Sinningia, Nees, 1825

Ferreira, Gabriel Emiliano, Waechter, Jorge Luiz & Chautems, Alain, 2013, Sinningia × vacariensis (Gesneriaceae) from Southern Brazil, the first natural hybrid described for the genus, Phytotaxa 119 (1), pp. 45-50 : 46-48

Sinningia × vacariensis Ferreira, Waechter & Chautems nothosp. nov. Fig. 1 A–F

Type:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: Vacaria, Afloramento rochoso no interior da Floresta com Araucária , próximo ao Rio Pelotas , 28°12’42”S, 50°45’35”W, 660 m, 18 November 2012, G. E . Ferreira and C. Vogel-Ely 235 (holotype ICN, isotype G) .

Plants rupicolous with erect stems arising from tubers; Stems 80–100 cm long, pilose, green with reddish streaks. Leaves opposite-decussate, subequal, petiole 1.5 cm long, tomentose, concolorous; blade ovate– elliptic, 8–15 cm long, 7–12 cm wide, obtuse at the apex, cordate or sometimes unequal at the base, margin irregularly crenate, 4–5 pairs of veins, above strigillose, below whitish-tomentose. Inflorescences cymose, composed of pair-flowered cymes, borne in the axils of bracts or upper leaf pairs over the ca. 30 cm long apex of the axis; peduncles 0.5–2 cm long, green with reddish streaks, hirsute; pedicels ascending 0.5–2 cm long, green with reddish streaks, hirsute. Calyx ovate, tube 2–3 mm long, hoary-tomentose, lobes linear-lanceolate, 4–6 mm long, acuminate, margin entire, green, pilose. Corolla erect in calyx, tubular, 2.5–3 cm long, red, pilose, base with 5 gibbosities between the calyx lobes, tube constricted above base, 3–4 mm wide, then expanding gradually to 5–7 mm wide at throat, limb spreading, lobes 5, with many dark red dots, unequal, ca. 4 × 4 mm; Stamens 4, included, filaments 2.9–3.2 cm long, glabrous, anthers coherent, rectangular, pollen white, nectary consisting of two separate dorsal glands; Ovary 6 mm long, 2 mm wide, hispid, style 2 cm long, green, pubescent. Fruit a dry two-valved capsule, 0.9–1.1 cm long, and 0.4–0.6 cm wide, acuminate, reddish brown, pubescent; seeds narrowly ellipsoid, brown.

Distribution and habitat: —This hybrid occurs in the Vacaria municipality in Rio Grande do Sul, next to the Pelotas River. We located only one individual, growing on basaltic rock outcrops within an Araucaria forest, close to streams or in shaded habitats, between 600 and 800 m in elevation ( Fig. 2 ).

Etymology:— The name of the nothospecies is derived from the municipality “Vacaria” where the plant was first encountered.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–F. Sinningia × vacariensis (from the holotype). A. Habit. B. Ovary with calyx. C. Corolla opening, front view. D. Calyx with corolla. E. Corolla without calyx and trichomes. F. Anthers details with front view.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of Sinningia macrostachya, S. lineata and S. × vacariensis in South America, showing the overlapping area. Blue circle. S. macrostachya. Red triangle. S. lineata. Pink lozenge. S. × vacariensis.