Petrea volubilis Linnaeus (1753: 626)

Cardoso, Pedro Henrique, Valério, Vanessa Imaculada Dos Reis, Neto, Luiz Menini & Salimena, Fátima Regina Gonçalves, 2021, Verbenaceae in Espírito Santo, Brazil: richness, patterns of geographic distribution and conservation, Phytotaxa 484 (1), pp. 1-43 : 24-25

8.1. Petrea volubilis Linnaeus (1753: 626) . (Figs. 3A, 7B)

Lianas, branches tetragonal, glabrous to puberulous. Leaves opposite, petiole 3‒7 mm long, blade 5‒11 × 2.6‒6 cm, chartaceous, elliptical to oblong-elliptical, apex acute or rounded, mucronate, base cuneate, decurrent, margin entire, glabrous in both surfaces. Inflorescences ca. 25 cm long, 1 per axil, peduncle 2.5‒4 cm long, puberulous, glandular pedicellate trichomes present; bracts 7‒8 mm long, lanceolate, abaxial surface sparsely pubescent, margin ciliate, deciduous; calyx 1.5‒2.3 cm long, profoundly lobed, puberulous, glandular pedicellate trichomes in the base; corolla 0.8‒1 cm long, purple or lilac. Fruit 1.5‒2.4 mm long, surrounded by the persistent calyx.

Distribution and habitat:— Petrea volubilis is distributed throughout the Neotropical Region ( Rueda 1994). In Brazil, it occurs in the Amazon Forest, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest ( Salimena et al. 2016, Cardoso & Salimena 2020a). In Espírito Santo, it was found in dense rainforest, in moistened and shade areas, and open areas with rocky soils. Not found in SPAs in this state.

Phenology:— Collected with flowers in October and December and with fruits in December.

Preliminary conservation assessment: —This is a common species with a wide distribution ( Rueda 1994), was recorded inside protected areas in South America, and is widely cultivated. Considered “Least Concern” (LC) ( IUCN 2019).

Selected material:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Aracruz, 14 December 2007, fl., V . F . Mansano et al. 469 ( NY, RB); Serra , 8 October 2010, fl., R . Santos et al. 26 ( VIES); Vila Velha, Morro da Mantegueira , 10 December 1992, fl. and fr., J . M .L. Gomes & P . C . Vinha 1795 ( VIES) .

Notes:— Petrea volubilis has several synonyms, presenting great variation in the size of the leaves and flowers, and the type of indument ( Rueda 1994). This species can be differentiated from the other Verbenaceae found in the Espírito Santo by the lianescent habit, leaves with apex mucronate; pedicellate flowers, and profoundly lobed calyx, purple or lilac, longer than the corolla. It is commonly cultivated in Brazil for ornamental purposes ( Lorenzi & Souza 2001).

Illustrations in Rueda (1994).