Myrcia sancarlosiana

Parra-O, Carlos, 2021, Thirteen new species, new records, and a new combination on Colombian Myrtaceae, Phytotaxa 497 (3), pp. 175-210 : 202

12. Myrcia sancarlosiana C. Parra-O., sp. nov.

Type:— COLOMBIA. Antioquia: San Carlos, “Corregimiento El Jordán, embalse de Punchiná-ISA, trocha hacia la quebrada el Macho”, 880-1020 m, 08 December 1988 (fr.), M. Velásquez, A. Uribe, A. Ayala, M. Arango & A. Sora 180 (holotype HUA!, isotype MO!). Figure 14 .

Diagnosis:—This species is most similar to Myrcia icnii Parra-O. (2015: 439), from which it is distinguished by having pale yellowish to whitish hairs (versus light golden hairs in M. icnii ), leaf base subcordate to cordate (vs. cuneate), lower surface of the leaf blade not bullate (vs. slightly bullate), apex of the leaf blade shortly acuminate (vs. apiculate), seeds ellipsoid (vs. slightly reniform), these ca. 18 × 12 mm (vs. 5.6–7 × 3.5–4.3 mm).

Description:—Tree, 10 m tall; hairs when present 0.1–0.6 mm, simple, pale yellowish to whitish; young branches compressed to subcompressed, light yellowish brown, slight to moderately pubescent; old branches not seen. Leaf blades elliptic to broadly elliptic, 31.5–36.5 × 17.5–20.5 cm, coriaceous, slightly bullate, discolorous, the upper surface glabrous, with impressed glandular dots not perceptible, the lower surface slightly pubescent, with slightly raised glandular dots; apex shortly acuminate, the acumen 10–12 mm; base subcordate to cordate; margin entire; midvein slightly sulcate to slightly raised (at least in distal half) and glabrous to slightly pubescent above, markedly convex and slight to moderately pubescent below; lateral veins 22–23 pairs, flat to slightly convex and glabrous above, convex and slight to moderately pubescent below, marginal veins 2, the innermost 1.5–8.5 mm from margin, the outermost 0.3–1.5 mm from margin; petioles 5.5–7.5 mm long, yellowish brown above and below, moderately pubescent, slightly canaliculate adaxially. Inflorescences axillary, paniculate, to 26 cm long, flowers per panicle unknown, axes subcompressed, moderately pubescent, yellowish brown when dry; peduncles 115 × 2.5–3 mm; bracts and bracteoles not seen; flower buds and open flowers not seen. Fruits ellipsoid, white or pink (in scheda), light brown to blackish when dry, 17–20 × 13–15 mm, almost glabrous to slightly pubescent, sessile, calyx lobes persistent in fruit 5, depressed ovate, 0.5–1 × 1.5–2.5 mm, coriaceous, scarcely to moderately pubescent outside, glabrous to slightly pubescent inside, apex obtuse, remnant staminal ring on fruit circular, 3.4–3.8 mm, densely pubescent; seed 1, ellipsoid, to 18 × 12 mm, seed coat smooth and somewhat lustrous; embryo myrcioid, with minute blackish glands.

Distribution, habitat and phenology:— Myrcia sancarlosiana grows in secondary forests located between the limits of the lowland and subandean tropical forests of the Eastern slopes of Central Cordillera, at the Antioquia Department, between 880–1020 m; it seems to be endemic to Colombia. This species has been collected with fruits in December.

Conservation:—As Myrcia sancarlosiana is currently known from only one location at the municipality of San Carlos (Antioquia Department), its conservation status is assessed for the moment as Data Deficient (DD), following IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2019).

Etymology:—The specific epithet of the new species refers to the municipality of San Carlos in the Antioquia Department, Colombia, where the type was collected.

Affinities:— Myrcia sancarlosiana is somewhat similar to Myrcia icnii ; both species can be separated using the characters mentioned in the diagnosis.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Myrcia sancarlosiana. (A) fruiting branch, (B) fruit, (C) upper view of fruit with remnants of the calyx lobes, (D) embryo. A–D from the holotype. Scale bar for B and D = 5 mm, scale bar for C = 2 mm.