Hypericum austrobrasiliense Vog.Ely, Boldrini & Bordignon, 2015

Ely, Cleusa Vogel, Boldrini, Ilsi Iob & Bordignon, Sérgio Augusto De Loreto, 2015, A new species of Hypericum (Hypericaceae) from Southern Brazil, Phytotaxa 192 (4), pp. 290-295 : 290-294

Hypericum austrobrasiliense Vog.Ely, Boldrini & Bordignon , sp. nov. ( Figures 1 and 3 )

H. polyanthemo affinis , sed ab eo foliis base lateribus parallelis, nunquam subcordatis, sepalis aequalibus a subaequalibus, haud revolutis, staminibus deciduis, inflorescentia intense vinacea, imprimis alabastro differt.

Type:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Bom Jesus, margem da BR-285, 1,080 m, 28°39’29.8”S, 50°24’07.6”W (WGS-84), 12 December 2007, S. Bordignon & G. L. von Poser 3454 (holotype ICN!, isotypes K!, MBM!).

Rhizomatous subshrub, 0.1 to 0.4 m tall, erect. Stem reddish-brown, glabrous, single or branched from the base, eventually naked below, young branches 2–4-carinated generally becoming cylindrical towards the base, cortex exfoliating, internodes 1–37 mm long. Leaves opposite-decussate, sessile, free, lamina 6–23 × 1–1.5 mm, narrowly oblong to linear, revolute, concolor to slightly discolor, chartaceous; apex obtuse, margin entire, base parallel-sided; midrib prominent and decurrent on the stem, rarely with secondary veins ascending laterally, tertiary reticulum absent; punctate glands sparsely distributed in the lamina, not prominent and visible only beneath.Inflorescence 3–18-flowered, grouped in dichasial and monochasial cymes, lateral branches usually containing a single flower or, less often, forming dichasial and/or monochasial cymes; bracts and bracteoles 3–6 × 1–2 mm, narrowly triangulate, apex subulate, completely vinaceous or at least at the margin. Flowers (10–) 15–20 mm in diam.; buds ovoid, vinaceous. Pedicels 1–4 mm long. Sepals (2.5–)3–5 × 1.5–2.5 mm, equal to slightly unequal, slightly imbricate, narrow to broadly ovate, completely vinaceous or at least at the margin; veins 3–5, all prominent at the base and progressively less prominent towards the apex, linear glands distributed between the veins. Petals golden yellow, abaxial surface tinged in red along the vein until apiculus, asymmetric, obovate, 7–10 × (1.5–) 3–5 mm, few glands linear; apiculus acute or obsolete ± 0.2 mm long. Stamens ca. 121–167 arranged in a continuous ring with the filaments free, 2–3 mm long, deciduous. Ovary globose, 1.5–2 × 1–2 mm, styles 5, 3 mm long, stigmas capitate. Capsule black to brown-vinaceous, 3–6 × 2–3.5 mm, ovoid to globose, equal or exceeding the sepals. Seeds ± 0.9 mm long, brown, testa ribbed to ribbed-scalariform.

Distribution and habitat: —This species is endemic to the grasslands of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome, being restricted to a small area of the states Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. We found the species growing in dry and stony soils in roadsides, between 900 and 1,700 m elevation ( Fig. 2 ).

Conservation status:— There are few records of the new species in Brazil, all very close and located in very disturbed areas. Among the records cited in the material examined there are, at least, two subpopulations growing in the margins of the road BR-285, which is being paved (possibly leading to the disappearance of these subpopulations). The other locations are also on the margins of roads (RS-110 and Estrada dos Silveira), where the use of abusive fire in the grasslands management is the main threat falling on the species. Thus, according to IUCN Red list categories (IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2014), the new species is considered Endangered, EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv)+2 ab(ii,iii).

Etymology:— The species name was chosen due to its distribution, which comprises southern Brazil.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting occur simultaneously from September to March.

Paratypes:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Bom Jesus, 6 January 1988, A. Zanin 55 ( ICN) ; Bom Jesus, Passo da Guarda , 14 January 1952, B. Rambo SJ 51883 ( PACA) ; Bom Jesus, 15 January 1990, V. F. Nunes, T. N. Silva & T. J. S. Silva 550 ( HAS) ; Cambará do Sul, próximo à Serra da Rocinha , 29 November 1977, J. Mattos 17796 & N. Mattos ( HAS) ; Jaquirana, próximo à Cachoeira dos Venâncio, 925 m, WGS-84 29°0’20.76”S, 50°17’15.25”W, 17 November 2012, C. Vogel-Ely & G. E. Ferreira 110 ( ICN) ; São José dos Ausentes, 27 December 1996, J. A. Jarenkow 3392 ( PEL) ; São José dos Ausentes, January 2007, S. Bordignon et al. 3453 ( ICN) ; São José dos Ausentes, January 2007, S .

floral buds. D. Habit. (Photos by the authors).

Bordignon et al. 3317 (ICN); São José dos Ausentes, estrada dos Silveiras em direção ao Pico Montenegro, 1,226 m, WGS-84 28°36’02.8”S, 49°55’09.5”W, 15 November 2012, C. Vogel-Ely & G. E. Ferreira 111 ( ICN) ; Santa Catarina: Urubici, Pericó, 1,701 m, 28°09’37.6”S, 49°37’09.7”W, 15 December 2004, I. Boldrini & L. Eggers 1370 ( ICN) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–B. Leaves of Hypericum polyanthemum (after C. Vogel-Ely & G.E. Ferreira 144). C–F. Hypericum austrobrasiliense. C. Leaf. D. Petal. E. Sepal. F. Habit (after I. Boldrini & L. Eggers 1370). (A–E drawn by C. Vogel-Ely, F by A. Scherer).

FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Hypericum polyanthemum and Hypericum austrobrasiliense in South America.

FIGURE 3. A–B. Hypericum polyanthemum.A. Branch showing the distally recurved sepals and subcordate base of leaves. B. Floral buds with orange to reddish petals. C–D. Hypericum austrobrasiliense. C. Inflorescence showing deciduous stamens and intensely vinaceous