Bothalia 41,1 (2011) 187 THE TRUE IDENTITY OF OXYLAENA ACICULARIS

The genus Oxylaena Benth . ex Anderb . with its sin- The genus Oxylaena was only formalized much later gle species O. acicularis (Benth .) Anderb . has intrigued by Anderberg (1991), based on Anaglypha acicularis many scientists over the last few years, and many collec- Benth . (1876) . tors have wanted to re-collect this species . It was clas- sified in the tribe Gnaphalieae and rested in an informal Up to a few years ago the genus consisted basal group (Macowania group) that was not assigned to of two species (Norlindh 1943): G. scabra and G. ilici- a subtribe (Anderberg 1991; Bayer et al. 2007) . It was folia (L .) Norl . The latter species was transferred to a known only from the type specimen, Burchell 5159, col- new monotypic genus, Nephrotheca, in the tribe Calend- lected between Cloete’s Kraal and Paardekraal in the uleae (Nordenstam et al . 2006) . Nordenstam & Källersjö George District, Cape Province, in March 1814 . The (2009) then restored the number of species in Gibbaria genus Oxylaena has subsequently been excluded from to two by transferring Osteospermum glabrum N .E .Br . the Gnaphalieae and moved to the when to the genus . O. acicularis was found to be conspecific with Gibbaria scabra (Thunb .) Norl . (Ward et al . 2009) . The revised synonymy for Gibbaria scabra, adding Oxylaena acicularis is: In Fourcade’s (1944) notes on Burchell’s travels, he stated that on the afternoon of 26 March 1814, Burchell Gibbaria scabra (Thunb.) Norlindh, Studies in travelled on the road between Cloete’s Kraal and the Calenduleae: 360 (1943) . Osteospermum scabrum Paardekraal and collected 17 specimens (numbers 5151– Thunb .: 166 (1800) . Type: in Herb. Thunberg (UPS; K, 5167) . Furthermore, Fourcade (1944) wrote: ‘Burchell photo .!) . continued down the Cloete’s Kraal ridge, south of the G. bicolor Cass .: 139 (1817) . Type: unknown . river, to the only crossing of the Diep River that was Xerothamnus ecklonianus DC .: 311 (1836) . Type: Caput Bonae- possible before the new main road was constructed, Spei in Uitenhage Dist ., Ecklon & Zeyher 1851 (G-DC) . there being a succession of precipitous cliffs higher up, and reached Paardekraal, on the farm Roodemuur, in the Anaglypha aspera DC .: 311 (1836) . Type: Africae capensis, Albany division of Knysna’ . Dist ., Drège s.n. (G-DC) . Anaglypha acicularis Benth :. 9 (1876) . Oxylaena acicularis (Benth ). In March 2003, almost two centuries later, an attempt Anderb :. 53 (1991), syn . nov . Type: South Africa, Cape Colony, George was made to re-collect the (Koekemoer & Steyn Dist ,. between Cloete’s Kraal and Paardekraal, Burchell 5159 (K, holo !). . 2004) on a section of Burchell’s route that was discov- This example of Oxylaena shows how critical it is for ered by Mr Katot Meyer on his Farm Pietersrivier . Even taxonomists to investigate the specimens and types and in a modern vehicle this route, where it deviates from to clarify the classification . In turn the name Oxylaena the main road, is only for the very adventurous . It was can now be removed from checklists and the Red Data easier searching for the plant on foot rather than trying List (Raimondo et al . 2009) where the status is indicated to manoeuvre a vehicle over the rocks and dongas, but despite searching a wide area around the track, only one as Unsure or Data Deficient . species which resembled the illustration of Oxylaena acicularis was seen . Very few were flowering at the time and I was convinced that it was Oxylaena but a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS local botanist, Jan Vlok, identified it as Gibbaria scabra The following are thanked: Jan Vlok for valuable dis- (Thunb .) Norl . cussions; Katot Meyer for his enthusiasm about Burchell and his hospitality during our visit; Hester Steyn for This led to a deeper investigation into the two spe- helping with the search; SANBI for financial support; cies . Upon inspection of the type specimens at Kew, it and the editors and referees of the manuscript for valu- became apparent that Oxylaena acicularis and Gibbaria able comments . scabra are conspecific . Bentham’s (1876) description failed to describe the flower colour and cypsela struc- ture, which contributed to the confusion . Although the REFERENCES rays of fresh flowers are bright yellow above and brown- ish below, the florets and bracts turn brick-red in older ANDERBERG, A .A . 1991 . and phylogeny of the tribe specimens . Careful observation of the type specimen Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae) . Opera Botanica 104: 53 . of Oxylaena revealed a single incurvate cypsela that ANDERBERG, A .A . 1994 . Gnaphalieae . In K . Bremer, Asteraceae cla- distics and classification . Timber Press, Portland, Oregon . undoubtedly identifies the plant asGibbaria scabra . BAYER, R .J ., BREITWIESER, I ., WARD, J .M . & PUTTOCK, C . 2007 . Gnaphalieae . In K . Kubitzki, The families and genera of De Candolle (1836) described the genus Anaglypha vascular plants. Flowering plants—Dicotyledons: Compositae . with A. aspera as type, which is now a synonym of Gib- Springer-Verlag, Berlin . baria scabra (Hilliard & Burtt 1976) . BENTHAM, G . 1876 . Anaglypha acicularis. Hooker’s Icones Plantarum, vol . 2: 9, t . 1109 . CASSINI, H . 1817 . Gibbaria bicolor. Bulletin des Sciences, par la Bentham (1876) described a new species Anaglypha Société Philomatique 2: 139 . Paris . acicularis . He did not, however, recognize the genus CASSINI, H . 1820 . Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles 18: 526 . Le and had it figured under the name Oxylaena acicularis . Normant, Paris . 188 Bothalia 41,1 (2011)

DE CANDOLLE, A .P . 1836 . Prodromus systematis naturalis regni veg- RAIMONDO, D ., VON STADEN, L ., FODEN, W ., VICTOR, J .E ., etabilis 5 . Treuttel & Würtz, Paris . HELME, N .A ., TURNER, R .C ., KAMUNDI, D .A . & MAN- FOURCADE, H .G . 1944 . Notes on Burchell’s Catalogus geographicus, YAMA, P .A . (eds) . 2009 . Red List of South African plants 2009 . middle portion . Journal of South African Botany 10: 145–161 . Strelitzia 25 . South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pre- HILLIARD, O .M . & BURTT, B .L . 1976 . Notes on some plants from toria . southern Africa chiefly from Natal: V. Notes from the Royal THUNBERG, C .P . 1800 . Osteospermum scabrum. Prodromus plan- Botanic Garden Edinburgh 34: 253–286 . tarum capensium . Edman, Uppsala . KOEKEMOER, M . & STEYN, H .M . 2004 . Burchell’s tracks retraced WARD, J ., BAYER, R .J ., BREITWIESER, I ., SMISSEN, R ., GALBA- in search of Oxylaena . SABONET News 8,2: 120 . NORDENSTAM, B ., KÄLLERSJÖ, M . & ELDENÄS, P . 2006 . Neph- NY-CASALS, M . & UNWIN, M . 2009 . Gnaphalieae . In V .A . rotheca, a new monotypic genus of the Compositae–Calenduleae Funk, A . Susanna, T .E . Stuessy & R .J . Bayer, Systematics, evolu- from the southwestern Cape Province . Compositae Newsletter tion, and biogeography of Compositae. International Association 44: 32–37 . of Plant Taxonomists (IAPT) . NORDENSTAM, B . & KÄLLERSJÖ, M . 2009 . Calenduleae . In V .A . Funk, A . Susanna, T .E . Stuessy & R .J . Bayer, Systematics, evolu- M . KOEKEMOER* tion, and biogeography of Compositae . International Association of Plant Taxonomists (IAPT) . NORLINDH, T . 1943 . Studies in the Calenduleae I: monograph of the * National Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, genera Dimorphotheca, Castalis, Osteospermum, Gibbaria and Private Bag X101, 0001 Pretoria . Chrysanthemoides . Gleerup, Lund . MS . received: 2010-03-04 .

BRYOPHYTA NEW AND INTERESTING RECORDS OF MOSSES IN THE FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA AREA: 5 . NEW PROVINCIAL RECORDS

New provincial distribution records in the moss flora 7 . Ephemerum rehmannii (Müll.Hal.) Broth . of South Africa, identified since the publication of the GAUTENG .—2528 (Pretoria): Bronkhorstspruit Dist ., Ezemvelo latest checklist for the country (Van Rooy 2006) are Nature Reserve, along stream running into dam at reception centre, reported here . The new records are based on specimens 1 400 m, grassland with exotic poplar and wattle trees, on soil among in the bryophyte collection of the National Herbarium, grass, (–DB), 10 May 1999, J. van Rooy 3908, 3917 (both PRE) . Pretoria (PRE) . Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Van 8 . Fabronia pilifera Hornsch . Rooy (2006) . NORTHERN CAPE .—2920 (Boomrivier): Kenhardt Dist ., 1 . Braunia secunda (Hook.) Bruch & Schimp . T’Oubeep Farm, ± 80 km S of Kakamas, T’Oubeep portion A, 29°19'13"S, 20°13'12"E, 886 m, Bushmanland vegetation, on stony NORTHERN CAPE .—3119 (Calvinia): Nieuwoudtville Area, Oor- soil in light shade, (–AC), S.P. Bester 6887, 6888 (both PRE) . logskloof Nature Reserve, along path from entrance to river, Fynbos vegetation along edge of scarp, 31°26'50"S, 19°11'30"E, ± 700 m, on 9 . Fissidens asplenioides Hedw . shaded rock, (–AC), T.A.J. Hedderson 14332 (BOL, PRE). GAUTENG .—2528 (Pretoria): Bronkhorstspruit Dist ., Ezemvelo 2 . Bryum cellulare Hook . Nature Reserve, along Grootspruit, tributary of Wilge River, 1 350 m, Bankenveld, on soil bank of stream, (–DB), 10 May 1999, J. van Rooy EASTERN CAPE .—3029 (Kokstad): Bizana, Ndunge Forest, N of 3919, 3924 (both PRE) . town, small stream through forest, on soil, with Philonotis sp ., (–DD), 29 Dec . 2006, N. Phephu 38 (PRE) . 3129 (Port St . Johns): Ntabankulu, 10 . Fissidens borgenii Hampe KuGomo Forest, about 6 .5 km S of town, on soil, (–AB), 3 May 2007, N. Phephu 99 (PRE) . GAUTENG .—2528 (Pretoria): Little Eden, NNE of Cullinan on Sybrandskraal road, along river banks in kloof, 1 300 m, on soil 3 . Bryum viridescens Welw. & Duby in rock overhang, (–DA), 29 Mar . 2001, J. van Rooy 4014 (PRE); Bronkhorstspruit Dist ., Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, along Grootspruit, NORTHERN CAPE .—3220 (Sutherland): Tankwa Karoo National tributary of Wilge River, 1 350 m, Bankenveld, on soil in rock over- Park, top of Gannaga Pass about 2 km on plateau NE of Agterkop hang and crevice, (–DB), 10 May 1999, J. van Rooy 3938, 3951 (both Farm, 32°06'05"S, 20°07'48"E, 1 249 m, Succulent Karoo, on sandy PRE) . soil in partial shade, (–AA), 5 Aug . 2006, S.P. Bester 7074A (PRE) . 11 . Fissidens megalotis Schimp. ex Müll.Hal . 4 . Chamaebryum pottioides Thér. & Dixon WESTERN CAPE .—3319 (Worcester): McGregor Area, Kranz EASTERN CAPE .—3028 (Matatiele): ± 15 km E of Rhodes, Nature Reserve, 33°56'59"S, 19°48'51"E, 250–300 m, succulent (kar- Mavis Bank Farm, on Kloppershoek turn-off, W-facing rocky ridge roid) vegetation over shales and patchy Fynbos on sandstones, (–DD), near house at base of cliff, 30°42'51"S, 28°00'47"E, 2 106 m, on soil 5 Aug . 2001, T.A.J. Hedderson 14113 (BOL, PRE) . in rock crevices, with Plagiochasma rupestre (J .R .Forst . & G .Forst .) Steph . var . rupestre and Riccia sp ., (–CA), 8 Dec . 1999, M. Koekemoer 12 . Fissidens pygmaeus Hornsch . 1506 (PRE) . GAUTENG .—2528 (Pretoria): Bronkhorstspruit Dist ., Ezemvelo 5 . Crossidium spiralifolium Magill Nature Reserve, wooded area along stream running into dam opposite reception centre, on vertical earth wall, (–DB), 10 May 1999, S.M. WESTERN CAPE —3319. (Worcester): Worcester Dist ., Fairy Perold 4095 (PRE) . Glen, (–CB), Aug . 1932, C.W. Thorne CH50306 (PRE) . 13 . Gigaspermum repens (Hook.) Lindb . 6 . Didymodon australasii (Hook. & Grev.) R.H.Zander EASTERN CAPE .—3028 (Matatiele): ± 15 km E of Rhodes, EASTERN CAPE .—3325 (Port Elizabeth): Port Elizabeth, Sum- Lamont Farm, on Kloppershoek turn-off from Rhodes-Maclear road, merstrand, at top of Richardson road among Port Jackson trees and 30°43'19"S, 28°00'26"E, 1 987 m, grassland, on moist soil in partial other shrubs, on dump of bricks and stones, (–DC), 1 Aug . 1991, E.B. shade, with species of Tortula, Pseudocrossidium and Grimmia, (– Evenwel 32 (PRE) . CA), Dec . 1999, M. Koekemoer 1657 (PRE) .