Lippia brasiliensis (Link) T.R.S. Silva (2002: 58)

Cardoso, Pedro Henrique, Valério, Vanessa Imaculada Dos Reis, Neto, Luiz Menini & Salimena, Fátima Regina Gonçalves, 2021, Verbenaceae in Espírito Santo, Brazil: richness, patterns of geographic distribution and conservation, Phytotaxa 484 (1), pp. 1-43 : 22-23

7.2. Lippia brasiliensis (Link) T.R.S. Silva (2002: 58) . (Figs: 3A, 6G)

Shrubs 2‒3.5 m high, branches tetragonal, strigose. Leaves opposite, petiole 0.6‒1.7 cm long; blade 6‒16 × 2.4‒6.2 cm, chartaceous, ovate, apex acuminate, base attenuate, decurrent into the petiole, margin entire up to the median portion, serrate toward the apex, ciliate, adaxial surface strigose, abaxial surface strigose, glandular sessile trichomes present. Inflorescences capituliform, 1‒2.5 cm long, 1 per axil, peduncle 0.5‒1.8 cm long, strigose, glandular sessile trichomes present; rachis slightly elongated in fructification; bracts 1.2‒1.4 cm long, spirally arranged, linear to lanceolate, abaxial surface strigose, glandular sessile trichomes present, margin ciliate; calyx ca. 2 mm long, externally strigose, glandular sessile trichomes present; corolla 1‒1.2 cm long, white, throat yellow. Fruit drupe, with 2 pyrenes, ca. 3 mm long, surrounded by the persistent calyx.

Distribution and habitat:— Lippia brasiliensis is distributed throughout Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, Paraguay, and Venezuela ( Múlgura et al. 2012). In Brazil, it is restricted to the Atlantic Forest, in the regions Northeast, Southeast, and South ( Salimena & Cardoso 2020). In Espírito Santo, it is found in seasonal semideciduous forest and dense rainforest, often occurring in moistened and shaded areas. The species occurs inside the following SPAs of this state: Reserva Biológica Duas Bocas and Reserva Biológica Santa Lúcia.

Phenology:— Collected with flowers and fruits from January to May, November, and December.

Preliminary conservation assessment: —This is a common species with awide distribution ( Múlgura et al. 2012), and occurs inside PAs in South America. Considered “Least Concern” (LC) ( IUCN 2019).

Selected material:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Águia Branca , 15 March 2006, fl. and fr., V . Demuner et al. 1908 ( HUEFS, MBML); Alegre , 9 February 2008, fl. and fr., D. R . Couto 453 ( MBML); Cachoeiro de Itapemerim, 25 April 1972, fl., D. Sucre et al. 8953 ( SPF); Cariacica, Reserva Biológica Duas Bocas , 6 May 2008, fl. and fr., A . P . Fontana et al. 5191 ( HUEFS, MBML, RB); Domingos Martins , 6 December 1984, G . Hatschbach & J . M . Silva 48671 ( CEPEC, MBM); Jaguaré , 18 January 1996, fl. and fr., G . Hupp 10 ( CESJ, MBML); Linhares , 24 February 1986, fl. and fr., D. A . Folli 572 ( CVRD, SPF); Itapemerim , 26 January 2008, fl., A . M . Assis et al. 1380 ( CESJ, MBML); Santa Teresa, Reserva Biológica de Santa Lúcia , 6 January 1999, fl. and fr., L . Kollmann & E . Bausen 1489 ( CESJ, MBML) .

Notes:— Lippia brasiliensis is characterized by the presence of indument strigose along the branches and leaves; acuminate leaf blade apex, margin entire up to the median portion, serrate toward the apex; linear to lanceolate bracts, longer than 1 cm, and white corolla with yellow throat. It is similar to Lantana undulata due to the strigose branches and white corolla with yellow throat, however, Lippia brasiliensis has leaves with margin entire up to the median portion, serrate toward the apex; peduncles 0.5‒1.8 cm long; bracts equal to each other and fruit with 2 pyrenes (vs. leaves with margin entire near the base, crenate toward the apex; peduncles 3.7‒4.5 cm long; unequal bracts, the external wide-ovate and the internal ovate, and fruit with 1 pyrene in Lantana undulata ).

Illustrations in Schauer (1851).