Salicornia helmutii Piirainen & G.Kadereit

Steffen, S., Mucina, L. & Kadereit, G. (2009). Three new species of Sarcocornia (Chenopodiaceae) from South Africa. Kew Bulletin 64: 447. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-009-9127-1

Type

South Africa, Western Cape, Velddrif, Tzaarskuil, 18°22′37.5″E, 32°48′31.1″S. Steffen & Mucina 170506/01 (holotypus NBG!; isotypus MJG!).

Morphology General Habit

Short-lived perennial herb, prostrate or decumbent, forming solitary irregular star-shaped plants to 20 cm in diam., not higher than 5 cm, main branches prostrate, occasionally rooting at the nodes

Morphology General

Segments strongly succulent, obconical, up to 11 mm long, 3 – 6 mm wide, dead cortex adhering to the stems, leaf apex not keeled, leaf margin strongly spreading, concave, segments flattened in herbarium material-Inflorescences terminal and lateral, spike-like thyrses, 10 – 41 mm long, 4 – 5 mm in diam., tapering in flower and fruit, with 3 – 15 fertile segments

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 3 per cyme in a row, entirely covered by the subtending bract, only the anthers and stigmas visible when exserted, central flower c. 2 mm, slightly longer than lateral ones, perianth tube with 3 lobes, perianth spongy in fruiting stage and adhering to the seed, stamen 1 or 0, adaxial, anthers c. 1 mm long, stigmas trifid, papillose, spreading, often only central flower bisexual, lateral ones female

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 1 mm long, 0.8 mm broad, testa verruculate, papillae c. 25 μm long.

Distribution

South Africa, Western Cape, endemic to West Coast, surrounds of Velddrif.

Ecology

Sarcocornia freitagii is limited to heavy sandy-clayey (white clay) soils possibly derived from calcrete underlying stabilised sand dunes dominating the area. Here the populations of S. freitagii are found along the edges of temporary, small-sized salt pans as well as on clayey alluvium of an intermittent river (flowing only in winter). These habitats (and the halophytic flora found there) are possibly a relict of previous marine transgressions. Mucina et al. (2006b) classified the vegetation and the habitats as Cape Inland Salt Pans. All known localities are found at and around an altitude of 40 m. The local climate is characterised by low (about 300 mm MAP) winter-rainfall. During the dry summer period, water holes, pans and rivers are dry.

Conservation

The species has a very restricted distribution. So far only several (albeit some quite sizable) populations were found in an area spanning 15 × 20 km. The small salt pans as well as the surrounding alluvium are subject to heavy trampling of extensively grazing cattle, however, no grazing damage on individuals of Sarcocornia freitagii could be observed. Due to the vulnerability of the habitat and extremely limited distribution, the conservation status of the plants should be ranked Vulnerable (VU) (IUCN 2001).

Note

The specific epithet has been chosen in honour of Prof. Helmut Freitag, a world-renowned expert in Chenopodiaceae, and a much valued botanist extraordinaire, colleague and friend.