Hapetusaste

Hapetusaste is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The sole species is Hapetusaste mediterranea. The genus was described in 2004 by botanist Ana M. Rivas based on specimens from southeastern Spain. The name combines Greek roots suggesting a touch or connection and a star-like form, reflecting the plant’s small, star-shaped flower heads.

Description is of an herbaceous perennial, typically 15–40 cm tall, with a basal rosette of lanceolate leaves up to 8 cm long. Stems are slender and branching near the apex. The inflorescence consists of small capitula with pale yellow ray florets and yellow disks, giving a restrained, sunlit appearance in spring. Leaves are glabrous on the upper surface and softly pubescent beneath. Flowering occurs in spring to early summer; the fruit is an achene with a pale or white pappus aiding wind dispersal.

Distribution and habitat: Hapetusaste mediterranea is endemic to a narrow coastal and limestone belt in the western Mediterranean, with confirmed occurrences in specific provinces of Spain. It favors calcareous soils, usually in light shrubland or open woodland edges, from near sea level up to about 600 meters in altitude.

Ecology: The plant is pollinated primarily by solitary bees and hoverflies. Seed production is moderate, and dispersal is facilitated by wind thanks to the pappus. It may participate in early-summer nectar networks within its local ecosystem.

Conservation: The species’ restricted range makes it vulnerable to habitat alteration and development. Local assessments monitor population trends, and some horticultural cultivation exists in specialty rock gardens and xerophytic displays.

Etymology: The genus name Hapetusaste combines roots associated with touch or connection and star-like morphology, while mediterranea reflects its Mediterranean distribution.