Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria Chamisso & Schlechtendal (1826: 535)

Dalastra, Claudenice Hilda & Heiden, Gustavo, 2022, Ericaceae in Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil, Phytotaxa 564 (2), pp. 149-190 : 180-181

3.3 Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria Chamisso & Schlechtendal (1826: 535) .

≡ Gaultheria hispida Sprengel (1825: 28), nom. ileg. ≡ Lussacia hispida Sprengel (1827: 160) ≡ Adnaria hispida Kuntze (1891: 382) . Type:— BRAZIL . Minas Gerais: Barbacena , “In Brasilia Tropica”, 1825, F . Sellow s.n. (syntypes BM [ BM000993615 ], image; BR [BR0000006996574], image!; E [E00292760], image!; F [V0055403F], image; G-DC [G00204390], image; HAL [HAL0098449, HAL0098450], image!; HBG [HBG515433] image!; K [K534702] image!; K [K534703], image!; K [K534704], image!; L [L0007283], image!; L [L0007214], image!; NY [NY0074], image!; NY [NY10075], image!; MPU [MPU012321], image!; P [P00647809], image!; W [W0050990], image!). [ Figs. 21–22 , 23 C ]

= Vaccinium scabrum Pohl (1828: 37) . Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Barbacena, Registro Velho , September 1818, J.B.E. Pohl 194 (syntypes BR [ BR0000005068425 ], image!; F [ F0055560 V], image!; NY [ NY00162379 ], image!; W [ W0050989 ], image!).

Subshrubs, 0.2–0.8 m tall, base erect, crown profusely branched; stem smooth; branches tomentose, trichomes glandularheaded and scattered. Leaves slightly discolorous; surface pubescent; petioles rigid, 1.36–2.61 mm; blade oblong, to elliptic, sometimes oblanceolate, 1.73–2.99 cm × 0.6–1.08 cm; base rounded to obtuse, frequently subcordate; apex rounded to obtuse, mucronulate, with apical callous gland; margin entire to slightly revolute; sometimes seeming serrulate due to glandular-headed trichomes; adaxial surface lucid, puberulous to glabrescent mainly at midvein and at blade margins, with scattered glandular-headed trichomes; abaxial surface tomentose, glandular-headed trichomes mainly at midvein and blade margins, scattered punctate glands tawny to fawn-colored. Racemes axillary, apical, 5-16-flowered, pubescent to tomentose, with densely glandular-headed trichomes, 1.04–6.07 cm; pedicel 1.06–6.25 mm; floral bracts leafy, ovate to rhombic or elliptic, citrine and or redish in color, pubescent with glandular-headed trichomes and capitate glandular along the edge, 5.92–8.4 mm; bracteoles narrowly triangular to linear, 2.43–3.52 mm. Flowers with connate portion of calyx densely hispidulous glandular and with glandular-headed trichomes, lobes 1.87– 2.7 mm; corolla campanulate, white, 4.67–9.1 mm; staminal filaments tomentose, 0.87–2.48 mm; anthers 2.27–4.77 mm. Fruit a nuculanium, oblate, greenish/brownish when mature, 4.09–4.25 mm diam. × 2.27–2.57 mm high; seeds 1.7–1.84 mm. [ Figs. 21–22 ]

Etymology:—False Gaultheria L., due to the superficial resemblance with this genus.

Flowering and fruiting:—Flowering from September to February, and Fruiting from December to March.

Geographical distribution & habitat:— Brazil (BA, MG, SP, RJ, PR, SC, RS) ( Romão et al. 2022). In Rio Grande do Sul the species occurs in subtropical highland grasslands ( Fig. 23 C ) in rocky hillsides and cliffs, basaltic outcrops, wet sandy soils, peat bogs, grasslands along cloud forests, and riverine forests, rarely in dry grasslands ( Fig. 21 A ).

Conservation status:—EN in Rio Grande do Sul [B1, B2ab(iii)].– Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria was analyzed under criterium B of IUCN (2019) and the geographic range in the form of B1 (EOO) and B2 (AOO). The extent of occurrence of this species is 1,888.156 km ² and its area of occupancy is 20.000 km ², both placing it under category “Endangered” (EN). The occurrence in the state is limited to a few records and seems severely fragmented (subcriterium a). Moreover, the area, extent, and quality of habitat (subcriterium biii) are in continuous decline due its habitat specificity and the increasing anthropization of the native grasslands, mostly converted into monocultures and pasture for livestock. This species is not included in the Official List of Endangered Species of Brazilian Flora ( Martinelli & Moraes 2013), neither in the CNC Flora Red List (CNCFlora 2020) to Brazil. We recommend the inclusion of G. pseudogaultheria in the state´s red list, in the threat category “Endangered” (EN).

Examined specimens:— BRAZIL. Rio Grande do Sul: s.l. 19 January 1975, K . Hagelund 8731 ( HAS). Cambará do Sul, 17 December 2018, C. H . Dalastra 6 ( ICN); 11 December 1992, D. B . Falkenberg 5994 ( ICN, MBM); 27 December 1980, J . Goergem ( ICN 049991 ); January 1978, S . Boechat ( ICN 41928); -29.142495, -50.087782, 5 December 2015, F . Gonzatti 2249 ( HUCS); 18 December 2018, C. H . Dalastra 16 ( ICN); -29.165212, -50.09699, 18 December 2018, C. H . Dalastra 14 ( ICN); Parque Nacional dos Aparados da Serra , 13 December 1980, D. B . Falkenberg 47 ( FLOR); -29.075083, -49.974861, 4 November 2006, G. O . Romão 1898 ( MBM, ICN). São Francisco de Paula , -29.458333, -50.613333, 4 March 2012, P. J. S . Silva Filho 1552 ( ICN); 16 March 2007, M. L . Lorscheitter & L. R. M . Baptista ( ICN 172829 ). São José dos Ausentes, -28.8, -49.9525, 3 November 2006, G. O . Romão et al. 1861 ( ICN, HAS); BR 285 , -28.799722, -49.953056, 17 November 2016, G . Heiden et al. 2334 ( ECT). Sapucaia do Sul [São Leopoldo], 5 September 1945, B . Rambo ( PACA 29498 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 21. Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria (Ericaceae). A. habitat and habit in grasslands in Trilha do Cotovelo, Itaimbezinho Canyon, Cambará do Sul, RS. B. leaves. C. callous gland at leaf apex. D. raceme. E. flower. F. immature fruit. Photos C.H. Dalastra.

FIGURE 22. Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria (Ericaceae). A. flowering branch. B. callous gland at leaf apex and indumentum (scale 0.5 mm). C. leaf abaxial surface (scale 2 mm); D. rachis indumentum (scale 1 mm). E. floral bract (scale 1 mm). F. bracteole (scale 0.5 mm). G. flower, notice calyx hispidulously glandular and similar to Gaultheria itatiaiae like (scale 2 mm). H. stamen (scale 1 mm). I. fruit (scale 1 mm). J. seed (scale 0.5 mm). (Gonzatti 2249 [HUCS]).

FIGURE 23. Distribution maps of (A) Gaylussacia angustifolia, (B) G. brasiliensis and (C) G. pseudogaultheria (Ericaceae) in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), Brazil. The overview map in upper left corner indicates the position of RS in Southeast South America. Continuous lines represent the boundaries between countries or Brazilian states. Gray scale represents the elevation ranges for RS, whereas lighter tones characterize lower elevations and darker higher elevations. ARG= Argentina; PRY= Paraguay; URY= Uruguay; SC= Santa Catarina state (Brazil).