4. Hilliardiella nudicaulis (DC.) H. Rob. in Proc.Biol.Soc.Washington 112: 230 (1999).

Webbia nudicaulis DC., Prodr. 5: 73 (1836); Vernonia dregeana Sch.Bip. ex Walp., Rep. 2: 947 (1843), as nom. nov. [non Vernonia nudicaulis Less. (1831)]; Harv. in Harv. & Sond., in Fl. Cap. 3: 52 (1865); Wood, Natal Plants 4 (3): t. 366 (1906); Hilliard, Comp. Natal.: 41 (1977); Cacalia nudicaulis (DC.) O.Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 3: 139 (1898).

Type: South Africa, [Eastern Cape], between the Kei and Bashee rivers, Drège 5072 (G-DC—microfiche!, holo.)

Rosulate perennial with dimorphic foliage, 0.3–0.8 m tall, with mostly solitary erect annual stem from woody, often branching rootstock; stem simple, with basal leaf rosette of broad leaves and linear cauline leaves, striate, gland-dotted and hispid-tomentose below with harsh yellowish hairs intermixed with softer hairs, becoming glabrescent and silky above; eglandular vesitute of subsessile medifixed hairs, interspersed below with long-stalked medifixed T-shaped hairs. Radical leaves sometimes withered or lacking at flowering, obovate to oblanceolate, 30–60 × 5–25 mm, tapering to a petiole-like base, gland-dotted and glabrescent, silky hairs persisting especially on veins beneath; eglandular vestiture a mix of subsessile and long-stalked medifixed T-shaped hairs; cauline leaves distant, sessile, linear-ericoid, 20–60 × 0.5 mm, apiculate, margins revolute, midrib slightly impressed above and raised below, gland-dotted and thinly silky but more densely along midrib; eglandular vestiture of sessile medifixed hairs. Capitula in a lax panicle or corymb, 15- to 20-flowered. Involucre campanulate, 5–10 mm diam. when pressed; bracts ±4-seriate, gland-dotted and densely sericeous-tomentose, purplish at tips; eglandular vestiture of medifixed T-shaped hairs; outer 2 series subulate, 1–3 × 0.5–1.0 mm, inner two series oblong-elliptic, abruptly contracted to mucronate tip, 4–5 × 1.0– 1.5 mm. Florets purple, corolla 5–7 mm long, gland-dotted and with appressed hairs on tube and lobes, vestiture of medifixed T-shaped hairs, lobes 1.5–2.0 mm long. Anthers sagittate with ovate apical appendages. Style up to 4.0 mm long, branches 2 mm long. Cypselas sub-cylindric, 4- or 5-ribbed, 2.0– 2.5 mm long, gland-dotted and sericeous; pappus bi-seriate, outer scales 1–2 mm long, inner bristles 4.0– 5.5 mm long, whitish. Flowering time: August to April. (Figs. 2D, 3D and 11).

Distribution and habitat: endemic to southern Africa and evidently rare in the north, where there are a few scattered records from Mpumalanga and western Swaziland, but more common in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, from near Howick as far south as East London (Fig. 12), growing socially in open grassland, particularly in damp places, from near sea level to 1920 m.

Diagnosis: unique in the genus in its rosulate habit and dimorphic foliage, with a basal rosette of obovate to oblanceolate leaves that are glabrescent at flowering, and cauline leaves that are scattered or distant and linear-ericoid with revolute margins. The rather lax inflorescences are also characteristic although the individual capitula are not especially distinctive (Fig. 2D).

Additional specimens seen.

Swaziland. 2631 (Mbabane): Mankaiana, Evelyn Baring Bridge (–CA), 25 Nov 1961, Compton 3109 (NBG).

South Africa. MPUMALANGA. 2529 (Witbank): near Witbank (–CC), 31 Dec 1905, Gil fi llan 7199 (PRE). 2530 (Lydenburg): Lydenburg, Moreesburg Farm (–AB), 1 Dec 1997, Van Wyk 13,048 (PRE). 2629 (Bethal): Ermelo, Nooitgedacht (–DB), Dec 1915, Pott-Leendertz TRV 15182 (PRE); Ermelo (–DB), Dec 1913, Collins TRV 13952 (PRE). 2730 (Vryheid): Piet Retief (–BB), Oct 1913, Collins TRV 13950 (PRE).

KWAZULU-NATAL. 2929 (Underberg): Estcourt, Giant's Castle Game, Fulton's Rock Area (–AB), 11 Feb 1965, Trauseld 330 (PRE); Underberg (–CD), Mar 1938, McClean 736 (PRE). 2930 (Carolina): Howick (–AC), 5 Jan 1949, Compton 21440 (NBG); Lions River, Balgowan, Glen Arum (–AC), 3 Apr 1919, Mogg 3894 (PRE); Nottingham Road (–AC), Mar 1939, McClean 896 (PRE); Greytown, mountain side (–BA), 21 Jan 1939, Galpin 14,686 (PRE); 10 Feb 1939, Galpin 14825 (PRE); Greytown, railway bank on commonage (–BA), 24 Jan 1939, Galpin 14726 (PRE); Pietermaritzburg, Tweedie (–CB), 22 Nov 1918, Mogg 702 (PRE); 21 Mar 1920, Mogg 7272 (PRE); Pietermaritzburg, World's View (–CB), Nov 1938, Connell 26 (PRE); 25 Dec 1946, Barker 4316 (NBG); Pietermaritzburg, Dargle road (–CB), 27 Jan. 1920, Mogg 6866 (PRE); Richmond road near Maritzburg (–CC), 28 Dec 1947, Barker 5145 (NBG); Richmond, Byrne on hill slopes (–CC), 5 Apr 1932, Galpin 11968 (PRE); Richmond (–CD), 29 Dec 1952, Compton 23855 (NBG). 2931 (Stanger): Lower Tugela, Groutville (–AD), 14 Oct 1965, Moll 2566 (PRE); near Durban (–CC), Oct 1883, Wood 140 (PRE). 3029 (Kokstad): St Cuthbert's (–CB), Jan. 1951, Kelly 1 (NBG). 3030 (Ixopo): between Ixopo and Umzinto (–AA), 22 Nov 1958, Werdermann & Oberdieck 1204 (PRE); Alexandria, Umgaye Flats, Friedenau (–AD), 7 Nov 1908, Rudatis 372 (PRE); Alexandria Div., Dumisa Station, Ifafa (–AD), 16 Mar 1908, Rudatis 312 (PRE); near Port Shepstone on St Faith's road (–CB), 5 Nov 1938, Acocks & Hafstrom 1803 (PRE); Clydesdale (–BD), Dec 1884, Tyson 1239 (SAM); Port Shepstone, Beacon Hill West (–CC), 31 Dec 1966, Strey 7221 (PRE); Paddock (–CC), Dec 1963, Sidey 3863 (PRE).

EASTERN CAPE. 3128 (Umtata): Umtata (–DB), 20 Jan 1895, Schlechter 6340 (PRE). 3129 (Port St Johns): Lusikisiki, Fraser's Falls (–BC), 24 Nov 1964, Bayliss 2540 9 (NBG); Ndindindi (–BD), 10 Nov 1970, Strey 10101 (PRE). 3226 (Fort Beaufort): Katberg (–DA), without date, Compton 6579 (NBG). 3227 (Stutterheim): Fort Cunynghame (–AD), Nov 1900, Sim 2774 (PRE); Stutterheim, Dohne Research Station (–CB), 19 Nov 1942, Acocks 9355 (PRE); King Williams Town, Mount Coke (–CD), Dec 1900, Sim 2680 (PRE); grassy hills near Komgha (–DB), Feb 1891, Flanagan 565 (PRE, SAM); 12 miles [19 km] from East London on Transkei road (–DD), 11 Nov 1955, Comins 1354 (PRE). 3228 (Butterworth): Kentani (–CB), Sep 1903, Pegler 60 (PRE, SAM). 3326 (Grahamstown): Albany, mountain slope near Wireless Station (–BC) 6 Mar 1936, Britten 6484 (PRE); Grahamstown (–BC), Dec 1868, Atherstone PRE 446 (PRE); Grahamstown (–BC), Feb 1908, Daly & Cherry TRV 12353 (PRE). 3327 (Peddie): Peddie (–AA), 1898, Sim 19856 (PRE); Kidd's Beach (–BA), Dec 1943, Giffen 1883 (PRE).