Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes, 2017

Moraes, Pedro Luís Rodrigues De, Vergne, Matheus Carvalho & Werff, Henk Van Der, 2017, Three new species of Lauraceae from the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil, Phytotaxa 316 (2), pp. 149-160 : 150-152

Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes , sp. nov.

Type:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale, estrada Flamengo, ao lado da parcela de Jequitibá-rosa, 20 February 2006, fl., D. A Folli 5188 (holotype CVRD!; isotypes HRCB!, HUEFS!, MO!). ( Figures 1–4 )

Diagnosis: — A congeneris americanis foliis congestis domatiis profunde porosis praeditis recedit.

Description: —Small trees, to 6 m. Twigs terete, solid, glabrous, rarely with a few appressed hairs; terminal buds densely pubescent with grey, straight, long (larger than 0.3 mm), appressed hairs, the surface largely covered. Leaves clustered with leafless internodes to 10 cm long, often oblong-elliptic to almost oblanceolate, firmly chartaceous, 12–21 × 4.5–6.5 cm, base acute, apex acute or shortly acuminate, margin flat, cord-like thickened, glabrous on both surfaces, the lower surface densely gland-dotted; midrib immersed, secondary veins and tertiary venation faintly raised on the upper surface, midrib raised, secondary veins and tertiary venation weakly raised, but clearly visible on the lower surface; venation tripliveined with the basal pair of veins more strongly developed and inserted at the base of the lamina, distal secondary veins weakly developed, 6–8 on each side, all secondary veins arching up near the margin and weakly loop-connected; domatia present at the base of the lowermost pair of secondary veins as deep pits, clearly visible on the lower and upper leaf surface, margin of the domatia glabrous or with a few hairs; petioles 1.2–2.2 cm, glabrous, shallowly canaliculated. Inflorescences in the axils of leaves, glabrous, to 5 cm, paniculate-cymose, branched from the very base; pedicels 2–4 mm. Flowers white, glabrous, 3.0–3.2 × 2.3–2.8 mm; tepals 6, equal to subequal, 2.1–2.5 × 1.0– 1.5 mm, erect at anthesis, outer 6 stamens glabrous, 1.4–2.3 mm long, 4-locular, the filaments slightly shorter than to as long as the anthers, gradually widened toward the anthers, anthers ovate, 0.8–1.3 × 0.4–0.9 mm, inner 3 stamens 1.4–1.8 mm, dorsally pubescent, the filaments gradually widened toward the anthers, about as long as the anthers, anthers ovate, 0.9 × 0.4–0.5 mm, two large globose glands present at the base of the filaments, stalked, 0.4–0.5 × 0.4–0.6 mm, about as long as the filaments, staminodia of whorl IV present, 0.7–1.5 mm, the broad filament with some hairs, the glabrous tip broadly triangular; pistil glabrous, 1.5–2.0 mm, style slightly longer than to as long as the ovary, 0.8–0.9 mm, ovary ellipsoid, 0.9 × 0.7–0.9 mm, receptacle shallow, glabrous inside. Fruits ellipsoid, 1.5–2.4 × 1.3–1.7 cm, pedicel somewhat thickened, cupule shallow, 7–10 mm diam, tepals persistent.

Additional material examined (paratypes): — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale, estrada Gávea , 29 September 1982, fr., I. A. Silva 349 ( CVRD!, HRCB!, HUEFS!, MO!) ; idem, estrada Flamengo , ao lado da parcela de Jequitibá-rosa, 7 July 2006, fr., L. C. S. Assis 1171 ( CVRD!, HRCB!, SPF!) ; idem, 6 September 2011, ster., P. L. R. de Moraes et al. 3167 ( HRCB!) .

Cinnamomum baitelloanum can be readily recognized by the combination of glabrous pit domatia (also visible on the upper leaf surface as small protuberances), glabrous leaves, densely gland-dotted lower leaf surfaces and clustered leaves.

Phenology: —The flowering specimen was collected in February; fruiting specimens were collected in July and September.

Etymology: —This species is dedicated to Dr. João Batista Baitello in recognition of his numerous contributions to our knowledge of Lauraceae in Brazil.

Conservation status: — Cinnamomum baitelloanum is only known from the Reserva Natural Vale near Linhares, Espírito Santo. Until recently, two individuals of this species were known. One has died, the second one has not been found back. Clearly, Cinnamomum baitelloanum is a rare and local species. However, the Reserva Natural Vale is protected and there is no threat to the forest in the Reserva. Due to the fact that it is a small and inconspicuous tree, it is likely that there are other individuals at the Reserva. Nevertheless, we consider the available data still insufficient to place Cinnamomum baitelloanum into a category, thus we assign it as Data Deficient (DD) based on the IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2010).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Isotype of Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes: D.A. Folli 5188 (HRCB).

FIGURE 2. Leaf venation and domatia of Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes. A. Mature leaf, predominantly penninerved, tripliveined at the base, weakly brochidodromous. B. Pit domatia, adaxial view. C. Pit domatia, abaxial view. D. Detail of reticulation, areoles incomplete, randomly arranged. From P.L.R. de Moraes et al. 3167 (HRCB). Bars = 1 cm (A); 0.33 cm (D). Photographs by J.G. Rohwer (B, C).

FIGURE 3. Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes. A. Flower. B. Outer tepals, abaxial and adaxial surfaces. C. Inner tepals, abaxial and adaxial surfaces. D. Stamen of whorl I. E. Stamen of whorl II. F. Stamen of whorl III. G. Gland. H. Staminode of whorl IV. I. Pistil. From D.A. Folli 5188 (HRCB). Bars = 2 mm (A); 1 mm (B, C, I); 0.5 mm (D, E, F, G, H).

FIGURE 4. Geographic distribution of Cinnamomum baitelloanum van der Werff & P.L.R.Moraes, Mezilaurus sessiliflora P.L.R.Moraes &Vergne, and Williamodendron itamarajuensis P.L.R.Moraes.