Bertolonia riocontensis Bisewski et al. (2020: 567)

Bisewski, Gessica C. A., Bacci, Lucas F., Amorim, André M. & Goldenberg, Renato, 2022, The Genus Bertolonia (Melastomataceae) In The State Of Bahia, Brazil, Phytotaxa 548 (2), pp. 153-183 : 177-178

13. Bertolonia riocontensis Bisewski et al. (2020: 567) . Figure 17 .

Herbs ca. 20cm tall, terrestrial or rupiculous.Stem 5–12mm wide,quadrangular, densely glandulose-punctate(trichomes less than 0.1 mm long) and densely glandulose-villose (trichomes 2–3.5 mm long). Leaves opposite; petioles 3.3–9 cm long, quadrangular, moderately to densely glandulose-punctate and moderately to densely glandulose-villose (trichomes 1.5–3 mm long); blades 9.6–15 × 5–11.5 cm, flat, ovate or widely ovate, base cordate, apex acuminate, margins denticulate, densely ciliate, adaxial surface light green, moderately glandulose-punctate, moderately glandulose-pilose (trichomes 0.9–1.5 mm long, brownish), abaxial surface light green, sparsely glandulose-punctate and moderately glandulose-pilose (trichomes 1.7–2.8 mm long, brownish) main veins 3, plus two pairs that do not reach the leaf apex, basal. Inflorescences terminal, 8–12 cm long (ca. 13 cm long in old infructescences), branches moderately glandulosepunctate and moderately glandulose-pilose, sparsely glandulose-punctate and sparsely glandulose-pilose when old. Bracts and bracteoles not seen. Hypanthium 2.3–2.7 × 3.7–4 mm, obconic, glandulose-punctate and glandulosevillose. Sepals ovate, apex acute, margins entire, ciliate, both surfaces glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose. Petals ca. 9 × 4 mm, pink, ovate, base cuneate, apex apiculate, the apiculum ca. 0.9 mm long, with a caducous gland head, margins entire, eciliate, both surfaces papillose, otherwise glabrous. Stamens 7–8 mm long; filaments 3.1–3.9 mm long; anthers 3.9–4.2 mm long, cream colored, lanceolate, surface undulate, pore rounded, non-thickened margins, extrorse; connective shortly prolonged (less than 0.1 mm), unappendaged. Style ca. 8 mm long, straight, glabrous. Fruits 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.6 cm. Seeds reniform.

Examined material: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Itacaré, Bacci 191 ( CEPEC!); Jardim, J.G. 1823 ( CEPEC!, NY, RB!).

Conservation Status: — The species has been found only inside a private property. Bertolonia riocontensis has an AOO of 0 km², and should be classified as “Critically Endangered” (CR), following IUCN (2017) categories. Since it occurs only in one locality, it is not possible to estimate its Extent of Occurrence (EOO).

Notes: — Bertolonia riocontensis is endemic to Bahia, occurring in lowland rainforests, usually on rocky outcrops surrounded by forests on swampy areas ( Fig. 13e ). It was collected with flowers in August, and fruits in August to September. It is recognized by the branches, petioles, leaf blades, hypanthium and sepals glandulose-punctate and also glandulose-villose (trichomes 0.9–3.5 mm long), thick stems (5–12 mm wide), membranaceous and light green leaf blades with a markedly cordate base, and denticulate, densely ciliate margins. Furthermore, it has petals with an apiculate apex and stamens dehiscing through an extrorse pore. Bertolonia riocontensis is similar to B. maculata and B. marmorata . They all have branches, petioles, leaf blades, hypanthium and sepals glandulose-punctate and also glandulose-villose or glandulose-pilose (trichomes 0.9–4 mm long), ovate or widely ovate leaf blades with cordate bases, hypanthia with similar sizes (2.3–2.7 × 3.7–4 mm in B. riocontensis , 2.4–3.1 × 3–3.7 mm in B. maculata , and 1.8–2.9 × 1.6–2.5 in B. marmorata ) and petals with an apiculate apex. Bertolonia riocontensis differs from B. maculata by the leaf blades with denticulate and densely ciliate margins (vs. entire and moderately ciliate in B. maculata ) and anthers dehiscing through an extrorse pore with non-thickened margins (vs. anthers dehiscing through an introrse pore with thickened margins). Bertolonia riocontensis differs from B. marmorata by the leaf blades with an acuminate apex (vs. rounded or obtuse in B. marmorata ) and stamens dehiscing through an extrorse and rounded pore (vs. anthers dehiscing through an introrse and triangular pore). For more details see Bisewski et al. (2020) and Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distributions of species of Bertolonia in Bahia.A.Bertolonia linearifolia. B. Bertolonia maculata. C. Bertolonia marmorata. D. Bertolonia reginatoi. E. Bertolonia riocontensis. F. Bertolonia violacea. G. Bertolonia vitoriana.

FIGURE 17. Bertolonia riocontensis. A. Fertile branch. B. Trichomes on the petiole. C. Leaf base, abaxial surface. D. Shot and longstalked trichomes on the abaxial leaf surface. E. Hypanthium and calyx, abaxial surface. F. Stamen, lateral view. G. Ovary and style. [A, C, D, E, G: Jardim 1823; B: Bacci 191].