Eugenia tephrogyna Sobral & Proença, 2014

Proença, Carolyn E. B., De Oliveira, Marla I. U., Sobral, Marcos & Landim, Myrna F., 2014, Novelties in Myrtaceae: contributions to the Flora of the State of Sergipe, Brazil, Phytotaxa 173 (3), pp. 217-225 : 218-219

1.2. Eugenia tephrogyna Sobral & Proença , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1C–E )

This species resembles Eugenia schottiana Berg (1857: 286) , with which it shares a similar leaf shape, umbelliform racemes, and densely pubescent hypanthium that contrasts with the glabrous calyx lobes, but differing from that species in its acuminate leaf apexes, slender, longer, unequal pedicels (short and subequal in E. schottiana ), and wide-elliptic sepals with a perceptible midvein (rounded and smaller without an evident midvein in E. schottiana ).

Type: — BRAZIL, Sergipe, Carmópolis, Fazenda Santa Bárbara , 15 June 1982 (fl), Viana 471 (holotype ASE!, isotype UB!) .

Tree 12–20 m high, glabrous except a diminute puberulence on pedicels and staminal disk, and hypanthium densely griseo-velutinous. Young branches flattened, pale-grey and smooth. Leaves with lamina 5–10.2 × 2.3–4.5 cm, elliptic, leaf ratio 1.5–2.7; apex thick-acuminate to acuminate, the acumen rounded or obtuse, sometimes curved or folded in herbarium material; base attenuate to abruptly decurrent in petiole; upper surface with the midvein plane, secondary venation and glands imperceptible, dorsal surface densely and minutely glandular with 5–6 pairs of secondary veins, inconspicuous, brochidodromous, forming ample, but almost imperceptible, arcs; margin delicately revolute, particularly the lower third of the leaf blade; petiole canaliculate 2–4 mm long, robust. Racemes umbelliform, axillary and lateral, with 2–4 odoriferous flowers, flowering abundantly; mature floral buds c. 7 mm long; pedicels 5–18 mm, delicate, sometimes differing markedly in size in the same inflorescence; bracts scale-like, rounded, 1–1.25 mm long; bracteoles c. 0.75 mm long, navicular, scariose, ciliate, both persistent at least to fruit initiation; hypanthium funnelshaped; calyx lobes in subequal pairs, wide-elliptic with a rounded or obtuse apex, c. 3.5 mm long, scariose-hialine, with a perceptible midvein; petals white; stamens in c. 4 whorls. Berry (immature) c. 10 mm diam., subglobose, cream to pale yellow; calyx lobes persistent, scariose, involute; seeds 1.

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Ibirataia, entre os povoados de Mineiros e Algodões, 23 July 2013 (fr), Aona et al. 2394 (HURB, HUFSJ!); Jussari, Serra do Teimoso , Fazenda Teimoso, 9 February 1998 (fl.), Thomas et al. 11757 ( CEPEC!) . Sergipe. Itaporanga d’Ajuda, Fazenda Sabão, 21 July 2009 (fr.), Souza -Alves s.n. (ASE 15432!) .

Distribution: —Apparently endemic to northeastern Brazil (Bahia, Sergipe) in the Northeastern Coastal Atlantic Forests of Brazil, where a high diversity of the family has been registered ( Mori et al. 1983; Murray-Smith et al. 2008).

Ecology: —It was collected in dense evergreen rainforest (floresta ombrófila densa), almost evergreen forest (mata subperenifólia) with clay-rich soil and in semi-deciduous forest. Flowering specimens were collected in February and June and fruiting specimens in July.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the grey indumentum that covers the hypanthium.

Figures

FIGURE 1. New or rare species of Myrtaceae from Sergipe and Bahia, Brazil. A–B. Eugenia brejoensis Mazine. Mature fruits and seeds (Landim et al. 1252, ASE), scale in cm. C. E. tephrogyna Sobral & Proença. Mature fruits (Paula-Souza s.n., ASE 15432). D–E. E. tephrogyna. Old flowers (Viana 471, ASE). F, H. Myrcia landimiana Proença & M.Ibrahim. Mature fruits (Paula-Souza s.n., ASE 15430). G. Myrcia landimiana. Young inflorescence with leafy bracts (Gomes & Santos 282, ASE). I–J. Myrcia ovina Proença & Landim. Inflorescence with persistent bracts and upper surface of mature leaf (Carneiro 264, UB). K. Myrcia spathulifolia Proença. Leaves and immature fruits (Carvalho Sobrinho 763, UB). L. Myrcia ramuliflora (O.Berg) N.Silveira. Leaves and inflorescence (Fonsêca s.n., ASE 405). Photographs: C.E.B. Proença.