Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e99603 (eo @)
doi: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e99603 open access
Taxonomy & Inventories

New relevant chorological and conservation data
on Carex (Cyperaceae) and Hypericum
(Hypericaceae) from Ecuador

Pedro Jiménez-Mejias?$:!, Ana Morales-Alonso§, Nora H Oleas", Enmily Sanchez", Santiago Martin-
Bravo§, Irene Masa-lranzo*, Andrea S. Meseguer*

+ Department of Biology (Botany), Universidad Aut6noma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

§ Area de Botanica, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville,
Spain

| Centro de Investigacion en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC-UAM), Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

4] Centro de Investigacién de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climatico (BioCamb) e Ingenieria en Biodiversidad y Recursos
Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnolédgica Indoamérica, Machala y Sabanilla, Quito,
Ecuador

# Real Jardin Botanico (RJB), CSIC, Madrid, Spain

Corresponding author: Pedro Jiménez-Mejias (pjimmej@gmail.com), Ana Morales-Alonso (aimoralons@gmail.c
om)

Academic editor: Arjun Prasad Tiwari
Received: 04 Jan 2023 | Accepted: 18 Feb 2023 | Published: 08 Mar 2023

Citation: Jiménez-Mejias P, Morales-Alonso A, Oleas NH, Sanchez E, Martin-Bravo S, Masa-lranzo I, S.
Meseguer A (2023) New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and Hypericum
(Hypericaceae) from Ecuador. Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e99603. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e99603

Abstract
Background

Knowledge of Carex L. (true sedges) and Hypericum L. (St. John's wort) in the Neotropics
is fragmentary.

New information

As a result of a fieldwork campaign in Ecuador and revision of herbarium collections (K,
QCA and QCNE), we present here relevant records of twelve Carex (Cyperaceae) and four

© Jiménez-Mejias P et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source
are credited.

2 Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Hypericum (Hypericaceae) species. Regarding Carex, we present the novel report for
South America of C. aztecica, as well as the first Ecuadorian records for C. brehmeri, C.
collumanthus, C. fecunda, C. melanocystis and C. punicola. The three later records have
additional biogeographical significance, as they represent the new northern limit of these
species. We also include observations for another five species included in the Ecuadorian
Red List of Endemic Plants. As a result, the list of native Carex reported for Ecuador would
now include 52 taxa. With regard to Hypericum, we include the new report of H. sprucei for
the province of Bolivar, and the confirmation of the presence of three rare species (H.
acostanum, H. matangense, H. prietoi/) in their type localities, although with extremely low
population sizes. We discuss their conservation status and implications.

Keywords

Andes, chorology, cordillera, endangered species, flora, paramo

Introduction

Carex L. (true sedges), is one of the three most diverse plant genera in the World, with
more than 2000 species (Roalson et al. 2021). South America harbors about 200 species
(Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2018), most of which are endemic to the continent. Some species
are dominant in herbaceous habitats, such as bogs or paramos (high altitude Andean
grasslands). However and despite its diversity and ecological importance, there is no
comprehensive monographic systematic work on South American Carex. As a result, as
new fieldwork and taxonomic research progresses, new findings, such as new species and
chorological records, continue to be published (e.g.Jimenez-Mejias and Escudero (2016),
Jiménez-Mejias and Roalson (2016), Poindexter et al. (2017), Jimenez-Mejias and
Reznicek (2018), Jimenez-Mejias et al. (2020), Jimenez-Mejias et al. (2021a). Further
work is therefore needed to achieve a complete understanding of the taxonomy of these
plants in the Neotropics. Ecuador is a diversity hotspot for Neotropical Carex (46 spp., of
which at least four are endemic to the country: only Argentina and Chile have more Carex
diversity than Ecuador (Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2018). Ecuadorian Carex species are mostly
distributed at high altitudes in paramo vegetation, with a few species reaching montane
forests at lower altitudes.

With over 600 species, Hypericum L. is one of the 100 largest angiosperm genera (Carine
and Christenhusz 2013), including economically important species in pharmacology (e.g.
H. perforatum L., common St. John's wort) and numerous ornamentals. Overall, Hypericum
has its main centre of species richness in the temperate regions of the Old World
(Meseguer et al. 2013), but Hypericum species are distributed on almost all continents and
radiated in the Neotropics. In South America, Hypericum is represented by 102 species
(Nurk et al. 2013), most of them endemic and is a prominent component of the paramo
shrub flora, but there are also herbaceous species in Brazil and in lowland regions of
temperate South America (Robson 1977). Robson published the most complete taxonomic
treatment of Hypericum to date (Robson 1977, Robson 1981, Robson 1985, Robson 1987,

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 3

Robson 1990, Robson 1996, Robson 2001, Robson 2002, Robson 2006, Robson 2010a,
Robson 2010b, Robson 2012). Since then, new species have being described regularly
and chorological information has been updated. However, new fieldwork campaigns are
needed to improve our understanding of the diversity and distribution of Hypericum.
Ecuador is home to 19 species of Hypericum, nine of which are endemic to the country
(Robson 1987, Robson 1990). The Ecuadorian Hypericum species are mainly distributed
at high altitudes in paramo vegetation, with few species entering open grassy areas at
lower altitudes.

As a result of an international collaboration between the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
(UAM, Madrid, Spain), the Universidad Pablo de Olavide (UPO, Seville, Spain), the Real
Jardin Botanico (RJB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain) and the Universidad Tecnologica Indoameérica
(UTI, Quito, Ecuador), a fieldwork campaign focusing on Carex and Hypericum was carried
out in the Ecuadorian Andes from Loja to Carchi provinces during the summer of 2022. In
addition, the complete Carex and Hypericum collections of the two main national
Ecuadorian herbaria, QCA and QCNE (acronyms according to Thiers (2022)) were studied
in situ. The present study summarises the main chorological results of this work.

Materials and methods

The complete Carex and Hypericum collections of QCA (Herbario de la Pontificia
Universidad Catolica del Ecuador) and QCNE (Herbario Nacional del Ecuador (QCNE) del
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO), as well as the complete South American
Carex collection of K (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) were studied in situ. Herbarium
specimens from field collections were deposited at HUTI (Herbario de la Universidad
Tecnologica Indoameérica), MA (Herbario del Real Jardin Botanico de Madrid, CSIC) and
UPOS (Herbario de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide).

Carex specimens were determined using the specialised literature cited for taxon. Species
are presented in alphabetical order according to the accepted names provided by Govaerts
et al. (2007). The general distribution is also based on Govaerts et al. (2007) and
supplemented by the relevant literature cited in each epigraph. Terminology of the
inflorescence prophylls (utricles and cladoprophylls) follows suggestions in Jimenez-Mejias
et al. (2016). Infrageneric placement follows Roalson et al. (2021) unless otherwise
indicated.

Hypericum species are listed in alphabetical order according to the accepted names
provided by Robson in Studies in the genus Hypericum (Robson 1987, Robson 1990).
Species distributions follow Robson (Robson 1987, Robson 1990).

Comments for species included in the Red List of the Endemic Plants of Ecuador (Leon
Yanez et al. 2011) are given where relevant. When the Red List includes a name that is no
longer in use, it is listed as a synonym under the accepted name.

4 Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Taxon treatments

Carex acutata Boott, Proc. Linn. Soc. London 1: 287 (1846)

Nomenclature

=Carex tessellata Spruce ex C.B.Clarke, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, Addit. Ser. 8: 86
(1908).

Taxon discussion

Carex acutata is a member of the Hirta Clade (subg. Carex), a lineage with its highest
diversity in the Holarctic, but with regional diversification in South America (P. Jiménez-
Mejias, pers. obs.). It is distributed in montane and high elevation paramo habitats of
the Tropical Andes, from Bolivia to Venezuela.

The name Carex tessel/lata was included in the Ecuadorian Red List as a “mysterious
species known from a single collection of uncertain precedence”. The name was
synonymised by Jimenez-Mejias et al. (2020) to C. acutata after examining C-.
tessellata type (K-000584703). Carex acutata is a species widely distributed in South
America and recorded from quite a few locations within Ecuador. Accordingly, the name
should be removed from the Red List and the conservation status of C. acutata in
Ecuador should be re-evaluated.

Carex aztecica Mack. in N.L.Britton & al. (eds.), N. Amer. Fl. 18: 229
(1935)

Materials

a. scientificName!D: Carex aztecica Mack; country: Ecuador; locality: Cotopaxi. La Mana —
Latacunga; verbatimElevation: 1200 m; locationRemarks: Cotopaxi. La Mana —
Latacunga km 26, 79°07’W 00°52’S, 1200 m, rocky roadbanks; georeferenceProtoco!:
label; eventDate: 7 Apr 1993; catalogNumber: QCA 36385; recordedBy: S. Laegaard;
occurrencelD: QCA 36385

b. scientificName|lD: Carex aztecica Mack; country: Ecuador; locality: Cotopaxi. La Mana —
Latacunga; verbatimElevation: 1201 m; locationRemarks: Cotopaxi. La Mana —
Latacunga km 26, 79°07’W 00°52’S, 1200 m, rocky roadbanks; georeferenceProtocol:
label; eventDate: 7 Apr 1993; catalogNumber: QCNE 124910; recordedBy: S. Leegaard;
occurrencelD: QCNE 124910

Taxon discussion

Carex aztecica was hitherto considered a Mesoamerican endemic species, known from
southern Mexico and Guatemala. It belongs to the problematic Decora Clade (subg.

Carex), where it was included as part of the variation of sect. Indicae Tuckerman sensu
lato, a set of species with lax paniculate inflorescences and utriculiform cladoprophylls.

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 5

The Decora clade is one of the two groups of Carex that are exclusively distributed in
tropical-subtropical areas, along with sect. Fecundae Kuk. (see below).

The records that we present here are the first for Ecuador, but also for South America.
In addition, they constitute the new known southernmost limit of the species. The taxon
can be distinguished from the closely related C. polystachya Wahlenb. by its darker
female glumes (purple-brown to dark-brown in C. aztecica vs. orange, pale reddish-
brown, stramineous or hyaline in C. polystachya) with blunter apex (at least some
glumes obtuse or acute vs. all glumes acuminate to awned) and the utricles with the
beak reddish-tinged (vs. not tinged) (Hermann (1974), Chater (1980). These localities
in Ecuador become the new known southernmost limit of the species.

Carex brehmeri Boeckeler, Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 2: 190 (1896)

Material

a. scientificName: Carex brehmeri Boeckeler; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Imbabura;
verbatimLocality: Volcan Cotacachi, via a las lagunas de Pifan; verbatimElevation: 3838
m; locationRemarks: Imbabura. Volcan Cotacachi, via a las lagunas de Pifan, 3838 m;
georeferenceProtocol: label; verbatimEventDate: 21 Jan 2009; catalogNumber: QCA
238505; recordNumber: 800; recordedBy: S. Salgado; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 238505

Taxon discussion

Carex brehmeri is a poorly known Andean taxon, reported from isolated locations in
Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia (Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2020, Jimeénez-Mejias et
al., under review). It is closely related to C. enneastachya C.B.Clarke (Benitez-Benitez
et al. 2021b; see also below). Both species belong to sect. Phacocystis Dumort. (subg.
Carex), a subcosmopolitan group with a few South American species.

We provide the first record of this small plant from Ecuador. Despite the fact that it
might actually be a mere small form of C. enneastachya (see Jimenez-Mejias et al.
2020), we present here C. brehmer separately as a compromise solution to uncover
the existence of such taxonomically problematic forms in Ecuador. A comprehensive
sampling of the South American species and populations of sect. Phacocystis and a
detailed systematic study are needed to unravel the taxonomy of the group in the
continent.

Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora, Acta Biol. Colomb. 1: 40 (1982)

Materials

a. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Carchi; locality: Chiles volcano; verbatimElevation: 4300-4400 m;
locationRemarks: Carchi. Chiles volcano, SW side. 0°48'N 77°57'W, 4300-4400 m, humid
superparamo on shallow sandy soil with rocks; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Jun-21-1995; habitat: humid superparamo on shallow sandy soil with rocks;
catalogNumber: QCA 36562; recordNumber: 705; recordedBy: P. Sklenar & V.
KosteCckova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36562
scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo; locality: El Altar volcano; verbatimElevation: 4200-4400 m;
locationRemarks: Chimborazo. El Altar volcano, N side. 1°41'S 78°24'W, 4200-4400 m,
humid cushion superparamo with scattered bunchgrasses on the ridge below the
Canoningo peak; georeferenceProtocol!: label; eventDate: 19 Aug 1995; habitat: humid
cushion superparamo with scattered bunchgrasses on the ridge below the Canoningo
peak; catalogNumber: QCA 36510; recordNumber: 1045; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V.
Kosteckova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36510
scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo; locality: Chimborazo volcano; verbatimElevation: 4300 m;
locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Chimborazo volcano, E side. 01°28'S 78°46'W, 4300 m,
superparamo vegetation along wet gentle slope dominated by cushions of Wemeria
humilis, Distichia muscoides, Plantago rigida and Azorella spp.; georeferenceProtocol:
label; eventDate: Jul-03-1997; catalogNumber: QCA 36525; recordNumber: 2177;
recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. KosteCkova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36525

scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo; locality: Chimborazo volcano; verbatimElevation: 4300 m;
locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Chimborazo volcano, E side. 1°28'S 78°46'W, 4300 m,
base of the terminal moraine of the mountain, well developed superparamo with cushions
of Werneria humilis, Plantago rigida, Azorella spp. and Azorella aretioides;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Jul-03-1997; catalogNumber: QCA 36526;
recordNumber: 2177; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. Kosteckova; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36526

scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo; locality: Miraloma; !ocationRemarks: Chimborazo. Miraloma,
old road Guamote-Atillo (ca 30 km from Guamote), 02°05'S 78°39'W, transition between
grass paramo and superparamo, 11 Jun 1999, P. Sklenaf 7165; georeferenceProtocol:
label; eventDate: Jun-11-1999; habitat: t; catalogNumber: QCA 36603; recordNumber:
7165; recordedBy: P. Sklenar & V. Koste€kova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36603

scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo; locality: Chimborazo volcano; verbatimElevation: 4800 m;
locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Chimborazo volcano, around lower refugio. 01°27'S
78°50'W, 4800 m, dense mats in spring; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:
Mar-05-1988; habitat: dense mats in spring; catalogNumber: QCA 36602, QCNE 28718;
recordNumber: 70550; recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!D: QCA 36602, QCNE 28718

scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Chimborazo/Morona Santiago; locality: Cerros Yuibug — Pailacajas;
verbatimElevation: 4330 m; locationRemarks: Chimborazo/Morona Santiago. Cerros
Yuibug — Pailacajas, NE side, 1°45'S 78°27'W, 4300-4330 m, just below vertical rocks,
humid upper superparamo with cushions of Azorella spp., Werneria humilis, and many
mosses; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Jul-31-1997; catalogNumber: QCA
36539; recordNumber: 3038; recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36539

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 7

h. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Cotopaxi; locality: Cotopaxi volcano; verbatimElevation: 4100-4600 m;
locationRemarks: Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi volcano, NE side. 00°39'S 78°25'W, 4100-4600 m,
superparamo vegetation; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Jun-28-1999;
catalogNumber: QCA 36605; recordNumber: 7478; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V.
Kosteckova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36605

i. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Napo; locality: Antisana volcano; verbatimElevation: 4200-4300 m;
locationRemarks: Napo. Antisana volcano, NE side. 0°27'S 78°08'W, 4200-4300 m, lower
superparamo vegetation along wet rocky escarpments and Distichia muscoides cushion
bog; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 19 Aug 1997; catalogNumber: QCA 36546;
recordNumber: 3491; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. Kosteckova; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36546

j. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Napo; locality: Paramo de Guamani; verbatimElevation: 4300-4370 m;
locationRemarks: Napo. Paramo de Guamani. 00°19'S 78°11'W, 4300-4370 m, humid
superparamo; georeferenceProtoco!: label; eventDate: Jun-19-1999; habitat: humid
superparamo; catalogNumber: QCA 36604; recordNumber: 7286; recordedBy: P. Sklenar
& V. KosteCkova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36604

K. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Pichincha; locality: Cayambe volcano; verbatimElevation: 4400-4500 m;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Cayambe volcano, along road to Refugio. 00°04'S 77°57'W,
4400-4500 m, in dense mats of Distichia muscoides; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: Mar-01-1988; catalogNumber: QCA 36601; recordNumber: 70500;
recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36601

I. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Pichincha; locality: Rucu Pichincha; verbatimElevation: 4500 m;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Rucu Pichincha volcano. 0°10'S 78°34'W, 4500 m, NE slope
of the volcano, superparamo vegetation on steep sandy slopes and rocks;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: May-18-1995; catalogNumber: QCA 36542;
recordNumber: 344; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. Kosteckova; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36542

m. scientificName: Carex collumanthus (Steyerm.) L.E.Mora; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Pichincha; locality: Paramo Guamani; verbatimElevation: 4050 m;
locationRemarks: Pinchincha. Paramo Guamani, close to Paramo de la Virgen. 0°20'S
78°13'W, 4050 m, moist paramo and springbogs; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:
Feb-08-1984; habitat: moist paramo and springbogs; catalogNumber: QCA 36600;
recordNumber: 51313; recordedBy: S. Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36600

Taxon discussion

Carex collumanthus is endemic from the northern half of the cordillera, where it has
been reported from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia (Wheeler 2002). It belongs
to sect. Abditispicae G. A. Wheeler, a group of species with Andean-Patagonian
distribution that is nested within the Flacca Clade (subg. Carex).

Here, we report the species for the first time in Ecuador, which was somehow expected
since the plant is known from Colombia and Peru.

8 Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Rei

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ry

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Figure 1. EES]

Representative photos of Carex species (capital letters) mentioned in this work and their
habitats (small letters). Carex ecuadorensis: (A,a), Imbabura, Parque Nacional de Cotacachi,
type locality. Carex madida: (B,b), Pichincha, Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca, type locality;
(C,c), Carchi, Reserva Ecolégica El Angel. Carex punicola: (D,d), Pichincha, Parque Nacional
Cotopaxi. Carex sodiroi: (E,e), Pichincha, Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua. Carex
subsacculata: (F1,F2,f), Pichincha, Reserva Bioldgica Yanacocha; the specimen in picture F1
is still inmature, while the one in picture F2 is fully ripe.

Carex ecuadorensis (G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh.) J.R.Starr, Bot. J. Linn. Soc.
179: 31 (2015)

Nomenclature

=Uncinia ecuadorensis G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh., Aliso 15: 10 (1997).

Material

a. scientificName: Carex ecuadorensis (G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh.) J.R.Starr; country:
Ecuador; stateProvince: Imbabura; locality: National Park Cotacachi; verbatimElevation:
3918 m; locationRemarks: Imbabura. Parque Nacional de Cotacachi, camino de las
antenas del Cotacachi, 00°19.7943'N 078°20.5391'W, 3918 m, acequia en pajonal, cerca
del desagie al camino; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; catalogNumber: 117ECU-AMA22
(HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 117; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias, I.
Masa Iranzo & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 117ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 9

Taxon discussion

An Ecuadorian endemic that belongs to sect. Uncinia (Pers.) Baill. (subg. Uncinia
(Pers.) Peterm.), a mainly Southern Hemisphere group disjunctly distributed between
the Neotropic and the SW Pacific. Formerly recognized as its own genus (Uncinia
Pers.; Global Carex Group (2015)), it is one of the few Carex groups with an
unequivocal epizoochorus adaptation: the utricles bear a hooked appendix that allows
them to attach to fur or feathers (Fig. 1 A,a).

Carex ecuadorensis was reported as threatened in the Ecuadorian Red List (as Uncinia
ecuadorensis) under the category vulnerable (VU). Known from only two localities
collected in the 80s, we confirm its persistence in at least one of these (the type
location) and provide an exact location with coordinates. The reported population was
found in a natural drainage channel of the pajonal. It was healthy, with about twenty
individuals in good conditions. The only direct threat we noticed is the erosion of the
slopes next to the road, which was more developed in other sectors. Probably, Carex
ecuadorensis is growing in similar habitats in additional places of more difficult access
within the same area. In any case, the location of this population in a National Park is
an important safeguard for the future persistence of this species.

Carex enneastachya C.B.Clarke, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew, Addit. Ser. 8: 70
(1908)

Nomenclature

= Carex azuayae Steyerm., Phytologia 9: 337 (1963).

Materials

a. scientificName: Carex enneastachya C.B.Clarke; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Cotopaxi; locality: National Park Cotopaxi; verbatimLocality: Limpiopungo;
verbatimElevation: 3800 m; locationRemarks: Cotopaxi. Parque Nacional Cotopaxi,
Limpiopungo, 0°40’S 78°0'W, 3800 m, laguna y alrededores; georeferenceProtocol: label;
catalogNumber: QCA 36315, QCNE 3907; recordNumber: 2279; recordedBy: H. Balslev;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36315, QCNE 3907

b. scientificName: Carex enneastachya C.B.Clarke; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: National Park Cotopaxi; verbatimLocality: Laguna Limpiopungo;
verbatimElevation: 3864 m; locationRemarks: Pichincha. Laguna Limpiopungo, Parque
Nacional Cotopaxi, 00°36.8748'S 078°25.4262'W, 3864 m, bordes de la laguna y arroyos;
georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; catalogNumber: 88ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS);
recordNumber: 88; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |. Masa Iranzo;
identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 88ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

Cc. scientificName: Carex enneastachya C.B.Clarke; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: National Park Cayambe-Coca; verbatimLocality: Laguna inferior;
verbatimElevation: 4117 m; locationRemarks: Pinchincha. Laguna inferior. Parque
Nacional Cayambe-Coca, 00°19.6955'S 078°12.0338'W, 4117 m, turbera;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; catalogNumber: 98ECU-AMA22 (UPOS); recordNumber: 98;

10

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |. Masa Iranzo; identifiedBy: P.
Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!D: 98ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)

d. scientificName: Carex enneastachya C.B.Clarke; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Tungurahua; locality: National Park Llanganates; verbatimLocality: laguna Aucacocha;
verbatimElevation: 3750 m; locationRemarks: Tungurahua. Parque Nacional Llanganates,
laguna Aucacocha, 01°09’36”S 78°19’37’W, 3750 m, orillas de la laguna;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 13 Jan 1999; catalogNumber: QCA 36663;
recordNumber: 315; recordedBy: E. Terneus & P. Ramsay; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36663

Taxon discussion

Carex enneastachya is endemic from the Tropical Andes from Colombia to Bolivia. As
C. brehmeri, it belongs to sect. Phacocystis Dumort. (See above).

In Ecuador, Carex enneastachya was reported only from a handful locations in Cajas
National Park at Azuay Province. Here we present additional records for another three
provinces. Originally conceived as a narrowly distributed taxon, this species was listed
as EN in the Ecuadorian Red List of Endemic plants under the name C. azuayae.
However, C. azuayae was already synonymized by Wheeler (1998) to

C. enneastachya, which effectively expands its range to other South American
countries. As a consequence, this plant should not be listed as an Ecuadorian endemic
and its threatened status needs revision.

Carex fecunda Steud., Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 194 (1855)

Material

a. scientificName: Carex fecunda Steud.; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Azuay; locality:
National Park Cajas; verbatimLocality: Laguna de Llaviucu; verbatimElevation: 3156 m;
locationRemarks: Azuay. Laguna de Llaviucu, Parque Nacional Cajas, 02°05.6385'S
079°08.9762'W, 3156 m, pastizales humedos en el borde de laguna;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-31-2022; catalogNumber: 57ECU-AMA22
(HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 57; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & I.
Masa Iranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 57ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

Taxon discussion

A South American endemic previously reported from the Central Andes, from Peru to
northern Argentina. It belongs to the problematic sect. Fecundae (subg. Carex), a
group of sedges entirely diversified within the Neotropic and one of the only two groups
of Carex exclusively distributed in tropical-subtropical areas (the other sect. Indicae,
see above).

This is the first record for Ecuador and the new northernmost limit for the species. The
Ecuadorian specimen had the unusual feature of emitting a profound citric scent from

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 11

the leaves and stems when crushed that persisted after drying. This aromatic property
is known from other sedge groups (e.g. Cyperus odoratus L., C. sesquiflorus (Torr.)
Mattf. & Kuk.), but it has not been previously reported in Carex, including other fresh or
dry C. fecunda specimens (P. Jiménez-Mejias, pers. obs.). This may indicate some
differences with respect to other more southern C. fecunda populations and deserves
further study.

Carex goetghebeurii J.R.Starr, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 179: 32 (2015)

Nomenclature

=Uncinia tenuifolia G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh., Aliso 14: 144 (1995).

Taxon discussion

Another Ecuadorian endemic that belongs to sect. Uncinia (see C. ecuadorensis).

Carex goetghebeurii was reported as threatened (VU category) in the Ecuadorian Red
List (as Uncinia tenuifolia). This was based on several collections of the same single
population extending along a slope next to a road in Zamora-Chinchipe. We visited one
of them (“13 km E of the pass, just before junction with old road’,
-3.9764109958906992 S, -79.10201083174987 W) and failed to find it. The location
has been transformed into a quarry. This unfortunate finding depicts that this plant is
already negatively affected by human activities and reveals the need to confirm the
persistence of this population and, if positive, to apply urgent conservation measures.

Carex lepida Boott, Ill. Gen. Carex 4: 211 (1867)

Materials

a. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Azuay; locality:
National Park Cajas; verbatimLocality: Laguna de Llaviucu; verbatimElevation: 3156 m;
locationRemarks: Azuay. Laguna de Llaviucu, Parque Nacional Cajas, 02°05.6385'S
079°08.9762'W, 3156 m, borde de camino en bosque montano; georeferenceProtocol:
GPS; eventDate: Jul-31-2022; catalogNumber: 54ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS);
recordNumber: 54; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias, |. Masa Iranzo &
E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 54ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

b. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Imbabura;
verbatimLocality: Southwestern slopes of the volcano Cotacachi, near the road from
Cotacachi to Selva Alegre; verbatimElevation: 3300-3350 m; locationRemarks: Imbabura.
Southwestern slopes of the volcano Cotacachi, near the road from Cotacachi to Selva
Alegre, 0°21'N 78°26'W, 3300-3350 m, secondary paramo with patches of mountain
forest; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Nov-07-1983; habitat: secondary paramo
with patches of mountain forest; catalogNumber: QCA 36473; recordNumber: 45617;
recordedBy: B. Boysen, B. Eriksen, L.P. Kvist, D. Nissen & J. Korning; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36473

12

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Cc. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Imbabura;
verbatimLocality: Road Otavalo-Lagunas de Mojanda; verbatimElevation: 3500 m;
locationRemarks: Imbabura. Road Otavalo-Lagunas de Mojanda, 0°14’N 78°20’°W, 3500
m, disturbed mossy forest; georeferenceProtocol!: label; eventDate: Oct-21-1995; habitat:
disturbed mossy forest; catalogNumber: QCA 36498, QCNE 173344; recordNumber:
1197; recordedBy: B. Ollgaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36498, QCNE 173344

d. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Volcan Pasochoa; verbatimLocality: above house of Fundacion Natura;
verbatimElevation: 2800-3300 m; locationRemarks: Pichincha. Volcan Pasochoa, above
house of Fundacion Natura, 0°27’S 78°31’W, 2800-3300 m, grass-field, mountain forest
and paramo; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 27 Apr 1985; habitat: grass-field,
mountain forest and paramo; catalogNumber: QCA 36435; recordNumber: 54171;
recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36435

e. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
verbatimLocality: Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pasochoa; verbatimElevation: 3100-3400 m;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pasochoa, 0°21’S 78°29’W,
3100-3400 m; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Feb-23-1992; habitat: bosque
nublado con un estrato bajo muy denso; catalogNumber: QCA 36379, QCNE 172674;
recordNumber: 101411; recordedBy: S. Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!D: QCA 36379, QCNE 172674

f. scientificName: Carex lepida Boott; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Zamora-Chinchipe;
locality: Cordillera de Sabanilla; verbatimLocality: cerca de la carretera Jimbura-Zumba;
verbatimElevation: 3100 m; locationRemarks: Zamora-Chinchipe. Cordillera de Sabanilla,
cerca de la carretera Jimbura-Zumba, 04°42’41"S 79°26’25"W, 3100 m, bosque nublado
con un estrato bajo muy denso; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Oct-23-1996;
catalogNumber: QCA 36680, QCNE 154445; recordNumber: s.n; recordedBy: R.Bu & SL;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36680, QCNE 154445

Taxon discussion

Carex lepida was described in the 19" Century from Pichincha Province and remained
known only from the type location until additional records were recently reported from
Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru (Jiménez-Mejias and Escudero (2016), Jiménez-Mejias and
Reznicek (2018), Jiménez-Mejias et al., under review). Its systematic affinities have
long remained enigmatic until it was recently placed in sect. Wheelerianae Jim.-Mejias,
Martin-Bravo and Reznicek (subg. Uncinia), based on molecular phylogenetics. It is a
South American endemic lineage from Andean montane forests (Garcia-Moro et al.
2022).

Remarkably, the species was listed in the Ecuadorian Red List of Endemic plants as
critically endangered (CR), as it was known only from the type location from Pichincha
volcano slopes, making its persistence there improbable due to the urban growth of
Quito. A previous report of a recent collection also from Pichincha already existed
(Pasochoa volcano; Jimenez-Mejias and Reznicek (2018)). Our records constitute a
considerable extension of the known range of the species within Ecuador. According to
all the new available data, the conservation status of the species should be revised.
Additionally, it should no longer be considered endemic to Ecuador.

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 13

Carex lepida x roalsoniana

Material

a.

scientificName: Carex lepida x Carex roalsoniana; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Azuay; locality: National Park Cajas; verbatimLocality: Laguna de Llaviucu;
verbatimElevation: 3156 m; locationRemarks: Azuay. Laguna de Llaviucu, Parque
Nacional Cajas, 02°05.6385'S 079°08.9762'W, 3156 m, borde de camino en bosque
montano; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-31-2022; catalogNumber: 55bECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 55b; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez
Mejias, |. Masa Iranzo & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified:
2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 55bECU-AMA22 (HUTI,
UPOS)

Taxon discussion

First insights of hybridization amongst species of sect. Wheelerianae. The sampled
specimens were co-occurring with the two putative parental species in the area (see
comments under C. /epida and C. roalsoniana) and showed intermediate morphological
characteristics between them (see Jimenez-Mejias and Reznicek (2018)).

Carex madida J.R.Starr, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 179: 34 (2015)

Nomenclature

=Uncinia lacustris G.A.Wheeler, Aliso 14: 141 (1995).

Materials

a.

scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Carchi; locality:
Reserva Ecoldgica El Angel; verbatimLocality: carretera a las Lagunas Verdes del Volcan
Chiles; locationRemarks: Carchi. Reserva Ecolégica El Angel, carretera a las Lagunas
Verdes del Volcan Chiles. 00°47.3118'N 077°53.5117W, 3682 m, borde de camino en
pajonal con formaciones de Espeletia spp.; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: 6
Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 110 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 110;
recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Sanchez, E.;
identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 110 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Carchi; locality:
Reserva Ecoldgica El Angel; verbatimLocality: Cantones de Tulcan, Espejo y Mira, en la
zona de amortiguamiento de la Reserva Ecolégica El Angel; locationRemarks: Carchi.
Cantones de Tulcan, Espejo y Mira, en la zona de amortiguamiento de la Reserva
Ecolégica El Angel. 00°40'N 77°51W, 3635 m, bosque siempreverde montano alto y
paramo de frailejones; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Oct-08-2011;
catalogNumber: QCA221830; recordNumber: 166; recordedBy: V. Yunapanta & S.
Chimbolema; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA221830
scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Carchi; locality:
Reserva Ecoldgica El Angel; verbatimLocality: Canton Espejo, parroquia de la Libertad;
verbatimElevation: 3781 m; locationRemarks: Carchi. Canton Espejo, parroquia de la

14

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Libertad, Reserva Ecolégica El Angel. 00°42'N, 77°52'W, 3781 m,; georeferenceProtocol:
label; eventDate: Jun-20-2011; catalogNumber: QCA 221804; recordNumber: 397;
recordedBy: H. Valles & S. Chimbolema; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 221804

d. scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Chimborazo;
locality: Collanes Valley, Paramo de los Altares; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Collanes
Valley, Paramo de los Altares, 01°40'S 78°24'W, 3900 m, paramo grassland;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Sep-03-1987; catalogNumber: QCA 38381;
recordNumber: 386; recordedBy: P. Ramsay & P.J. Merrow-Smith; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 38381

S: scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Imbabura;
locality: National Park Cotacachi-Cayapas; locationRemarks: Imbabura. Parque Nacional
Cotacachi-Cayapas, 00°19.79'N 078°20.53'W, 3918 m, acequia en pajonal, cerca del
camino; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 7 Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 118 ECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 118; recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez
Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Sanchez, E.; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified:
2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 118 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI,
UPOS)

f. scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
locality: National Park Cayambe-Coca; verbatimLocality: orillas de una pequena laguna;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca, 00°19.4672'S
078°12.0532'W, 4167 m; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 4 Aug 2022;
catalogNumber: 96ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 96; recordedBy: Morales
Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Sanchez, E.; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-
Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 96ECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

g. scientificName: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
locality: National Park Cayambe-Coca; verbatimLocality: en turbera; locationRemarks:
Pichincha. Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca, 00°19.6955'S 078°12.0338'W, 4117 m, en
turbera; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 4 Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 99ECU-
AMA22 (UPOS); recordNumber: 99; recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P.,
Masa lIranzo, | & Sanchez, E.; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 99ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)

h. scientificNamelD: Carex madida J.R.Starr; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Carchi;
locality: Tulcan, Paramo de El Angel: verbatimElevation: 3778 m; locationRemarks:
Tulcan, Paramo de El Angel, 3778 m; georeferenceProtocol: label; catalogNumber: QCA
225822; recordNumber: 5799; recordedBy: K. Romoleroux & G. Peyre; collectionID: QCA
225822: occurrencelD: QCA 225822

Taxon discussion

This species belongs to sect. Uncinia (see C. ecuadorensis), which remarkably
includes three of the four Ecuadorian endemic Carex species (Fig. 1B,b,C,c).

Carex madida was reported as vulnerable (VU) in the Ecuadorian Red List (as Uncinia
lacustris), based on the known existence of only three localities, all in protected areas
(Cayambe-Coca, Cotacachi-Cayapas and Cotopaxi National Parks) in the provinces of
Pichincha, Napo and Imbabura, respectively. Here, we report its presence in two
additional provinces (Carchi and Chimborazo) and one addition to a protected area
(Reserva Ecoldgica El Angel). We confirm its persistence in two of the formerly known

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 15

localities, where it seems abundant. Since the plants occur in Espeletia formations very
close to the Colombian border, it is very likely that this species also occurs in the
neighbouring country, from which it has not been reported yet.

Carex melanocystis E.Desv. in C.Gay, Fl. Chil. 6: 203 (1854)

Material

a.

scientificName: Carex melanocystis E.Desv; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Bolivar;
verbatimLocality: Km 4 on road Los Arenales-Salinas; verbatimElevation: 4300 m;
locationRemarks: Bolivar. Km 4 on road Los Arenales-Salinas, 01°24’S 78°55’W, 4300 m,
grass-sward; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Oct-02-1985; habitat: grass-sward;
catalogNumber: QCA 36444, QCNE 141330; recordNumber: 55347; recordedBy: S.
Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36444, QCNE
141330

Taxon discussion

Carex melanocystis is widely distributed across the Andes, from Tierra del Fuego to the
Central Andes of Peru (Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2020, Jimenez-Mejias et al. 20214). It
has been recently segregated from the closely-related Holarctic C. maritima Gunnerus
(Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2021b). Carex melanocystis is the only Southern Hemisphere
representative of the Disticha clade (subg. Vignea (T.Lestib) Peterm.), where both
species are nested.

These are the first confirmed records of C. melanocystis for Ecuador, which become
the northernmost limit of the species.

Carex phalaroides Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 482 (1837)

Materials

a.

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Chimborazo;
locality: Arenales de Palmira; verbatimElevation: 3300 m; !ocationRemarks: Chimborazo.
Arenales de Palmira, 02°02’S 78°45’W, 3300 m; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:
Jun-26-1988; catalogNumber: QCA 36470; recordNumber: 71694; recordedBy: S.
Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36470
scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Chimborazo;
verbatimLocality: Camino a Yaruquies, aproximadamente 15 km a la izquierda,
comunidad Cacha Chuyu; verbatimElevation: 3600 m; locationRemarks: Camino a
Yaruquies, aproximadamente 15 km a la izquierda, comunidad Cacha Chuyu, 01°40’S
78° 45’'W, 3600 m, bosque de Pinus radiata sobre paramo; georeferenceProtoco!: label;
eventDate: 19-20 Jul 1993; catalogNumber: QCNE82136; recordNumber: 106;
recordedBy: M. Garrison; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD:
QCNE82136

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Loja;
verbatimLocality: Cerca de Ramos Urku, carretera Loja-Cuenca; verbatimElevation: 2900
m; locationRemarks: Cerca de Ramos Urku, carretera Loja-Cuenca, 03°40.5102'S

16

Jiménez-Mejfas P et al

079°16.0522'W, 2900 m, pastizal; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: Jul-28-2022:
catalogNumber: 22ECU-AMA22 (UPOS); recordNumber: 22; recordedBy: A. Morales
Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias, |. Masa lranzo & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias;
dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 22ECU-AMA22
(UPOS)

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Loja;
verbatimLocality: Cerca de Ona; verbatimElevation: 2839 m; locationRemarks: Loja.
Cerca de Offa, 03°30.5420'S 079°10.3658'W, 2839 m, matorral degradado sobre suelos
arcillosos; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-28-2022; catalogNumber: 28ECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 28; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez
Mejias, |. Masa Iranzo & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified:
2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 28ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)
scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
verbatimLocality: Subida al cerro Coraz6n; verbatimElevation: 3837 m; locationRemarks:
Pichincha. Subida al cerro Corazon, 00°34.0922'S 078°39.9008'W, 3837 m, borde
camino en matorral; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 4 Aug 22; catalogNumber:
92ECU-AMA22 (UPOS); recordNumber: 92; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez
Mejias & |. Masa Iranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 92ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)
scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
verbatimLocality: Subida al cerro Coraz6n; verbatimElevation: 3805 m; locationRemarks:
Pichincha. Subida al cerro Corazon, 00°34.1401'S 078°39.8770'W, 3805 m, pajonal con
matorral, en el camino y borde de camino; georeferenceProtoco!l: GPS; eventDate: 4 Aug
22; catalogNumber: 94ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 94; recordedBy: A.
Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |. Masa Iranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias;
dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 94ECU-AMA22
(HUTI, UPOS)

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
locality: Rucu-Pichincha; verbatimLocality: Camino desde estacion final del teleférico
(cerro Cruz Loma) al Rucu-Pichincha; verbatimElevation: 4078 m; locationRemarks:
Pichincha. Camino desde estacion final del teleférico (cerro Cruz Loma) al Rucu-
Pichincha, 00°11.0232'S 078°32.3160'W, 4078 m, borde de camino en pajonal:;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 13 Aug 22; catalogNumber: 147ECU-AMA22
(UPOS); recordNumber: 147; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |.
Masa Iranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 147ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Tungurahua;
locality: National Park Llanganates; verbatimLocality: Carretera del Parque Nacional
Llanganates; verbatimElevation: 3577 m; locationRemarks: Tungurahua. Carretera del
Parque Nacional Llanganates, 01°04.8339'S 078°24.5341'W, 3577 m, pradera;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 2 Aug 22; catalogNumber: 79ECU-AMA22
(UPOS); recordNumber: 74; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |. Masa
lranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 79ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)

scientificName: Carex phalaroides Kunth; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Tungurahua;
locality: National Park Llanganates; verbatimLocality: Carretera del Parque Nacional
Llanganates; verbatimElevation: 3617 m; locationRemarks: Tungurahua. Carretera
Parque Nacional Llanganates, 01°04.6880'S 078°25.6385'W, 3617 m, pastizal:;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 2 Aug 22; catalogNumber: 74ECU-AMA22
(UPOS); recordNumber: 79; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias & |. Masa

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 17

Iranzo; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 74ECU-AMA22 (UPOS)

Taxon discussion

Carex phalaroides is a Neotropical endemic widely distributed from northern Patagonia
to Colombia and Venezuela, with an isolated occurrence known in Guatemala
(Jimenez-Mejias et al. 2018). It belongs to sect. Junciformes Kuk. (subg. Psyllophorae
(Degl.) Peterm.), one of the few Carex groups with a remarkably relatively high species
diversity in South America (Benitez-Benitez et al. 2021a). Carex phalaroides is an
anomalous member of sect. Junciformes from a morphological point of view as its
inflorescence is constituted by several spikes (instead of a solitary one in the remainder
of the section) (Benitez-Benitez et al. 2021a, Morales-Alonso et al., in prep.).

Previously known from just a handful locations in Ecuador, our field campaign has
resulted in the collection of several additional populations; thus, Carex phalaroides
seems to be more widely distributed along Ecuadorian high Andean grasslands.
However, to date, it has been collected just a few times (see comments under General
considerations at the end of the manuscript), as depicted by its scarce representation
in herbaria (just one additional specimen from Ecuador: MO-5869195, Imbabura,
Cotacachi-Cayapas, after revising the full collections of K, NY, MO and US).

Carex punicola D.B.Poind., Jim.Mejias & M.Escudero, Phytotaxa 291 (4):
292 (2017)

Materials

a. scientificName: Carex punicola D.B.Poind; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Bolivar;
locality: Salinas-Los Arenales; verbatimLocality: Km 6 on road Salinas-Los Arenales;
verbatimElevation: 4000 m; locationRemarks: Bolivar. Km 6 on road Salinas-Los
Arenales, 01°22'S 79°00'W, 4000 m, grass-paramo and open rocks;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Oct-02-1985; catalogNumber: QCA 36443,
QCNE 140268; recordNumber: 55330; recordedBy: S. Laegaard; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36443, QCNE 140268

b. scientificName: Carex punicola D.B.Poind; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Chimborazo;
verbatimLocality: Paramo above Azul along road to Osogochi; verbatimElevation:
4000-4200 m; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Paramo above Azul along road to
Osogochi, 02°18'S 78°42’W, 4000-4200 m, grass-paramo; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: 26 Apr 1988; catalogNumber: QCA 36467; recordNumber: 71002;
recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36467

Cc. scientificName: Carex punicola D.B.Poind; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Chimborazo;
verbatimLocality: 7 km along paramo road from new road Ambato-Guaranda towards
Carihuairazo; verbatimElevation: 4000-4200 m; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. 7 km
along paramo road from new road Ambato-Guaranda towards Carihuairazo, 01°24’S
78°48'W, 4000-4200 m, dry gravelly soil; georeferenceProtocol!: label; eventDate:
Feb-15-1999; catalogNumber: QCA 36404, QCNE 137371; recordNumber: 19590;

18 Jiménez-Mejias P et al

recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36404, QCNE 137371

d. scientificName: Carex punicola D.B.Poind; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha;
locality: National Park Cotopaxi; verbatimLocality: Carretera Parque Nacional Cotopaxi,
cerca refugio Tombopaxi, entrada Norte; verbatimElevation: 3691 m; locationRemarks:
Pichincha. Carretera Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, cerca refugio Tombopaxi, entrada Norte
00°34.0919'S 078°26.6518'W, 3691 m, paramo, pastizal seco; georeferenceProtocol:
GPS; eventDate: 3 Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 82ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS);
recordNumber: 82; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez Mejias, & |. Masa Iranzo;
identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 82ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

Taxon discussion

Carex punicola was so far known as a Central Andean element, reported from Peru,
Bolivia and Argentina (Wheeler 1988, Poindexter et al. 2017). This species is the only
Southern Hemisphere taxon from section Acrocystis Dumort., a mostly Holarctic group
greatly diversified in North America. Carex punicola is a diminutive acaulescent sedge
from dry soils (Fig. 1D,d). Interestingly, there is an unusually high number of
acaulescent Carex species in South America, which suggests a possible evolutionary
trend (Jiménez-Mejias et al. 20214).

Here, we present the first records for Ecuador, which constitutes the new northernmost
limit for the species.

Carex roalsoniana Jim.Mejias & M.Escudero, Phytotaxa 260: 186 (2016)

Material

a. scientificName: Carex roalsoniana Jim.Mejias & M.Escudero; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Azuay; locality: National Park Cajas; verbatimLocality: Laguna de Llaviucu;
verbatimElevation: 3156 m; locationRemarks: Azuay. Laguna de Llaviucu, Parque
Nacional Cajas, 02°05.6385'S 079°08.9762'W, 3156 m, borde de camino en bosque
montano; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-31-2022; catalogNumber: 55aECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 55a; recordedBy: A. Morales Alonso, P. Jiménez
Mejias, |. Masa Iranzo & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified:
2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 55aECU-AMA22 (HUTI,
UPOS)

Taxon discussion

A recently-described species endemic from the northern Andes in Ecuador and Peru
(Jimenez-Mejias and Escudero 2016, Jiménez-Mejias et al., under review). As C.
lepida (see comments above), it belongs to sect. Wheelerianae.

In Ecuador, it was only known from the type locality also in Azuay Province, at Sevilla
de Oro Municipality (Jimenez-Mejias and Escudero 2016), on the Eastern Cordillera.
This constitutes the second record of the species in Ecuador and the first in the

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 19

Western Cordillera. In the collected locality it grows together with the closely-related C.
lepida, with which it is seemingly hybridising (see above).

Carex sodiroi Kuk., Beibl. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 78: 7 (1904)

Materials

a.

scientificName: Carex sodiroi Kuk; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua; verbatimLocality: carretera desde Moraspungo;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua, carretera desde
Moraspungo, 00°02.1872'N 078°30.5291'W, 2749 m, bosque montano alterado en
taludes al borde de la carretera; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: 8 Aug 2022;
catalogNumber: 121 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 121; recordedBy:
Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Ona, P; identifiedBy: P.
Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!D: 121 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

scientificName: Carex sodiroi Kuk; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua; verbatimLocality: base Cerro Pan de Azucar;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua, base Cerro Pan de
Azucar, 00°03.1237'N 078°29.2568'W - 00°03.5315'N 078°29.6173'W, 2662-2428 m,
bosque montano bajo, camino en formacion cerrada de "culunco"; georeferenceProtocol:
GPS; eventDate: 8 Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 122, 125, 126 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI,
UPOS).; recordNumber: 122, 125, 126; recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias,
P., Masa Iranzo, | & Ofa, P.; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 122, 125, 126 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI,
UPOS).

scientificName: Carex sodiroi Kuk; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua; verbatimLocality: base Cerro Pondofa;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua, base Cerro Pondona,
00°03.2663'N 078°30.1839'W, 2335 m, remanente de bosque en borde de camino
abierto; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: 8 Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 133 ECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS).; recordNumber: 133; recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez
Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Ona, P; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 133 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS).
scientificName: Carex sodiroi Kuk; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua. Quito-Gualea. El Pahuma; locationRemarks: Pichincha.
Quito-Gualea. El Pahuma, 00°01.5696'N 078°37.9463'W, 1979 m, remanente de bosque
montano, en pastizal al lado de la carretera; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: 10
Aug 2022; catalogNumber: 136 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS).; recordNumber: 136;
recordedBy: Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, | & Ofia P;;
identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 136 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS).

scientificName: Carex sodiroi Kuk; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality:
Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua; verbatimLocality: camino que bordea todo el Pondofa;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Parroqua Calacali, Reserva Geobotanica Pululahua, camino
que bordea todo el Pondona; georeferenceProtocol!: label; eventDate: 8 Aug 1987;
catalogNumber: QCA 36711; recordNumber: 1847; recordedBy: C.E. Cerén, G.
Benavidez & L. Velasquez; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36711

20

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Taxon discussion

Carex sodiroi is a poorly known Ecuadorian endemic species. It belongs to the
problematic Decora Clade (subg. Carex) as part of sect. Indicae sensu lato (see
comments under C. aztecica) (Fig. 1E,e) .

Carex sodiroi was reported in the Ecuadorian Red List as critically endangered (CR)
because of the lack of recent collections. However, this is probably not due to a true
rarity of the species, but to the poor taxonomic circumscription of C. sodiroi. Section

Indicae in Tropical America has an obscure taxonomy. A number of taxa have been
described, based on little material and within a local scale (e.g. C. culmenicola
Steyerm. Steyermark (1951)), C. regnelliana Boeck. (Boeckeler (1888)). The whole
variation of the species in the field remains understudied and, thus, the taxonomic
limits are blurred by specimens that does not fit the characteristics and measurements
that are presented in the available descriptions. Carex sodiroi is clearly affected by this
lack of understanding. The only description associated with the name is Kukenthal
(1904), which is in turn based just on the original collection. To date, no additional study
has accounted for this taxon.

In our fieldwork campaign across the western slopes of the Western Cordillera in
Pichincha, in forest remnants near to where the original collection of C. sodiroi was
performed, we found plants that clearly match the diagnostic characteristics of C.
sodiro’s type, allowing its distinction from the syntopic and closely-related C.
polystachya: terminal clusters of spikes densely packed with many flowers, concealing
the branch axis vs. with less flowers and lax, with the branch axis exposed; and glumes
dark orange-brown vs. glumes lighter, pale reddish-brown, orange, stramineous or
hyaline. Moreover, in Pululahua Geobotanic Reserve, we also identified individuals
morphologically intermediate (124ECUAMA22 and 130ECUAMA22; HUTI, UPOS)
between the co-occurring C. polystachya and C. porrecta Reznicek and Camelb.,
another species of sect. Indicae, whose morphology also approached the type of C.
sodiroi. This makes us think that, perhaps, C. sodiro/ is a local established hybrid
between these two species. Further biosystematics studies are needed to figure out the
taxonomic status of C. sodiroi and its systematic relationships with the other South
American sect. Indicae species.

Carex subsacculata (G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh.) J.R.Starr, Bot. J. Linn. Soc.
179: 36 (2015)

Nomenclature

=Uncinia subsacculata G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh., Aliso 14: 145 (1995).

Material

a. scientificName: Carex subsacculata (G.A.Wheeler & Goetgh.) J.R.Starr; country:
Ecuador; stateProvince: Pichincha; locality: Reserva Bioldgica Yanacocha;

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 21

verbatimLocality: sendero Andean Snipe; verbatimElevation: 3620-3796 m;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Reserva Bioldgica Yanacocha, sendero Andean Snipe,
00°07.3179'S 078°35.1625'W, bosque alto Polylepis spp. Sobre abundante suelo
mesofilo de musgos; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: 10 Aug 2022;
catalogNumber: 146 ECU-AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS); recordNumber: 146; recordedBy:
Morales Alonso, A., Jiménez Mejias, P., Masa Iranzo, |; identifiedBy: P. Jiménez-Mejias;
dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 146 ECU-
AMA22 (HUTI, UPOS)

Taxon discussion

The last of the sect. Uncinia species in our account (See C. ecuadorensis).

Carex subsacculata was reported in the Ecuadorian Red List (as Uncinia subsacculata)
as vulnerable (VU), despite being known from a single locality, it was located in a
protected area (Yanacocha Biological Reserve) in the Province of Pichincha. We
confirm the persistence and healthy conservation status of this population despite the
recent eruptions of the nearby Pichincha Volcano (last eruption in 2002). Carex
subsacculata forms an abundant population in Polylepis forest understorey, at the very
top of the Andean Snipe track in the Reserve (Fig. 1 F1,F2,f) .

Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson, Phytotaxa 266: 21 (2016)

Materials

a.

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Chimborazo; locality: Paramo de los Altares; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Paramo de
los Altares, 01°40'S 78°24'W, 4000 m; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:
Sep-03-1987; catalogNumber: P.M.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-Smith 358 (K); recordNumber:
358; recordedBy: P.M.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-Smith; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!D: P.M.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-Smith 358 (K)

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Chimborazo; locality: Arenales de Palmiras; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. Arenales de
Palmiras, 02°02'S 78°45'W, 3200-3300 m; georeferenceProtoco!: label; eventDate:
Jun-26-1988; catalogNumber: QCA 36470; recordNumber: 71693; recordedBy: S.
Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36470
scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Chimborazo; locality: El Altar; verbatimLocality: N side; locationRemarks: Chimborazo. El
Altar, N side, 1°41'S 78°24'W, 4200 m, humid cushion (Super)paramo with scattered
bunchgrasses on the ridge below the Canoningo peak; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: 20 Aug 1995; catalogNumber: QCA 36566, QCA 36569; recordNumber: 95-9;
98-14; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. KosteCkova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrence!lD: QCA 36566, QCA 36569

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Imbabaura; locality: Cotacachi volcano; verbatimLocality: south-western side of the SE
ridge; locationRemarks: Imbabura. Cotacachi volcano, south-western side of the SE
ridge, 00°21'N 78°21'W, 4300 m, shrub and cushion paramo; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: Sep-09-1995; catalogNumber: QCA 36517; recordNumber: 125-3;

22

Jiménez-Mejfas P et al

recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. Kosteckova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36517

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Napo; verbatimLocality: Road Pifo-Papallacta, N of the antennas at Paso La Virgen;
locationRemarks: Napo. Road Pifo-Papallacta, N of the antennas at Paso La Virgen,
00°17'S 78°11'W, 4250-4400 m; georeferenceProtoco!: label; eventDate: 13 March 1985;
catalogNumber: QCA 36434; recordNumber: 53863; recordedBy: S. Laegaard;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36434

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Napo; locality: Antisana volcano; verbatimLocality: NE side; locationRemarks: Napo.
Antisana volcano, NE side, 00°27'S 78°08'W, 4200-4300 m, superparamo vegetation on
the wet soil below rocky escarpments; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 19 Aug
1997; catalogNumber: QCA 36550; recordNumber: 3550; recordedBy: P. Sklenar & V.
Kosteckova; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36550
scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Napo-Pichincha; locality: Paramo de Guamani, Paso de La Virgen; locationRemarks:
Napo-Pichincha. Paramo de Guamani, Paso de La Virgen, 0°22'S 78°12'W, 4000 m;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 17 Dec 1983; catalogNumber: QCA 36322;
recordNumber: 001; recordedBy: Freddy Bravo; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36322

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: Atacazo volcano; locationRemarks: Pichincha. Atacazo volcano,
00°2'S 78°37'W, 4250-4450 m, paramo; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 15
March 1985; catalogNumber: QCA 36433; recordNumber: 53876; recordedBy: S.
Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36433
scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: Cayambe volcano; verbatimLocality: along road to Refugio;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Cayambe volcano, along road to Refugio, 00°04'S 77°57'W,
4300 m, muddy flats in swamp; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Mar-02-1988;
catalogNumber: QCA 36462; recordNumber: 70522; recordedBy: S. Laegaard;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36462

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: National Park Cotopaxi, Cotopaxi volcano; verbatimLocality: N slope;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, Cotopaxi volcano, N slope,
00°40'S 78°30'W, 4100-4300 m, paramo and rocky slopes; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: Oct-28-1982; catalogNumber: QCA 36317; recordNumber: 3360; recordedBy:
H. Balslev, J. Brandbyge and L. Coloma; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen;
occurrencelD: QCA 36317

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: Paramo Guamani; verbatimLocality: close to Paso La Virgen;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Paramo Guamani, close to Paso La Virgen, 00°20'S
78°13'W, 4050 m, moist paramo and springbogs; georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate:
Feb-08-1984; catalogNumber: QCA 116027; recordNumber: 51316; recordedBy: S.
Laegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 116027
scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Pichincha; locality: Paso de la Virgen; verbatimLocality: 2 km south, road Quito-Baeza;
locationRemarks: Pichincha. Paso de la Virgen, 2 km south, road Quito-Baeza, 00°20'S
78°13'W, 4000-4200 m, on rock with seeping water; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: 19-20 May 1984; catalogNumber: QCA 36421; recordNumber: 52147;

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 23

recordedBy: S. Leegaard; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: QCA
36421

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Tungurahua; locality: Cerro Hermoso; verbatimLocality: SW ridge; locationRemarks:
Tungurahua. Cerro Hermoso, SW ridge, 1°14'S 78°18'W, 4100 m, transition from the
grass/bamboo paramo to lower superparamo with shrubs of Lorica spp;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: Sep-06-1997; catalogNumber: QCA 36551;
recordNumber: 3610; recordedBy: P. Sklenaf & V. KosteCkova; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 36551

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Tungurahua; locality: Tungurahua volcano; verbatimLocality: N slopes; locationRemarks:
Tungurahua. N slopes of Volcan Tungurahua, 01°29'S 78°23'W, paramo;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 30 Aug 1987; catalogNumber: PM.Ramsay &
P.J.Marrow-Smith 298 (K); recordNumber: 298; recordedBy: P.M.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-
Smith; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: P.M.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-
Smith 298 (K)

scientificName: Carex via-incaica Jim.Mejias & Roalson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Tungurahua; locality: Tungurahua volcano; verbatimLocality: N slopes; locationRemarks:
Tungurahua. Tungurahua volcano, N slopes, 01°29'S 78°23'W, 3900 m, paramo;
georeferenceProtocol: label; eventDate: 30 Aug 1987; catalogNumber: QCA 234420;
recordNumber: 298; recordedBy: PM.Ramsay & P.J.Marrow-Smith; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 234420

Taxon discussion

Carex via-incaica was recently described from a single collection at the slopes of
Ruminahui Volcano in Cotopaxi Province (Jimenez-Mejias and Roalson 2016). It is one
of the few northern South American species of the sect. Junciformes (subg.
Psyllophorae), a group with its centres of origin and diversity in Patagonia (Benitez-
Benitez et al. 2021a).

We present several records that greatly expand the range of this Ecuadorian endemic
species. The high number of herbarium specimens at QCA and QCNE (stored as
undetermined sedges) depicts the fact that this species has not remained overlooked
nor undercollected, but just not understood.

Hypericum acostanum Steyerm. ex N. Robson, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat.
Hist.), Botany Series 16: 27 (1987)

Materials

a.

scientificName: Hypericum acostanum Steyerm. ex N. Robson; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Loja; verbatimLocality: Carretera entre Celica-Guachanama;
verbatimElevation: 2456 m; locationRemarks: Loja. Carretera entre Celica-Guachanama,
04°04.1611'S 079°55.4277'W, -4,06935166666667 -79,923795, 2456 m, claro matorral;
georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-27-2022; catalogNumber: 1ECU-IMI22
(HUTI, MA); recordNumber: 1; recordedBy: |. Masa Iranzo, P. Jiménez Mejias, A. Morales
Alonso & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: |. Masa-lranzo; dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord:
PreservedSpecimen; occurrencelD: 1ECU-IMI22 (HUTI, MA)

24

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

scientificName: Hypericum acostanum Steyerm. ex N. Robson; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Loja; verbatimLocality: Carretera entre Celica-Guachanama;
verbatimElevation: 2631 m; locationRemarks: Loja. Carretera entre Celica-Guachanama,
04°03.7098'S 079°54.2242'W, -4,06183 -79,9037366666667, 2631 m, matorral-pastizal
degradado; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-27-2022; catalogNumber: 6ECU-
IMI22 (HUTI, MA); recordNumber: 6; recordedBy: |. Masa Iranzo, P. Jiménez Mejias, A.
Morales Alonso & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: |. Masa-lranzo; dateldentified: 2022;
basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 6ECU-IMI22 (HUTI, MA)
scientificName: Hypericum acostanum Steyerm. ex N. Robson; country: Ecuador;
stateProvince: Loja; locality: Vicinity of Loja; verbatimLocality: at road towards La Toma
(Catamayo); verbatimElevation: 2200m; locationRemarks: Loja. Vicinity of Loja, at road
towards La Toma (Catamayo). 04°00'S 79°13'W, 2200m, 19 Feb 1984, Disturbed
xerophytic vegetation, locally more humid. Bush 20 cm high; georeferenceProtocol: label;
eventDate: Feb-19-1984; catalogNumber: QCNE 5612; recordNumber: 50236;
recordedBy: J. Madsen; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCNE 5612

Taxon discussion

Hypericum acostanum (Fig. 2A,a) is an endemic species of southern Ecuador. It
belongs to the New World section Brathys (Mutis ex L.f.) Choisy, which has radiated in
the Paramos (Nurk et al. 2013).

This species is listed as vulnerable (VU) in the Ecuadorian Red List. It is known from
only two localities, collected in the 50s and 80s in the province of Loja, on the road
between San Pedro and Portovelo and on the road between Celica-Guachanama,
respectively. We confirm its persistence in the second locality and provide an exact
location with coordinates. In addition, after studying the QCNE herbarium material, we
have re-assigned a specimen (voucher n° 5612) from the rovince of Loja to this
species. Therefore, we have added a new locality to the distribution of H. acostanum in
this rovince.

Hypericum matangense N. Robson, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Botany
Series 20: 17 (1990)

Material

a.

scientificName: Hypericum matangense N. Robson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince:
Morona-Santiago; locality: Paramo de Matanga; verbatimLocality: carretera Sigsig-
Gualaquiza; verbatimElevation: 3366 m; locationRemarks: Morona-Santiago. Paramo de
Matanga, carretera Sigsig-Gualaquiza, 03°11.5409'S 078°47.3068'W -3,1924 -78,7885,
3366 m, Paramo con matorral; georeferenceProtocol: GPS; eventDate: Jul-31-2022;
catalogNumber: 29ECU-IMI22 (HUTI, MA); recordNumber: 29; recordedBy: |. Masa
lranzo, P. Jiménez Mejias, A. Morales Alonso & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: |. Masa-lranzo;
dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!lD: 29ECU-IMI22
(HUTI, MA)

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 25

Taxon discussion

Hypericum matangense (Fig. 2B,b.) is an endemic plant from southern Ecuador. It
belongs to section Brathys (Mutis ex L.f.) Choisy.

This species is listed as vulnerable (VU) in the Ecuadorian Red List. It is known
onlyfrom the type specimen collected in 1980 in the province of Morona-Santiago. The
size and status of this population, and its specific threats, are unknown. Our
observation is the second known collection of this species, with coordinates from the
only specimen found.

Hypericum prietoi N. Robson, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Botany Series
16: 58 (1987)

Material

a. scientificName: Hypericum prietoi N. Robson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Azuay;
verbatimLocality: Carretera Oha-Morasloma; verbatimElevation: 2822 m;
locationRemarks: Azuay. Carretera Oha-Morasloma, 03 26.6385’S 079° 04.5871 'W,
2822 m, matorral-pastizal; georeferenceProtoco!: GPS; eventDate: Jul-29-2022;
catalogNumber: 17ECU-IMI22 (HUTI, MA); recordNumber: 17; recordedBy: |. Masa
lranzo, P. Jiménez Mejias, A. Morales Alonso & E. Sanchez; identifiedBy: |. Masa-lranzo;
dateldentified: 2022; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: 17ECU-IMI22
(HUTI, MA)

Taxon discussion

Hypericum prietoi (Fig. 2c) is an endemic species of southern Ecuador. It belongs to
section Brathys (Mutis ex L.f.) Choisy.

This species is listed as endangered (EN) in the Ecuadorian Red List. Threats
associated with its conservation status include overgrazing and burning. Hypericum
prietoi has only been collected once at the type locality, in 1945. Our observation is the
second known collection of the species. We provide the coordinates of the only
specimen found.

Hypericum sprucei N. Robson, Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Botany Series
16: 65 (1987)

Material

a. scientificName: Hypericum sprucei N. Robson; country: Ecuador; stateProvince: Bolivar;
verbatimLocality: Carretera Chimbo a Totoras; verbatimElevation: 3250 m;
locationRemarks: Bolivar. Carretera Chimbo a Totoras, 3250 m; georeferenceProtocol:
label; eventDate: Feb-21-1987; catalogNumber: QCA 50283; recordNumber: 212;
recordedBy: X. Buitrén; basisOfRecord: PreservedSpecimen; occurrence!D: QCA 50283

26

Jiménez-Mejias P et al

Taxon discussion

Hypericum sprucei (Fig. 2D,d) has been reported from a handful of provinces in
Ecuador. It belongs to section Brathys (Mutis ex L.f.) Choisy.

Here, we present an additional record for a new province (Bolivar). This species is not
included in the Ecuadorian Red List.

Figure 2. EESl

Representative Ecuadorian Hypericum species (capital letters) mentioned in this work and
their habitats (small letters). Hypericum acostanum: A & a, Loja, Celica-Guachanama road.
Hypericum matangense: B & b Morona-Santiago, Paramo de Matanga. Hypericum prietoi: c
Azuay, Ofia-Morasloma road. Hypericum sprucei: D & d Carchi, Reserva Ecoldgica El Angel.

New relevant chorological and conservation data on Carex (Cyperaceae) and ... 27

Discussion
General considerations about Ecuadorian Carex

Our work reveals a number of common problems in the knowledge of Carex in South
America in general and in Ecuador in particular. Although Ecuador is one of the countries in
tropical America with the most developed description of its flora, it is not free from the lack
of taxonomic understanding of such a difficult group of plants as sedges.

On the one hand, despite the abundant collections in the Paramos promoted by the
Ecuadorian government through research projects and vegetation inventories, the relative
amount of sedges in the two main national herbaria (QCA, QCNE) is still low. Our field
studies have shown that Carex can be among the most abundant plants in paramos, which
highlights their ecological importance. However, only a few of the largest species from sect.
Fecundae (i.e. C. jamesonii Boott, C. [emanniana Boott and C. pichinchensis Kunth) and
Uncinia (C. phleoides Cav.) have been abundantly collected and are available in the QCA
and QCNE collections. In particular, we found a large number of populations of C.
phalaroides scattered throughout the cordillera, but only a handful of specimens in the
herbaria we visited. Another example, and perhaps the most surprising for us, is the
discovery of C. punicola for the first time in Ecuador. This species has been completely
overlooked to date despite the fact that it can be a dominant part of the vegetation. In fact,
in the population collected in the province of Pichincha, the plant was an abundant element
of the sparse vegetation, extending over the lower part of the Ovejeria puna and even
occurring on such accessible places as the road shoulders of one of the main roads in
Cotopaxi National Park. This neglect of Carex diversity is probably due to the combined
effect of the small size of some of the species involved and the low interest of most
naturalists in graminoids.

On the other hand, some species, such as C. collumanthus or C. via-incaica, were
relatively well-represented in the herbaria studied despite their small size. This suggests
that such species were probably abundant enough in a number of locations to have been
overlooked during field collections. However, most of these specimens were missidentified
or simply stored as indeterminate. This illustrates the problem of the lack of a
comprehensive treatment for Carex in South America in general, and in Ecuador in
particular. The lack of an accurate taxonomic treatment is probably what has prevented the
formal description of C. via-incaica by other botanists before 2016, as there were already a
number of vouchers in QCA or QCNE.

In conclussion, a greater effort in terms of taxonomic and systematic resources is needed
before an accurate knowledge of the genus Carex can be achieved. As a result from this
work, future changes in the number of native and endemic Carex species reported for
Ecuador can be expected as progress is made towards a complete national checklist. This
is of paramount importance since species of this genus, as already mentioned, can be
abundant, or even dominant, elements of the paramo flora, and thus play a critical role in
the ecological functioning of the habitats in which they thrive.

28 Jiménez-Mejias P et al

General considerations about Ecuadorian Hypericum

Two species of Hypericum in Ecuador, H. matangense and H. prietoi/, were described in
1990 and 1987, respectively and are only known from their type locality. No other records
or additional collections are known to us since then. Our expedition seems to be the first
discoverty of these species again. During our field campaign and despite our efforts to find
other populations, we only found these two species again in their type localities.
Apparently, both species have extremely small populations: we found only one specimen of
each species. The distribution of these species should be carefully assessed. Similarly, H.
acostanum has only been found in three localities since 1987 and we found it in low
abundance in one of them.

Hypericum matangense and H. acostanum were listed as VU in the Ecuadorian Red List,
while H. prietoi was listed as EN. Our observations suggest that these species may be
critically endangered. If this is confirmed, the Red List status of H. matangense and H.
prietoi will need to be updated and urgent conservation plans including in situ and ex situ
measurements, will need to be implemented.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Government of Ecuador for granting permission to collect field
samples (Contrato Marco N° MAATE-DBI-CM-2022-0242). The Servicio Nacional de Areas
Protegidas del Ecuador (SNAP) for their assistance during the visits to protected areas,
especially Patricio Ona, who kindly accompanied us during our field surveys in the
Pululahua Reserve. The curators and staff of K, QCA and QCNE for assistance in studying
their collections and/or for providing material on loan. This research was supported by
projects PID2020-113897GB-I00 (DANZ, to P.J.-M. and S.M.-B.) and PID2020-120145GA-
100 (NEODIV, to A.S.-M.) funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by the
European Union. A research grant for visiting Kew Gardens from the Bentham-Moxon fund
to P.J.-M. A.S.-M. and I.M.-I were also supported by the Atraccion de Talento CAM program
(2019-T1/AMB-12648).

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