Hoplocryptanthus knegtianus, Leme, Elton M. C., Ribeiro, Otávio B. C., Souza, Fernanda Vidigal D., Souza, Everton Hilo De, Kollmann, Ludovic J. C. & Fontana, André P., 2020

Leme, Elton M. C., Ribeiro, Otávio B. C., Souza, Fernanda Vidigal D., Souza, Everton Hilo De, Kollmann, Ludovic J. C. & Fontana, André P., 2020, Miscellaneous new species in the “ Cryptanthoid complex ” (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) from Eastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 430 (3), pp. 157-202 : 177-179

3.1. Hoplocryptanthus knegtianus O. B. C. Ribeiro & Leme, sp. nov. ( Fig. 9 A–D )

Diagnosis:— This new species is morphologically closely related to H. tiradentesensis , but differs from it by its more numerous leaves (18–32 vs. 13–18), forming a smaller rosette (5–22 cm vs. 18–28 cm in diameter), leaf blades narrower (3–5 mm vs. 9–11 mm) and glabrescent toward the apex adaxially (vs. subdensely to densely white lepidote), floral bracts larger (ca. 13 × 7 mm vs. ca. 9 × 4 mm), about equalling the sepals (vs. slightly exceeding the ovary), and sepals glabrous (vs. sparsely to subdensely and coarsely white lepidote).

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Conceição do Mato Dentro, district of Ouro Fino do Mato Dentro, Serra do Intendente, 752 m elevation, 18°57’45.2” S, 43°33’38.6” W, 28 August 2012, O.B.C. Ribeiro 451, fl. cult. E. Leme 9322 (holotype RB!).

Description:— Plants stemless, flowering 1.5–2 cm tall, propagating by short basal shoots. Leaves 18–32 in number, subspreading, forming a dense rosette 5–22 cm in diameter; sheath subtrapeziform, 0.8–0.9 × 1–1.5 cm, densely and coarsely white lepidote toward distal end, laxly spinulose and green near distal end, white near the base; blade narrowly triangular-lanceolate, attenuate-caudate, 4–13 × 0.3–0.5 cm, green, coriaceous mainly toward the base, nerved mainly abaxially, slightly canaliculate, abaxially densely white lepidote, trichomes along the nerves, partially obscuring the leaf color, adaxially subdensely to densely white lepidote near the base, trichomes more or less obscuring the leaf color, glabrescent toward the apex, margins subdensely spinulose; spines 0.5–1 mm long, 1–5 mm apart, acicular, green to yellowish, straight to slightly retrorse (basal ones) or slightly antrorse (apical ones). Inflorescence sessile, compound, 1–1.5 cm long, 1.8–2 cm in diameter (not including the primary bracts); primary bracts resembling the leaves, subspreading-recurved, green; flower fascicles densely arranged, complanate, subsessile, 2–4-flowered; floral bracts triangular, apex acuminate, membranaceous, greenish toward the apex, hyaline toward the margins, distinctly carinate, irregularly spinulose toward the apex, ca. 13 × 7 mm, nerved, glabrescent, about equalling the sepals, irregularly spinulose toward the apex, spines inconspicuous. Flowers all perfect, 25–27 mm long (with the petals extended), fragrant, sessile to inconspicuously pedicellate, pedicel ca. 1 mm long; sepals narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, 9–9.5 × 3 mm, shortly connate at the base, entire, glabrous, white near the base, green toward the apex; petals spathulate, 20–22 × 5–6 mm, connate at the base for 1–2 mm into a common tube with the filaments and style, white, apex acute to obtuse, distinctly longer than the stamens but subspreading at anthesis and exposing them, bearing 2 lateral longitudinal callosities; filaments ca. 12 mm long, adnate to the petals for 1–2 mm and forming an inconspicuous basal concrescence with the style; anthers ca. 1 mm long, dorsifixed near the base, base bilobed, apex apiculate; ovary ca. 3.3 × 3 mm, trigonous, white, glabrous; epigynous tube lacking; ovules obtuse; placentation apical; stigma cylindric-distent, white, cylindraceous toward the base, suberect to subspreading-recurved, ca. 2 mm long, the slightly expanded distal portion inconspicuously papillate. Fruits unknown.

Distribution, habitat and conservation:— Hoplocryptanthus knegtianus is known from the type locality only, growing in the district of Ouro Fino do Mato Dentro, in the county of Conceição do Mato Dentro, which partially encompass the mountain known as Serra do Intendente, an northern extension of Serra do Cipó. In contrast, the occurence of most species of Hoplocryptanthus is concentrated in Iron Quadrangle region, central-southeastern area of Minas Gerais ( Leme et al. 2017).

This new species has the typical habitat reported for the genus, growing saxicolous in organic material accumulated in crevices in more or less vertical quartzitic rock surfaces in the Campos Rupestres, forming small groups of plants scattered in the area, about 752 m elevation ( Fig. 9 A–C ).

According to the current knowledge about this new species, it must be considered critically endangered (CR) on the basis of the “A.1. c + d” and “B. 2. a. + b. i to iv” criteria adopted by IUCN (2012).

Etymology:—The specific epithet honors the biologist Rafael A. Pfeilsticker de Knegt, who verified the presence of this new species at the type locality and took the collector to the place. He is a biologist responsible for the conservation and management of the flora of some important areas of Campos Rupestres in Minas Gerais state, mainly in the region of Conceição do Mato Dentro.

Observations:— Hoplocryptanthus knegtianus is morphologically closely related to H. tiradentesensis (Leme, 2007: 268) Leme, S. Heller & Zizka (2017: 65, Fig. 9 E ). However, this new species differs from it by the presence of more numerous leaves (18–32 vs. 13–18), forming a smaller rosette (5–22 cm vs. 18–28 in diameter), narrower leaf blades (3–5 mm vs. 9–11 mm) that are glabrescent toward the apex adaxially (vs. subdensely to densely white lepidote), larger floral bracts (ca. 13 × 7 mm vs. ca. 9 × 4 mm) about equalling the sepals (vs. slightly exceeding the ovary), glabrous sepals (vs. sparsely to subdensely and coarsely white lepidote), and petals bearing lateral longitudinal callosities (vs. without callosities).

There is also some resemblance of H. knegtianus to H. caracensis (Leme & E. Gross, 1992: 12) Leme, S. Heller & Zizka (2017: 65, Fig. 9 F ), being clearly distinguished from it by its more numerous leaves (18–32 vs. 12–18), much smaller leaf blades (4–13 × 0.3–0.5 cm vs. 14–33 × 1.3–1.5 cm), which are glabrescent toward the apex adaxially (vs. densely white lepidote throughout), narrower floral bracts (ca. 7 mm vs. 8–14 mm), sepals glabrous (vs. white lepidote but soon glabrous) that are shorter connate at the base (1–2 mm vs. 3–4 mm), and narrower petals (5–6 mm vs. 8–10 mm) which are shorter connate at the base (1–2 mm vs. 5–7 mm).

The identification key for the species of Hoplocryptanthus will be presented in a separate publication (in preparation) encompassing other new species for the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Hoplocryptanthus knegtianus from Serra do Intendente, Ouro Fino do Mato Dentro, county of Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais state (Ribeiro 451): A–C. Saxicolous habit at the type locality. D. Details of the flower. E. Hoplocryptanthus tiradentesensis (Leme 5819). F. Hoplocryptanthus caracensis (Leme 1853). A–D. Photos O.B.C. Ribeiro.