Hirtella corymbosa Cham. & Schltdl., Linnaea

Barros, Natália, Menezes, Luis Fernando Tavares de, Sothers, Cynthia & Peixoto, Ariane Luna, 2025, Flora of Espírito Santo: Chrysobalanaceae, Rodriguesia (e 00872024) 76, pp. 1-39 : 17

4.3. Hirtella corymbosa Cham. & Schltdl., Linnaea 2(4): 545. 1827. Figs. 4 e-f; 6

Shrub or tree, up to 5 m tall; young branches pubescent, becoming glabrous with age, lenticellate. Leaves elliptic to widely elliptic, 3.4–4.1 × 2–2.6 cm, chartaceous, discolorous, base rounded, apex acuminate, acumen ca. 0.5 mm long, rarely mucronate, glabrous on both sides, midrib prominulous adaxially, prominent abaxially, basal 1/3 hispid, primary veins 7–8 pairs, hispid, lamina with discoid glands, margin not revolute; petiole 1–2 mm long, hispid, terete, eglandular; stipules 2, linear, 1.5–2 mm long, chartaceous, hispid, subpersistent. Inflorescence terminal, corymbose panicle, pubescent; bracts 2, triangular, 1.5–2 mm long, pubescent, eglandular; bracteoles 2, triangular, 1–1.5 mm long, pubescent, eglandular. Flowers white or vinaceous ca. 9 mm long, pubescent, pedicel ca. 3 mm long; receptacle campanulate, 2 mm long, glabrous except at throat; sepals rounded with acute apex, ca. 2 mm long, puberulous, reflexed; petals white, rounded, ca. 2 mm long, glabrous; stamens 3, inserted unilaterally, filaments ca. 6 mm long, united at base; ovary ca. 1.5 mm long, sericeous, near receptacle mouth, style ca. 6 mm long, basal 1/3 sericeous. Drupe vinaceous or purple, obovoid, sessile, 1.8–1.9 × 1–1.3 cm, epicarp smooth, longitudinally striate, glabrescent.

Selected material examined: Conceição da Barra ,APA de Conceição da Barra, 30.XI.2011, fl., A. Giaretta 1108 (RB, SAMES, VIES) ; Comunidade de Lajinha , Fazenda Rancho Tropical II, restinga arbustiva alta com moitas, 5.VII.2007, fl. and fr., C. Farney 4772 ( MBML, RB) . Jaguaré , 20.XI.2023, fl., O.J. Pereira 10600 ( SAMES) . Linhares , de Linhares para São Mateus, 7.V.1966, fl., A.P. Duarte 9747 (HB, RB); Reserva Natural Vale, aceiro Luiz Durão, aceiro Nativo Parajú, 12.II.2020, fr., G. Felitto 1319 ( CVRD, RB) . São Mateus , seguindo por estrada de terra atrás do campus do CEUNES, 13.IX.2023, fl. and fr., N. Barros 29 (RB, SAMES) .

Hirtella corymbosa can be recognized by the small (3.4–4.1 × 2–2.6 cm) elliptic to widely elliptic leaves, with a reduced acumen and rounded base, short petiole (1–2 mm long), corymbose panicle, with eglandular bracts and bracteoles and flower with 3 stamens. The flower (sepals, stamens and style) is also shorter in general compared with other species of Hirtella . Collected with flowers throughout the year and fruits from January to September.

Hirtella corymbosa is endemic to the Atlantic Forest, restricted to Bahia and EspÍrito Santo states ( Asprino 2023). In the latter, it occurs in four municipalities in the northern part of the state, in Restinga and Mata de Tabuleiro, in Conceição da Barra, Jaguaré, Linhares and São Mateus, in Restinga areas and Tabuleiro Forests, especially in areas of Muçununga and Campos nativos. This species is assessed as Data Deficient (DD) for the state ( Fraga et al. 2019), where it was collected in three protected areas: Área de Proteção Ambiental de Conceição da Barra, Parque Estadual de Itaúnas and Reserva Natural Vale. Considering the number of occurrences of H. corymbosa in the state and its distribution, inside and outside protected areas, a re-evaluation of its conservation status is necessary (Barros et al., in prep.).

The common name for this species is orelhade-gato (G. Felitto et al. 1319).