Hornschuchia mediterranea Mello-Silva & D.M.Johnson

Figs 4B–C, 5

Phytotaxa 483 (3): 286, figs 1–2 (Mello-Silva et al. 2021).

Type: BRAZIL – Bahia • “ Jussari. Fazenda São Roque, 2.8 km em estrada vicinal à direita da estrada Jussari-Palmira, entrada a 13.8 km além da ponte sobre o rio Piabanha, na saída de Jussari (entrada à esquerda a 2 km de Palmira no sentido Palmira – Jussari), mata semidecidual de encosta, antropizada ”; 15°08′17.4″ S 39°34′16.8″ W; alt. 211 m; 28 Oct. 2008; R. Mello-Silva 3138; holotype: SPF [SPF00220462]!; isotypes: CEPEC!, K!, NY!, OWU!, RB!, W !.

Material examined

BRAZIL – Bahia • “ Antônio Cardoso, 20 km de Feira de Santana, na BR-116, Fazenda Sossego ”; 12°21′56″ S, 39°06′33″ W; 11 Aug. 1999; E. Mello et al. 2774; SPF ! • “ Jussari, ca 2.5 km N of Palmira on road connecting Palmira to the Itaju do Colonia-Itapé road, Fazenda São Roque (owner Luis Fernando Verde)”; 15°08.3′ S, 39°34.3′ W; alt. 300–450 m; 2 Feb 1999; W.W. Thomas 11935; SPF ! • ibid.; 15°08.476′ S, 39°34.749′ W; alt. 250–300 m; 14 Mar. 2001; W.W. Thomas 12313; SPF ! • “ Fazenda Serra do Teimoso, Reserva Serra do Teimoso ”; 15°09′12″ S, 39°31′50″ W; 16 Mar. 2003; W.W. Thomas 13393; SPF ! • “ Mundo Novo, entrada para a cidade próximo a BA-052 (Estrada do Feijão) ”; 11°52′35″ S, 40°27′9″ W; alt. 465 m; 11 Aug. 1999; E. Mello et al. 2784; SPF !.

Description

Shrubs or trees, 1.5–8 m tall. Leaves chartaceous to coriaceous, petiole 2–6 mm long, lamina 4.4– 15.5 × 2.3–5.8 cm, narrowly elliptic to elliptic, narrowly ovate or lanceolate to oblanceolate, adaxial surface glabrous and abaxial surface glabrous to glabrescent, base cuneate to acute, apex attenuate to acute, slightly acuminate or obtuse, primary vein impressed adaxially and raised abaxially, 7–12 pairs of secondary veins, angles between primary and secondary veins 40–60°. Inflorescence one-flowered, axillary, supra-axillary, terminal or leaf-opposed, bracts absent. Flowers with pedicel 4–6 mm long, flower buds 3–6 × 1–3 mm, globose to ovoid to conical with acute apex, covered in trichomes. Sepals completely connate, calyx cupuliform, apex truncate to triangular, 3–6 × 4–7 mm, densely covered in trichomes. Petals linear, white, rarely yellowish, 6–9 mm long, covered in trichomes, stamens 3–6, 2–3 × ca 1 mm long, carpels 5–8, 2–3 mm long. Monocarps 2–5, globose to ellipsoid, 8–13 × 5–9 mm, densely covered in trichomes, sessile, calyx caducous. Seeds 3–4, wide obovoid to ellipsoid, 7–7.2 × 4 mm, obovoid to ellipsoid, brownish, rugose, with aril.

Distribution and habitat

Hornschuchia mediterranea occurs inland in Bahia. It inhabits seasonal semideciduous forest, seasonal deciduous forest and lowland tropical moist forest (Gouvêa et al. 1976; Thomas & Barbosa 2008), with one occurrence near the Caatinga domain, a xeric vegetation type, in the municipality of Mundo Novo (Figs 5, 7A).

Phenology

Flowering from February to April and fruiting from February to August.

Preliminary conservation status

Endangered, EN B2ab(iii) (Mello-Silva et al. 2021).

Notes

Hornschuchia mediterranea is similar to H. mellosilvae in its larger calyx and globose, rounded or conical floral bud (Fig. 4B–C). However, H. mediterranea has smaller petals (6–9 mm long vs 9–24 mm long) fewer stamens (3–6 vs 10), more carpels (5–8 vs 4) and globose to ellipsoid monocarps, 6–11 × 3–9 mm, with rounded apex and densely covered in trichomes (vs obloid with acute apex, 20–24 × 9–12 mm, glabrous).