Paepalanthus velutiphyllus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Sano, 2016

Costa, Fabiane Nepomuceno, Andrino, Caroline Oliveira, Trovó, Marcelo, Echternacht, Livia & Sano, Paulo Takeo, 2016, Three new micro-endemic species of Paepalanthus (Paepalanthoideae, Eriocaulaceae) from Serra do Ambrósio, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Phytotaxa 247 (2), pp. 118-126 : 123-124

Paepalanthus velutiphyllus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Sano , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1I–J , 3 , 4 )

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Rio Vermelho, Serra do Ambrósio, alto da Serra, partindo da Comunidade de Penha de França, 1036 m elev., 18°05’38.4”S, 43°04’02.1”W, 25 June 2012, F. N. Costa, A. B. Sampaio, R. Ramos & S. N. Fonseca 1533 (holotype DIAM!, isotypes B!, NY!, SPF!).

Paepalanthus velutiphyllus is characterized by its reflexed leaves, which are densely velutinous on the adaxial surface, and its scapes, which are usually as long as the leaves.

Perennial herbs. Rhizome thickened, 1–3 cm long. Leaves rosulate, reflexed, green, chartaceous, linear to lanceolate, 2.0–11.0 × 0.1–1.0 cm, adaxial surface densely velutinous, abaxial surface velutinous, margin pilose, apex pungent. Spathes adpressed to scapes, membranaceous, 0.8–1.1 cm long, glabrous, margin ciliate, apex acute. Scapes ca. 20–50 per rosette, green, 3.5–11.0 cm long, multicostate, pubescent. Capitula hemispheric, 3–9 mm diam. Involucral bracts in 3–5 series, outermost cream, internal dark brown toward the apex, ovate, ca. 3 × 1 mm long, pilose to glabrescent toward the acute apex on abaxial surface, glabrous adaxially, margin ciliate. Flowers 3-merous, ca. 60 per capitula: 8× more staminate than pistillate. Floral bracts cream to blackish, lanceolate to obovate, ca. 2–3 mm long, pilose to glabrous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, margin ciliate toward the obtuse apex. Staminate flowers ca. 2–3 mm long, excluding the pedicel; pedicel ca. 1 mm long, with long and numerous trichomes; sepals fused at base, membranaceous, obovate, ca. 2–3 mm long, pilose as the floral bracts, margin ciliate toward the acuminate apex; corolla tubular, membranaceous, cream, hyaline, glabrous; stamens ca. 2.5 mm long, anthers cream; pistillodes 3, papillose. Pistillate flowers ca. 2–3 mm long, excluding the pedicel; pedicel ca. 0.1 mm long, with long and numerous trichomes; sepals fused at the base, membranaceous to chartaceous, thickening during fruit development, light brown to cream, obovate, ca. 2 mm long, pilose at the distal portion to glabrous on both surfaces, margin ciliate towards the obtuse apex; petals hyaline, membranaceous, cream, obovate, ca. 2 mm long, pilose on abaxial surface, margin ciliate towards the acute apex; gynoecium ca. 2 mm long, stigmatic branches bifid at the apex, 2× longer than the nectariferous branches; staminodes 3, scale-like. Seeds reddish to brown, ellipsoid, striate.

Etymology: —The epithet “ velutiphyllus ” refers to the velutinous indument of the leaves.

Distribution and habitat: —The species is restricted to the Serra do Ambrósio, and known only from five subpopulations ( Fig. 4 ). Paepalanthus velutiphyllus is a terrestrial plant and occurs in Campo Rupestre and Carrasco within the Cerrado biome, growing above 890 meters of elevation in white, coarse, sandy to gravelly, quartzitic soil.

Conservation: —The species is confined to a single locality, occupying an area of sixteen km 2. The subpopulations are not included in any protected area. Due to its very narrow distribution, and proximity to mining sites, it is endangered (EN), according to the criteria B2ab (i, ii, iii, iv) and D1 ( IUCN 2011).

Discussion: — Paepalanthus velutiphyllus can be easily recognized by its delicate and compact habit, in which individuals do not exceed 11 centimeters in height, with velutinous leaves and numerous green scapes equaling the leaf height ( Fig. 3 ). Paepalanthus acuminatus Ruhland (1903: 217) is the most morphologically similar species to P. velutiphyllus . Both species have the same general aspect, are compact and delicate with rosulate leaves covered by a dense indument, scapes equaling the leaf height. However, P. velutiphyllus can be distinguished by its velutinous indument (vs. villous) and also by the involucral bracts, which do not surpass the height of the flowers (vs. twice longer than flower height). Individuals with flowers and fruits were collected between June and October. The sepals are fused at the base and possibly play a role in ejecting the fruit from the inflorescence in wind dispersal, as described by Hensold (1988), Trovó & Stützel (2011), and as also described here for P. argyrotrychus and P. farinaceus .

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Rio Vermelho , March 1985, A. M. Giulietti CFCR 7782 , N. L.Menezes & M. Meguro ( SPF) ; Pedra Menina , March 1985, U. B. Pereira CFCR 11313 ( SPF) ; Fazenda Vargem do Anjo–Espigão do Meio , October 1984, M. Meguro CFCR 5470 , J. R. Pirani & R. Mello-Silva ( SPF) ; Pedra Menina, Morro do Ambrósio , July 1984, A. M. Giulietti CFCR 4459 , R. M. Harley, M. G. L. Wanderley, E. Varanda & A. Furlan ( SPF) ; Serra do Ambrósio, Vargem do Anjo , próximo à comunidade de Pedra Menina, 1334 m elev., 18°08’02.4”S, 43°01’02.3”W, 26 June 2012, F. N. Costa, A. B. Sampaio, R. Ramos & S. N. Fonseca 1540 ( DIAM, SPF) ; Pedra Menina, Serra do Ambrósio, Várzea do Anjo , 896 m elev., 18˚08’2.58” S, 43˚02’2.03” W, 04 July 2013, R. R. Silva, S. N. Fonseca & S. R. Silva 99 ( DIAM) ; Serra do Ambrósio , 1152 m elev., 18°05’47.8”S, 43°03’44.2”W, 23 October 2013, R. R. Silva & S. N. Fonseca 107 ( DIAM) ; Serra do Ambrósio, Várzea do Anjo , 18°08’40.4”S, 43°01’27.9”W, 24 October 2013, R. R. Silva & S. N. Fonseca 112 ( DIAM) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Paepalanthus argyrotrychus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Echtern. A. Habit. B. Capitulum with flowers at anthesis. C. Involucral bract, abaxial surface. D. Pistillate flower. E. Staminate flower. Paepalanthus farinaceus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Trovó. F. Habit. G. Capitulum with flowers at anthesis. H. Involucral bract, abaxial surface. Paepalanthus velutiphyllus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Sano. I. Habit. J. Leaf, adaxial surface. (Drawn from the holotypes).

FIGURE 3. Paepalanthus velutiphyllus F.N. Costa, Andrino & Sano. A. Habit with young capitula. B. Habit with young and mature capitula. (Photos by F.N. Costa).

FIGURE 4. Map showing the distributions of three new species.