Rourea macrocalyx Carbono , Forero & Vidal, Revista Brasil. Bot. 7(1): 68. 1984.

Toledo, Cassio A. P., Souza, Vinicius Castro & Lucas, Eve J., 2020, Nomenclatural and taxonomic updates in Rourea subgen. Rourea sect. Multifoliolatae (Connaraceae), PhytoKeys 169, pp. 137-175 : 137

Rourea macrocalyx Carbono, Forero & Vidal, Revista Brasil. Bot. 7(1): 68. 1984. Illustration: Forero et al. (1984)

Type.

Brazil. Bahia: Município de Santa Cruz de Cabrália, 2-4 km a W de Sta. Cruz de Cabrália, pela estrada antiga, área de campos e restinga, 21 Oct 1978 (fr.), S. A. Mori 10938 (Holotype: CEPEC barcode CEPEC 15308!; isotypes: COL!, K!, NY!, RB!).

Description.

Lianas or scandent shrubs, ca. 3 m tall; branchlets subglabrous or sparsely pubescent, lenticels abundant, inconspicuous. Leaves 3-7(-9)-foliolate, congested; petiole 1.1-3 cm long, subglabrous, eglandular; rachis 1.5-3.4 cm long, subglabrous, eglandular; leaflets subopposite to alternate, pulvinulus ca. 1 mm long; blade of the basal pair of leaflets 1.1-2.8 × 0.5-1.7 cm, ovate, oblong or elliptic, others 1.6-6(-7.2) × 1.3-2.5(-3.7) cm, elliptic or oblong, rarely ovate, chartaceous, discolorous, glabrous on both surfaces, abaxially brownish or greenish, adaxially dull, base slightly asymmetric or symmetric, cordate, subcordate or rounded, apex rounded, rarely narrowly rounded, margin flat or slightly revolute, glabrous; midvein abaxially prominent, adaxially flat or impressed, secondary veins 6-8 pairs, flat or slightly prominent on both surfaces, tertiary veins abaxially flat, adaxially flat or slightly prominent. Inflorescences in axillary cymes or panicles; bracts 1-2 mm long; peduncle 1.3-2.3 cm long, glabrous or subglabrous, eglandular; rachis 2-4 cm long, glabrous or subglabrous, eglandular; lateral branches 2.4-4.9 cm long, glabrous or subglabrous, eglandular. Flowers unknown, loosely disposed; buds unknown; pedicel 9-18 mm long, eglandular, 1-2 bracteoles located up to the lower half, deciduous; sepals (persistent on fruits) elliptic, outer surface glabrous or subglabrous, eglandular, inner surface glabrous or subglabrous, margin ciliate, more densely at the apex; petals ( Forero et al. 1984) 6-7 × 2 mm, oblong, glabrous on both surfaces; stamens ( Forero et al. 1984) connate at base by 1.1-1.2 mm, shorter series 3-4.5 mm long, longer series 5-6 mm long, glabrous; ovary ( Forero et al. 1984) 1-1.2 mm long, hirsute, style 2.2-2.5 mm long, sparsely hirsute, stigma bilobate. Fruits 1.4-1.5 × 0.5-0.6 cm, brownish, outer surface subglabrous, hirsute at the apex, inner surface glabrous, apex obtuse, style partially persistent, calyx covering two thirds of the fruit; seeds ca. 0.9-1.1 × 0.4-0.6 cm, arillode orangish.

Distribution, habitat and phenology.

Rourea macrocalyx is only known from southern Bahia, occurring in the coastal zone ranging from the municipality of Porto Seguro to Santa Cruz de Cabrália (Fig. 11 ). This is a lianescent species growing on “Tabuleiro” forests with sandy soils. Specimens have been collected with fruits from October to February.

Specimens examined.

Brazil. Bahia: Porto Seguro, RPPN VERACEL, ramal para Sta. Cruz Cabrália, ca. 10 km do Centro de visitantes, 05 Feb 2000 (fr.), J. G. Jardim & M. Alves 2686 (NY); Santa Cruz Cabrália, 16°18'49"S, 39°1'35"W, 11 Oct 2010 (fr.), B. M. da Silva et al. 24 (HUEFS).

Recognition and notes.

Rourea macrocalyx is morphologically recognised by the leaves with 3-7(-9) leaflets, pedicel measuring 9-18 mm long and the strongly accrescent calyx, which covers two thirds of the fruits. It is similar to R. discolor due to the glabrous leaflets and length of pedicel, but differs mainly by the number of leaflets (3-9 vs. 9-29).

Figures

Figure 11. Geographic distribution of Rourea macrocalyx (circles), R. prostrata (triangles) and R. tenuis (squares).