Orthophytum cristaliense Leme, 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 : 193-194

6.1. Orthophytum cristaliense Leme , sp. nov. ( Fig. 16 A–G )

Diagnosis:— This new species is morphologically closely related to O. piranianum , but can be distinguished from it by the shorter stature when in bloom (9–13 cm vs. ca. 19 cm tall), peduncle shorter (4–6 cm vs. ca. 9 cm), floral bracts reddish-rose toward the apex (vs. apple green), erect (vs. distinctly recurved) and with smaller marginal spines (ca. 0.5 mm vs. 1–1.2 mm), and sepals reddish-rose to coral (vs. pale green) and glabrous (vs. subdensely to densely and coarsely white lepidote abaxially).

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Cristália, Morro do Chapéu, 1297 m elevation, 16°43’14.41” S, 42°55’24.33” W, June 2018, A. Ilha s.n., fl. cult. E. Leme 9424 (holotype RB!).

Description:— Plants stemless, flowering 9–13 cm tall, propagating by rhizomes 6–7 × 0.6–0.9 cm. Leaves ca. 17 in number before anthesis or 8–10 at anthesis, strongly coriaceous, spreading-recurved, forming a dense rosette; sheath subreniform, ca. 2.5 × 5.5 cm, covered on both sides by a dense layer of coarse, white trichomes; blade narrowly subtriangular-lanceolate, attenuate, ending in a caudate apex, 12–20 × 3–4 cm, thick near the base, canaliculate toward the apex, completely covered on both faces by a densely layer of coarse, white trichomes, sometimes with narrow, transversal, dark green, glabrous, irregular bands near the base, margins subdensely to densely spinose; spines 2–3 mm long, 2–7 mm apart, narrowly subtriangular, straight or the basal ones slightly retrorse. Inflorescence (fertile part) compound, compact-glomerulate, 4–5 cm long, 3.5–4 cm in diameter (not including the primary bracts); peduncle 4–6 × 1.5 cm, erect, completely covered by a dense layer of coarse, white trichomes; peduncle bracts 2–3 in number, resembling the leaves, spreading-recurved, exposing the peduncle; primary bracts resembling the upper peduncle bracts, completely obscured on both sides by a dense layer of coarse white trichomes, distinctly longer than the flower fascicles, the distal ones reduced in size; flower fascicles 7–9 in number, densely arranged, subflabellate-pulvinate, excluding the petals 28 × 15–21 mm, 3–5-flowered (the basal ones); floral bracts narrowly triangular or triangular-ovate, acuminate, glabrous, greenish-white and membranaceous toward the base and margins, reddish-rose toward the apex, finely nerved, erect, slightly to distinctly exceeded by the sepals, strongly carinate, 19–22 × 12–18 mm, margins spinulose toward the apex, spines ca. 0.5 mm long. Flowers sessile, ca. 32 mm long, odorless; sepals narrowly triangular, long acuminate, 20–21 × 4–5 mm, free, greenish-white toward the base, reddish-rose to coral colored near the apex, glabrous, the adaxial ones alate-carinate with the keel decurrent on the ovary, the abaxial one obtusely carinate; petals sublinear, obtuse-cucullate, free, greenish except for the white apex, 23–24 × 4–4.5 mm, erect and forming a tubular clavate corolla, bearing 2 appendages; petal appendages scutelliform with tendency to sacciform, irregularly and broadly bladed, subreniform, margins recurved, irregularly denticulate; stamens not exposed; filaments distinctly unequal, the antesepalous ones free, ca. 22 mm long, the antepetalous ones shorter than the antesepalous ones, ca. 19 mm long, adnate to the petals for 10–12 mm; anthers oblong, 3–3.5 mm long at anthesis (ca. 5 mm long before anthesis), dorsifixed slightly below the middle, base obtuse, apex obtuse and inconspicuously apiculate, laterally complanate; ovary 6 × 4.5–6 mm, trigonous, subquadrate, white, glabrous; epigynous tube inconspicuous; ovules numerous, obtuse; placentation apical; style equalling the antesepalous stamens; stigma simple-dilated, white, densely papillate. Fruits unknown.

Distribution, habitat and conservation:— Orthophytum cristaliense is known from the type locality only, at a place known as Morro do Chapéu ( Fig. 16 A ) in the county of Cristália. It grows as a saxicolous species in sun exposed to partially shady spots in the Campos Rupestres ( Fig. 16 B ), about 1200 to 1312 m elevation, forming small groups of individuals ( Fig. 16 C–D ). Neverthless, its known population is rather small and occupie a geographically limited area. Based on the current knowledge on the species, it can 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 name of this new species is a reference to the county of Cristália, in Minas Gerais state, where it was found.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):–– BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Cristália ; Morro do Chapéu, entre Mombucas e Boa Vista do Bananal , 1200 m elevation, 22 July 1985, G. Martinelli 11305 et al. (NY, RB!) ; Morro da Antena de Televisão , 1200 m elevation, 16°43’28.5” S, 42°55’42” W, 12 July 2001, V.C. Souza, J.P. Souza, G.O. Romão, A.O. Araújo & S.I. elias 25807 ( ESA!, RB!) ; Pico do Chapéu , 1312 m elevation, 16º43’ S, 42º 55’ W, 11 September 2003, A. Rapini 1096, A.S. Conceição, M.J.G. Andrade & Vasconcelos & M.I Andrade ( CEPEC!, UEFS!) ; Morro do Chapéu , 1298 m elevation, 16°43’18” S, 42°55’25” W, 25 June 2014, M. Verdi 7228, N. Pougy, G. Martinelli, D. Maurenza & E. Martins ( HUFU!, RB!) ; Morro do Chapéu , 1291 m elevation, 16°43’18” S, 42°55’25” W, 10 February 2015, C.N. Fraga 3668, D.R. Gonzaga, R.C.C. Reis & T.E.C. Meneguzzo (RB!) ; Morro do Chapéu , 1257 m elevation, 16°43’20” S, 42°55’23” W, 3 August 2018, R. Vasconcelos s.n. (RB!) .

Observations:— Orthophytum cristaliense has been improperly identified in Brazilian herbaria as O. piranianum Leme & C.C. Paula (2008: 112) , its close morphological relative. However, O. cristaliense differs from it by its shorter stature when in bloom (9–13 cm vs. ca. 19 cm tall), leaves densely arranged (vs. more laxly arranged), shorter peduncle (4–6 cm vs. ca. 9 cm), more numerous flower fascicles (7–9 vs. ca. 4), floral bracts reddish-rose toward the apex (vs. apple green) which are erect (vs. discintly recurved) and have smaller marginal spines (ca. 0.5 mm vs. 1–1.2 mm), reddish-rose to coral (vs. pale green) and glabrous sepals (vs. subdensely to densely and coarsely white lepidote abaxially), and petal appendages scutelliform with tendency to sacciform (vs. typically scutelliform).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Orthophytum cristaliense from Morro do Chapéu, county of Cristália, Minas Gerais state: A. General view of Morro do Chapeu. B. General view of the Campos Rupestres habitat at Morro do Chapeu. C. Habit. D. Population at the type locality. E–G. Specimen flowering in cultivation (Leme 9424). E. Details of the inflorescence. F. Details of the flower with tubular clavate corolla. G. Scutelliform with tendency to sacciform petal appendages. A–D. Photos R. Vasconcelos.