Spondias admirabilis J. D. Mitch. & Daly, 2015

Mitchell, John D. & Daly, Douglas C., 2015, A revision of Spondias L. (Anacardiaceae) in the Neotropics, PhytoKeys 55, pp. 1-92 : 18-19

Spondias admirabilis J. D. Mitch. & Daly sp. nov. Figs 8, 13, 16, 18, 19

Diagnosis.

Tree to 25 m tall in the Mata Atlântica Complex of Brazil, similar to Spondias venulosa (Mart. ex Engl.) Engl. because the leaves mostly 3-5-jugate, some parallel intersecondary veins present, and composite admedial tertiary veins, and flower annular disk short and thick; S. admirabilis differs by the leaflets chartaceous to membranaceous and dull (vs. coriaceous and glossy), the margin slightly revolute and serrulate (vs. revolute only at base and entire or less often broadly crenulate), 7-13 (vs. 10-20) secondary vein pairs, stamens 1.5-2 and 1.4-1.95 (vs. 1.2-1.3 and 0.9-1.1) mm long, and the fruit 1.8-3.2 (vs. 3.6-6) cm long, depressed-globose (vs. oblong or less often obovoid).

Type.

BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Ponta da Jararaca, 13 Apr 2000, C. Farney & J. C. Gomes 4046 (holotype: RB!; isotype: NY!).

Description.

Hermaphroditic trees, reproductive height 4-15 (25) m. Trunk up to 48 (70) cm diam.; outer bark rugose. Trichomes of three types: fine straight to flexuous (sometimes crispate) white hairs to 0.8 mm long; thick orange glandular hairs to 0.05 mm long; and erect white hairs to 0.1 mm long. Leaves 3-5 (7)-jugate, 7.5-18 cm long; petiole (0.6) 2.6-4.4 cm long, petiole and rachis usually glabrous or with sparse flexuous hairs, denser near petiolules; petiolules densely pubescent, lateral petiolules 1-2 mm long, terminal petiolule 6-8 (1.2) mm long; basal leaflets 1.7-3.8 × 1.1-2.3 cm, ovate, other laterals 2.4-5.7 × 1.2-2.4 cm, ovate to lanceolate or less often elliptic, terminal leaflet 2.7-3.6 × 1.5-2 cm, (broadly) ovate or less often lanceolate; leaflet apex abruptly to gradually acuminate, the acumen 3-10 mm long, broad or narrow, mucronate; lateral lamina medially and basally asymmetrical, the acroscopic side ovate or less often elliptic with truncate to cordate base, the basiscopic side elliptic or less often lanceolate with acute to truncate base, basal insertion symmetrical and abruptly decurrent; leaflet margin usually slightly revolute, notably at base, sparsely serrulate, with a few blunt convex-convex teeth, the sinus sometimes vascularized; leaflets chartaceous to membranaceous, both surfaces dull. Inflorescences (sub-)terminal on leafy branches, 4.6-18.5 cm long, 2.1-2.5 mm diam at base, broadly branched, the secondary axes to 14.5 cm long, the axes glabrous or sometimes with sparse to dense erect white hairs to 0.1 mm long and scattered glandular hairs; bracts often semi-clasping, those subtending primary axes 1.5-2 mm long, those subtending secondary axes 1-1.5 mm long, all narrowly subulate to lorate, apex caudate, bracteoles 0.4-0.7 mm long, ovate to lanceolate, apex acute, margin of bract(eole)s sometimes ciliate, with or without scattered glandular hairs; pedicel 0.8-2.2 mm long overall, portion distal to the articulation 0.6-1.3 mm long, glabrous. Calyx 0.5-0.75 mm long overall, aestivation apert, often divided nearly to base, the lobes 0.35-0.65 mm long, narrowly ovate to deltate, usually acuminate, glabrous, the margin sometimes with a few scattered capitate glandular hairs; petals 1.75-2.5 × 0.9-1.2 mm, narrowly ovate, the apex acute to slightly acuminate, white, glabrous, reflexed at anthesis; stamens spreading, the antesepalous and antepetalous ones 1.5-2 mm and 1.4-1.95 mm long, respectively, the anthers 0.5-0.75 mm long, yellow, in dorsiventral view broadly ovate, in lateral view broadly elliptic or oblong-elliptic; disk 0.35-0.5 mm tall, (0.1) 0.25-0.4 mm thick, yellow, the summit undulate and outer margin deeply sulcate; pistil 0.7-1.5 mm long, slightly ovoid, divided nearly to the base into slightly subulate, connivent styles, the stigmas extrorse, discoid. Fruits 1.8-2.8 (3.2) × 1.8-2.2 cm diam when dry, (depressed-) globose to oblong or obovoid, maturing yellow, the surface glabrous, smooth, and dull. Germination: Phanerocotylar, hypogeal (Stefano et al. 259, NY). Seedlings: First eophylls opposite, trifoliolate, margin serrate (Stefano et al. 259, NY).

Leaflet venation: Fimbrial vein absent; secondary veins 7-13 pairs, rather straight, spacing irregular, angle decreasing toward apex and often increasing toward base, insertion decurrent; some intersecondaries present and parallel to secondaries; intercostal tertiaries admedially ramified, with frequent composite admedials and very little reticulation; areolation barely developed (mostly at tertiary rank); FEVs 4-5+-branched, somewhat dichotomous, terminating in tracheoid idioblasts; marginal ultimate venation incompletely looped; on abaxial side the midvein often very narrowly prominulous and usually sunk in a groove, secondary veins usually flat (sometimes prominulous) but drying discolorous, densely pubescent at base; on adaxial side the midvein narrowly prominulous to prominent, remainder of the veins flat, those above secondary rank obscure, sparsely pubescent on the midvein at base, glabrescent distally.

Distribution.

Restricted to Mata Atlântica (Atlantic coastal forests) complex in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ecology.

Spondias admirabilis is a small to relatively large tree of semi-deciduous slope forests, moist forests, secondary forests, closed shrubby vegetation, and open rocky areas, between 100-300 m. It is known to flower Apr-Nov and fruit Oct-June.

Common names.

Brazil, Rio de Janeiro: cajá-mirim (Lanna Silva 1587, RB); cajazeira(o) (Glaziou 17584, RB), cajá miúdo (Rohan 95, R).

Etymology.

The specific epithet (Latin for “remarkable” or “astonishing”) expresses our surprise at discovering a new species of Spondias dispersed among collections of two other species from a region that is relatively well-known.

Specimens examined.

BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Niterói, Itaipuaçu, Pico Alto Moirão, 14 Jan 1982, Andreata et al. 357 (NY, RB), Maricá, Pico Alto Moirão, 9 Sep 1982, Andreata et al. 504 (NY, PEUFR, RB); between Mun. Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, Maricá, Itaipuaçu, Alto Moirão, elev. 160 m, 20 Sep 1989, Andreata et al. 915 (NY, RB); Gávea, Parque da Cidade, 8 Oct 1986, Angeli 703 (NY); Mun. Arraial do Cabo, Morro Miranda, 23 Sep 1987, Araújo & Souza 8229 (NY); Mangaratiba, RPPN Rio das Pedras, trail to Pico do Corisco, 13 Jun 2000, Bovini et al. 1878 (NY, RB); Mun. Arraial do Cabo, Morro do Miranda, 12 Jan 2000, Farney et al. 3957 (NY, RB), Mun. São Pedro da Aldeia, Serra de Sapiatiba, road to the tower, elev. 100-300 m, 11 Sep 2000, Farney & Gomes 4172 (NY, RB); Alto do Rio Comprido, Barão de Mesquita, 14 Sep 1879, Franklin s.n. (R-73729, R s.n.; LISU-5368); Morro do Inglez [sic], Corcovado (cultivated), 22 Oct 1866, Glaziou 17584 (P, R); Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil, 24 Jul 1932, Inspectoria Florestal 35 (R-27641-2 sheets); Jacarepaguá, road to Barra, 12 Oct 1967, J. Lanna Sobrinho 1587 (GUA, NY, R); Mun. Rio de Janeiro, Restinga do Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Morro da Prainha, elev. 0-90 m, 4 Dec 1978, Martinelli 5552 (NY, RB); Rio de Janeiro, Horto Botânico [behind Jardim Botânico], 29 Sep 1915, Piery s.n. (R-73773, R s.n.-2 sheets; LISU-5419); Mun. Cabo Frio, road to Armação dos Búzios, 9 Jan 1985, Pirani & Zappi 1019 (NY, SPF); Armação de Búzios, Serra das Emerências, 17 Oct 2004, Ribeiro & Dantas 350 (NY, RB); Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Seção XI, Canteiro F, 5 Nov 1984, Ricardo 600 (NY, RB); Sete Pontes, 12 Apr 1878, Rohan 95 (R-73731, R-73770); Horto Florestal do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, 22°58'07"S, 43°13'48"W, 8 Mar 2011, Stefano et al. 250 (NY, RB), Barra de Guaratiba, trail to Praia do Meio, 23°03'48"S, 43°33'42"W, 8 Mar 2011, Stefano et al. 259 (NY, RB); Niterói, Grota Funda road, near Parque Darcy Ribeiro, 22°54'44"S, 43°02'08"W, 9 Mar 2011, Stefano et al. 260 (NY, RB); SE slope of Serra da Piaba, 5 Apr 1972, Sucre 8770 (GUA, NY, RB).

Conservation status.

We propose to classify this species as Endangered, with the following justification: It is restricted to Rio de Janeiro state, it is a lowland species in a region where the lowland forests are highly fragmented, and it is not common, considering that it is represented by relatively few collections in a region that has been rather well sampled botanically.

Discussion.

Spondias admirabilis resembles another Atlantic Forest species, Spondias venulosa , because both have few pairs of leaflets (mostly 3-5), decurrent leaflet base insertion, some parallel inter-secondary veins, composite admedial tertiary veins, the flower disk short and thick, and the carpels divided nearly to base. The former differs by having the leaflets chartaceous to membranaceous and dull (vs. chartaceous to coriaceous and glossy), the margin slightly revolute and serrulate (vs. revolute only at base and entire or less often broadly crenulate), 7-13 secondary vein pairs (vs. 10-20), the FEV branching somewhat dichotomous (vs. dendritic), the marginal ultimate venation incompletely looped (vs. mostly looped), bracts on the primary inflorescence axes shorter (1.5-2 vs. 3.5-6.5 mm), flower pedicel shorter (0.8-2.2 vs. 1.8-3.5 mm), stamens longer (1.5-2 and 1.4-1.95 mm vs. 1.2-1.3 and 0.9-1.1 mm), and fruit much smaller (1.8-2.4 × 1.8-2.2 cm vs. 3.6-6 × 1.9-3.6 cm) with smooth surface (vs. often shallowly pitted and very sparsely lenticellate). Based on the exsiccatae, the two species may be sympatric in the state of Rio de Janeiro at Serra de Sapiatiba, Alto Moirão, Sete Pontes, and possibly Búzios.