Cryptantha acrimuricata J. M. Andre, L. M. Simpson, & M. G. Simpson 2024, sp. nov.

Cryptantha acrimuricata J. M. André, L. M. Simpson, & M. G. Simpson sp. nov. Type. United States • California, San Bernardino County, New York Mountains: Mojave Natl. Preseve; Caruthers Canyon, 2.3 road miles north of junction New York Mtns Rd, at base of steep ascent to Giant Ledge Mine (historic), along closed dirt road paralleling perennially moist drainage, California, San Bernardino Co., 35.24875, - 115.299217, 1768 m elevation, pinyon-juniper-oak woodland, among granitic outcrops, associates: Pinus monophylla, Quercus turbinella, Garrya flavescens, Arctostaphylos pungens, Bouteoua gracilis, Yucca baccata, Brickellia californica, Opuntia phaeacantha, Dudleya saxosa aloides, J. M. André 40457, 10 May 2019 (holotype: RSA 0633491; isotypes: ASU, GMDRC, SBBG, SD, SDSU, UC, UCR). Diagnosis. Cryptantha acrimuricata resembles C. muricata and varieties in having ovoid fruiting calyces with nutlets that are typically four per fruit, homomorphic, ovate in shape, with margins thickened and bearing tuberculate to muricate processes, with a median dorsal ridge, and with surfaces densely tuberculate to muricate. Cryptantha acrimuricata differs from C. muricata and varieties in having dense whitish-strigose stems, with spreading trichomes absent to sparsely present, and in having nutlets with relatively large and densely spaced, conic, often whitish, muricate processes with relatively wide bases and sharp apices, surfaces between the processes often shiny. Description. (Figs 1, 2). Plants annual herbs, 10–35 cm tall, mostly gray-green. Root a taproot, brown to red-purple, sometimes staining paper. Stems generally erect to ascending, some plants with a dominant, erect primary axis bearing several short to elongate, ascending, secondary branches, others with numerous, subequal, inclined to ascending branches arising from plant base; stem surface light green, vestiture strigose with dense, white, tapered, antrorsely appressed, basally white-pustulate trichomes, ca. 0.5–0.7 mm long; hispid vestiture scattered to absent, if present with few, white, tapered, spreading (horizontal to inclined), basally white-pustulate trichomes, ca. 1 mm long. Leaves mostly gray-green, sessile, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, midrib grooved adaxially, thickened abaxially, apex rounded to obtuse, both surfaces and margin appressed to ascending hirsute, trichomes white pustulate, especially in basal leaves; basal-most leaf pair apparently opposite, perhaps remnants of cotyledons, all others alternate-spiral; basal leaves 2–5 cm × ca. 2–3 mm, in a loose rosette withering at anthesis, cauline leaves 1–2 cm × ca. 1 mm, extending to base of cymule inflorescence units, slightly reduced upwards. Inflorescence cymules mostly in clusters of 2–3 (bifurcate or trifurcate), occasionally solitary, rarely up to 5, a terminal flower / fruit typically at junction of cymule bases; bracts occasionally at base of cymules, these linear to narrowly oblong; cymules elongated in fruit, 2–12 flowers per unit, lower fruits not touching at maturity. Flowers mostly ebracteate, pedicellate, pedicels in fruit more elongate, ascending, thickened apically, 0.5–1 mm long, surface densely hirsute, trichomes horizontal to ascending. Calyx symmetric, ca. 3 mm long at anthesis, sepals distinct; fruiting calyx ovoid, base truncate, apex acuminate, 3.5–5 mm long, sepals lance-ovate to lanceolate, apices erect; abaxial surface densely hirsute ascending along margins, marginal surfaces hirsute appressed, midrib strongly thickened, hispid, the trichomes stout, straight, tapered, pustulate, inclined, horizontal, or reflexed; adaxial surface glabrous basally, appressed short hirsute on surface of extreme apex. Corolla rotate, inconspicuous, white, fornices white, tube as long as calyx, limb 1–2 mm wide, not showy, appendages present ca. 1 / 3 from base of corolla tube in vertical line with anthers. Androecium of five stamens, attached at slightly different levels ca. 2 / 3 from base of corolla tube between and below fornices; anthers ca. 0.4 mm long, ellipsoid, dithecal, introrsely dehiscent, dorsifixed; filaments filiform, ca. 0.1 mm long. Gynoecium four-lobed, lobes ca. 0.3 mm long, globose, style gynobasic, ca. 0.7 mm long, protruding ca. 0.4 mm beyond ovary; stigma minute, discoid. Gynobase narrowly pyramidal, extending nearly to nutlet apices; style extending 0.1–0.3 mm beyond nutlet apices. Nutlets 4, erect, homomorphic, ca. 2–2.4 mm × 1.7 mm (at widest width), whitish to tan, sometimes dark brown-mottled, surface typically shiny, appearing varnished, ovate, abaxially flattened to low convex, adaxially shallowly 2 - planed-convex, base truncate, margins sharp-angled with a thickened, usually whitish rim appearing “ beaded ” / ” toothed ” from marginal tuberculate to muricate protuberances, nutlet apex acute-rounded (blunt), surface irregularly transversely ridged, papillate and densely white tuberculate to muricate, these processes generally widely conic, densely spaced on surface, especially abaxially; spinal ridge present, sometimes obscure; attachment scar edges abutted at upper two-thirds, strongly bifurcate in lower one-third, delimiting a narrowly triangular, basal areole. Distribution and habitat. Cryptantha acrimuricata occurs in the eastern part of the Peninsular Ranges, in the eastern and central Transverse Ranges, in higher elevations of the Mohave and Sonoran Deserts, and in scattered regions of the Sierra Nevada, of California and Arizona in the United States and Baja California in Mexico (Fig. 3). Its habitat ranges from sandy to coarsely gravelly substrates, usually granitic, sometimes limestone, sometimes adjacent to boulders, of chaparral, desert scrub / wash, pinyon-juniper woodland, or pine / oak woodland vegetation. The documented elevation range is 180–2621 m (average 1270 m). Phenology. Based on data from available specimens, the species typically flowers April – July, rarely in the fall following warm-seasonal rains (J. M. André, personal observation). Rarity and conservation status. Cryptantha acrimuricata has been somewhat sparsely collected compared to the close relative Cryptantha muricata. Where encountered, populations of C. acrimuricata tend to be relatively isolated and restricted in areal extent, with few total numbers of individual plants. Though we are not aware of any imminent threats to existing populations, based upon its fairly limited distribution and small populations, this taxon may warrant conservation status. Etymology. The specific epithet acrimuricata means “ sharply muricate, ” from the Latin acri -, sharp, and muricata (derived from Latin murex, conch), hard-pointed. The name refers to the stout, widely-based, and sharply pointed conic tubercles, shaped like miniature mountain peaks, as contrasted with the more cylindrical or rounded tubercles of the varieties of Cryptantha muricata. Suggested common name. We suggest Sharp-Pointed Prickly Cryptantha as a common name. Paratypes Arranged by country, then alphabetically by collector; * = estimated from label data. Mexico • Baja California. San Rafael, Sierra San Pedro Mártir; west side of Cerro Blanco; 3 k SSW of San Rafael, Baja California, 31.09333, - 115.65167, 1550 m elevation, west facing slope, granite rock and gravel, associates: Adenostoma fasciculatum, Arctostaphylos, Chorizanthe fimbriata, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Lotus rigidus, Lupinus concinnus, Mimulus pilosus, Rhus ovata, Salvia apiana, Swertia albomarginata, and Trichostemma parishii, M. A. Baker 12915 with Robert Johnson, 12 May 1998 (ASU 0014635!, BCMEX 11466!); • Cerro San Luis, Baja California, 29.3167, - 114.1167, 1300 m elevation, open gravelly place, north side, gravelly, R. Moran 10296 with Jim Henrickson, 2 March 1963 (RSA 165004!, SD 54579, UC 1235600); • Sierra Juarez, 5 km W of La Rumorosa, Baja California, 32.55, - 116.1, 1325 m elevation, colony under piñon, granitic area, associates: Piñon, R. Moran 24108, 15 May 1977 (CAS 612817!, SD 97068!); • Sierra Juarez, 1 km NW of Tres Pozos, Baja California, 32.37917, - 116.075, 1350 m elevation, under shrubs along arroyo, R. Moran 27383, 26 May 1979 (RSA 292842!, SD 103648!); • Sierra Juarez, 1.5 km NW of El Mezquite, Baja California, 32.35833, - 116.0667, 1400 m elevation, semishade of piñones, piñon-juniper-pine wood, associates: piñon-juniper-pine wood, R. Moran 27437, 27 May 1979 (POM 369185!, SD 103689); • Sierra Juarez, arroyo Agua Grande, 10 km south of La Rumorosa, Baja California, 32.4625, - 116.0333, 1225 m elevation, in semishade, among rocks, R. Moran 30751, 16 May 1982 (SD 110999!); • San Salvador: Bridge over branch of Rio San Carlos near Rancho San Salvador, Baja California, 31.8333, - 116.0667, 1000 m elevation, R. F. Thorne 60086 with Dave Charlton, 19 April 1985 (RSA 346809!); • Canon de Guadalupe, Baja California, 32.15, - 115.8, 450 m elevation, dry slopes along canyon above resort area, sandy areas and rocky, R. F. Thorne 61750 with Steve Boyd, etc., 23 March 1986 (RSA 349247!); 1.5 mi NW Village of Valle Trinidad, Baja California, 31.423618 *, - 115.739987 *, 989 m elevation *, granitic hillside, I. L. Wiggins 16061 A, 3 April 1960 (DS 506948!); United States • New York Mtns, [above Brant Siding] in canyon above old mine site, California, San Bernardino Co., 35.27667, - 115.34556, 1364 m elevation, granite, talus, gravel, J. M. André 4153 with G. L. Clifton, 7 May 2003 (GMDRC 1194!, UCR -164170!); • New York Mountains: growing in bottom of main drainage, just above main parking area / camp. Caruthers Canyon, Mojave National Preserve, California, San Bernardino Co., 35.224817, - 115.303467, 1675 m elevation, at base of boulders in creek bottom, granite, alluvium, gravel, associates: Salix exigua, Baccharis sergiloides, Carex alma, Ericameria cuneata, Pinus monophylla, J. M. André 9554 with T. La Doux, G. L. Clifton, 5 May 2008 (GMDRC 2793!, SDSU 18622!); • Joshua Tree National Park, Little San Bernardino Mountains: Long Canyon, up side canyon a