4. Pombalia poaya (A.St.-Hil.) Paula-Souza, Phytotaxa 183(1): 10, f. 1A (2014).

– Ionidium poaya A.St. - Hil., Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. 1, 2: 254 (1824).

Type: Brazil, “ Près Sta. Luzia de Goyaz ”, v 1817, St. Hilaire Catal. C1-653 (lectotype P! [P2141239], designated by Paula-Souza in Paula-Souza & Ballard, 2014; isolectotype P! [P2141238]) . – Solea poaya (A.St.-Hil.) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 4(2): 97 (1827). – Hybanthus poaya (A.St.-Hil.) Baill., Traité Bot. Méd. Phan. 2: 841 (1884). – Calceolaria poaya (A.St.-Hil.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 41 (1891). – Hybanthus poaya (A.St.-Hil.) Taub., Nat. PflanZenfam. 3(6): 333 (1895). Figures 5E,F, 8.

Suffrutescent herb, 10–30 cm high, branched from a well-developed, bud-bearing underground root-like system, erect; internodes 2.5–31 mm. Stipule c.1.5 × 0.5 mm, margin entire; leaves alternate, sessile; blade (9)10–21.6 × 6–11.5 mm, lanceolate to ovate, narrowly oblong to oblong, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, oblanceolate, apex acute to obtuse, margin entire to sparsely serrate, base acute, rounded or cordate, spreading-villous to sparsely spreading-villous. Flowers white, purplish or lilac with a yellow spot at the base of the anterior petal, solitary, axillary; pedicel 7.2–12.3 mm, spreading-villous; bracteoles c.0.7 × 0.3 mm; sepals subequal, 5–7.5 × 1.3–2 mm, lanceolate, sometimes subfalcate, margin entire, base truncate, villous; posterior petals 6.3–8.7 × 2.5–3 mm, lanceolate to ovate or oblong, villous at the apex; lateral petals 11–13 × 3.4–5.7 mm, spatulate, frequently falcate, sparsely villous to villous; anterior petal 15–17.5 × 14–19.5 mm including a claw 6.3–7 mm long, transversely oblong to subsquare, apex emarginate, smooth, villous; filaments 0.5–1.5 mm, connective appendages hyaline, 0.3–0.5 mm long, nectar glands noduliform, sometimes much reduced, inserted at the base of the anthers, villous; style c. 4 mm, glabrous, straight or subsigmoid, ovary 2 mm, villous. Capsule 7–13 × c. 7 mm, ovoid; seeds 3 × 2–2.7 mm.

Vernacular names. Poaia, poaia-do-campo.

Etymology. The epithet is the vernacular name of the species, which was widely used in traditional medicine in Saint-Hilaire’s time.

Distribution and habitat. Pombalia poaya is found in grasslands and savannas of the Brazilian Plateau, from Maranhão to Minas Gerais states (see Figure 3).

Phenology. The species has been recorded in flowering and fruiting stages from July to November (rarely in May), peaking in September and October.

Conservation status. Pombalia poaya is a widespread species (EOO, 186,168 km 2; AOO, 52 km 2), with several records in conservation units, and is therefore listed as Least Concern (LC).

Selected specimens examined. BRAZIL. Distrito Federal: Brasília, Córrego Capoeira do Bálsamo, c. 10 km E de Brasília, 1100 m a.s.l., 16 ix 1965, Irwin et al. 8384 (COL, UB). Goiás: Alexânia, Rod. BSB-Gyn, 7 curvas, ponte do rio Lages, 14 ix 2003, Pastore & Bringel 698 (CEN) ; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Rod. GO-118 em direção a Cavalcante, c. 12 km N (em linha reta) de Alto Paraíso, 14°01′37′′, 47°31′45.4′′, 1502 m a.s.l., 23 x 2012, Paula-Souza et al. 11311/685 (ESA) ; Anápolis, 18 x 1956, Smith 4821 (US) ; Campo Alegre de Goiás / Cristalina, c.20(?) km de Cristalina em direção a Campo Alegre de Goiás, 17°24′31′′S, 47°47′01′′W, 8 ix 1998, J. P. Souza et al. 2745 (ESA) ; Catalão, BR-050, c. 8 km S de Pires Belo, 18.0028°S, 47.8028°W [18°00′10.1′′S, 47°48′10.1′′W], 2 x 2007, Paula-Souza et al. 8774 (SPF) ; Cavalcante, estrada de terra saindo da balsa do Porto dos Paulistas (no rio Tocantins) para o Buracão, a c. 17 km do rio, 13°22′17′′S, 48°02′40′′W, 430 m a.s.l., 9 xi 2000, Walter et al. 4642 (CEN) ; Corumbá de Goiás, Pireneus, 28 vii 1952, Macedo 3714 (US) ; Luziânia, 1.5 km a oeste da ponte do rio Alagado, em direção BR-060, 16°12′01′′S, 48°11′08′′W, 870 m a.s.l., 6 xi 2002, G. P. Silva et al. 6858 (CEN) ; Niquelândia, estrada Uruaçu-Niquelândia, c. 50 km de Uruaçu, 15 vii 2000, J. P. Souza et al. 3540 (ESA, RB) ; Pirenópolis, Serra dos Pireneus, subida para o Parque, 15°49′29′′S, 48°54′24′′W, 1070 m a.s.l., 18 i 2005, Paula-Souza et al. 4070 (CTES, ESA); Planaltina, GO-118, km 04, 15.4680°S, 47.5066°W [15°28′04.8′′S, 47°30′23.8′′W], 3 x 2007, Paula-Souza et al. 8801 (SPF). Maranhão: Amaro Leite, Brésil central (Sertao d’Amaroleité), ix–x 1844, Weddell 2839 (P). Minas Gerais: Ibiá, Rio Santa Teresa, 12 x 1982, Hatschbach & Kummrow 45591 (F, MBM). Tocantins: Parana, estrada de acesso à vila Rosário, faZenda Bom Retiro, 12°46′49′′S, 48°12′10′′W, 307 m a.s.l., 23 xi 2007, Pereira-Silva et al. 12273 (CEN) .

Typical forms of Pombalia poaya are readily recognised by its spreading-villous indument. The species has been extensively used in folk medicine for the purgative, emetic and evacuant properties of the roots (Mügge et al., 2016).