The Endemic Plants of Chile

Type citation

CHILE. Atacama Region, Huasco Province, Comuna de Vallenar, on S exposure of Cuesta Pajonales shortly below top of pass, 29º08'30"S 70º59'33"W, 1120-1125 m, 19 Oct 2008, leg. A.R. Flores & J.M. Watson, F.& W. 11750! (holotype SGO; isotypes, CONC, herb. Flores & Watson).

Regions

Atacama

Distribution and habitat

Restricted to a single site in the Atacama Region. In an open V-shaped valley with a narrow, dry floor, gently sloping and exposed to the southeast. 'Desierto Florido de las Serranías' (Gajardo 1993), characterised by well-scattered xerophytic mattoral bushes dotted about over rocky and stony terrain.

Conservation status

• Critically Endangered (Watson (2019a))

Descriptions

• Watson (2019a)

Key characteristics

Differs principally from other taller, erect to ascending species by a combination of its annual life-form, acute to prolonged, acuminate sepals, subequalling to exceeding the fully-extended petals, its erect mature fruit-bearing pedicels, and glabrous seeds. In addition the sepals are unmarked or, more rarely, weakly black-striated in the basal area only (Watson, 2019).