Hermas proterantha B.J.de Villiers
LC Indigenous Endemic

Morphological description

Acaulescent, resprouting, deciduous herb, ca. 90 mm tall (excluding inflorescence). Leaves in basal rosette, spreading, simple, senescing at anthesis; petioles 30-110 mm long, glabrescent; lamina ovate-elliptic, 20-40 mm x 15-45 mm; base cuneate to cordate; apex obtuse; margins pinnaticleft, lobes dentate; adaxial surface green, glabrous; abaxial surface grey-white, densely felty. Synflorescences 300-350 mm long, with terminal primary umbel subtended by 1 to 4 slightly smaller secondary umbels; peduncles slender, densely lanate in upper and lowermost portions; peduncular bracts 2-3 mm, lanceolate. Umbels compound, 20-40 mm in diameter; involucral bracts 4 to 6, 2-2.5 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate; rays 5 to 12, 20-30 mm long at anthesis, glabrous, involucellar bracts 3, 2-3 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous; raylets 5 to 9, 2-3 mm long at anthesis, glabrous; umbellules with 1 or 2 bisexual flowers surrounded by 3 to 6 functionally male flowers. Flowers with 5 large, petaloid sepals, ca. 1.5 mm long, elliptic, apex acute, cream-coloured, veins 3, usually prominent; petals filiform, strongly inflexed, cream-coloured. Fruits ovate, base rounded, strongly dorsally compressed, 3-4 mm x 2.5-3 mm; mericarps homomorphic, glabrous; marginal, lateral and median ribs inconspicuous, with a prominent wing between the lateral and marginal ribs. From: Magee, AR; De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2015. A revision of the South African genus Hermas (Apiaceae). Syst. Bot. 40(1): 352-365. [DOI 10.1600/036364415X686639] [All rights reserved]

Tufted, deciduous perennial to 40 cm. Leaves in basal clusters, long-petiolate, lamina ovate-elliptic, 20-40 mm long, grey-tomentose beneath, glabrous above, margins deeply lobed, base cuneate to cordate. Flowers and fruit as in H. capitata but without lateral wings. From: Magee, AR; Manning, JC; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2012. Apiaceae: Hermas L. In: J Manning & P Goldblatt (eds), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape flora. Strelitzia 29: 327-328. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Perennial dwarf shrublet, ±90 mm high (or up to 440 mm, including inflorescence). Stem short, covered with remains of petioles. Leaves simple, on slender petioles, in basal clusters, proteranthous; petiole 30-110 mm, glabrescent; lamina ovate-elliptic, pinnatipartite (rarely pinnatifid), (20-)40-(35) x 15-25(-52) mm; base variably cuneate to cordate; apex mucronulate; margin cleft, the lobes dentate; adaxial surface green, glabrous; abaxial surface gray-white, densely tomentose; veins prominent, reticulate. Inflorescence with 1 to 4 umbels; peduncle slender, 300(-350) mm, densely woolly at the base; bracts on peduncle lanceolate, ±3 x 1 mm, revolute; umbel small, each with 5 to 12 umbellules; umbellule with 1(to 2) bisexual flowers surrounded by (3 to)6 male flowers; bracteoles paired; sepals large, petaloid, veins single in keel; petals filiform. Fruit ovate, dorsally strongly compressed, ±4 x 3 mm; lateral wings absent, marginal ribs inconspicuous, dorsal ribs inconspicuous or absent, endocarp woody. Flowering occurs from December to February and fruiting from February to April. From: De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E. 2008. A new species of the genus Hermas (Apiaceae) from South Africa. Novon 18: 29-32. [doi: 10.3417/2006151] [Acknowledgement: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis] [All rights reserved]

Diagnostic description

Hermas proterantha is easily distinguished from all other species in the genus by the deciduous, pinnately-lobed leaves which begin to senesce soon after flowering. The fruits are also unique in that the pseudo-wings occur between the lateral and marginal ribs rather than along the lateral ribs as in all the other species. From: Magee, AR; De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2015. A revision of the South African genus Hermas (Apiaceae). Syst. Bot. 40(1): 352-365. [DOI 10.1600/036364415X686639] [All rights reserved]

Hermas proterantha is a poorly known species represented by only four herbarium collections (on five sheets in BOL and NBG). The species is not mentioned in any of the available taxonomic literature treatments of Hermas. The deeply lobed (pinnatipartite) leaves are thinly textured and quite distinct when compared to those of the superficially similar H. capitata, where the leaves are shallowly lobed and firmly textured. In all other Hermas species, the leaves are persistent, but in H. proterantha they shrivel and die when the flowers appear in summer. The fruit of H. proterantha lack the prominent median ridge that is present (and sometimes partly winged) in all other species. The two mericarps are superficially similar in shape but differ in that the lateral ribs are winged in H. quinquedentata L. f. (and in all other species of Hermas), while wings are absent in the new species. Furthermore, small ribs are present between the lateral and marginal vascular bundles and represent the outer (lateral) boundary of a mericarp. From: De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E. 2008. A new species of the genus Hermas (Apiaceae) from South Africa. Novon 18: 29-32. [doi: 10.3417/2006151] [Acknowledgement: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis] [All rights reserved]

Habitat

Rare occasionals, on shaded cliffs and ledges between 700-900 m. From: Magee, AR; De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2015. A revision of the South African genus Hermas (Apiaceae). Syst. Bot. 40(1): 352-365. [DOI 10.1600/036364415X686639] [All rights reserved]

Rocky sandstone slopes. From: Magee, AR; Manning, JC; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2012. Apiaceae: Hermas L. In: J Manning & P Goldblatt (eds), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape flora. Strelitzia 29: 327-328. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

Mountain. From: De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E. 2008. A new species of the genus Hermas (Apiaceae) from South Africa. Novon 18: 29-32. [doi: 10.3417/2006151] [Acknowledgement: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis] [All rights reserved]

Distribution

Endemic to the Piketberg Mountains in the Western Cape. From: Magee, AR; De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2015. A revision of the South African genus Hermas (Apiaceae). Syst. Bot. 40(1): 352-365. [DOI 10.1600/036364415X686639] [All rights reserved]

Piketberg. From: Magee, AR; Manning, JC; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM. 2012. Apiaceae: Hermas L. In: J Manning & P Goldblatt (eds), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape flora. Strelitzia 29: 327-328. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. [CC BY]

The species is endemic to the Piquetberg, an isolated mountain about 105 km directly north of Cape Town. From: De Villiers, BJ; Van Wyk, B-E. 2008. A new species of the genus Hermas (Apiaceae) from South Africa. Novon 18: 29-32. [doi: 10.3417/2006151] [Acknowledgement: Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis] [All rights reserved]

Flowering time

December to February

Altitude

700 to 900 m

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

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Residence status

Occurrence in the Flora of Southern Africa (FSA) countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, naturalised or invasive in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

Names and Sources

Accepted name
Hermas proterantha B.J.de Villiers

Published in: Novon 18(1): 29 (2008)

Type: South Africa. Western Cape: Clanwilliam district,Piquetberg, Zebraskop, 16 Dec. 1979, Esterhuysen 35322 (BOL, holo.; K, S, iso).

Synonym(s)

Classification

KINGDOM Plantae

SUBKINGDOM Phanerogamae

ORDER Apiales

FAMILY Apiaceae

SUBFAMILY Azorelloideae

GENUS Hermas

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Specimen records

Barcode: NBG0272659-0 Collector(s) & number: Helme, NA, 6864 | 2010-8-25

South Africa, Western Cape, Piketberg, farm 149, 3 km north of Aasvoelkop. 32°52'51.5"S: 18°43'59.0"E. Altitude: 702 m.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Plant occurence records per dataset

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Occurrence records map

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2013

BOOK

African Apiaceae: a synopsis of the Apiaceae/Umbelliferae of Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM; Magee, AR

Briza Academic Books, Pretoria

2012

SERIES CHAPTER

Apiaceae: Hermas L. Magee, AR; Manning, JC; Van Wyk, B-E; Tilney, PM

In: J Manning & P Goldblatt (eds), Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region 1: The Core Cape flora. Strelitzia 29: 327-328

South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria

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Status

Status and criteria

LC

Assessor(s)

Plantae Coordinator

Part(s) of plant used Use(s) Reference

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