,andagroupofsix(threeundescribed)perennialtaxaconfinedtothehigherrainfall area,largelybetween Perth andAlbany. Thispaperdescribestwoofthenew perennialspecies,both restrictedtotheforestedareasofWesternAustralia. Taxonomy ActinotuslaxusG.J.Keighery,sp. nov. DiffertabA. omnifertilisrhizomaelongatumexpansum,caulisflorifertenuissimuslaxusad40cm ahum et umbellae parvae. Typus\ Recreation Reserve, intersection of Scott Rd and Govenor Broome Rd, Western Australia, 29December 1990, G.J. Keighery 12210(holo: PERTH01994212;iso: CANB,K,MEL). Slendersub-shrubfromaspreading rhizomatous woodyrootstocktoover30cmdiameter; erect floweringbranches annually renewed, to40cmtall. Stemsvery slender, lax,pubescent whenyoung mm becomingglabrouswith age. Leavesalternate,pubescent when young, petiole2-3 long; lamina trilobed (rarely with 5 lobes), 8-16 mm long, discolorous, green on upper surface, grey-green mm underneath. Inflorescence subtended by a linear leaf-like bract, peduncle 18-35 long, with 24 Nuytsia Vol. 13, No. 1 (1999) (6)8-12flowers(upto5male,theremainderbisexual),glabrous. Bracts8-10,linear,usuallysparsely mm mm mm hairy,c. 2 long, green witharedpoint. Pedicelsc. 0.5 long. Flowerswhite, c. 2 long. Petalsentire, white, c. 1 mm long, theendinflexed, midrib prominent. Stamensc. 3 mm long, each mm mm withapinkishantherc. 1 long. Fruitsparsely hairy, c. 3 long. (Figure 1) Otherspecimensexamined. WESTERNAUSTRALIA: PingerupRd,29kmEofMtChudalup, 15Dec. 1994,A.R.A«ne/.jc£R.W.//ea/7!5200(PERTH);34o07’S, 115°18’ E, 16Nov. l992,A.R.Annels2982 (PERTH);WeldRiverSwamp, 16kmSofShannonMill,Dec. 1957,D. Churchills.n.(PERTH);South NorthcliffeTracktoGardnerRiver, 19Mar. 1961,A.S.George2337(PERTH);NorthcliffeForestPark, 28 Dec. 1990,L. Graham600(PERTH);BowRiver,3 Dec. 1913,S.W. Jacksons.n. (NSW,CANB); Walpole,25Jan. 1947,MrsM.Johnson(PERTH);YelvertonStateForest, 19Jan.1990,G.J. Keighery 12210(PERTH), BigBrook,Pemberton,WesternAustralia,Jan. 1922,M. Koch2613 (NSW,MEL); Broke Inlet, 27 Jan. 1990, G. Warded-Johnson 1061 (PERTH); Walpole-Nornalup National Park, 27Jan. 1993,J.R. Wheeler3799(PERTH); ScottRiverRd, E. Wittwer550(CANB). Distribution.IndiscretepopulationsbetweenAugustaandWalpolewithanoutlierinYelvertonForest, north-eastofMargaret River. Habitat. Occursinfresh,usuallypermanentswampsunderdensecoverofHomalospermumfirmumand Agonis linearifolia or Reedia spathacea or rareiy seepages with Juncus kraussii rushes. Often , associated with the other endemics ofthis habitat, Cephalotusfollicularis, Cosmelia rubra. Reedia spathacea andHomalospermumfirmum. Floweringperiod.Usuallyflowersinsummer(DecembertoMarch). Floweringisnotenhancedbyfire. Conservationstatus. RepresentedinseveralconservationreservesandStateforestblocks. Restricted in range butnotconsidered to be at risk. Etymology. Named aftertheslenderlaxfloweringbranches. Affinities. RelatedtoActinotusomnifertilis(F.Mueil.JBenth.,whichisashort-livedpost-fireperennial herbthatlackstheextensiverhizomeofthisnewspecies. Actinotuslaxusisreadilydistinguishedfrom allothermembersofthegenusbyitslongslenderlaxfloweringbranches,whicharesupportedbythe surrounding vegetation, and its very small inflorescences. Flowering inActinotus laxus does not appear tobeenhanced by fire as it is inA. omnifertilis. ActinotuswhicheranusG.J.Keighery.?/;.now Frutex e basi lignosa ramosae caulis florifer ad singuius 40 cm. aitum erectus. Folia alterna, puberula, discoloria, divisa. Infloresceritia 15-35 mm. lata. Flores albi. Typus: Sabina Rd. Whicher Range, south of Busselton, Western Australia, 19 December 1991, G.J. Keighery 12394(holo: PERTH03415384; iso:MEL. CANB,SYD). Erectslendersub-shrubfromashortwoodyabovegroundstem;erectfloweringbranchesto40cm tall. Stemsslender,pubescentwhenyoung,becomingglabrouswithage. Leavesalternate,pubescent whenyoung,petiole25-55mmlong;laminawiththreetofourprimarylobesandwithsecondarylobes. G.J. Keighery, Two new species ofActinotus from WA 25 Figure 1. Actinotus laxus. A- flowering branch, scale bar = 1 cm, B - leaf, C - inflorescence, D - flower, top view, E - flower, side view, F - fruit. Scale bar for B-F = 1 mm. Drawn from G.J. Keighery 12210. 26 Nuytsia Vol. 13, No. 1 (1999) Figure 2. Actinotus whicheranus. A - whole plant, scale bar = 1 cm, B - leaf, C - inflorescence, D - male flower, E - bisexual flower. Scale bar for B-E = 1 mm. Drawn from G.J. Keighery 12394. G.J. Keighery, Two new species of Actinotus from WA 27 mm 20-25 long, usuallydiscolorous,green on uppersurface, grey-green underneath. Inflorescence 15-35mmdiameter,subtendedbya linearleaf-likebract3-6mm long,peduncle5-8 cm long,with numerousflowers(upto30%male,theremainderbisexual),glabrous. Bractslinear,hirsute,4-8mm mm mm long,usuallysparselyhairy.Pedicelsc.0.5 long. Flowerswhite,c.2 long. Petalsentire,white, mm mm c. 1 long,theendindexed, midribprominent. Stamensc. 3 long,each withapinkish anther mm mm c. 1 long. Fruithairy,c. 3 long. (Figure2) Otherspecimensexamined. WESTERNAUSTRALIA: SabinaRd,7Jan. 1997,D.Bright&A.Annels SC135.7(PERTH);EofVasseHighwayonSabinaRd, 1 Feb.1996, G. Keighery 14358 (PERTH). Distribution. Confined to a narrow band along the western margin ofthe Blackwood Plateau and adjacentWhicherRange Escarpment. Habitat. Occursinwhitesandpocketsoverlaterite,underBanksiaattenuatawoodlandorBeaufortia squarrosa tall shrubland. The species may survive mild winter fires but is killed by summer fires, regeneratingfromseed. Floweringperiod.Usuallyflowersin summer(DecembertoMarch). Conservationstatus.CALMConservationCodesforWesternAustralianFlora:PriorityTwo. Confined totheWhicherRange,south-eastofBusselton. Highlyrestrictedbutlocallycommon. Thedeclaration oftheproposedWhicherRangeNature Reservewill encompass mostpopulations. Populationseast oftheVasseHighway areinStateforest. Etymology. Named afterthe WhicherRange to which the species isconfined. Affinities. NotcloselyrelatedtoanyotherspeciesofActinotusinWesternAustralia. Thehabitofbeing atuftedsub-shrubwithanerectshortwoodystemandsmallinfloresencesonlongerectfloweringstems issuperficiallysimilartoA.minor{Sm.)DC.fromNewSouthWalesandperhapsmoredistantlytothe large-floweredA. helianthiLabill. fromQueenslandandNewSouthWales. Acknowledgements ThankstoJennyHartandPaulWilsonforassistancewiththeLatin.ToJennyandBarbaraRyefor assistance in improving the paperin flow and substance.