Two new species of Werneria from Peru and re-circumscription of W. weberbaueriana (Compositae, Senecioneae)

Two new species of Werneria (Compositae, Senecioneae) are described from the highlands of central Peru on the basis of morphological evidence, namely W. huascarana and W. rockhauseniana. In addition, the misinterpreted taxonomic entity W. weberbaueriana is properly circumscribed according to the protologue. A neotype is designated for the name W. weberbaueriana. A key to the Werneria species occurring in the Peruvian department of Ancash is also presented. When data are certain, conservation status is assessed.Citation: Calvo J., Trinidad H. & Beltran H. 2020: Two new species of Werneria from Peru and re-circumscription of W. weberbaueriana (Compositae, Senecioneae). – Willdenowia 50: 5–12. doi: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.50.50101Version of record first published online on 21 February 2020 ahead of inclusion in April 2020 issue.


Introduction
The first comprehensive taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Werneria Kunth (Compositae, Senecio neae) was published in 1939 by German biologist E. F. M. Rockhausen, carried out within the frame of his dissertation under the supervision of F. L. E. Diels and R. K. F. Pilger (Rockhausen 1939). Rockhausen recognized 37 species; however, the circumscription of the genus was significantly narrowed after segregating several species that were placed within the new genera Xenophyllum V. A. Misbrookea V. A. Funk (see Funk 1997a, 1997b).
Following this criterion, the genus Werneria embraces rosettiform or scapiform perennial herbs, without genuine stems. These species display involucral bracts usually fused at the base (strongly partite in a few species), capitula radiate or discoid (disciform in one species), ray florets white or yellow when present, filament collar balusterform, and style branches truncate with a crown of sweeping hairs. Although two species bear supplementary bracts at the base of the involucre, their absence should be considered as another characteristic feature of the genus. They are mainly distributed through the Andean highlands from southern Argentina and Chile to western Venezuela. Only one species, W. nubigena Kunth, occurs 6 Calvo & al.: Werneria from Peru also in Central America northward to Tacaná Volcano in southern Chiapas (Mexico). Recent studies estimate the number of Werneria species at 27 (Calvo unpublished data).
The present work is part of ongoing studies on the genus Werneria Herein, we present a clarification of the taxonomic entity W. weberbaueriana and describe two new species on the basis of morphological evidence. These are known only from central Peru, two of them putative endemics of the Cordillera Blanca in Ancash Department (Fig. 3). A key to the Werneria species occurring in this department is also provided.

Results and Discussion
Phenology -Collected in flower from May to July.
Distribution and ecology -Endemic to Peru (Ancash). Known only from the central part of the Cordillera Blanca Etymology -The specific epithet honours the German botanist A. Weberbauer (1871 -1948), who devoted part of his life to the study of the Peruvian flora.
Conservation status -The category Data Deficient (DD) is assigned because data are inadequate to determine a threat category (IUCN 2012). Further collections are needed in order to firmly assess its conservation status.
Remarks -Little is known about Rockhausen except that, as he stated himself (Rockhausen 1939), he received some guidance from A. Weberbauer (1871 -1948), an outstanding German botanist who greatly contributed to the knowledge of the Peruvian flora. In recognition for this help, Rockhausen named a new species from Peru in his honour, i.e. Werneria weberbaueriana.
As stated in the protologue, this species was described based on one collection from the Cordillera Blanca in Ancash previously misidentified as Werneria aretio ides Wedd., a species distributed in southern Peru, western Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina. Rockhausen (1939) separated the new species from W. aretioides by the absence of a denticulate leaf margin, the leaf lamina being distally papillose-verrucose, and the style branches not being purple coloured.
Since the publication of Werneria we berbaueriana in 1939, few botanists focused their interest on this species. Recently, in the framework of a synopsis of the Peruvian Werneria species, Beltrán (2017) highlighted the papillose-verrucose leaves and yellow ray florets as diagnostic characters of this species. The striking inconsistency on the ray floret colour, which was originally described as white, led to our interest to this matter. After studying the Werneria material kept at USM, we realized that two distinct taxonomic entities were interchangeably identified as W. we berbaueriana. Indeed, an important character to discriminate one from the other is the colour of the ray florets but significant differences were also found in the leaf morphology (discussed below). Although the type material of W. weberbaueriana was apparently destroyed at B in 1943, the detailed description provided in the protologue clearly corresponds to the species displaying white ray florets and a notched leaf apex. In order to remove any uncertainty surrounding the application of this name, we consider it appropriate to designate a neotype. The selected specimen is a collection by D. N. Smith from a locality not far from the type locality indicated in the protologue. It is a suitable collection because the label explicitly indicates that the ray florets are white. On the other hand, the taxonomic entity with yellow ray florets is described as a new species (see below).
Phenology -Flowering nearly all year round.
The species grows on exposed rocky slopes around the upper limit of vegetation, at elevations of 4200 -6040 m a.s.l. In the same habitat the following species were observed: Azorella pulvinata Wedd. Etymology -The specific epithet honours the German biologist E. F. M. Rockhausen (1911 -?), who published the first comprehensive revision of the Neotropical genus Werneria.
Phenology -Collected in flower from April to July (also seen in flower in No vember).
Distribution and ecology -Endemic to Peru (Ancash). Until now, Werneria hua scarana is known only from the surroundings of the Ulta pass, located between the cities of Carhuaz and Chacas in the central part of the Cordillera Blanca (Fig. 3D). The species grows on rock outcrops and scree Etymology -The specific epithet refers to the Huascarán National Park, from where this species is known.
Conservation status -Data are inadequate to determine a threat category, and therefore the category Data Deficient (DD) is assigned (IUCN 2012).

Key to the species of Werneria recorded from Ancash Department, Peru
In the framework of an exhaustive floristic work carried out by Smith (1988) in the Huascarán National Park (Ancash Department), twelve Werneria species were recorded from this region, plus six unidentified species. Several of these species are nowadays accepted as members of other related genera (e.g. W. dactylophylla Sch. Bip. [≡ Xenophyllum dactylophyllum]) or correspond to misidentifications (i.e. W. aretioides). Therefore, the number of species cited in Smith's work is six according to the current delimitation of Werneria. The key presented below includes fifteen species and it is based on the monograph of Werneria that the first author is undertaking.