Simira alba ( Martius 1860: 324 ) Delprete, Margalho & Groppo, 2020

Margalho, Luciano Ferreira, Delprete, Piero G. & Groppo, Milton, 2020, Typification of the two Arariba names published by Martius and of the two Pinckneya names published by Allemão & Saldanha, synonymous with the names of two species of Simira (Rubiaceae, Condamineeae), Phytotaxa 438 (2), pp. 141-150 : 144-147

Simira alba ( Martius 1860: 324) Delprete, Margalho & Groppo , comb. nov. – Arariba alba Martius (1860: 324) .

Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro, Serra da Estrela, “à Mandioca”, 29 March 1884 (fl), A. Glaziou 14938 (neotype B [100248144], here designated).

Sickingia glaziovii K. Schumann, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 10: 327. 1888. – Simira glaziovii (K. Schumann 1888: 327) Steyermark, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 23: 307. 1972. Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro, Serra da Estrela, “à Mandioca”, 14 December 1883, A. Glaziou 14938 (Lectotype P [P00083882], designated by Delprete (1998: 321–322); isolectotypes BR [2 sheets, 000000532766, 000000532831], G [G00379137], K [K000173848], R [No. 9921], MPU [MPU023583], P [P00083883]; isolectotype fragments: F [No. 635235

(ex G)], F [No. 970614 (ex P)], F [No. 617547] pro parte (see comments below)). The label of the G specimen has the handwritten text (author unknown, not Glaziou) “14938. Sickingia Glaziovii K. Schumann, Serra da Estrella , prés Mandioca, Prov. Rio de Janeiro: Glaziou, 1885.”

Pinckneya rubescens Allemão & Saldanha, Config. Est. Bot. Veg. Sec. 3: [1], tab. 12. 1872. Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro, “Mendanha” [Serra do Mendanha], s.d., F.F. Allemão in Herbier de J. Saldanha No. 468 (Holotype R [No. 144571], 2 sheets), syn. nov.

Blandibractea brasiliensis Wernham, J. Bot. 55: 170. 1917. Type:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro (or São Paulo?), 1814–1816 (fl), J. Bowie & A. Cunningham 10 (Lectotype BM [BM000507927], designated by Delprete (1998: 322)).

Schumann (1888: 322–324; for English translation see Delprete et al. 2005: 26–27) suggested that Pinckneya rubescens is similar to Arariba rubra Martius [(= Simira rubra ( Martius 1860: 324) Steyermark (1972: 307) ]. However, the flowers of Simira rubra lack calycophylls and a membranaceous folding between the corolla and stamens insertions, while these two features are present in P. rubescens . On the other hand, specimen R No. 144571 is Simira glaziovii (K. Schumann 1888: 327) Steyermark (1972: 307) by having large leaves, presence of calycophylls in some of the flowers, and a membranaceous folding between the corolla and stamens insertions. In addition, R No. 144571 has been annotated by S.J. Silva-Neto as S. glaziovii ( Fig. 2 ). Therefore, after a detailed analysis of the type specimens of S. glaziovii (Glaziou 14938), we concluded that they are conspecific with Pinckneya rubescens . In addition, the type locality of P. rubescens (Serra do Mendanha) fits within the vegetation type and distribution range of S. glaziovii , which occurs in the Atlantic forest of Brazil, in the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. As explained above, the oldest name available for this species is Arariba alba ; therefore, the new combination Simira alba , here proposed, is the name to be used for this species.

Three specimens at F deserve serious consideration. The specimen with accession No. 635235, is represented by one leaf and the distal portion of an inflorescence, preserved in an envelope. On the envelope is typed “ Sickingia Glaziovii Schum. , Brazil: Serra da Estrella, Prov. Rio de Janeiro, Glaziou 14938, 1885. Ex hb. Deless.” This text means that these fragments were extracted from a specimen preserved at the Delessert Herbarium , which is now integrated at G. The only data that do not correspond with the other specimens of Glaziou 14938 is the collecting date, which is reported “1885”, which is the same year reported for the specimen at G (barcode G00379137 ). Therefore, although their labels report a different date, we treat both the G specimen and its fragment at F as isolectotypes of S. glaziovii . The second specimen at F, accession No. 970614, is also represented by fragments. In the envelope are present fragments of a mature capsule, and the branched portion of an inflorescence. On the envelope is stamped “Ex Herbario Musei Parisiensis” and is written “ Psychotria ” striked through, and “ Sickingia, Glaziou – 14938”. This means that it is a fragment extracted form Glaziou 14938 at P ; this specimen is an isolectotype fragment. The third specimen, accession No. 617547, is represented by two leaf fragments that most likely belong to the same leaf, and an inflorescence fragment, all preserved in an envelope. On the envelope is handwritten (author unknown) “ Sickingia glaziovii, Glaziou : 14938 –fls., 4017-leaf, Brazil.” On the sheet, just below the envelope, is penciled the text (by Donald Simpson) “Glaziou 4017 is S. viridiflora Schum. , and the leaf in the pocket match that species.” We agree with this latter comment. Therefore, only the inflorescence fragment belongs to S. glaziovii , and is an isolectotype fragment .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Holotype of Pinckneya viridiflora (=Simira rubra). Herbier de J. Saldanha No. 469 (R [No. 144579]).