Rediscovery of Tetratheca nuda var. spartea (Elaeocarpaceae) in south-west Western Australia and elevation to specific rank as Tetratheca spartea

Abstract

Tetratheca nuda Lindl. var. spartea Planch. ex Benth. was named by Bentham in 1863 from material collected from an unspecified locality by Drummond in 1843. Mueller placed the name in synonymy under T. virgata Steetz in 1882, but Thompson recognised and lectotypified the name in 1976, reiterating the close affinity with T. nuda but querying the status of the taxon. The taxon was known only from the type material until a 2005 collection from near Toodyay was confirmed as comparable with the type. Additional collections have since confirmed its distinctness from T. nuda. This taxon is described in full herein as T. spartea (Benth.) R.Butcher. Images of the new species and a distribution map are provided, as is an amended taxonomic key to the species of ‘leafless’ Tetratheca in Western Australia.