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| FIGURE 1. Hechtia hernandez-sandovalii I. Ramírez, C. F. Jiménez & Treviño (A, C, E).
A. Plant in habit. C. Young staminate inflorescence showing white indumentum. E. Staminate branch. F. Pistillate branch.
Hechtia glomerata Zucc. (B, D).
B . Plant in habit, see rosette shape and leaf color. D. Staminate (above) and pistillate (below) flowers.
Photographs A, B, C, D by Ivón Ramirez; E by Jacinto Treviño Carreón |
Abstract
A new species of Hechtia from the Mexican State of Tamaulipas is herein proposed as new: Hechtia hernandez-sandovalii, which is known only from the municipality of Villa de Miquihuana in the southwestern portion of the state. The new species is easily recognized by the following combination of characters: its white cotton-like indument (turning brownish with age) on the branches, rachis, and peduncle of both staminate and pistillate inflorescences. The new taxon is compared with H. glomerata, a species morphologically similar.
Keywords: Dioecy, endemism, Hechtia glomerata, IUCN, lateral inflorescence
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| FIGURE 1. Hechtia hernandez-sandovalii (A, C, E, F). A. Plant in habit. C. Young staminate inflorescence showing white indumentum. E. Staminate branch. F. Pistillate branch. Hechtia glomerata (B, D). B. Plant in habit, see rosette shape and leaf color. D. Staminate (above) and pistillate (below) flowers.
Photographs A, B, C, D by Ivón Ramirez; E and F by Jacinto Treviño Carreón.
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Hechtia hernandez-sandovalii I. Ramírez, C. F. Jiménez & Treviño
Species similar to Hechtia glomerata Zucc. in its acaule rosettes with narrowly triangular blades, glabrous above, densely white lepidote below, lateral inflorescence, and staminate and pistillate flowers with white petals. However, H. hernandez-sandovalii presents branches of the inflorescence densely covered with a initially white indumentum that turns brownish with age and flowers totally immersed in it (vs. thin indumentums and flowers not immersed in it), rosettes taller than wide, leaves erect, falcate, laminae green, never developing red color (vs. rosette ellipsoid, wider than tall, leaves horizontally extended, apices deflexed, leaves green, shiny above, usually develop red color in H. glomerata); foliar sheaths shorter (2.5–3 cm vs. 3–6 cm in H. glomerata); floral parts (floral bracts, petals, sepals, ovary, anthers, and staminodes) and fruits larger, but seeds smaller in H. hernandez-sandovalii.
Etymology:— We dedicate this species to Luis G. Hernández Sandoval who collected the type material of this new species.
IUCN Conservation assessment:— VU. Hechtia hernandez-sandovalii meets criteria D2 of the IUCN (2001). The species is known from an area of less than 2 km2 within which it occurs only at a handful of small sites. Albeit local populations of the species can be rich in individuals and are often inaccessible, they are widely dispersed and isolated on the slopes and tops of small hills.
Ivón Ramírez Morillo, Carlos F. Jiménez Nah and Jacinto Treviño Carreón. 2013. A New Species of Hechtia (Bromeliaceae) from southwestern Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Phytotaxa. 112(2); 33–42. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.112.2.1
Phytotaxa. 112(2); 33–42. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.112.2.1
