Four new species and one new subspecies of Lachenalia (Hyacinthaceae) from arid areas of South Africa

Four new species of Lachenalia are described: L. karooica W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan from the Great Karoo and southwestern Free State, L. perryae G.D.Duncan from the Little Karoo and southern Cape, as well as L neilii W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan and L. alba W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan, both from the Nieuwoudtville-Calvinia District of the Northern Cape. In addition, a new subspecies, L. marginata W.F.Barker subsp. negiecta Schltr. ex G


INTRODUCTION
Lachenalia Jacq.f. ex Murray is the largest genus within the southern African Hyacinthaceae and comprises more than 100 species (Duncan 1988(Duncan , 1992)).The genus is endemic to this region where it has a very wide distri bution extending from the southwestern parts of Namibia, southwards throughout Namaqualand, the Western Cape and Great Karoo to as far inland as the southwestern Free State, from where its probable boundary makes an arc to the southeast down to Transkei on the east coast of the Eastern Cape (Barker 1987).Most of the taxonomic work on Lachenalia carried out this century has been under taken by the late Miss W.F. Barker, formerly curator of the Compton Herbarium at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gar den.Her studies, both during her term as curator and sub sequent to her retirement, have resulted in the publication of more than forty new species for the genus.A number of new Lachenalia species have still to be formally de scribed and published, and this paper serves as the first in a series to be published as a continuation of the recent work of W.F. Barker (Barker 1978(Barker , 1979(Barker , 1983a(Barker & b, 1984(Barker , 1987(Barker , 1989) ) and the current author (Duncan 1993) towards a revision of the genus.
Deciduous, winter-growing geophyte 45-220 mm high.Bulb globose, 10-20 mm in diam., white with thin brown outer scales, usually produced into a neck terminating just below ground level.Leaf usually solitary, occasionally 2, lanceolate, conduplicate, 40-200 x 5-20 mm, glaucous with depressed longitudinal veins on upper surface and a coriaceous margin, and irregularly scattered brown, green or maroon blotches mainly on upper surface; clasping leaf base 5-30 mm long with magenta bands or blotches just below ground level, shading to purplish maroon above ground level.Inflorescence spicate or subspicate, few to many-flowered, 20-150 mm long with a short sterile tip; peduncle erect to suberect, 20-80 mm long, slender or sturdy, shorter than length of leaf, mottled with very pale maroon and green; rachis mottled with very pale maroon and green; pedicels absent or up to 2 mm long; bracts ovate, greenish white, 1-2 mm long.Flowers patent, oblong-campanulate, dull white to greenish white, often dis colouring to a dull purple on herbarium sheets; outer perianth segments oblong, 5-7 x 2-3 mm, with or without bluish bases, with purplish maroon or greenish brown gib bosities; inner perianth segments obovate, recurved, 7-10 x 3 mm.with brownish green keels.Stamens well exserted beyond tip of perianth, spreading: filaments white, 10 mm long; anthers pale to dark maroon prior to anthesis, yellow at anthesis.Ovary ovoid, pale green.2-3 mm long; style white, 10 mm long, protruding well beyond stamens as ovary enlarges.Capsule ovoid, membranous, 5-7 mm long.Seed globose with an arillode with a terminal ridge of medium height.Chromosome number.2n = 16.Figures 1A; 2 & 3.
Etymology: named after the Great Karoo where the first specimens were collected, and from where the largest number of collections are known.

Diagnostic characters
L. karooica is characterised by a spicate or subspicate inflorescence of patent, oblong-campanulate flowers, with the inner perianth segments distinctly recurved and con siderably longer than the outer ones.The spreading sta mens are well exserted beyond the tip of the perianth, and the anthers are conspicuously pale to dark maroon prior to anthesis.The plant usually has a single lanceolate leaf which is glaucous and distinctly conduplicate, with de pressed longitudinal veins on the upper surface, and ir regularly scattered brown, green or maroon blotches, mainly on the upper surface.
L. karooica is related to L. bowkeri Baker, an as yet poorly known species from the southern part of the Eastern Cape, in that both have a usually single conduplicate, lanceolate leaf and oblong-campanulate, dull white to greenish white, patent flowers which are ses sile or have very short pedicels.The anthers of both species are distinctly pale to dark maroon prior to an thesis.L. bowkeri differs in having included, declinate stamens, the tips of the outer perianth segments not re curved, and the leaf pale green and unblotched without coriaceous margin.
Flowering time: June to September.

Distribution and habitat
Material of this very distinctive species was first col lected by Douglas F. Gilfillan in August 1899 in the Middelburg District of the Eastern Cape.It has since been recorded from several widely separated localities in the Great Karoo and Northern Cape, and from one locality at Karoopoort.It is distinguished from all other lachenalias in having a single glaucous, conduplicate, lanceolate leaf with a coriaceous margin, and oblong-campanulate flow- ers with spreading, exserted stamens, of which the an thers are distinctly pale to dark maroon prior to anthesis.The largest number of specimens is recorded from the Fauresmith District in the southwestern part of Free State, and it is very likely that the plant occurs through out the Great Karoo and much of the Northern Cape; it is no doubt due to the remote nature of this area and the inconspicuousness of the flowers that only a small number of scattered specimens has been recorded.L. karooica, although growing in areas with predominantly summer rainfall, follows the typical pattern of winter rain fall growth and summer dormancy characteristic of the vast majority of species belonging to this genus.
At the Fauresmith site, plants occur singly or in small groups on south-facing aspects on dolomite outcrops, often growing in the shade of Rhus burchellii Sond.ex Engl.Two other geophytes encountered at this site are the white-flowered Freesia andersoniae L.Bolus and the yellow-flowered Homeria pallida Baker, both widespread, spring-flowering geophytes which follow the winter growth cycle.Deciduous, winter-growing geophyte 120-320 mm high.Bulb globose, 10-20 mm in diam., covered with dark brown spongy tunics produced into a short neck ter minating just below ground level.Leaf usually solitary, occasionally 2, 240-300 x 10-23 mm, arcuate, conduplicate, narrowly lanceolate, yellowish green, banded below with dark green shading to maroon or magenta on the pale white clasping leaf base.Inflorescence subspicate or racemose, lax, few to many-flowered, up to 130 mm long with a very short sterile tip; peduncle slender, suberect, up to 260 mm long, pale green; pedicels 2-3 mm long; bracts ovate to lanceolate, greenish white, 1-2 mm long.Flowers patent or slightly cemuous, oblong-campanulate; outer perianth segments oblong, very pale blue, 5-6 x 3 mm, with pale green or brown gibbosities; inner perianth segments obovate, obtuse, 7-9 x 4-5 mm, protruding well beyond outer perianth segments, pale white to whitish yel low with green keels and recurved tips.Stamens declinate;

Diagnostic characters
Superficially, L. perryae is reminiscent of the very vari able and widespread L. unifolia Jacq., to which it is related due to the combination of features of a single narrow, banded leaf, patent or slightly cemuous, oblong-campanulate flowers with pale blue outer perianth segments and whitish inner segments, and included stamens.It differs mainly in leaf morphology, and to a lesser extent, in pedicel length, flower shape and seed morphology.In L. uni folia, which never has more than one leaf, the leaf blade is linear, widening abruptly into a loosely clasping base.L. perryae, on the other hand, usually has a single leaf, or occasionally two, with a narrowly lanceolate blade which does not widen abruptly.Furthermore, the flowers of L. perryae have short pedicels no longer than 3 mm, whereas L. unifolia usually has very long pedicels up to 12 mm long.Although both these species have oblongcampanulate flowers, the perianth segments of L. unifolia are usually appreciably longer and the tips of the inner perianth segments of L. perryae considerably more flared than in L. unifolia.In addition, the seed of L. perryae has an arillode with a terminal ridge of medium height, whereas in L. unifolia the arillode is almost obsolete.

Distribution and habitat
of the Northern Cape.This is the second Lachenalia spe cies commemorating Mr Macgregor and his family; in 1979, the very rare L. macgregoriorum W.F.Barker was described from the Charlies Hoek area of Nieuwoudtville.

Diagnostic characters
L. neilii is characterised by a many-flowered raceme of greenish white oblong-campanulate flowers with dis tinct dull blue bases and bright green or brown gibbosities, shortly exserted stamens, two glaucous, lanceolate leaves and usually a ring of bulbils produced at the base of the bulb.It is related to L. alba W.F.Barker ex G.D.Duncan due to the shared features of two lanceolate, unmarked leaves, the oblong-campanulate flowers with protruding white inner perianth segments and the slightly exserted stamens.L. alba differs in having bigger, more campanulate flowers which are pure white, without distinct dull blue bases, and which are usually attached to the rachis by very short pedicels.Furthermore, the bulb of L. alba does not develop a ring of bulbils at its base as L. neilii does.
Deciduous, winter-growing geophyte 120-320 mm high.Bulb globose, 12-25 mm in diam., surrounded by strong, dark brown outer tunics, usually with a ring of bulbils produced at the base.Leaves 2, lanceolate, glau cous, unmarked, suberect, with depressed longitudinal veins on upper surface, 55-145 x 7-22 mm, clasping leaf base pale yellowish green, with or without tiny maroon speckles, 40-70 mm long, inflorescence racemose, manyflowered, 50-150 mm long with few sterile flowers at tip; peduncle erect, sturdy, pale green, with or without pale brown or maroon speckles, 40-110 mm long; pedicels suberect, white, 2-5 mm long; bracts ovate to lanceolate, white, 2-3 mm long.Flowers oblong-campanulate, green ish white fading to dull red, with distinct dull blue bases; outer perianth segments oblong, 7-8 x 4 mm, greenish white with distinct dull blue bases and bright green or brown gibbosities; inner perianth segments obovate, tips slightly recurved, protruding beyond outer perianth seg ments, white with green keels, 9-10 x 4-5 mm.Stamens declinate; filaments white, exserted up to 2 mm beyond perianth, 9-11 mm long.Ovary ovoid, bright green, 3 mm long; style white, 8-11 mm long.Capsule ovoid, 7-8 x 5-6 mm.Seed globose, with an arillode with a terminal ridge of short to medium height.Figures 1C; 3   where it grows in heavy red clayey soil on open flats.The first specimens were collected as far back as Septem ber 1930 by a National Botanic Gardens expedition in the area known as Klipkoppies in the Nieuwoudtville area.The plant is locally plentiful and has been recorded as growing in association with another new species, L. alba, which is also published for the first time in this paper, and which is also restricted to the Nieuwoudtville area in the Calvinia District.Lachenalia alba W.F. Barker ex G.D.Duncan, sp. nov.distinguitur inflorescentia subspicata vel racemosa floribus grandibus oblongo-campanulatis candidis cum vel sine basibus perpallide azureis cum vel sine carinis distinctis viridibus, rubris vel caeruleis segmentibus interioribus perianthii recurvatis declinatis, staminibusque breviter exsertis, foliis duobus lanceolatis suberectis ad erectis glaucis innotatis supra venis longitudinalibus depressis.
Etymology: named alba due to the overall white col ouring of the flowers.

Diagnostic characters
L. alba is characterised by its many-flowered inflores cence of pure white, oblong-campanulate flowers with re curved inner perianth segments which may or may not have distinct green, red or blue keels, and its two glau cous, lanceolate, suberect to erect unmarked leaves with distinct, depressed longitudinal veins on the upper surface.It is related to L. neilii, but the latter differs in having smaller, less campanulate greenish white flowers with dis tinct dull blue bases borne on long pedicels up to 5 mm long, whereas L. alba has short pedicels usually not longer than 2 mm.Furthermore, the bulb of L. alba does not develop the typical ring of bulbils at its base as L. neilii does.

Distribution and habitat
As with L. neilii, this species has a restricted distribu tion in the Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia areas of the Northern Cape, growing in colonies in heavy red clayey soil on open flats.The earliest record of the plant is the collection made by W.F. Barker in September 1930 at Klipkoppies, Nieuwoudtville.L. alba is recorded as grow ing in association with L. neilii and I. elegans W.F. Barker, the latter being a very common, variable species in the Nieuwoudtville-Calvinia area, but to my knowledge there are no reports of interspecific natural hybrids be tween these species.Lachenalia m arginata W.F. Barker in Journal of South African Botany 45: 204-207 (1979).L. marginata is a very distinctive species with a dis tribution range extending from the fvnbos on the Nieu woudtville escarpment to the Gifberg massif and the Nardouw-Pakhuis-Cederberg Mountains and the low-ly ing areas around Clanwilliam where it usually occurs in very sandy soil growing singly or in small groups.The subsp.marginata, which is the most widespread of the two subspecies, is recognised by its single ovate leaf with a distinctive thickened coriaceous margin which is undu late and crisped, its heavily banded clasping base and its long, sessile narrowly urceolate flowers with very con spicuous dark brown gibbosities on the outer perianth seg ments.The seed places the species into the group of species having a medium-sized terminal inflated arillode (Figures IE;8 & 9).rescentia densiore elongata spicata floribus multo parvioribus anguste urceolatis.folioque erecto ad suberecto conduplicato lanceolato ad ovato-lanceolato differt.Flowering time: July to August.

Diagnostic characters
L. marginata subsp.neglecta differs from the typical subspecies in its much denser, elongated, many-flowered inflorescence of much smaller flowers and in its erect to suberect, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, conduplicate leaf, as compared to the ovate, acute leaf of subsp.marginata.The seeds of the two subspecies have a similar medium sized, terminal, inflated arillode.Subsp.marginata is found from Nieuwoudtville to as far south as the southern Cederberg, and grows at medium to high altitude, whereas subsp.neglecta is restricted to low-lying areas in Clanwilliam District.

Distribution and habitat
The first collection of this subspecies was made by Rudolf Schlechter on 12 August, 1896, 14 km west of Clanwilliam on the farm Zeekoe Vlei.It is one of a large number of Lachenalia collections made by him on his collecting trips in South Africa during the period 1891-1895, material of which was distributed to many herbaria in South Africa, Europe and Scandinavia.Manu script names were given to most of these collections, some of which have been validated in papers in the Journal o f South African Botany (Barker 1978(Barker , 1979)).In the same journal, Barker (1983) published a numerical list of Schlechter's Lachenalia collections made from 1891-1898, with identifications added, to assist in bringing all his nu merous sets of duplicate specimens in many herbaria up to date.Material labelled L. neglecta Schltr.was distrib uted to ten herbaria locally and abroad, and is here vali dated as a subspecies of L marginata.