Neoregelia insulana Leme, 2013

Leme, Elton M. C. & Kollmann, Ludovic J. C., 2013, Miscellaneous New species of Brazilian Bromeliaceae, Phytotaxa 108 (1), pp. 1-40 : 28-30

Neoregelia insulana Leme , sp. nov. ( Figs. 17 A–D , 19 A–F )

This new species is closely related to Neoregelia richteri , differing by the leaf blades without white crossbands abaxially, sepals narrowly suboblong-lanceolate, distinctly narrower, with shortly acuminate apex, and by the petals higher connate, white at the base, green at the base of the blades, greenish-white in the upper-middle and blue in the apical third.

Type:— BRAZIL. São Paulo: Bertioga, Ilha de Alcatrazes , 16 m elevation, 24º 05’ 36” S 45º 41’ 31” W, January 2009, C . Peres s. n., fl. cult. E. Leme 7671 (holotype RB!, isotype HB!) .

Plants rupicolous, propagating by basal shoots. Leaves ca. 24 in number, suberect before anthesis and afterwards, forming a crateriform rosette; sheaths broadly elliptic-ovate, 16–17 × 11–13 cm, densely whitish lepidote abaxialy, densely whitish lepidote toward the base to densely castaneous lepidote toward distal end adaxially, green toward the apex, coriaceous; blades sublinear to ligulate, slightly if at all narrowed near the base, 23–25 × 6–6.7 cm, densely white lepidote abaxially, adaxially lustrous, glabrous to sparsely lepidote toward the base, densely white lepidote toward the apex, coriaceous, green with reddish-wine apex, apex acute apiculate, margins densely spinose; spines triangular, slightly antrorse-uncinate, dark castaneous-wine, the basal ones 2–5 mm long, 1–2 mm wide at the base, 5–7 mm apart, the upper ones 1–2 mm long, 2–5 mm apart; peduncle ca. 4 cm long, ca. 15 mm in diameter, glabrous, white; peduncle bracts ovate, acute to rounded and shortly apiculate, sparsely and inconspicuously spinulose, sparsely castaneous to white lepidote, thin in texture, distinctly nerved, green, the upper ones involucrate, 4–5 × 2.5–3.5 cm, up to reaching 1/2 of the sepal length. Inflorescence subglobose-capitate, simple, subcorymbose, sunk in the center of the rosette, apex nearly flat, ca. 5 cm long (excluding the petals), ca. 6.5 cm in diameter at the apex, densely flowered; floral bracts sublinear, slightly cymbiform, ecarinate to obtusely if at all carinate, apex obtuse to rounded and shortly apiculate, distinctly cucullate, densely and minutely denticulate, densely white lepidote toward the apex, membranaceous, distinctly nerved, green, 45 × 6–8 mm, equaling to slightly shorter than the sepals. Flowers ca. 68 mm long (with extended petals), strongly fragrant; pedicels 10–17 × 2–3 mm, the outer ones complanate and slightly dilated toward the base, white, glabrous; sepals narrowly suboblong-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, slightly asymmetric with the inconspicuous wing distinctly shorter than the apex, ca. 22 × 5 mm, connate at the base for 1–1.5 mm, entire, ecarinate, green, membranceous, glabrous; petals narrowly subspathulate, acute, ca. 37 × 8 mm, connate at the base for 15–16 mm, blades spreading at anthesis, white at the base, green at the base of the blades, greenish-white in the upper-middle and blue in the apical third, bearing 2 conspicuous longitudinal callosities equaling the filaments; filaments equally adnate to the petal tube for 15–16 mm, free for 7–8 mm; anthers suboblong, ca. 4 mm long, dorsifixed at 1/3 of their length above the base, base obtuse, apex acute; stigma conduplicate-spiral, subcylindrical, white, margins lacerate; ovary subcylindrical, 12 × 4.5–5 mm in diameter, terete, white, glabrous; epigynous tube ca. 1 mm long; ovules many, obtuse, placentation subapical. Fruits unknown.

Distribution and habitat:— Neoregelia insulana is an endemic species known exclusively from the island of Alcatrazes, about 33 km from the mainland of Bertioga, in the central-north coast of São Paulo state. It grows as a rupicolous species, forming large and dense group of plants on the granitic rocks on the island, at the exposed border of the Atlantic Forest vegetation, under full sunlight, few meters above the higher tide. Alcatrazes is the largest island of an archipelago of the same name, the higher part is about 316 m elevation, well known for its peculiar flora and fauna with unique endemic species, which includes aroids, orchids, frogs and poisonous snakes.

Etymology:—The name of N. insulana (growing on an island) is a reference to its known endemic habitat limited to the oceanic island of Alcatrazes, at the coast of São Paulo state.

Observations:— Neoregelia insulana is closely related to N. richteri Weber (1982: 341) , differing by the leaf blades without white crossbands abaxially (vs. having white crossbands abaxially), sepals narrowly suboblong-lanceolate (vs. broadly ovate-elliptic), distinctly narrower (ca. 5 mm vs. ca. 10 mm wide), apex shortly acuminate (vs. acuminate-caudate and hook-like), petals higher connate (15–16 mm vs. ca. 8 mm connate), white at the base, green at the base of the blades, greenish-white in the upper-middle and blue in the apical third (vs. white at the base and blue toward the apex).

Figures

FIGURE 17. A–D. Neoregelia insulana (Peres s.n.). A. Habit. B. Close up of the inflorescence C. Details of the flowers. D. General view of the habitat.

FIGURE 19. A–F. Neoregelia insulana (Peres s.n.). A. Leaf blade apex. B. Spines of the basal portion of the leaf blade. C. Floral bract. D. Flower. E. Sepal. F. Petal with calli and one outer and inner stamen each. G–L. Neoregelia watersiana (Leme et al. 8045). G. Leaf blade apex. H. Spines of the basal portion of the leaf blade. I. Floral bracts. J. Flower. K. Sepal. L. Petal with calli and one outer and inner stamen each. Scale bars = 1 cm.