Montanoa hexagona
REPRESENTATIVE SPECIMENS: GUATEMALA. ALTA VERAPAZ: rd to Tamahua, 2 mi from jet with hwy to Coban, 10 Dec 1977, FRK 2669 (OS); Coban, Dec 1906, Tiireklleim 1513 (BM, BR, C, F, FI, G, GH, M, MICH, MO, NY). GUATEMALA: 17 km from Guatemala City on CA-l (cultivated), 7 Dec 1977, FRa* (OS). JALAPA: Vo1can Jumay, 8 Jan 1908, Kellerman 7684 (F, NY, US). QUETZALTENANGO: 0.5 mi S of Zuni!, 29 Nov 1978, FL 2920 (OS); Vo1can Santa Maria de Jesus, E slope, 24 Oct 1976, SG 4339* (OS); Vo1can Zuni!, 22 Jan 1940, Se 34583 (F, NY, TEX); S of San Martin Chile Verde, 16 Jan 1941, Sa 83665 (F). QUICHE: Nebaj, 20 Nov 1934, SkI/tell 1744 (F, LL, NY, US);above Nebaj on rd to Sacapulas, 28 Nov 1978, FL 2909* (OS); just outside of Nebaj, 28 Nov 1978, FL 2910 (OS); near Zunfl, 29 Nov 1978, FL 2920* (OS); San Mateo Ixtatan, 6 Feb 1965, Breedlove 8685 (DS, MICH). SAN MARCOS: 3.5 mi W of Palo Gordo, 6 Dec 1978, FL 2951 (OS); 6 mi NE of San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, 6 Dec 1978, FL 2944A (OS); near Sibinal, 18 Feb 1940, Se 35949 (F); 8-10 km W of San Marcos, Volc:in Tajumlllco, 31 Dec 1964, Williams el al. 26836 (F, NY). MEXICO. CHIAPAS: rd to Chenalho, near schoolhouse of Yal'Ichin, 25 Nov 1977, FRa 2562* (OS); rd to Tenejapa, 18 km from San Cristobal, 26 Nov 1977, FRa 2565 (OF); in Colonia Ach'lum, municipio Tenejapa, 12 Dec 1966, Tall 1761 (DS, ENCB, LL, MICH, MSC, NY); trail from Zinacatan to Ixtapa, 13 Apr 1966, Laughlill656 (DS, ENCB, NY, WIS); Siltepec, Jan 1937, Mallnla 1549 (MEXU, MICH,US).
Trees or rarely large shrubs to 20 m tall. Stems quadrangular becoming terete, brown to grey, herbaceous parts puberulent. Leaves variable; petioles 2-17 cm long, moderately to densely glandular and pubescent, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long; blades ovate-Ianceolate to pentagonal, 6-26 cm long, 4-36 cm wide, apex acute, margin entire to irregularly serrate, unlobed to 3-5 lobed, adaxial surface glabrous to moderately pubescent, hairs pustular, abaxial surface moderately to densely glandular and pubescent, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long. Peduncles 1-5 cm long, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 1.0 mm long. Heads pendulous, 1.2-1.4 cm diam in flower, 2.5-3.5 cm diam in fruit, several to many in cymose synflorescences in oppositely and alternately branched compound corymbs. Phyllaries 5-7, more or less uniseriate, equal, ovate-Ianceolate, reflexed in early fruiting, 2.5-4.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide, dark green, apex acute, mucronate, margin ciliate, entire, abaxial smface moderately to densely pubescent, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long, abaxial surface glabrous. Ray florets 8-10; corollas white, ligules elliptic-Ianceolate to obovate, 13-17 mm long, 5-9 mm wide, apex rounded to 2-notched, adaxial smface essentially glabrous, abaxial surface moderately glandular, tube 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.5-0.75 mm wide, sparsely pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long. Disc florets 40-60; corollas green turning yellow, tube 1.0 mm long, 0.5-0.75 mm diam, moderately to densely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, throat cylindrical, 1.5-2.0 mm long, 1.25-1.5 mm diam, moderately to densely glandular and pubescent especially distal half, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, lobes 5, 1.0-1.5 mm long, 0.5-0.75 mm wide, apex acute, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long; stamens with filaments 2.0-2.5 mm long, 0.25 mm wide, anthers not fully exserted from corolla, thecae brown, 1.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide, apical appendages yellow, 0.6-0.7 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide, abaxial surfaces of apical appendage glandular; styles yellow, 5.5-6.5 mm long, enlarged at base, stigmatic surface yellow, 0.5-0.8 mm long, apical appendages yellow with black areas on abaxial surface, long-acuminate, 0.5-0.6 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide. Pales at anthesis obtrullate, 3.0-4.0 mm long, 2.0-3.0 mm wide, yellow, apex long acuminate, indurate, dark on distal half, margin ciliate, entire, abaxial surface moderately glandular and pubescent near center and margins, hairs 0.5-1.0 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous; pales at fruiting deciduous, more or less obdeltoid, 13-17 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, papery with netted venation, stramineous, apex sinus with apiculate tip, margin irregular, abaxial and adaxial surfaces glabrous. Achenes brown-red with convoluted outer surface of amorphous nature, 3-4 mm long, 2.0-2.25 mm wide. Chromosome number, n = ca. 76.
Montanoa hexagona shares with M. hibiscifolia the unusual convoluted achene surface, but the two are easily separated because M. hibiscifolia is a shrub. In addition, M. hexagona has 8-10 rays, 40-60 long (3.5-4.5 mm) disc florets and large, usually pentagonal,entire and sometimes 3-lobed leaves. Montalloa hibiscifolia on the other hand has 7-8 rays, 85-105 small (2.5-2.7 mm) disc florets and the characteristic irregularly 5-lobed leaves. The collections of Montanoa hexagona from lower elevations near Guatemala City are usually cultivated and often do not appear to grow well.
An imposing tree with heads arranged in dense dichasia and large leaves that sometimes reach 43 cm long (including petiole).
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Genus: Montanoa
Sub- Genus: Acanthocarphae
Species: Montanoa hexagona
Author(s): Funk, Vicki Rights holder(s): Funk, Vicki
Chiapas, Mexico and the mountains of Guatemala.
Cloud forests and subcloud forests at the base of cliffs, banks of streams, edge of waterfalls and on steep slopes; 2000-3000 m.
FLOWERING (AND FRUITING) PERIODS: Late October-December (late November-February).