Heliotropium elongatum (Lehmann) I.M. Johnston (1928: 18)

Melo, José Iranildo Miranda De, Paulino, Renan Da Cruz, Oliveira, Regina Célia De & Vieira, Diego Daltro, 2018, Flora of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: Boraginales, Phytotaxa 357 (4), pp. 235-260 : 252

2.2. Heliotropium elongatum (Lehmann) I.M. Johnston (1928: 18) . ( Fig. 4E )

≡ Tiaridium elongatum Lehmann (1818: 16) .

Common names: boragem, fedegoso.

Herbs, erect to decumbent, 15–80 cm tall; stems fistulous, strigose to scabrous, indumentum hispid. Leaves alternate, opposite to subopposite; blade 2.5–9.5 × 1.6–5.3 cm, membranaceous, ovate to rhombic, apex acuminate, margin entire, base oblique, adaxially bullate, pubescent or velutinous, trichomes aciculiform, sparse, alternating with shorter trichomes, abaxially strigose to tomentose; venation eucamptodromous; petiole 0.5–4 cm long, partially winged. Inflorescences 1–19 cm long, falsely terminal and axillary, congested, without bracts; peduncle 1.3–5 cm long, strigose to pubescent. Flowers 3.5–7.5 mm long, sessile; calyx 1.8–2.6 mm long, pubescent to strigose externally and internally, lobes 1.6–2.3 mm long, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, ovate; corolla 3.3–7.5 mm long, tubular-hypocrateriform, white to purplish, indumentum hispid, trichomes short and long, the longer aciculiform, interspersed with shorter ones, both hyaline; tube 2.2–5 mm long; lobes 2–2.5 mm long, patent, suborbicular to orbicular. Stamens subsessile, free; anthers 1–1.4 mm long, narrowly lanceolate. Ovary 0.5–0.7 mm long, subglobose; style 0.2–0.5 mm long; stigma ca. 0.5 mm long, clavate. Schizocarp 2.8–4 mm long, 1.5–3 mm diam., mitriform, hispid, costate; nutlets 2, juxtaposed, costate, hispid, calyx persistent; seeds 1.5–2.5 mm long, trigone.

Notes:— This species is characterized by blades that are bullate adaxially, clavate stigma, and in particular, by a mitriform fruit of two juxtaposed costate and hispid nutlets. Illustrations of this species can be found in Melo & Semir (2008) and Vieira et al. (2013, 2015).

Geographicdistribution:— Distributed in SouthAmerica where it is found in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil ( Johnston 1928). In Brazil in the North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and South regions ( Melo & Semir 2008). B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6, C7, D1, D2, D3, E1.

Habitat:— Caatinga, littoral.

Phenology:— Collected in flower and fruit in February, April, and June, and from September to December.

Selected material examined:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Norte: Alexandria, 06º24’45”S, 38º00’57”W, June 1995, fl. fr., E. Tavares et al. 18 (MOSS). Almino Afonso, 06º12’30”S, 37º45’40”W, November 1993, fl. fr., F.E. Sobrinho 105 (MOSS). Apodi, 05º39’51”S, 37º47’56”W, December 1995, fl. fr., J. Freire et al. 01 (MOSS). Baraúnas, 05º04’48”S, 37º37’00”W, October 1999, fl. fr., G. Abreu 06 (MOSS). João Câmara, September 2004, fl. fr., M.I.B. Loiola & D. Raulino 843 (MOSS, UFRN). Macaíba, 05º51’30”S, 35º21’14”W, September 1999, fl. fr., E. Marinho 25 (MOSS). Martins, 06º05’16”S, 36º54’40”W, October 2007, fl. fr., J.I.M. Melo et al. 622 (MOSS). Messias Targino, 06º04’44”S, 37º30’50”W, February 1995, fl. fr., E.T. Diniz-Filho 13 (MOSS). Mossoró, 05º16’00”S, 37º20’00”W, September 1973, fl. fr., O.F. Oliveira 379 (MOSS). Natal, 05º48’00”S, 35º13’00”W, s.d., fl. fr., PPD 355 (MOSS). Santana dos Matos, 05º57’27”S, 36º39’20”W, June 1995, fl. fr., J.J. Santana & M.S.A. Trindade 06 (MOSS). Serra Negra do Norte, 06º36’65,8”S, 37º15’92”W, April 2006, fl. fr., R.T. Queiroz 727 (MOSS, UFRN). Severiano Melo, 05º46’38”S, 37º57’28”W, June 1994, fl. fr., F.J.M. Vale s.n. (MOSS 5529). Umarizal, 05º59’26”S, 37º48’52”W, June 1999, fl. fr., L. Barros 03 (MOSS). Upanema, 05º38’31”S, 37º15’28”W, June 1999, fl. fr., I.A. Dantas 01 (MOSS).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Reproductive branches of species: A. Cordia trichotoma; B. Varronia leucocephala; C. Euploca polyphylla; D. Euploca procumbens; E. Heliotropium elongatum; F. Myriopus rubicundus. (Photo credits: A and B of M. Oliveira; C of M.J. Silva; D–F of J.I.M. Melo).