Thesium nautimontanum, a new species of Thesiaceae (Santalales) from South Africa

Abstract

Thesium nautimontanum M.A. García, Nickrent & Mucina, a new species from the Matroosberg Mt. of Western Cape Province of South Africa, is described and illustrated. This species shows several morphological features unusual for the genus including stem sympodial branching, indeterminate spicate inflorescences subtended by numerous bracts and fleshy, non-trichome tissue lining the inside of the corolla lobes. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences place this taxon as sister to all African, Madagascan and South American Thesium species. Given that only two proximal populations are known, this species is of conservation concern.