Eugenia vallecaucana

Parra-O, Carlos, 2021, Thirteen new species, new records, and a new combination on Colombian Myrtaceae, Phytotaxa 497 (3), pp. 175-210 : 189

6. Eugenia vallecaucana C. Parra-O., sp. nov.

Type:— COLOMBIA. Valle del Cauca:Tuluá, “vereda San Antonio, corregimiento de Monte Loro, parcelación San Antonio”, 3°52’55.7’’N, 76°06’11.6’’W, 2132 m, 16-30 July 2013 (fr.), E. Méndez 6978 (holotype COL 570559 !, isotypes COL 570560 !, CUVC!). Figures 7d–f , 8 .

Diagnosis:—This species is most similar to Eugenia fernandez-alonsoi Parra-O. (2011: 407), from which it is distinguished by having infundibular hairs (versus simple hairs in E. fernandez-alonsoi ), petioles 0.8–1.2 mm (vs. 1.4–2.2 mm), lower surface of leaf blade slightly to moderately pubescent (vs. glabrous or glabrescent), midvein of leaf blade convex above (vs. sulcate), and fruits moderately pubescent with hairs appressed in all surface (versus fruits glabrous except for the moderately pubescent apex).

Description:—Tree, 4–10 m tall; hairs when present ca. 0.1 mm, infundibular and sometimes with irregular edges at the distal portion, drying golden yellow; young branches compressed, ochraceous, moderately pubescent; old branches terete, light ochraceous, almost glabrous to slightly pubescent. Leaf blades obovate, oblong or elliptic, 11–17 × 3–6 cm, coriaceous, discolorous, the upper surface usually glabrous, sometimes slightly pubescent, with immersed glandular dots, the lower surface ochraceous, slight to moderately pubescent, with immersed glandular dots not perceptible; apex acute or shortly acuminate, the acumen 2.5–5 mm; base acute; margin entire; midvein convex and glabrous to slightly pubescent above, markedly convex and slight to moderately pubescent below; lateral veins 15–20 pairs, convex and usually glabrous or sometimes slightly pubescent above, convex and moderately pubescent below, marginal veins 2, the innermost 2–5 mm from the margin, the outermost 1–2 mm from the margin; petioles 0.8–1.2 cm long, ochraceous or blackish above and below, smooth or slightly rugose, scarcely to moderately pubescent, not or slightly canaliculate adaxially. Inflorescences axillary, well developed racemes, 1.5–4 cm long, with 3–7 flowers, the axes compressed or subcompressed, slightly to moderately pubescent, brownish orange to brownish when dry; peduncles 1.5–5 × 2.5–4 mm; bracts and bracteoles not seen; flower buds and open flowers not seen. Fruits globose, ovoid or ellipsoid, orangish brown to light brown when dry, 2.8–4.6 × 1.8–3.7 cm, moderately pubescent with hairs appressed, verrucose, pedicellate, the pedicel subcompressed or terete, 4.5–10 × 2.5–3.5 mm, slight to moderately pubescent, calyx lobes in fruit 4, ovate to broadly ovate, 5.5–7.5 × 5–6.5 mm, coriaceous, moderate to densely pubescent outside and inside (but infundibular hairs mixed with simple and appressed hairs 0.1–0.3 mm, golden brownish), apex obtuse; seed 1, ellipsoid, 2 × 1 cm, seed coat smooth and somewhat lustrous; embryo eugenioid with fused cotyledons and no visible hypocotyl, with minute glands.

Distribution, habitat and phenology:— Eugenia vallecaucana seems to be endemic to Colombia; it is known from Andean forest of Valle del Cauca Department between 2132–2140 m elev. This species has been collected with fruits in July and November.

Conservation:—Because this species has been found in only one locality of one Department in Colombia and little is known about its natural distribution, its conservation status is assessed as Data Deficient, or DD, following IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2019).

Etymology:—The specific epithet of the new species refers to the Department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, where the type was collected.

Common name:—“caimo” (Méndez 6978).

Affinities:— Eugenia vallecaucana is apparently related to E. fernandez-alonsoi ; both species can be differentiated by the characters mentioned in the diagnosis.

Paratypes:— COLOMBIA. Valle del Cauca: Tuluá, “vereda San Antonio, finca El Edén”, 2140 m, 23 November 2011 (fr.), E . Méndez 6507 (CUVC!, ICESI!).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Eugenia melocactoides. (A) leaves (C. Parra-O. 883), (B) immature fruit—lateral view (C. Parra-O. 883), (C) immature fruit—upper view with remnants of the calyx (C. Parra-O. 833). Eugenia vallecaucana. (D) leaves (Méndez 6978), (E) fruiting branch (Méndez 6978), (F) fruit variation (Méndez 6978). Photos: C. Parra-O. (A, B, and C); E. Méndez (D, E, and F). Scale bar for A, D and E = 3 cm; scale bar from B, C, and F = 1 cm.

FIGURE 8. Eugenia vallecaucana. (A) fruiting branch, (B) leaves, (C)–(D) fruits, (E) upper view of fruit with remnants of the calyx lobes, (F) seed.A, C from the holotype, B, D, F from the isotype, E from Méndez 6507. Scale bar for B = 3 cm, scale bar for C and D = 1 cm, scale bar for E = 2 mm, scale bar for F = 5 mm.