Montanoa pteropoda
REPRESENTATIVE SPECIMENS: GUATEMALA. CHIMALTENANGO: rd to Patzun, 14 km NW of CA-I, 24 Jan 1977, King 7203 (MO, US); rd to Patzun, 16 km NW of CA-I, 24 Jan 1977, King 7206 (MO, US); Chichavac, Nov-Dec 1930, Skutdll20 (MICH, US); above Tecpam, 9 Dec 1933, skutch 756 (GH, LL, US); above Las Calderas, IS Dec 1938, Sa 60086 (F, US); near Parramos, 14 Dec 1938, Sa 59884 (F, NY); near Chimaitenango, 11-22 Dec 1940, Sa 79951 (F); btw Chimaltenango and San Martin Jilotepeque, 3 Feb 1939, Sa 64352 (F, NY); near Patzicia, 4 Dec 1938, Sa 58656 (MICH). GUATEMALA: btw rd and milpa below San FranciscoEI Alto, 31 Oct 1970, Harmon 4558 (DS, ENCB); Antigua, 3 Dec 1963, Molina 13465.(F, NY, US). HUEHUETENANGO: jct of three depts: Huehuetenango, Totonicapan and Quezaltenango, 8-9 Dec 1962, Williams et al. 22728 (DS, F, US): 10 km W of Aguacatan, 28 Dec 1962, Williams et al; 21818 (F, NY); CA-l btw Huehuetenango and Mexico border, 15 Dec 1977, FRK 2690 (OS); near Malacatancito,31 Dec 1977, Harriman 14476 (OS, OSH); 6.6 mi N of Huehuetenango, 27 Nov 1978, FL 2901 (OS); near Chiantia, 6 Jan 1941, Sa 82516 (F, G); 10 km E of Huehuetenango, 2 Jan 1941, Sa 82133 (F). QUEZALTENANGO: above Palojunoj, Volcan Santa Maria, 6 Mar 1939, Sa 67532 (F); SE of SanMartin Chile Verde, region of Boxantin, 16 Jan 1941, Sa 83786 (F); near Rio Samala, on rd btw Zunil and Cantel, 18 Jan 1941, Sa 83961 (F); mountains above (N of) Olintepeque, 29 Jan 1941, Sa 85212 (F, Ny); Canton La Esperanza, ca. 6 km from San Juan Ostuncalco, 12-23 Jan 1966, Molina et al. 16604 (NY, US); below Zunil, 25 Jan 1941, Sa 84806 (F); Volcan Zunil, 22 Jan 1944, Se 34608 (F); Volcan Santa Marfa de Jesus, E slope, 24 Oct 1975, SG 4342* (OS); btw Can tel and Zunil, 31 Dec 1977, Harriman 14481 (OS, OSH); near Quezaltenango, Jan-Feb 1941, Sa 84618 (F). QUICHE: Nebqj,.21 Nov 1934, Sku tel! 1746 (A); btw El Tesoro and Chicuas, I Dec 1969, Molina & Mlina 25014 (NY, US); Pascual Abaj, Chichicastenango, I Nov 1965, Molina 15295 (F, MO); btw Los Encuentros and Chichicastenango, 22-23 Dec 1972, Williams et al. 41702 (F); mts. E of Quiche, 20 Nov-4 Dec 1940, Grant 684 (F). SACATEPEQUEZ: Volcan de Agua above Santa Maria de Jesus, II Feb 1939, Sa 65056 (F); above Las Calderas, 15 Dec 1938, Sa 59990 (F); forests of Volcan Agua, 13 Nov 1967, Molina 21067 (F, NY); near Antigua, 26 Nov 1969, Molina & Molina 24815 (F, MO, NY). SAN MARCOS: 3.5 mi SW of Palo Gordo, 6 Dec 1978, FL 2952 (OS); 6.2 mi SW of Palo Gordo, 6 Dec 1978, FL 2953 (OS); 13 mi E of San Antonio Sac., 6 Dec 1978, FL 2947* (OS); 0.5 mi W of Palo Gordo, 6 Dec .. 1978, FL 2949 (OS); 8-10 km W of San Marcos, 31 Dec 1964-1 Jan 1965, Williams et al. 26770 (F, NY, US); above San Antonio, 22 Feb 1939, Sa 66137 (F, GH); btw San Rafael and Palo Gordo, 10-18 Dec 1963, Williams et al. 25624 (F); IS km W of San Marcos, IS Dec 1962, Williams et al. 23049 (F, US). SOLOLA: near Nahuala, 20 Dec 1972, Williams et al. 41434 (ENCB, MO, NY); 4 kmEofGodinez, 5 Dec 1963, Williams et al. 25170 (F); above San Andres Semetabaj, IS Jan 1939, Sa 62774 (F, GH). TOTONICAPAN: ca. 1.8 mi N of San Cristobal Totonicapan, 24 Oct 1976, SG 4331 (OS); near Monostenango, 21 Nov 1967, Molina 21437 (F, NY); btw Los Encuentros and Marla Tecun, 21 Nov 1965, Molina 15880 (F, NY, US). MEXICO. CHIAPAS: 10 mi W of San Cristobal, 2 Nov 1965, C 10472 (NY); btw San Cristobal anel Tuxtla, 16 Dec 1977,FK 2697 (OS); btw Chili I anel Huistan, 26 Nov 1977, FRa 2569* (OS); 8 km from San Cristobal on rd to Zinacatan, 25 Nov 1977, FRa 2564 (OS); 40 mi E of Tuxtla, 26 Nov 1977, FRa 2570 (OS); 32 mi E of Chiapa de Corzo, 17 Nov 1966, AL 4245 (MICH, OS); below Zinacatan, 5 Dec 1966, Laughlin 2941 (DS, F, MICH); near Niquivil, municipio Motozintla ele Mendoza, 16 Dec 1976, Breedlove 42732 (DS); rei from Zinacatan to Ixtapa, 28 Oct 1976, Breedlove 41120 (DS); 3-4 km W of El Porvenir, 19 Sep 1976, Breedlove 40392 (DS); 11 km NW of jcf of rd to Motozintla, on rei to El Porvenir, 21 Nov 1976, Breedlove 41641 (DS); 2 mi SW of Huistan, 17 Nov 1964, Breedlove 7346 (DS, F, MICH); above Siltepec on rd to Huixtla, 18 Jan 1973, Breedlove & Smilll 31902 (DS).
Shrubs or vines of 4 m. Stems terete, brown, herbaceous parts densely to moderately pubescent, hairs 1.0-1.5 mm long. Leaves variable; petioles 2.0-6.5 cm long, winged with or without auricles, sometimes connate-perfoliate, densely pubescent, hairs 1.0-2.0 mm long; blades ovate to triangular, 5-21 cm long, 2-21 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate, margin entire to irregularly dentate or serrate, adaxial surface moderately pubescent, hairs pustular, abaxial surface moderately to densely glandular and pubescent, hairs 1.0 mm long. Peduncles 1.5-3.0 cm long, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs 1.0 mm long. Heads pendulous at fruiting, 1.0 cm diam in flower, 2-3 cm diam in fruit, few to many in open cymose synflorescences in oppositely and alternately branched compound corymbs. Phyllaries 5-6, uniseriate, equal, ovate-Ianceolate, 4-5 mm long, 1.5-1.75 mm wide, dark green, apex acute to long-acuminate, margin ciliate and entire, abaxial surface moderately pubescent, hairs less than 1.0 mm long, adaxial surface essentially glabrous. Ray florets 8, corollas white, veins sometimes dark, ligules elliptic to lanceolate, 10-12 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, adaxial surface essentially glabrous, abaxial surface densely glandular, tube 0.5-0.75 mm long, 0.3 mm wide, glabrous. Disc florets 90-110; corollas green to grey-black, remaining yellow at base, tube 0.5 mm long, 0.5 mm diam, moderately glandular and pubescent, hairs 0.5 mm long, throat cylindrical, 1.5 mm long, 1.5 mm diam, moderately glandular and pubescent, hairs thick, less than 1.0 mm long, lobes 5, J.O mm long, 0.5 mm wide, apex acute, densely glandular and pubescent, hairs thick, less than 1.0 mm long; stamens with filaments 1.0 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, anthers not fully exserted from corolla, thecae yellow, 1.0 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, apical appendage dark green to grey-black, acute, 0.33 mm long, 0.25 mm wide, glabrous; styles yellow and black, 3.5 mm long, not enlarged at base, stigmatic surface yellow on adaxial surface, dark green or grey-black on abaxial one, 0.75 mm long, apical appendage dark green, especially on abaxial surface, short acute with small mucronate tip, 0.25 mm long, 0.33 mm wide. Pales at anthesis pentagonal , 3.0 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, light yellow with dark bands on midrib and base, apex long-acuminate, indurate, yellow, margin ciliate, glandular, entire, abaxial surface densely glandular and sparsely pubescent, hairs less than 0.5 mm long, adaxial surface glabrous;pales at fruiting deciduous, obtrullate, 8-14 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, papery with netted venation, stramineous or purple, apex small sinus with small spine, margin irregular, abaxial surface. moderately glandular, adaxial surface glabrous. Achenes brown-black, 2.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, smooth. Chromosome number, n = 19.
The leaves are winged to the base of the petiole and at times connate-perfoliate. Also, the heads have a dark aspect because of the grey-green-black coloration on the apices of the disc corolla, anthers and stigma. The synflorescence of this species is dense and the heads sit on thick densely pubescent pedicels that contrast with the slender, delicate appearance of its closest relative, Montanoa atriplicifolia. A more detailed discussion of the relationship between these ·two species is included under the discussion of M. atriplicifolia. The distribution of these two species overlaps in the area of Guatemala City, but they are separated altitudinally and have never been collected in precisely the same locality.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Genus: Montanoa
Sub- Genus: Acanthocarphae
Species: Montanoa pteropoda
Chiapas, Mexico and western Guatemala
Wet pine-oak forests and humid slopes; 1650-3800 m, usually over 2000 m. This high altitude shrub-vine is common in the high areas of Chiapas and Guatemala and is easily recognized.
FLOWERING (AND FRUITING) PERIOD: October:--December (November-March).