Summary
Geophila humifusa is reduced to the synonymy of Nertera granadensis. A new combination, Nertera major, is proposed to replace Nertera assurgens, as the name for a species endemic to Tristan da Cunha. Nine lectotypes are designated.
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Introduction
The genus Nertera Banks ex Gaertn. (Rubiaceae: Rubioideae: Anthospermeae: Coprosminae) consists of about 12 species of small, creeping herbs, bearing fleshy, often brightly coloured berries. Like its larger sister genus Coprosma J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., it exhibits a trans-Pacific distribution with a centre of diversity in New Zealand (6 species) (Gardner 1999), though Nertera also occurs on mainland South America, in the Caribbean and on some South Atlantic islands. The one widespread species in the genus, Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce, the coral-bead plant, is cultivated as a pot plant for the decorative nature of its persistent berries, and cultivars with white, yellow, orange or red fruits are now available.
A research project on Chassalia Comm. ex Poir. and Geophila D.Don required a review of all the published names in these two genera. The work on Geophila uncovered a new synonym of Nertera granadensis. While confirming the details of the synonymy and typification of this taxon, it was also noticed that there is a long-standing nomenclatural problem with another of the Nertera species, which is also addressed here.
Taxonomic Treatment
Nertera granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Druce (1917: 637). Type: Mutis s.n. (lectotype, selected by van Royen (1983): LINN!, image seen [HL 172.1].
Gomozia granadensis Mutis ex L.f. (Linné 1782: 129).
Nertera repens Ruiz & Pav. (Ruiz & Pavon 1798: 60, t. 90, f. b), as ‘Nerteria’, nom. illegit., superfl.
Gomozia americana Mirb. (Brisseau-Mirbel 1805: 384), nom. illegit., superfl.
Erythrodanum alsiniforme Thouars (du Petit-Thouars 1808: 42), nom. illegit., superfl.
Coprosma granadensis (Mutis ex L.f.) Heads (1996: 388).
Nertera depressa Gaertn. (Gaertner 1788: 124, t. 26, f. 1). Type: [published illustration] (lectotype, selected here: Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: t. 26, f. 1 (1788)).
Coprosma nertera F.Muell. (de Mueller 1875: 186).
Nertera tetrasperma Kunth (Bonpland et al. 1819: 379), as ‘Nerteria’. Type: Humboldt & Bonpland s.n. (lectotype, selected by Andersson (1993): P-Bonpl.!, image seen [P00671122]).
Mitchella ovata DC. (de Candolle 1830: 452), nom. illegit., superfl.
Nertera granadensis var. tetrasperma (Kunth) L.Andersson (1993: 14).
Epactium arenarium Willd. (in Schultes & Schultes 1827: 254). Type: Bonpland & Humboldt s.n. (lectotype, selected here: B!, image seen [B -W 03087 -01 0)).
Cunina sanfuentes Clos (in Gay 1848: 203). Type: Chile, Valdivia, Jan. 1835, C. Gay 392 (lectotype, selected by Taylor (1996): P!, image seen [P02285196]; isolectotype, P!, image seen [P02285197]).
Nertera depressa f. acutifolia Miq. (Miquel 1857: 262). Type: Java, Merapi, Junghuhn s.n. (lectotype, selected here: L!, image seen [QR code L.2941418]).
Geophila humifusa King & Gamble (1904: 102), synon. nov. Type: Peninsular Malaysia, Perak, B. Scortechini 412b (lectotype, selected here: CAL!, image seen [CAL0000033919]). Fig. 1.
Lectotype of Geophila humifusa King & Gamble, a new synonym of Nertera granadensis (L.f.) Druce. © The Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
Nertera depressa var. obtusa R.N.R.Br. (Brown 1905: 242). Type: Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible Island, 16 Oct. 1873, Moseley s.n. (lectotype, selected here: K! [K000368471]).
Peratanthe ekmanii Urb. (Urban 1921: 61). Type: Haiti, Dép. du Sud, Morne de la Hotte, in montibus occid. Ma Blanche, c. 1400 m, 7 Aug. 1917, E. L. Ekman H-548 (lectotype, selected here: S!, image seen [S-R-10344]; isolectotypes, K![K000220098], NY!, image seen [NY00115301], S!, image seen [S12-16614]).
Peratanthe cubensis Urb. (Urban 1923: 169). Type: Cuba, Oriente, Sierra Maestra, in summo Monte Pico Turquino, c. 2040 m, 18 April 1915, E. L. Ekman 5532 (lectotype, selected by Andersson (2000): S!, image seen [S-R-10345]; isolectotypes, A!, image seen [A01154649], F!, image seen [F0070130F], NY!, image seen [NY00115300]).
Nertera depressa var. papuana Valeton (1927: 156). Type: New Guinea, Schraderberg, 27 May 1913, Ledermann 11643 (n.v.).
Coprosma nertera var. papuana (Valeton) Heads (1996: 388).
Nertera granadensis var. javanica Hochr. (Hochreutiner 1934: 281). Type: Java, Mt Guedéh, chemin de Kandang badak, 19 April 1904, B. P. G. Hochreutiner 833 (lectotype, selected here: G!, image seen [G00634200]).
Nertera granadensis var. insularis Skottsb. (Skottsberg 1944: 473). Type: USA, Hawaii, Kauai, Waimea, forest near Kawikinana stream, 15 Aug. 1938, Cranwell, Selling & Skottsberg 2926 (lectotype, selected here: BISH!, image seen [BISH1015812]; isolectotypes, GB!, image seen [GB-0048574], S!, image seen [S10-18299]).
Nertera depressa f. fimbriata Christoph. (Christophersen 1944: 12, Figs. 8 – 9). Type: Tristan da Cunha, Hottentot Gulch, 600 m in mosses, 28 Jan. 1938, Y. Mejland 1388 (lectotype, selected by Groves (1981): O!, image seen [V-2014543]; isolectotypes, BM!, K! [K000368475], L!, image seen [L 0000970]).
Notes
Herbarium acronyms according to Thiers (2020, continuously updated).
Nertera granadensis is treated in the broad sense here, however, it is beyond the scope of this study to revise the species across its entire range. Many local forms have been given formal taxonomic identities, but these have mostly been relegated to synonymy by subsequent workers (Wagner et al. 1999).
Gaertner (1788: 124) referred to “Ex herbario Banksiano. Habitat in regionibus antarcticis” in the protologue of Nertera depressa, which was described solely in terms of its fruit and seed characters. Andersson (1993) referred to the holotype of N. depressa as a Banks specimen from Antarctica in K. There is no such specimen, so this typification is not considered effective. There is no material in TUB (U. Grünert pers. Comm.) either, where Gaertner’s carpological collection is now located. There is a Banks and Solander specimen from Tierra del Fuego in BM. The specimen does not currently bear fruits, but there is a painting (TF33), made by Sydney Parkinson (Banks’s draughtsman), of a fruiting specimen from Tierra del Fuego (Diment et al. 1987) and there is also a specimen and illustration from New Zealand, but this is of a flowering plant, so it seems most likely that Gaertner’s material came from Tierra del Fuego. Therefore, as there are no fruits or seeds available from the original collection to verify the description, Gaertner’s illustration is here selected as a lectotype.
A Junghuhn specimen, with a label in Miquel’s hand giving the taxon name, is designated here as a lectotype for Nertera depressa f. acutifolia.
The true identity of Geophila humifusa King & Gamble has likely escaped attention because apparently no material was distributed from the Calcutta Herbarium. The late F. R. Fosberg saw the material in CAL and annotated one sheet as type, but never published these findings. This sheet is here designated as a lectotype and the formal recognition of a new synonym of Nertera granadensis confirmed.
Brown (1905) reported a syntype of his Nertera depressa var. obtusa to have been collected on 16 Aug. 1873, but the only specimen that otherwise fits the citation is noted as being collected on 16 Oct. 1873. I take this to be a citation error on Brown’s part and select the specimen as a lectotype.
Hochreutiner (1934) referred a number of his collections to Nertera granadensis var. javanica. The best specimen in G is here selected as a lectotype.
Fosberg annotated a specimen in BISH as a lectotype of Nertera granadensis var. insularis, but this selection was never published. To avoid future confusion, the specimen is here designated as a lectotype.
A name change for a Tristan da Cunha endemic
Nertera major (Thouars) I.M.Turner, comb. nov. Type: Tristan da Cunha, Petit-Thouars s.n. (lectotype, selected here: P!, image seen [P03791001]; possible isolectotype, BM! [BM001024829]).
http://www.ipni.org/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77324851-1
Erythrodanum majus Thouars, Esquisse Fl. Tristan d’Acugna 42, t. 11 (du Petit-Thouars 1808).
Nertera assurgens Poir. in Lamarck (1816: 92), as ‘Nerteria’, nom. illegit., superfl.
Nertera adsurgens DC. (de Candolle 1830: 452), nom. illegit., superfl.
Notes
One of the most robust species of Nertera is endemic to the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha. It has long been known as Nertera assurgens, but this is an error. Du Petit-Thouars (1808: 42) clearly cited ‘Nertera assurgens N.’ as a synonym of Erythrodanum majus. His Planche XI is labelled ‘Nertera assurgens’ but also at the top right ‘Flor. Tr. Ac. No. 93’ which is the species number in the text for Erythrodanum majus. ‘Nertera assurgens Thouars’ does not therefore class as an alternative name, as Petit-Thouars clearly accepted Erythrodanum majus as the correct name for the species and did not accept Nertera assurgens. This is reflected on p. 47 where the index of generic names lists Erythrodanum in the style of an accepted name, listing the numbers 92 and 93 associated with the two species in the account, and omits Nertera altogether. Therefore, the oldest name for the species is Erythrodanum majus and this is here transferred to Nertera, to assign the correct name to the species. Groves (1981) referred to the Petit-Thouars specimen, in P, as the holotype of Nertera assurgens Thouars, but, as this name is not validly published, it cannot stand as a lectotypification. I, therefore, here select the P specimen as lectotype of Erythrodanum majus Thouars, and there is also a Petit-Thouars specimen in BM, which may, or may not, be a duplicate.
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Acknowledgements
I am grateful to the late F. Raymond Fosberg for his preliminary work on Nertera that provided the foundations for this paper. Uta Grünert (TUB), Anand Kumar (CAL) and Laurence Loze (G) are thanked for providing information and / or images. John Wiersema (US) proffered some sound and timely advice on nomenclature. Thanks to the reviewers for constructive comments.
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Turner, I.M. Restringing some coral beads — nomenclatural notes on Nertera (Rubiaceae). Kew Bull 78, 689–693 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-023-10128-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-023-10128-6