Lapidia Roque & S.C. Ferreira, 2017

Roque, Nádia, Ferreira, Silvana C. & Berg, Cássio Van Den, 2017, Lapidia, a new monotypic genus of Asteraceae (Eupatorieae) from Brazil, and its phylogenetic placement, Phytotaxa 291 (1), pp. 1-16 : 6

Lapidia Roque & S.C. Ferreira , gen. nov.

Type: — Lapidia apicifolia Roque & S.C. Ferreira.

Diagnosis:— Compositarum, tribus Eupatorieae . Bahiantho habitu robusto foliis oppositis ad apicem congestis receptaculo plano et epaleaceo glabroque floribus albis similis, sed foliis coriaceis tomentosis cum trichomatibus glandulari-punctatis et pappo purpureo differt.

Robust shrubs, weakly ramified at base and well branched in the apex. Leaves only in the apex of the branches, opposite-decussate, somewhat fleshy, tomentose, glabrescent. Capitulescence corymbiform with capitula cylindrical-turbinate, receptacle flat, epaleaceous and glabrous, involucral bracts 3-seriate, subimbricate, flowers 18–20, corolla white, apical anther-appendages obtuse and purple, basal anther thecae rounded, style with long branches, slightly clavate, mammillate, base not enlarged, glabrous. Cypselae 5-ribbed, carpopodium annuliform, pappus of bristles, setae fringed, distinct in size, purplish or white with purple apex.

Etymology: — The generic name is derived from the Latin word “lapides” which means ‘stones’, with reference to the rocky fields vegetation where the species occurs.