Aletes filifolius Mathias, Constance
and Theobald
Family: Apiaceae
Description: Plants 2-4 dm tall with several leaves and peduncles arising
from a branching, woody root crown; leaves broadly ovate in outline,
blades 2.5-20 cm long, 2.5-14 cm wide, ternately-pinnately decompound,
ultimate divisions filiform, 0.5-5.6 cm long, 1-2 mm broad; peduncles
7-38 cm long, exceeding the leaves, scaberulent at summit; bracts
none; rays 4-21, 6-20 mm long, spreading-ascending; bractlets
linear to lanceolate, 2-5 mm long, free to slightly connate; pedicels
6-15, 1.5-5 mm long; calyx-teeth lanceolate; petals yellow; styles
slender, spreading, stylopodium none; fruit oblong to ovoid-oblong,
2.4-8 mm long, 1.8-4 mm wide, lateral and dorsal ribs with prominent,
corky wings to 1 mm tall; vittae large, mostly 1 in intervals,
2 on commissure (Mathias et al. 1969; Hartman, personal observation).
Distribution: Mountains of western Texas (Altuda Mt., Glass Mts.,
Guadalupe Mts.) and southern and south-central New Mexico (Mathias
et al. 1969).
Plants Seen or Cited: New Mexico; Dona Ana Co.; deep east-west
canyon above Dripping Springs, 28 Jul 1952, Dunn 8436 (UC!); Filmore
Canyon, Organ Mts., 26 May 1905, Wooton s.n. (UC!, US!); Van Patten's,
Organ Mts., 9 Jun 1906, Standley s.n. (MO!, US!), 16 Jul 1902,
Wooton s.n. (US!), 29 Aug 1894, Wooton (US!); Eddy Co.; Carlsbad,
4 Jun 1924, Lee 154 (US!); Grant Co.; Big Hatchet Mts., 17 May
1892, Mearns 39 (US); Sycamore Creek, 13 Aug 1902, Wooton (US!);
Socorro Co.; lower valley of Tulerosa River, 30 Aug 1905, Hough
s.n. (US!) (Mathias et al. 1969). Texas; Brewster Co.; 10 mi. se. of
Alpine, 8 Jun 1948, Warnock
7833 (LL!, MICH!, SMU!, UC!); top of Baldy Peak, Glass Mts., 13
Jul 1940, Warnock W 297 (UC!); Culberson Co.; upper McKittrick
Canyon, Guadalupe Mts., 22 Jul 1931, Moore & Steyermark 3573
(GH!, MICH!, MO!, RM! UC!, US!); 1st narrow canyon off w. side
of North McKittrick Canyon, 16 Jul 1945, McVaugh 7413 (LL!, MICH!,
UC!); vicinity of Frijole Post Office, 4 Aug 1930, Grassl 166
(MICH!); Pine Springs Canyon, 7 Sep 1961, Correll & Johnston
24277 (LL!); Pine Spring Canyon and North McKittrick Canyon, 2
Jun 1949, Hickley & Hickley 11 (US!); North Fork of McKittrick
Canyon, 25 Jul 1957, Correll & Johnston 18496 (LL!); Jeff
Davis Co.; little Aguja Canyon, Davis Mts., 17 Jun 1931, Moore
& Steyermark 3136 (GH!, MO!, US!) (Mathias et al. 1969).
Habitat: Rocky places, bluffs, mountain summits, stream and canyon
bottoms, mostly on limestone; 4,500-9,500 feet elevation.
Discussion: The type collection is Correll 13961, North McKittrick
Canyon, Guadalupe Mts., Culberson Co., TX, 18 Aug 1946 (HOLOTYPE:
US!; ISOTYPE, LL!). A collection, F. H. Snow 3126 (F!, KANU!),
from Silver City, NM is likely this taxon, but the fruit are immature. This species is
endemic to west Texas and southern and south-central New Mexico.
Important Literature:
Mathias, M.E., L. Constance and W.L. Theobald. 1969. Two new
species of Umbelliferae from the southwesten United States. Madrono
20: 214-219.
Information Compiled By: Ronald L. Hartman, 1998
