Luzula vulcanica

Luzula vulcanica Liebm., Vidensk. Meddel. Dansk Naturhist. Foren. Kjobenhavn. 2: 44. (1850). Type: Mexico. Veracruz: Mt Orizaba, 4250 m, F. Liebmann s.n. (lectotype C, photo BH; isotypes C, GH, HAL, K, P, S; as “holotype” fide H. Balslev, 1996). Figs. 18, 22 Perennial herbs, 5-45 cm high. Rhizome erect or ascending, 1-2 mm diameter, with ascending runners that terminate in a leaf rosette. Culm erect, 0.7-2 mm diameter, usually straight, sometimes curved to the opposite direction of the nodding inflorescence. Basal leaves 3-8 to each culm, inner ones erect and somewhat appressed to the culm, blade 3 15 x 0.2-0.5 cm, margin hairy when young, later glabrous. Cauline leaves usually two to each culm, 1-5(-11) cm long, inserted above the middle of the culm and usually close to the inflorescence. Inflorescence terminal with 3-7 flower clusters arranged in a spike-like raceme, 1-4 x 0.5 1.5 cm, constituting less than 1/5 of the total plant height, erect at first, later nodding; clusters 0.5-2 x 0.5 1 cm, sessile or the basal one(s) sometimes short pedunculate and separated from the others by a short rachis segment; bracts membranous, the margin divided into ciliate lobes, the basal bract usually about 1 cm long, broadly lanceolate, occasionally to 2 cm long and somewhat herbaceous in large specimens. Tepals subequal, membranous, dark castaneous in young flowers, outer ones 3-4 mm long, inner ones 2-3.5 mm long. Stamens three, 1-1.5 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.2-0.6 mm long, shorter than the filaments. Capsule broadly ellipsoid, basally 3-lobed, apically trigonous, 1.5-2 x 1-1.3 mm, finely rugose, light castaneous. Seeds ellipsoid, apiculate, 1-1.2 x 0.5-0.6 mm, castaneous below a white or light brown, smooth outer seed coat. Habitat and distribution. L. vulcanica is distributed in Mexico and in the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia. In the Andes it has been collected at elevations of 3300-4700 m above sea level. It is most commonly found in wet and boggy places in the páramos which is unusual for species of Luzula; the other Neotropical species in the genus are all found on well drained soils. In Colombia it is found toward the center of Cordillera Central (Caldas) and Cordillera Oriental (Boyacá and Cundinamarca), and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, at elevations of 3300-4630 m. Comments. According to Buchenau (1906) L. vulcanica is closely related to L. racemosa, and later authors have treated them as conspecific. It is true that there is not a single character by which the two species are always distinct, but the combination of a number of characters gives them different appearances so they always look different, both in the field, and in the herbarium. The differences between L. vulcanica and L. racemosa are: the presence of stolons (vs. absent); culms straight (vs. curved); lower inflorescence bract broadly lanceolate, membranous and more or less as long as flower cluster (vs. linear, herbacueous and longer than flower cluster); and tepals dark (vs. light castaneous). Representative specimens. Boyacá: páramos NW of Belen, quebrada minas, 600 m SE de la laguna Alcohol, 3840 m, Cleef 2046, fl (COL, U); Sierra Nevada de Cocuy, Valle Alto del Lagunillas 1 km al N de laguna Pintada, 3960 m, Cleef 5597, fl (COL). Caldas: nevado del Ruiz, Termales-Nevado-Líbano, 4200 m, 9 Dec 1958, H. G. Barclay 6318, fl (COL, US); Termales- Nevado, 4400 m, 11 Dec 1958, H. G. Barclay 6326, fl, fr (COL, MO, US); páramo de Quindío, 3700-4300 m, 15-20 Aug 1922, Pennell 9858, fl (US), 15-20 Aug 1922, Pennell 9959, fl (GH, NY, US); carretera entre La Finca Buenos Aires y laguna del Otún, 4140 m, 9 Oct 1978, Rangel-Ch. 1765, fr (COL). Cundinamarca: páramo de Sumapaz, Chisacá, 3685 m, 23 Mar 1972, Cleef 2579 (COL fr, NY); CoguaSan Cayetano near laguna Seca, 3680 m, Cleef 6527A, fl (COL), Cleef 6546, fl (COL); páramo Sumapaz, 18 km E of Cabrera, 4000 m, 9-11 Aug 1943, Fosberg 20740, fl (US); páramo de Sumapaz, Chisacá, 3300-4000 m, 10 Sep 1959, García-Barriga 17196, fl (COL, NY, US). Magdalena: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, río Ancho, páramo de Macotoma, 3770-3840 m, H. G H. G. Barclay 6939 (US).

Luzula

Rangel 1765
García 17196

Juncaceae