Excoecaria arguta Müller Argoviensis (1874: 614)

Cordeiro, Wesley Patrício Freire De Sá, Melo, André Laurênio De, Athiê-Souza, Sarah Maria, Esser, Hans-Joachim & Sales, Margareth Ferreira De, 2018, Reinstatement of Sapium sceleratum (Euphorbiaceae), an endemic species from Northeast Brazil, and new circumscription of Sapium argutum, Phytotaxa 348 (1), pp. 23-31 : 26-28

2. Excoecaria arguta Müller Argoviensis (1874: 614)

≡ Sapium argutum (Müll. Arg.) Huber (1906: 439)

Type [lectotype, first step designated by Huber (1906: 439), second step designated here]:— BRAZIL. Pernambuco: “Habitat in prov. Pernambuco, udis ad praedia Terra Nova et Melancia”, without date, von Martius 2409 (G barcode G0006564 [digital image!], isolectotypes M barcode M 0265547!, M barcode M 0265548!, digital image F 19535!).

= Excoecaria tristis Müller Argoviensis (1874: 614)

≡ Sapium triste (Müll. Arg.) Huber (1906: 451)

Type (holotype):— BRAZIL. Goiás-Piauí: “Habitat in prov. Piauhy aut Goyaz”, Sep 1839, Gardner 3433 (G barcode G414432 [digital image!], isotypes K barcode K600900 [digital image!], MO photo, BR barcode BR5100712 [digital image!]).

= Sapium montanum Lanjouw (1931: 47)

Type (holotype):— SURINAME. Emma Range, 800 m, 11 Mar 1922, BW 5889 (U barcode U2074 [digital image!]; isotypes K barcode K600878 [digital image!], NY barcode NY58516 [digital image!], RB barcode RB11857127199!, U barcode U2075 [digital image!], US barcode US 96681 [digital image!]) .

Shrub or tree, 3–8(–15) m high, sometimes tortuous; branches glabrous, often non-dichotomous, in vivo branches cylindric, smooth, apex rarely reddish, slightly angular when dry, gray to grayish-brown, often with deep striations. Leaves spirally arranged, uniformly distributed or gathered in the terminal region of branches, internodes 0.7–2 cm long; stipules 1.5–2.6 × 1–2 mm, persistent, triangular, rarely oval, apex acute, margin fimbriolate; petiole 0.6–1.8 × 0.07–0.15 cm, base not swollen in vivo, canaliculate, green, sometimes reddish; acropetiolar gland 0.5–0.9 × 0.3–0.8 mm, conical, green, rarely reddish; leaf blade coriaceous to succulent-fleshy, rarely membranaceous, 4–15.5 × 1.5–5 cm, elliptic to obovate, dark green to yellowish-green in vivo, opaque, dorsal and ventral side same color, in sicco olive green, opaque, sometimes below brighter but not whitish, base cuneate to decurrent, apex acute to obtuse, shortcaudate; margin entire to serrate, teeth (0.3–)0.5–0.7(–0.9) mm long, apex setaceous, hyaline in vivo, brown when dry, apical side concave, basal side retroflex, (1–)4–17 teeth per centimeter in the median margin, space between teeth in the median region 2.7–3.2 mm, tooth usually without apical gland, sometimes 1–3 teeth with conical apical gland; secondary veins (6–)9–14, brochidodromous to weak-brochidodromous; arches distant from the margin 1.5–2 mm, starting at angles of 55–63°, intersecondary and tertiary veins usually inconspicuous. Thyrses spiciform, 5–8(– 13) × (0.1–) 0.15–0.3 cm, terminal, unisexual or bisexual; gland yellow-greenish in vivo, dark-brown with greenish margin when dry. Staminate cymules 30–34, 8–10-flowered; bracts 0.7–1.5 × 1.8–2 mm, depressed-oval, rounded apex, margin fimbriolate, their glands 2, 0.8–2.5 × 0.6–1.5 mm, ellipsoid; calyx green-yellowish, partially fused up to 1.2–1.5 mm length, lobes 0.7–0.9 × 1–1.5 mm, apex rounded; filaments 0.7–2.5 mm long, anthers ca. 0.4–0.8 × 0.4–0.8 mm, globose, yellow. Pistillate cymules (2–)3–10, 1-flowered; bracts 0.7–1.25 × 1.8–1.9 mm, depressed-ovate, apex obtuse, margin fimbriolate, their glands 2, 1.5–2(–3) × 1–2(–3) mm, discoid; sepals rarely 2, generally 3, basally free, (0.3–)0.7–1.4 × (0.7–) 1.2–1.6 mm, sepals oval to depressed-oval, margin entire, usually covering less than half of ovary; ovary 2.5–3.5 × 2.5–3 mm, (2–)3-locular, globose to rarely ovoid, (2–)3-costate; style 0.6(–1) mm long, stigmas 3, rarely 2, 1.8–3(–4) × 0.3–0.5(–0.8) mm. Fruit a capsule, 2–8 per peduncle, 0.8–1.7 × 1.4–1.8 cm, (2–)3-costate, dehiscent; columella 10–14 mm long. Seeds 4–11.6 × 4–7.6 mm, obovoid, apex acute, base rounded covered by a red aril. Fig. 2 .

Phenology: — Flowering specimens were collected from January to June and from September to December. Fruiting specimens were found from February to June and from September to December.

Distribution and Habitat: — Sapium argutum occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname ( Kruijt 1996, Esser 2014). In Brazil, the species is found in the Northeast (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco and Piauí), North (Pará and Tocantins) and Southeast (Minas Gerais). It occurs predominantly in open patches with sandy and sand-clayey soil in caatinga areas at altitudes between 300 and 900 m a.s.l., and in restinga up to 30 m a.s.l. In Bolivia, it grows from lowland between zero and 1,000 m altitude ( Esser 2014) and in savannah, on “lajas graniticas/ in bosque semideciduo de yungas xerico” [granite slabs/ in xeric semideciduous forest of yungas] (i.e. in locally edaphically dry situations). In French Guiana and Suriname, it grows next to granitic slabs and rocks from 600 to 800 m a.s.l.

Note: — In the protologue of Excoecaria arguta, Müller Argoviensis (1874) did not mention where the holotype was deposited. Huber (1906) accepted the specimen Martius 2409 (G) as the holotype, but we found two other specimens of the same collection in M. These make it necessary designate a lectotype (Art. 9.17) according to the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN; McNeill et al. 2012). It is considered here that, by inference, Huber (1906) performed the first step of the lectotypification, and the second step is carried out here.

Taxonomic Considerations: — Excoecaria arguta was described by Müller Argoviensis (1874) from the collection Martius 2409 and transferred to Sapium by Huber (1906), and accepted by both Pax & Hoffmann (1912) and Jablonski (1967). Kruijt (1996) included S. cicatricosum , S. montanum , S. sceleratum and S. triste as synonyms of S. argutum . However, study of relevant type images, historical collections and of the 158 specimens from the continent and the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, clearly showed that S. sceleratum differs morphologically from S. argutum . Through the re-establishment of S. sceleratum the number of species in Sapium changes from 21 ( Kruijt 1996) to 22.

Sapium sceleratum is distinguished from S. argutum ( Table 1) by the leaves with margins containing straight teeth pointing outwards (vs teeth curved towards the leaf apex in S. argutum ), 6 ‒ 11 teeth per centimeter in the median region [vs (3 ‒)4 ‒ 7], swollen base of the petioles on the fresh leaf (vs non-swollen petiolar base), cylindrical acropetiolar glands (vs conical), leaves with a rounded to obtuse base (vs cuneate to decurrent), and 15–18 [vs (6 ‒)9 ‒ 13] secondary veins. In S. sceleratum the calyx of the pistillate flower covers more than half of the length of the ovary, whereas in S. argutum the calyx of the pistillate flower is less than half length the ovary. In addition, S. sceleratum usually presents 2-locular ovaries whereas in S. argutum 3-locular ovaries are generally observed.

Sapium sceleratum can also be easily differentiated from the other Northeastern Brazilian species of the genus ( Table 1). Sapium obovatum has coriaceous leaves, opaque and with eucamptodromous venation (vs chartaceous, rarely coriaceous, lustrous and weakly brochidodromous in S. sceleratum ). Sapium pallidum shows conical acropetiolar glands, a yellowish abaxial leaf surface and ellipsoid seed with apex obtuse, dorsally and ventrally flattened and base cuspidate (vs cylindrical glands, olive abaxial leaf surface and ovoid seeds with apex acute, dorsally and ventrally nonflattened and rounded base in S. sceleratum ). Sapium glandulosum has a 1 ‒ 2.5 cm long petiole, eucamptodromous venation and fused pistillate calyx (vs 3–5 mm long petiole, weakly brochidodromous venation and split pistillate calyx in S. sceleratum ).

Sapium cicatricosum was described by Pax & Hoffmann (1924) based on Lützelburg 740 and was accepted by Jablonski (1967). Kruijt (1996) included S. cicatricosum in the synonymy of S. argutum . However, according our morphological analysis of specimens and types of S. cicatricosum , we realized that this species shows greater similarity with S. sceleratum than with S. argutum . Sapium cicatricosum and S. sceleratum lack characteristics that justify the maintenance of both as distinct entities. For this reason, we consider here S. cicatricosum as a synonym of S. sceleratum , since the later name takes precedence over the former (Article 11.4 of the ICN, McNeill et al. 2012).

Selected Specimens: — BOLIVIA. Santa Cruz, Nuflo de Chavez, Rancho Puesto Nuevo , 61°00’W, 16°25’S, 700m, 1 Mar 1987 (fr), Tim Killeen 2353 (F!) . BRAZIL. Alagoas: Mata Grande , 20 Dec 1974 (fl), Andrade-Lima 7788 ( IPA!) ; Pão de Açúcar , 37°34’35”W, 9°44’27”S, 4 May 2002 (fr), Lyra-Lemos 6688 ( HUEFS!) ; Caminho para Ilha do Ferro, 37°30’39”W, 9°42’S, 22 Jun 2002 (fl, fr), Lyra-Lemos 6865 (HUEFS!, MAC!). Bahia: Anguera , Fazenda Retiro , 39°11’02”W, 12°09’42”S, 22 May 2007 (fr), Cardoso 1895 ( HUEFS!) ; Cachoeira, Mata do Rio Jacuípe, Sep 1980 (fl), Pedra do Cavalo 828 ( ALCB!) ; Feira de Santana, Distrito de Ipuaçu , 39°04’35”W, 12°13’58”S, 5 May 2005 (fr), Couto 64 (HST!, HUEFS!) ; Rio Ribeirão , 39°53’58”W, 12°56’02”S, 14 Dec 2012 (fl), Melo 11859 ( HUEFS!) ; Ipirá, Pau-Ferro, 39°41’28”W, 12°11’40”S, 17 Jan 2014 (fl), Guedes et al. 21191 ( ALCB!). Ceará: Auiaba, Lagoa do Meio , 10 Apr 1991 (fl), Souza et al. 89 ( IPA!) ; Ubajara, Serra do Ibiapava , 9 Jan 1968 (fl), Andrade-Lima 68-5203 ( IPA!) ; Tianguá, 41°01’00”W, 3°43’00”S, 2 Mar 2013 (fr), Guedes et al. 20435 ( ALCB!). Paraíba: Aruaruna , Parque Ecológico da Pedra da Boca, 35°40’49”W, 6°27’14”S, 14 Apr 2002 (fr), Barbosa 2420 (HUEFS!, JPB!) ; Boa Vista , Lajedo dos Catolés, 21 Mar 2007 (fl), Lucena et al. 1852 (M!, UFP!) ; São João do Cariri, Riacho Aveloz , 10 Jun 2004 (fr), Lacerda 150 ( JPB!) ; Riacho Aveloz , 12 May 2004 (fr), Lacerda 104 ( JPB!) ; Pedra de Serra Branca , 36°45’34”W, 7°30’51”S, 22 Feb 2002 (fl), Barbosa 2241 ( JPB!) ; Solânea, 2 Sep 2001 (fr), Veloso 286 (JPB!, IPA!). Pernambuco: Gravatá , jardim na encosta da serra das russas, 6 Mar 1966 (fr), Andrade-Lima 66-4463 ( IPA!) ; Mirandiba, Fazenda Areias , 38°40’38”W, 8°07’44”S, 9 Feb 2007 (fl), Lucena 1683 ( UFP!) ; Ouricuri, Fazenda Estaca , Jul 1984, Lima 52 ( IPA!) ; Serra Talhada, próximo a antena, 26 Mar 1995 (fr), Miranda 2206 ( HST!). Piauí: Caracol , Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, 43°27’26”W, 8°54’00”S, 25 Fev 2011 (fr), Melo 9159 ( HUEFS!) ; Curimatá, Estrada Curimatá-Parnaguá, 44°22’20’’ W, 10°3’8’S, 27 Jan 2014 (fr), Walter et al. 6653 ( UFP!). Sergipe: Lagarto , Fazenda Tapera do Nico , 19 Mar 1982 (ster), Almeida 59 ( ASE!) . FRENCH GUIANA. Carbet , 12 km Est de Saül, 10 Jan 1980 (fl), Granville 3237 (P [digital image!]) ; Mitaraka Sud , 54°31’ W, 2°16’ S, 4 Mar 2001 (fl, fr), Sarthou 809 (P [digital image!]) ; Mont Bakra, region des Emérillons , 52°57’W, 3°18’S, 14 Apr 1993 (fl, fr), Cremers 13060 (P [digital image!]) ; Mont Chauve , 52°44’W, 3°49’S, 12 Apr 1997 (fr), Cremers & Crozier 14871 (P [digital image!]) ; Savane roche du quatorze Juillet , Bassin du Bas-Oyapock, 51°52’W, 3°58’S, 16 Apr 1991 (fr), Cremers 12185 (P [digital image!]) ; Savane roche du quatorze Juillet , Bassin du Bas-Oyapock, 51°52’W, 3°58’S, 16 Apr 1991 (fr), Cremers 12152 (P [digital image!]) ; Savane roche de Virginie, Bassin de l’Aprouague , 52°9’W, 4°11’S, 12 Feb 1991 (fl), Cremers & Petronelli 11874 (P [digital image!]) ; Sommet Sud du Pic Matecho 30 km NE de Saül , 22 Jan 1980 (fl), Granville 3362 (P [digital image!]) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Sapium argutum. A. Branch. B–C.Acropetiolar glands. D. Leaf shape and veins pattern. E–F. Leaf margin. G. Inflorescence apex. H. Inflorescence base. I. Staminate flower. J. Pistillate flower. K. Pistillate sepal. L. Seed.A–L. W. Cordeiro 780 (PEUFR).