Burt-Utley, K., J.F. Utley, and A. Garcfa-Mendoza. 2011. Contributions toward a revision of /yec/tf/a(Bromeliaceae, Pitcairnioideae). New and noteworthy species of Hechtiafrorn Mexico. Phytoneuron 2011-59: 1-17. Mailed 29 Nov I. 2011. ISSN 2153 733X CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD A REVISION OF HECHTIA (BROMELIACEAE, PITCAIRNIOIDEAE). NEW AND NOTEWORTHY SPECIES OF HECHTIA FROM MEXICO I. Kathleen Burt-Utley John E Utley and Institute for Systematic Botany Department of Cell Biology. Microbiology, and Molecular Biology University of South Florida FL Tampa, 33620-5 150 [email protected]; [email protected] Abasai Garcia-Mendoza Jardin Botanico Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Apdo. Postal 70-614, Del. Coyoacan, 04510 Mexico Mexico D.F., [email protected]. ABSTRACT & Hechtia hsntoniana Burt-Utley, Utley, Garcia-Mendoza, Hechtia michoacana Burt-Utley, & & Utley, Garcia-Mendoza, Hechtia oaxacaiia Burt-Utley, Utley, Garcia-Mendoza, and Hechtia & pueblensis Burt-Utley, Utley, Garcia-Mendoza are described as new, illustrated, and discussed, while H. sphaeroblasta B.L. Robinson reinterpreted. The taxonomic status of three species, H. is Mez bracteata (syn. II. confusa L.B. Smith), II. texensis L.B. Smith (syns. II. elliptica L.B. Smith and II. zacatacae L.B. Smith), and H. glomerata (syn. II. mexicana L.B. Smith), are evaluated. Hechtia tehuacana B.L. Robinson lectotypified and continued status as a heterotypic synonym of is its Mez H. podantha discussed. is KEY WORDS: Bromeliaceae, Hechtia, Mexico, Michoacan, Oaxaca, Puebla. Hechtia Kiotzsch (Bromeliaceae) a genus of approximately 55 species that occurs primarily is in seasonally dry karstic regions in Mexico. Within Mexico, the genus best represented in Oaxaca is and adjacent Puebla where 19 species have been reported, including the two described herein (pers. & obs.; Smith Downs 1974). Most of these species have very linmed distributsuns that may result from geographic barriers to dispersal as well as from requirements for unique combinations of climatological and edaphic factors. Of the new taxa described here, II. oaxacana is known from several areas in northern Oaxaca, where individuals can be found on steep, exposed rocky cliffs and karstic hillsides. Hechtia hintoniana and II michoacana occur in Michoacan and. considering their distributions, are expected within the range of Flora Novo-Galiciana. With the additions of these latter two species, there are now 12 Hechtia species recognized within all of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco. Hechtia pueblensis includes the pistillate material present on the type series of H. tehuacana. Because characterization of H. tehuacana was based primarily on leaves and staminate material, tehuacana II. considered a synonym of H. podantha. Hechtia bracteata re-evaluated based on collections is still is from Veracruz and Puebla, while further collections from northern Mexico support the synonymy of//. H elliptica and H. zacatacae with texensis S. Watson. The synonymy of//, mexicana L.B. Smith with H. glomerata Zuccharini discussed. is —— 2 Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: HECHTIA HINTONIANA & MEXICO. 1. Burt-Utley, Utley. Garcia-Mendoza, sp. nov. TYPE. Mexico. Ladera con Guerrero, San Antonio. Tlatlaya, 750 m, 20 Jul 1954, E. Matuda et at. MEXU; MEXU, MO, 31124 (holotype: isotypes: CAS, NY, US). Figure 1. dm Planta florens ad 20 alta; laminae spinosae ubique lepidotae. Inflorescentia probiliter terminalis; inflorescentia masculorum tripinnata sed femineorum bipinnata vel tripinnata lanata; — — — — masculorum rami laterales cum ramis secundaris (2 )3 6; rami laterales (4.5 )7.8 22 cm longi; — — cm $ rami laterales (6.5 )15 31 longi. Florum masculorum subsessilibus lepidotis; sepala ovato- — — mm mm triangularia vel oblonga, 0.7 1.3 longa lepidota. Florum femineorum pedicellis 0.8 1.5 — mm longis lepidotis; sepala triangulares vel ovato-triangulares 1.7 2.1 longa lepidota. Capsulae — mm ovoideae 8 10 longae. dm Plants in flower with inflorescences to 20 high. Leaves presumably numerous; sheaths — cm narrow, 3.5 5.5+ wide, marginally spinose and floccose, distally lepidote above and beneath; — blades straight to somewhat falcate, very narrowly triangular to almost linear, 36.5 93+ cm long and — — cm 0.6 2.2( 3.5) wide above the sheath, lepidote above and beneath, the margins armed with — — mm cm generally antrorse red-brown to pale yellow tips 0.7 1.5 apart and 1.8 2.5 long. Inflorescences presumablj lerttwul in 'tamuiate indiuiluals lepidote and twice compound with (2 — )3 6 secondary branches; in pistillate individuals lepidote and once, or if twice compound then with — — 1 2 short secondary branches, scape to 88+ cm long, 1.2 1.4 cm diam, glabrous to glabrescent; lowermost scape bracts unknown, upper scape bracts chartaceous, ascending, shorter than the internodes, rarely equal to or exceeding the internodes, lance-ovate with adpressed linear-triangular — cm dm blades 1.5 3.9 long; rachis to 10.2+ long, irregularly to finely lepidote; primary bracts chartaceous, generally shorter than all but the shortest lateral branches, ovate with short linear- — — cm triangular blades, 1.4 3( 4.4) long, marginally finely spinulose; lateral branches not articulated with the rachis, flattened throughout or rounded and sulcate distally, ascending to subaseending, the — — — — cm cm staminate (4.5 )7.8 22 long, the pistillate (6.5 )15 31 long, densely many-flowered throughout or flowers in verticils, lepidote. Staminate flowers spreading to weakly ascending; floral bracts shorter than to exceeding the pedicels, chartaceous, ovate-triangular to oblong or suborbicular, — — mm, flat to weakly convex, 0.7 1.5 x 0.4 1 externally lepidote, marginally finely serrulate to erose, apically variable, spinulose or apiculate to praemorse; pedicels weakly articulated with the axis, stout, subsessile, lepidote; sqjals somewhat imbricate, subequal, ovate-triangular to oblong, convex. 0.7 — X mm, 1.3 0.7 1.3 marginally entire to erose distally, apically praemorse, lepidote to glabrous; petals — — X spreading at anthesis, oblong-elliptic to ovate-elliptic becoming spathulate when dry, 2 3 1.4 mm, marginally entire, apically denticulate to praemorse, glabrous; stamens 6, filaments basaily briefly adnate to the petals; ovary rudimentary. Pistillate flowers spreading to ascending; floral bracts shorter — than to exceeding the pedicels, chartaceous, narrowly ovate-triangular, flat to weakly convex, 1.3 2.2 — X mm, 0.8 1.5 marginally entire to serrulate or erose, apically attenuate-acuminate to praemorse, — mm lepidote; pedicels articulated with the rachis, stout, 0.8 1.5 long, lepidote; sepals marginally — — X mm, hyaline, subimbricate, triangular to ovate-triangular, 1.7 2.1 1 1.8 marginally entire, apically rounded to acute or praemorse, glabrous to weakly lepidote; petals spreading post-anthesis, — — X mm, narrowly ovate-triangular, 3.1 4 1.2 1.9 apically rounded, glabrous; stamens rudimentary; — mm ovary largely superior, glabrous. Capsules with stout pedicels 0.8 1.5 long; woody, loculicidally — — — X mm, and septicidally dehiscent, ovoid, 8 10 3 4.5( 5.5) glabrous, shiny and somewhat ridged- reticulate. Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: Hechtia 3 Etymology. This species is named in honor of George B. Hinton (1882-1943), who first collected this species in 1934 and made many important plant collections then remote regions in the 111 states of Mexico, Guerrero, and Michoacan. Hinton noted on the herbarium label of Hinton et al. 8098 that the plant was dead and maguey-like, an observation that is not surprising since individuals of a number of Hechtia species give the appearance of being dead because of their leaf coloration, coupled with their pubescence, and they have the general habit of some Agave species. Distribution and habitat. Hechtia hintoniana known only from the states of Mexico and is Michoacan, but it is likely to occur in Guerrero. It occurs in deciduous forests, as well as in barrancas, m dry roadsides, and thickets between 750 and 900 elevation. Figure 1. Hechtia hintoniana. A. Leaf. B. Part of lateral branch of pistillate inflorescence. D E Staminate flower just prior to anthesis, side view. D. Pistillate flower. E. Capsule. (A, B, and C fromMoore 5722, US; fromMaft^a 31124, NY). et al. Hechtia hintoniana imratdjdfeb stand, ipjrt from almost all other Hechtia species in its extremely narrow, very long linear-triangular leaf blades, as exemplified by Hinton 6506 where the cm cm blade is in excess of 93 long, but only 1.9 wide above the leaf sheath. Unlike both H. michoacana and H. reflexa L.B. Smith with glabrous lateral branches, floral bracts, and pedicels, those of if. hintoniana are consistently conspicuously lepidote. Hechtia hintoniana also differs from these species in its subsessile staminate pedicels and shorter pistillate pedicels. In its pubescence H. hintoniana is similar to H. laevis L.B, Smith but is immediateh distinguishable from this latter taxon by its twice-compound inflorescences, branches that generally are flattened for most if not all their 4 Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: length, subsessile staminate flowers, and very short pedicellate pistillate flowers. Hechtia hintoniana shares its reticulate-ridged capsules with H. reticulata L.B. Smith but can be separated from this taxon — by its twice compound pistillate inflorescences, pubescence, and shorter pistillate pedicels (0.8 1.5 mmvs 2.5—3.5 mm). See Table 1. MEXICO. Additional specimens examined. Mexico. Dto. Temascaltepec, Naranjo, 27 Aug, 1934, G.B. Hinton 6506 (K, US); Bejucos, 26 Jul 1935, Hinton 8098 (K, US). Michoacan. ca 44.5 km from El Temascal on rd to Huetamo, 900 m, 13 Nov 1949, H. Moore et al. 5722 (BH, BM, US [2]). H. hintoniana H. laevis H. michoacana H. reflexa 36.5+—93+ 29—60 26—61 40—116+ Blade length (cm) Blade width (cm) 0.6—2.2(— 2.3—3.7 1.2—2.4(— 2.8—4 3.5) 2.9) Lowermost scape unknown reflexed above ascending reflexed above bract orientation sheath sheath 9 inflorescence twice compound once compound once compound, twice compound compound S pedicel length subsessile <0.5 (1—)1.6— (0.8—)1.3—2.2 (1—)1.3— 1.8) (mm) 2—3 )3— S 1.9—2.9 (1.6— 2.1—2.7 petal length 3.5 (mm) 0.8—1.5 1.5—3.5 1.5— 5(— (1.5—)3— 9 pedicel length 3. 4.5) 4.2 (mm) 4—5 3.4^1 2.5—4 (2.3—)3^.5 9 petal length (mm) Table Comparison of/1 hintoniana, H. laevis, H. michoacana, and//, 1. /, refle: ——— 79 Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: HECHTIA MICHOACANA MEXICO. 2. Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcia-Mendoza, sp. nov. TYPE. Michoacan. 13.9 mi SE of S side of Puente Coahuayana at Colima-Michoacan border, 300 400 ft, 11 Aug 1989, J. Utley & K. Utley S4S6 (holotype: MEXU; isotypes: CAS, GH, IBUG NY M, MICH. MO, US, USF). Figure 2. m Planta florens 0.3—0.9 diam et (5.5—)10.2—14 dm alta; folia 26—61 cm longa; lamina — ubique iq^idota. Inflorescentia terminalis; rami laterales 6 22.5 cm iongi; inflorescentia masculorum — tripinnata plerumque cum ramis secundaris 2 sed femineorum bipinnate raro tripinnate. Florum — — — mm femineorum petala triangularia vel ovato-triangularia (2.3 )3 4.5 longa et 1 1.2 lata patentia. — — — mm mm Capsulae crustaceae (5 )6 9 longae, 2.5 4.5 diam. m Plants in flower 0.3—0.9 diam and inflorescences (5.5—)10.2— 14 dm high, usually occurring in clusters of individuals. Leaves several, subascending to spreading, recurving distally, — — — X 26 61 cm long; sheaths on oldest leaves reniform to transversely elliptic, 2.5 4.5 (3.5 )4.4 — 5.7( 8.5) cm, marginally spinose and floccose, both surfaces glabrous and lustrous becoming lepidote — — cm distally; blades straight to falcate, very narrowly triangular, 1.2 2.4( 2.9) wide just above the sheath, often very densely lepidote above and lepidote below, green to maroon, the margins armed with — cm generally antrorse or occasionally spreading or retrorse red-brown tips 0.7 2.5 apart and tips (2 — — mm )2.5 4.5( 5) long. Inflorescences lanmial jr sL'irsinjte mdni'luais usually twice compound — with 1 2 secondary branches, or rarely once compound, glabrous; in pistillate individuals once — — — compound or rarely with 1 2 short secondary branches, glabrous; scape 35 99.5 cm long, 3.5 mm diam, glabrous; lowermost scape bracts foliaceous, ascending, greatly exceeding the internodes, — cm 19 26 long, lepidote; the remaining scape bracts becoming progressively reduced distally and — cm shorter than to exceeding the internodes, ovate-triangular with linear blades, 1.1 8 long; rachis — — 35 92 cm long; primary bracts chartaceous, 0.9 2.7 cm long, much shorter than the lateral branches and usually shorter than the sterile bases of branches; lateral branches laxly many-flowered, proximally flattened, those of staminate inflorescences ascending to subascending, but those of pistillate — cm inflorescences arcuate and ascending to subascending, 6.5 22.5 long. Staminate flowers spreading to subascending, floral bracts adnate to the pedicels and often exceeding the pedicels but — — X mm, shorter than the sepals, membranaceous, convex, ovate 1.2 2.5 0,7 1.2 marginally finely — — serrulate distally, apically apiculate to attenuate-acuminate, glabrous; pedicels slender, (0.8 )1.3 2.2 — — mm X mm, long; sepals membranaceous, ovate, 0.9 1.5 0.5 1.1 marginally entire to serrulate distally, apically incised to praemorse or apiculate, deep to light pink or green with maroon — — — X mm, maculations; petals elliptic but drying spathulate, (1.6 )3 3.5 1 1.7 apically rounded, white, cream-colored or light to dark pink; stamens 6; ovaries rudimentary. Pistillate flowers ascending to subascending; floral bracts adnate to the pedicels, shorter than the sepals, chartaceous to — — X mm, membranaceous, narrowly ovate to ovate, convex. 1.5 2.5 0.8 1.8 marginally entire to finely erose, apically variable, apiculate to attenuate-acuminate or praemorse, glabrous; pedicels slender, not — — mm articulated with the rachis, slender, 1.5 3.5( 4.5) long, glabrous; sepals membranaceous, — — X mm, triangular to ovate-triangular, 1.2 2 0.7 1.1 marginally entire to serrulate distally, apically acute-praemorse to apiculate, glabrous, colored like the staminate sepals; petals spreading, narrowly — — — X mm, triangular, (2.3 )3 4.5 1 1.2 apically rounded, glabrous, colored like the staminate petals; — — mm stamens rudimentary; ovary largely superior. Capsules with pedicels (1.5 )2.5 5 long, — (5— crustaceous, loculicidally and septicidally dehiscent, narrowly ovoid to narrowly ellipsoidal, )6 — X 2.5 4.5 mm, glabrous, smooth, green suffused with red when immature but becoming yellow- brown and reticulate at maturity. ley,andGarda-Mendxai f&chy't Figure 2. Hechtia michoaccwa. A. Leaf B. Part of lateral branch ofpistillate in8or Staminate flower just opening, side wew D. Staminate flower, face view E. Pistillate flower post- anthesis. F. Capsule. (A, B, D, E and F from UHey & Utley 8456; C andD from Utley & Utley Distriulion and Habitat Hechtia micheacana is found between 300-1400 ft elevation, growing on karstic rocks orrockyhillsides in full sunli^itwith thorn-scrub vegetation or adjacent to tropical deciduous forests vUhBuneyn, FQumeria, and Cnidoscolus. Pedicellength isvariable amongpistillatespecimens of USey c6 Wey 8456 and Utky c6 Utley 8386 but are generally longer than those of staninate flowers. In addition to this dimorphism, inflorescences of staminate inflorescences are typically twice compound, while those of pistillate H inflorescences are once compound. Dimorphisms for floral or inflorescence were observed in & & H giaucaBurt-Utley Utley(£urt-Utley Utley 1993), aswell asin matudae L.B. Smithand other species, pers. obs.). Unlike the conspicuously lepidote leaves of individuals from the coast of & Mchoacan, those fromnear Infemillo (Utley Utley 8386) appear lustrous and glabrous, but close examinationrevealed abundanttrichomes withdiaphanous wings, thus giving the leaves their glabrous appearance. This level ofvanabilityis notunusual andhasbeenobservedwithinpopulations ofother Hechtia species(pers. obs.). Flower color among individuals ofthe same sexvaried frompopulation ——— Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: to population, ranging from white to cream or dark pink. This variability can be observed in other & Hechtia species, including H. lyman-smithii Burt-Utley Utley. In Michoacan and elsewhere in western Mexico, II. michoacana is most similar to II. refiexa L.B, Smith, which has reflexed lateral branches. This character can be observed on mature pistillate inflorescences of H. refiexa and contrasts with the subascending to ascending branches of pistillate and staminate inflorescences of H. michoacana. Hechtia michoacana also differs from II. refiexa in its less numerous secondary X branches on staminate inflorescences (0-2 vs 3-7) and larger staminate petals 1 6—)3—3 5 1-1.7 [( . . mm X vs 2.1-2.5 1.2-1.5 mm]. Hechtia michoacana is similar to II. laevis in its pistillate and staminate flower form but lacks the conspicuously lepidote inflorescences, floral bracts, pedicels, and sepals characteristic of this latter taxon. See Table 1. MEXICO. km Additional specimens examined. Michoacan. 4 carratera Placita-Tecoman, Mpio. Aquila, 250 m, 9 Dec 1979, P. Guerrero C. et al. 555 (USF, XAL); 300 m, 5 Nov 1990, Hwy Guerrero C. et al. 1315 (USF, XAL); 4.6 mi SE of 37 on rd to Infernillo, 1000 ft, 21 Dec 1988, & Hwy (fr) Utley Utley 8267 (MEXU, USF); 9,5 mi SE of 37 on rd to Infernillo, 1400 ft, 10 Jul 1989, Utley & Utley 8386 (B, M, MEXU, MICH, US, USF). HECHTIA OAXACANA MEXICO. 3. Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcia-Mendoza, sp. nov. TYPE. Oaxaca. North-central Oaxaca growing on steep hillsides and karstic lock outcrops with & MEXU; secondary vegetation, 5500-5700 ft, 28 Jul 1987, J, Utley K. Utley 7960 (holotype: M isotypes: CAS, GH, NY, US, USF). Figure 3. m Planta florens ad 0.5 diam et (7.2—)11.6—17.7(— 19.5) dm alta; folia multa; lamina — — — mm ubique lepidota. Inflorescentia terminalis. Florum masculorum pedicelli (0.5 )1,5 2( 3) longi; bracteae florales lepidotae vel glabrae pedicellum excedentes et sepala interdum excedentia; sepala — — — mm mm ovata vel ovato-triangularia 1.2 2.5( 3.5) longa et 1.3 2.5 lata. Florum femineorum — mm pedicelli 1 2 longa; bracteae florales sepala interdum excedentia anguste ad late ovatas vel ovato- — — — — mm mm mm oblongas 3 6 longa et 3 5.5 lata; petala 3 4.5( 5,5) longa. Capsulae ovoideae 7 mm 4— mm 9(— 5(— (3—) 11.5) longae et 6) diam. — — — m Plants in flower with rosettes 0.3 0.5 diam and inflorescences (7.2 )11.6 17.7( — m dm 19.5+) high, usually in large colonies to 3 5 diam. Rosettes occasionally producing stout — — stolons. Leaves very numerous, subascending but becoming subspreading with age (13 )22 45.5 — — — X cm long; sheaths on older leaves reniform to transversely elliptic, 2.3 5.6 (3.5 )5 8.3 cm, lepidote distally above and beneath, marginally spinose and floccose; blades straight to falcate, — — — narrowly triangular, (1 )1.5 2( 2.5) cm wide above the sheath, lepidote to glabrescent above and lepidote below, the margins armed with generally antrorse or occasionally retrorse red-brown tips — — — — — — mm cm (0.4 )1.4 2( 2.5) apart and (1.5 )2.5 3.5( 4.5) long. Inflorescences terminal, in both staminate and pistillate individuals glabrous to lepidote and once compound, or rarely twice compound — 43 cm with very short basal secondary branches in staminate inflorescences; scape 71.5 long, (6 — — mm )8 14( 18) diam, glabrous to finely lepidote; lowermost scape bracts numerous, foliaceous, — — ascending, (13 )16 22 cm long with narrowly linear-triangular spinose blades; upper scape bracts ascending, generally exceeding the internodes, rarely equal to or shorter than the internodes, lance- — — cm ovate with adpressed linear-triangular blades (2.2 )3.4 5.9 long; rachis often weakly geniculate, — — — dm (3.3 )5.5 7.8( 13.9) long, irregularly to finely lepidote or glabrous; primary bracts generally — — 2.5(— cm shorter than all but the shortest lateral branches, (0.7 )1,5 3.8) long, marginally finely spinulose, glabrous to lepidote; lateral branches articulated with the rachis, flattened basally, sulcate — — — cm when dry, ascending to subascending. (1 )2 11( 17.5) long, laxly to very densely many- — — flowered throughout and then Lpp earing substrobillform to strobiliforrn glabrous to lepidote. Staminate flo\ spreading to ibascendmg or ascending, floral bracts shorter than to equaling or exceeding the sepals, rugulose pr xirnally, cartilaginous to chartacecus, narrowly !o broadly ovate or — — — ovate-triangular to suborbicular flat to convex. (2.2 )3 7( 9) X (1.7—)2.5—5(—6) mm. externally glabrous to finely lepidote, marginally finely spmulose to erose, apically variable, spmulose — — to apiculate, acute, rounded o: praemorse; pedicels articulated with the rachis, stout, (0.5 )1.5 2( mm 3) long, glabrous to lepidote, sepals somewhat imbricate, subequal, ovate to ovate-triangular, convex. 1.2—2.5(—3.5) X 1.3—2.5 mm. marginally entire to erose. apically rounded to acute or praemorse, glabrous, petals spreading at anthesis, oblong-elliptic to ovate-elliptic becoming spathulate — — when dry, cucullate distally 2 5 4 S X i.5 3 mm, marginally entire, apically rounded, glabrous, . . greenish while; stamens 6. filaments basally briefly adnate to the petals, ovary rudimentary. PistUiaie flowers spreading to ascending; floral bracts shorter than to exceeding the sepals, ruguloseproxirnally ebartaceous to cartilaginous especially proxirnally occasionally membranaceous distally narrowly — ovate to broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, convex, 3 6 X 3 5 5 mm, marginally hyaline and entire to finely spmulose or erose, apically apiculate to spmulose, glabrous to lepidote; pedicels articulated with — mm the rachis, stout, tr—ique—trous, 1 2— long, glabrous to lepidote; sepals subimbricate, triangular to ovate-triangular, 2 3( 4) X 1.2 2 5(—3 5) mm, marginally entire, apically rounded to acute, apiculate or praemorse. glabrous or rarely weakly lepidote; petals suberect, narrowly ovate to — — — triangular, 3 4.5( 5.5) X 1.5 2 r6 mm, apically rounded to sp-nulose tipped; stamens rudimentary; — — mm ova-v largely superior, glabrous. Capsules with stout pedicels 5 2( 3.5) long; woody, 1 7— loculicidally and septicidally dehiscent, ovoid. 9(—11.5) X (3—)4—5(—6) mm, glabrous, smooth or somewhat reticulate. A. Leaf. B. Lateral branch of pistillate inflorescence. C. Stammate D & flower just prior to anthesis. D. Pistillate flower at anthesis. E. Capsule. (A B. C. from Utley & Utley 7960- E from Utley Utley 7957). Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: Distribution and habitat. Known only from northern Oaxaca between 5400 and 7800 ft, where grows on steep karstic slopes with secondary vegetation and remnant Quercus, Finns, it Juniperus, and occasionally Ephedra. On Phenology. Flowering specimens have been collected in April, May, July, and August. the herbarium label of Webster et al. 1 301 8 is the notation that flowers of Hechtia oaxacana are visited by bees and wasps. This consistent with our observations of a number of Hechtia species. In addition is common to bees and wasps, a variety of insects including butterflies, flies, and beetles are visitors to open staminate and pistillate flowers, which provide rewards of nectar and pollen or only nectar (pers. obs.). Individuals of Hechtia oaxacana vary greatly in size within the populations surveyed which may result from one or more factors: local differences in substrate conditions, age of the flowering individuals, and genetic variability. Specimens exhibited several-fold differences in leaf size and corresponding ranges in inflorescence length. Similar striking size differences among individuals have H & JT been observed in other 1 ->pe~Ks jnclu idi* pumila Burt-Utley Utley from Guerrero and in l t, i populations of H. bracteata and H. sphaeroblasta that are discussed later in this paper. It should be & & noted that individuals in some populations of H. oaxacana (Utley Utley 8484 8943) produce stolons from axillary buds hich then give rise to new rosettes some distance from the parent plant. \s This character not unique to H. oaxacana and has been observed in other species within Hechtia, is including H. pueblensis described herein, H. glomerata Zuccharini, H. schottii Baker ex Hemsley, and H. sphaeroblasta B.L. Robinson (pers. obs.). In these species, stolon formation varies among populations and cannot be considered diagnostic of these taxa. Inflorescences of H. oaxacana are usually densely to very densely flowered and appearing strobiliform, but in some individuals within a population, flowers on the lateral branches occur in verticils or the inflorescences are less commonly laxly flowered. Pubescence also highly variable among individuals within a population, including is & the type series, Utley Utley 7960. Within a population, lateral branches, floral bracts, and pedicels range from almost alataou^ to lepidote, depending upon the individual examined. Inflorescence and floral characters of H. oaxacana most closely resemble those of H. bracteata in their conspicuous floral bracts, but H. oaxacana can be distinguished readily from this latter species by its shorter cm cm primary bracts [(0.7-)1.5-2.5(-3.8) vs (1.2—)2.5—8(— 11) long], generally smaller staminate mm mm sepals [1.2-2.5(-3.5) vs (2-)3^.5(-5) long] and shorter pistillate floral bracts 3-6 vs (6-) [ mmvs7-9(-12)mm]. MEXICO. Additional specimens examined. Oaxaca. N-central Oaxaca on steep slopes and & & calcareous hillsides, 7800 26 Jul 1987, Utley Utley 7951 (MEXU, USF, XAL); Utley Utley ft, N MEX & 7952 (USF); 4 mi of Teposcolula at Zocalo on 125, 7700 26 Jul 1987, Utley Utley 7957 ft, M MEX MEX MEXU, km (GH, K, US, USF, XAL); 125 to Tlaxiaco ca 6.6 S of jet of 190 with MEX May & IBUQ MEXU, & 125, 7100 20 1990, Utley Utley 8485 (CAS. NY, US, USF); Utley ft, Utley 8943 (MEXU, MICH, NY, US, USF); Utley & Utley 8969 (GH, MEXU, NY, US, USF); — G limestone slopes in woodland with Juniperus and Quercus, 5400 5500 16 Aug 1962, Webster et ft, MEXU, 13018 (GH, US). al. HECHTIA PUEBLENSIS & MEXICO. 4. Burt-Utley, Utley, Garcia-Mendoza, sp. nov. TYPE. MEX Puebla. between and 4.9 mi S of Zapotitlan on 125 from Tehuacan to Huajuapan de 1. 1 — Leon. Rocky soil on exposed, dry slopes with thorn-scrub vegetation, 5500 5700 25 Jul ft, 1987, J. Utley & K. Utley 7948 (holotype: y and $ MEXU; isotypes: B, BM, CAS, CU, GH, NY M, MICH, MO, TEX, US, USF. XAL). Figure 4 and Figure 5. —— Burt-Utley, Utley, and Garcfa-Mendoza: — — m Planta florens 0.3 0.45 diam et 15.3 21.1 flu- ilta tolia multo, la mind -sapid gldhiam — mm Inflorescentia terminalis. Florum masculorum pedicelli 1.5 2.5 longi; bracteae florales — mm pedicellum et sepala excedentes glabrae; sepala late ovata vel ovato-triangularia 2.3 3 longa et — — mm mm 2 2.5 lata. Florum femineorum pedicelli 1.5 3 longa glabri; bracteae florales pedicellum — — — — mm mm 2 excedentes ovata ad late ovata, 2.5 4.5( 6) longa et 3( 5) lata, petala ovata- — — — mm mm triangularia ad triangularia, 3 4 longa et 1.5 2.4 lata. Capsulae ovoideae 7 8.5mm longa — mm et4 5.5 diam. — — m dm Plants in flower with rosettes 0.3 0.45 diam and inflorescences to 15.3 21.1 high, — m usually in large colonies to 5 10+ diam. Rosettes producing stout stolons. Leaves very numerous, — — — — X spreading to subascending, 33 39 cm long; sheaths on older leaves 3.2 5.2 (5.1 )6.3 9.2 cm, glabrous above but lepidote distally beneath, marginally aggressively spinose; blades straight to weakly — cm falcate, triangular, 2.8 3.5 wide above the sheath, the margins armed with antrorse, retrorse and — — mm cm spreading red-brown tips 1.3 2.5 apart and the tips 3 4 long, glabrous and lustrous above but sparingly lepidote above the blade-sheath junction, lepidote below. Inflorescences terminal, in staminate individuals often twice compound, but in pistillate individuals once or twice compound, when twice compound both usually with 2 basal branches arising from or near the axis of the inflorescence and bordering the primary branch and occasionally or more additional secondary branches; scape 1 — — stout, to 99+ cm long, (0.8 )1.5 3.1 cm diam, glabrous; lowermost scape bracts numerous, — foliaceous, ascending, 23 33 cm long with linear-triangular aggressively spinose blades; upper scape bracts generally longer than the internodes, lance-ovate with adpressed linear-triangular blades (2.4 — — — cm dm )3 16.5 long; rachis (4.8 )7.5 10.6 long, glabrous; primary bracts shorter than all but the — — cm shortest lateral branches, (1.9 )2.5 10.3 long, marginally finely spinulose, glabrous above but finely lepidote below; lateral branches sulcate, fertile throughout, those of staminate inflorescences — cm spreading to subascending, sometimes falcate, 5.6 12 long, densely to very densely many- flowered throughout, glabrous, those of pistillate inflorescences subascending to ascending, straight or — — — cm weakly falcate, (3.5 )7.5 23( 38) long, densely flowered, the flowers sometimes verti dilate. Staminate flowers spreading to subascending; floral bracts generally exceeding the sepals, — X cartilaginous to chartaceous, ovate to broadly ovate or ovate-triangular, convex and keeled, 3.5 8 — mm, 3 5 externally glabrous, marginally entire to erose distally, aplcally acuminate to attenuate- — mm acuminate; pedicels articulated with the rachis, stout, 1.5 2.5 long, glabrous; sq?als convex and — — X 2 mm, at least one cucullate distally, broadly ovate, 2.3 3 2.5 marginally erose to finely spinulose, apically rounded to praemorse, lustrous and glabrous; petals spreading at anthesis, oblong- — — X elliptic to ovate-elliptic becoming spamulate when dry, 3.5 5 2 2.6 mm, marginally entire, apically rounded, glabrous, pale cream; stamens 6, with filaments basally briefly adnate to the petals; man ovary rudimentary. Pistillate flowers subsecund and generally ascending; floral bracts shorter to equaling or exceeding the sepals and much of the petals, chartaceous to coriaceous especially — — — — X 2 mm, proximally, marginally hyaline, ovate to broadly ovale, convex, 2.5 4.5( 6) 3( 5) marginally entire to very finely erose to denticulate, especially distally, apically acuminate to apiculate, — mm glabrous; pedicels articulated with the rachis, stout, 1.5 3 long, glabrous; sepals coriaceous especially post-anthesis, marginally broadly hyaline, weakly overlapping, convex, triangular to ovate- — — — — X mm, triangular, 1.8 2.4( 3.3) 1.5 2.5( 3.2) marginally finely erose to entire, apically rounded — X 4 to praemorse or apiculate, glabrous; petals subspreading, ovate-triangular to triangular, 3 1.5 mm, 2.4 apically rounded to praemorse or apiculate; stamens rudimentary; ovary largely superior, — mm glabrous. Capsules with stout pedicels 1.5 3.5 long; cartilaginous, loculicidally and septicidally — — X dehiscent, ovoid, 7 8.5 4 5.5 mm, glabrous, somewhat rugulose, yellow-brown.