Passiflora junqueirae Imig & Cervi, 2014

Imig, Daniela Cristina & Cervi, Armando Carlos, 2014, A new species of Passiflora L. (Passifloraceae), from Espírito Santo, Brazil, Phytotaxa 186 (5), pp. 292-296 : 292-296

Passiflora junqueirae Imig & Cervi , sp. nov. (Fig. 1 A–G)

Diagnosis: –– Passiflora amethystina et P. loefgrenii similis sed lobulis foliorum oblongo-lanceolatis et absentis glandulis in sinubus, alternatis bracteis, corona 7 seriebus filamentorum disposita, petalis et sepalis albis cum maculis lilacinis differt.

Type: –– BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: National Park of Caparaó , 20°28’22,14”S, 41°49’ 30,23”W. s.d. Cultured stakes at EMBRAPA CERRADOS, Planaltina –DF, 03 February 2014, D. C . Imig ; N . T . V. Junqueira & F . C . Pinheiro 296 (Holotype MBM!, Isotypes UPCB!, RB!; VIES! MBML!) .

Vine, herbaceous, sparsely hairy, especially on the petioles, young stems, peduncles, flower buds and outer surface of calyx tube, with usually inconspicuous trichomes, 0.4–1.0 mm long. Stem cylindrical, striate, light green. Stipules persistent, reniform, 1.3–2.2 x 0.4–0.6 cm, inserted laterally on the stem, membranous, apex acute to acuminate, base asymmetric, margin entire, glabrous, glaucous on abaxial surface. Leaves with cylindrical petioles 3.0– 5.5 cm, grooved on adaxial surface, 3.0– 5.5 cm with 3–6 stipitate glands, usually 3–4 glands dispersed from the middle portion of petioles, and 2 glands near the blade. Blades 3-lobed, oblong-lanceolate lobes, median lobe 5.0–9.0 x 1.0– 1.5 cm, lateral lobes 5.0–7.5 x 0.7–1.4 cm, divaricate to slightly ascending, margin entire and without glands in the sinus, apex obtuse to acute, acuminate, base truncate and sub-peltate, petiole inserted 1.4–2.3 mm from the base into the blade, membranous, glabrous, glaucous on abaxial surface, three main veins from the base, secondary veins reticulate. Tendrils well developed, thin, glabrous or sparsely hairy at the base. Peduncles solitary, 4.5–9.5 cm, pedicel 0.5–0.8 cm. Bracts alternate, linear, 0.3–0.5 cm, inserted from the median portion, alternating 0.8–1.0 cm from each other, apex acute, base truncate, margin entire, membranous, early deciduous, leaving discrete brown scar. Flowers 7.0– 10.5 cm diam.; calyx tube campanulate, 0.4–0.5 x 0.8–1.0 cm, outer surface sparsely hairy, glaucous; sepals oblong-lanceolate 2.0–2.3 x 0.4–0.5 cm, fleshy, concave, apex obtuse, abaxial surface light green, sparsely hairy, apex acute, dorsal awns 2.0– 3.4 cm, adaxial surface white with slight lilac nuances; petals oblong-lanceolate, 2.0–2.7 x 0.7–0.9 cm, membranous, apex obtuse, white on both faces, with slight lilac nuances on adaxial surface. Corona of filaments in seven unequal series, filaments of outer series cylindrical, 1.0– 1.4 cm long., radiating, dark purple at the base, one white band in the middle portion, followed by light lilac to white at the apex; filaments of second series flattened at the base, the upper third filamentous until the apex (awl-shaped), radiating, 1.0– 1.4 cm long., dark purple at the base, with one white band in the middle portion, followed by light lilac to white at the apex; the remaining five series of filaments threadlike, (0.3) 0.5–0.7 cm long., capitate or bilobed at the apex, dark purple, erect; operculum membranous at the base, 1.0– 1.5 mm, followed by a filamentous portion with 4.0– 4.5 mm, apex of the membranous portion slightly plicate, with dentiform projections on the base of the filamentous portion, facing the inner side of the calyx tube, erect filamentous portion, bordering the androgynophore, with filaments capitate or bilobed at the apex, dark purple; nectariferous ring membranous, 0.1–1.5 mm long., revolute at the apex; limen membranous, ca. 0.5 cm, adhering to the androgynophore, free portion ca. 0.1 cm, projecting horizontally and wavy at the apex. Androgynophore 1.3–1.5 cm long., light green spotted with purple; staminal filaments 0.6–0.8 cm long., light green spotted with purple; styles ca. 0.6 cm long., light green spotted with purple. Ovary oblong, tomentose, usually covered by yellowish trichomes. Fruits berries, elliptical, yellowish green when ripe, sparsely hairy. Seeds obovate, 0.5 x 0.3 cm, rigid, toothed at the apex, dark brown, deeply reticulated. Aril transparent, with slightly acidic flavor.

Etymology: —The epithet honors Dr. Nilton Tadeu Vilela Junqueira, researcher in Embrapa Cerrados-Planaltina, DF.

Distribution and habitat: — Passiflora junqueirae is known only from Espírito Santo state, in Brazil, in the National Park of Caparaó, in elevations from 1,400 to 2,100 m. In nature, the flowers reach anthesis in the morning.

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo. National Park of Caparaó , 20°28’22”S, 41°49’30”W. 2100m elev., 19 December 2011, D. C . Imig & A . C . Cervi 45 ( HACC!- Centro Universitário Campos de Andrade , not indexed); ib., 10 August 1999, F . C . Campos Neto s.n. ( CEN!); ib., 17 September 2013, F . C . Campos Neto s.n. ( CEN!, UPCB!, HRJ!, UB!, NY!, MO!, BHMH!, FLOR!, ACCH!); Cultured stakes at EMBRAPA CERRADOS, Planaltina –DF, 31 January 2014, F . C . Pinheiro & N . T .V. Junqueira 844 ( VIES!; HCF!); ib., 24 December 2013, N . T .V. Junqueira s.n. ( CURD!; UPCB!) .

Discussion: — Passiflora junqueirae Imig & Cervi is morphologically similar to P. amethystina J.C. Mikan (1825: 37) and P. loefgrenii Vitta (1997: 210) , but several characteristics distinguish these species. P. junqueirae is a plant sparsely hairy, leaves are 3–lobed and the lobes are oblong-lanceolate, the base of the blade is sub-peltate and without glands in sinus. The bracts are linear and alternate. It has seven series of filaments in the corona, the second series of filaments are flattened from the base to the middle portion, and filamentous until the apex (awl-shaped). The sepals have dorsal awns 2.0– 3.5 cm long, petals and the adaxial side of the sepals are white, with discrete portions of pale lilac, ovary tomentose ( Fig. 2 , A–E). P. amethystina differs from P. junqueirae , being totally glabrous, except for the ovary, the 3-lobed leaves have lobes which are oval or elliptical, the base of the blade is cordate or subcordate and has glands in the sinus. The bracts are ovate or ovate-lanceolate and verticillate. Corona of filaments is in 4–5 rarely 6 series, with threadlike filaments, radially, not showing flattened expansion, the sepals have dorsal awns, but do not exceed 1.0– 1.5 cm, the petals and adaxial side of the sepals are purple. P. loefgrenii is vegetatively similar to P. amethystina , but differs from P. junqueirae , because the bracts are ovate-lanceolate, verticillate.

FIGURE 1. Passiflora junqueirae . A. Detail of flower in abaxial surface; B. Habit and detail of flowering branch. C. Detail of a bract. D. Flower detail in longitudinal section. E. Detail of second series of filaments. F. Fruit. G. Seed. (A–G based on D.C. Imig et al. 296).

Key to P. junqueirae and related species:

1. Blades with oblong-lanceolate lobes, glands absent in sinus, bracts linear and alternate, sepals and petals with the adaxial surface white with discrete portions of light lilac ....................................................................................................................... P. junqueirae

- Blades with elliptic to oval lobes, glands present in sinus, bracts ovate and verticillate, petals and sepals with the adaxial surface purple or lilac......................................................................................................................................................................................2

2. Ovary glabrous.. ............................................................................................................................................................... P. loefgrenii

- Ovary tomentose........................................................................................................................................................... P. amethystina

Figures

FIGURE 2. Passiflora junqueirae. A. Habit and detail of branch, flower bud and flower. B. Detail of flower. C. Flower frontal view. D. Details of leaf and lobes of blade. E. Fruit. Images: A, B, C, by Fernando da Costa Pinheiro; D, E by Nilton Tadeu Vilela Junqueira.