Croton pradensis Medeiros et al. (2012: 345)

Medeiros, Débora, Valle, Luci De Senna, Esser, Hans-Joachim & Alves, Ruy José Válka, 2016, Floristic and taxonomic treatment of Croton subsect. Medea (Euphorbiaceae) from Brazilian campos rupestres, Phytotaxa 263 (3), pp. 167-201 : 184-185

6. Croton pradensis Medeiros et al. (2012: 345) . Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Tiradentes, Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Bom Despacho, 1.3 km from the town, 21°05’S, 44°09’W, 1153 m, 25 October 2001 (fl), D. Medeiros 149 (holotype R 000210099!). ( Fig. 11 , A–I)

Subshrubs, 0.2−0.6 m tall. Leaves imbricate and densely congested at branch apices, subsessile with the petiole 1 mm long; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, 1.4−3.4 × 0.6 cm, base acute, symmetric, margin entire, eglandulose, apex acute, trichomes stellate whitish on both surfaces, woolly, sparse, concentrated at the margin and midrib, penninerved; stipules lanceolate, margin laciniate-glandulose, 1 mm long, caducous. Inflorescences 1.0− 4.3 cm long, with a naked sterile zone between the basal pistillate flowers and the apical staminate ones; bracts lanceolate, margin glandulose, 2.4 mm long on the staminate flower, 5 mm long on the pistillate ones, trichomes stellate on the adaxial surface. Staminate flowers 12−15 per inflorescence; pedicel 1.5 mm long; sepals 5, ovate-lanceolate, 1.4 × 1 mm, margin entire, trichomes stellate on both surfaces; petals 5, obovate, 1.9 × 0.6 mm, margin entire, ciliate; stamens 11, filaments 0.8 mm long, anthers ovoid, 0.7 mm long, glabrous. Pistillate flowers 1−2 at the base of the inflorescence, sessile; sepals 5, ovate-lanceolate, 4.8−6 × 1−1.3 mm, margin entire, eglandulose, trichomes stellate on both surfaces; petals absent; ovary globose, 2 × 2 mm, hirsute, trichomes stellate; styles multifid, 4−(5−6) times branched at the base, 1.5 mm long, glabrous. Capsules globose, 4 × 4 mm, trichomes stellate brownish; seeds ellipsoid, 3 × 1.8−2 mm.

Distribution: —Endemic to Serra de São José, 1200 m elevation, in Prados and Tiradentes, municipalities of Minas Gerais State ( Fig. 12 ).

Additional specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Tiradentes, Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Mangue , 13 November 2000 (fl), D. Medeiros 10 & R.J.V. Alves (R) ; Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Mangue , 27 March 2001 (fl), D. Medeiros 30 (R), D. Medeiros 42 (R), D. Medeiros 43 (R), D. Medeiros 44 (R), D. Medeiros 45 (R), D. Medeiros 46 (R), D. Medeiros 48 (R) ; Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Mangue , May 2001 (fl, fr), D. Medeiros 49 (R), D. Medeiros 50 (R), D. Medeiros 51 (R), D. Medeiros 52 (R), D. Medeiros 53 (R) ; Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Mangue , September 2001 (fl), D. Medeiros 118 (R) ; Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Bom Despacho , 1153 m, 21º07’S, 44º12’W, 25 October 2001 (fl, fr), D. Medeiros 149 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 151 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 154 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 159 (HB, R, RB) ; Serra de São José, Cachoeira do Bom Despacho , 20 November 2001 (fl) D. Medeiros 161 (R) ; trilha de Cachoeira do Mangue para Águas Santas , 22 March 2002 (fl, fr), D. Medeiros 178 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 179 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 180 (HB, R, RB), D. Medeiros 181 (HB, R, RB) .

Taxonomic notes: — Croton pradensis is easily distinguished from C. Josephinus and C. vestitus by its sparse woolly indumentum, concentrated at the margin and midrib of the leaves, the sepals of the pistillate flowers with an entire eglandulose margin, and glandulose, almost digitate, laciniate stipules.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Croton pradensis. A. Branch; B. Stipule; C. Staminate flower: D. Sepal (dorsal side), E. Petal (dorsal side); F. Pistillate flower: G. Sepal (ventral side); H. Fruit; I. Seed (dorsal side) (after D. Medeiros 159 (R); from Medeiros et al. 2009).

FIGURE 12. Distribution map of Croton pradensis.