taxonID	type	description	language	source
EC2887BDF94CFFEBEBACC1017ECBA439.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis: — This new species differs from W. altocaririensis by its leaf blades broader (3.3 – 4 cm vs. 2 – 3.2 cm wide), sublinear-ligulate (vs. linear), floral bracts narrowly subtriangular-lanceolate to triangular (vs. ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate), flowers longer (24.5 – 25.5 mm vs. 15 – 16 mm long), sepals suboblong (vs. ovate), orange (vs. yellowishgreen), and ovary longer (10 – 11 mm vs. ca. 5 mm) and orange (vs. pale green).	en	Leme, Elton M. C., Amorim, André M., Silva, Bruno R., Ferreira, Glaucia C., Fernandez, Eduardo P. (2025): A new Wittmackia species (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) from a hotpoint within a hotspot in Brazil. Phytotaxa 730 (2): 189-198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6
EC2887BDF94CFFEBEBACC1017ECBA439.taxon	materials_examined	Type: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Guaratinga, Parque Nacional do Alto Cariri, região de Pinheirão, Fazenda Vitória, epiphyte in disturbed Atlantic Forest with abandoned “ cabruca ”, 380 m elevation, 16 º 23 ’ 48.57 ” S, 39 º 58 ’ 35.47 ” W, August 2023, E. P Fernandez et al. 1960, cult. JBRJ 3631, E. Leme 10470, flowered in cult. July 2024 (holotype RB!). Plant epiphytic, stoloniferous; stolons 5 – 8 × 0.5 – 0.8 cm, rigid, spreading to ascending. Leaves 13 – 15 in number, rosulate, suberect, thinly coriaceous, forming a narrowly funnelform rosette, the basal ones slightly reduced in size; sheath narrowly oblong-elliptic, 12 – 13 × 5.5 – 6.5 cm, purplish-vinaceous adaxially, abaxially greenish, densely and minutely white lepidote on both sides, bearing a U-shaped central channel toward the distal end; blade sublinear-ligulate, 30 – 38 × 3.3 – 4 cm, inconspicuously if at all narrowed toward the base, sometimes bearing a U-shaped central channel near the proximal end, abaxially green or reddish toward the apex, sparsely and inconspicuously white lepidote on both sides, margins entire, apex acute and bearing a rigid mucro ca. 4 mm long. Peduncle suberect, ca. 37 cm long, ca. 0.4 cm in diameter, green, densely to subdensely white sublanate; peduncle bracts erect, narrowly lanceolate, 5 – 5.5 × 0.7 – 1.2 cm, nerved, reddish, subdensely white lepidote, exceeding the internodes, partly exposing the peduncle, thin in texture, margins entire, apex long acuminate. Inflorescence simple, cylindrical, suberect, slightly exceeding the leaves, ca. 10 × 2.8 cm (excluding the petals); rachis straight, 0.3 – 0.4 cm in diameter, slightly subangular, orange, densely and inconspicuously white lepidote with fimbriate trichomes; floral bracts spreading with the flowers, narrowly subtriangular-lanceolate to triangular, 6 – 30 × 3 – 5 mm, the proximal ones exceeding the flowers, the distal ones slightly exceeding to shorter than the ovary, thin in texture (rather stramineous), distinctly nerved, ecarinate, greenish to orange near the base and stramineous toward the apex, white lepidote of fimbriate trichomes, margins entire, apex acuminate-caudate. Flowers ca. 50 in number, sparsely (basal ones) to densely (upper ones) and polystichously arranged, sessile, 24.5 – 25.5 mm long, spreading at anthesis, odorless; sepals distinctly asymmetrical, suboblong, 6 – 7 (apical mucro excluded) × 3 mm, the one sided marginal membranaceous rounded wing about equaling the midnerve, orange, glabrous, ecarinate, inconspicuous rugulose, connate at the base for 1.5 – 2 mm, apex mucronate with a spreading mucro of 1.5 – 1.8 mm; petals oblanceolate, apex acute, ca. 14.5 × 3 – 3.5 mm, whitish near the base, lilac toward the apex, free, suberect near the apex, without any appendage, bearing 2 conspicuous linear callosities about equaling 1 / 3 of the anther length; filaments terete, 9 – 11 mm long, white, the antesepalous ones free, folded near the middle, the antepetalous ones adnate to the petals for ca. 5.5 mm; anthers dorsifixed near the middle, 3.5 – 4 mm long, white, base distinctly bilobed, apex apiculate; stigma conduplicate-spiral, subcylindrical, pale lilac, the blades ca. 1.5 mm long, margins minutely crenulate, papillose; ovary subclavate, 10 – 11 mm long, 3.5 – 4 mm in diameter at distal end, orange, sparsely and inconspicuously white lepidote to glabrous; epigynous tube crateriform, ca. 1.5 mm long; placentation apical; ovules obtuse. Fruits and seeds unknown.	en	Leme, Elton M. C., Amorim, André M., Silva, Bruno R., Ferreira, Glaucia C., Fernandez, Eduardo P. (2025): A new Wittmackia species (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) from a hotpoint within a hotspot in Brazil. Phytotaxa 730 (2): 189-198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6
EC2887BDF94CFFEBEBACC1017ECBA439.taxon	distribution	Distribution and habitat: — Wittmackia aurantiolilacina is known from its type region only. The specimen that originated de holotype was documented in Alto Cariri National Park (ACNP), a public park situated in the municipality of Guaratinga, in the south part of Bahia state, and the paratype specimen was found in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Fazenda Duas Barras (RPPN Faz. Duas Barras), which is a private reserve covered by the Mata dos Muriquis Wildlife Refuge (MMWR) adjacent to Alto Cariri State Park (ACSP), in the municipality of Santa Maria do Salto, northeast of Minas Gerais state (Fig. 1). It is a typical inhabitant of the understory of Atlantic Ombrophilous Dense Forest in mid-altitude areas of 380 m to 950 m elevation, where if forms dense, sparsely distributed clumps. The specimen that originated the holotype (Guaratinga, Bahia) was collected sterile, in a disturbed Atlantic Forest fragment mixed with abandoned cocoa plantation popularly known as “ cabruca ”. The additional specimens, here designated as paratype (Santa Maria do Salto, Minas Gerais), was registered in post-floral stage, as an epiphyte, about 2 m above the ground, in a well-preserved fragment of Atlantic Forest. Conservation status: — Wittmackia aurantiolilacina is putatively an endemic species to southern Bahia and neighboring northeast Minas Gerais, Brazil, growing inside two conservation units (ACNP and RPPN Faz. Duas Barras / MMWR). These parks, despite their status of protected areas, are experiencing ongoing habitat degradation and fragmentation. Key threats include habitat loss (due to the establishment of cabruca systems, now abandoned) and declining habitat quality due to deforestation for pasture establishment and the increasing frequency and intensity of fire events. Our overlap analyses (Jordão et al. 2022) revealed that at least 30 % of the ACNP area is currently converted to anthropogenic uses, such as pastures (22 % of the entire park area), cocoa plantations, coffee, and an alternative mosaic of anthropic uses (8,64 %) (Fig. 1). These disturbances are of particular concern as the area did not historically evolve with fire as a natural component of its ecological processes. The species is only known from two sites, therefore, the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) should be equal to the Area of Occupancy (AOO). Given the limited distribution of W. aurantiolilacina, its Area of Occupancy (AOO) and Extent of Occurrence (EOO) are both extremely restricted (8 km ²). The species has lost over 30 % of its AOO due to land cover conversion, most of it converted into pasturelands (nearly 21 % of its AOO). In spite of being known from two localities, we estimated one single location, as both sites are affected similarly by fire and habitat conversion. The continuous decline in AOO, EOO, and the overall quality and extent of habitat further justify assessing W. aurantiolilacina as Critically Endangered under IUCN criteria B 1 ab (i, ii, iii) + B 2 ab (i, ii, iii). Although detailed data on population size and trends are currently unavailable, the rapid loss of forest cover in the region, together with increasing fire events, poses a significant threat to this epiphytic species. It is reasonable to infer population reductions, as the reduction in forest habitat likely results in fewer suitable microhabitats for its growth and survival.	en	Leme, Elton M. C., Amorim, André M., Silva, Bruno R., Ferreira, Glaucia C., Fernandez, Eduardo P. (2025): A new Wittmackia species (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) from a hotpoint within a hotspot in Brazil. Phytotaxa 730 (2): 189-198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6
EC2887BDF94CFFEBEBACC1017ECBA439.taxon	etymology	Etymology: — The name of this new species is a direct reference to the unusual color combination of its inflorescence: the orange color of its rachis, ovary, and sepals, based on the Latin word aurantius, meaning orange color, plus lilacinus, meaning lilac, the color of its petals. Additional specimen examined (paratype): — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Santa Maria do Salto, Talismã, Fazenda Duas Barras, Reserva Alto Cariri, trilha do sul que sai em Santa Maria do Salto, 950 m elevation, 16 º 24 ’ 13 ” S, 40 º 03 ’ 16 ” W, 22 April 2006, A. M. Amorim et al. 5849 (CEPEC!). Observations: — The unusual combination of morphological features, mainly the orange rachis and sepals combined with the lilac naked petals of W. aurantiolilacina (Fig. 2) makes it distinct from all known species of the “ Brazilian clade ”. However, this new species presents some morphological similarities when compared to W. altocaririensis due to their simple and cylindric inflorescence with similar diameter, the proximal floral bracts usually exceeding the flowers, and the petals lilac toward the apex and without any appendages but bearing well developed lateral callosities. Nevertheless, beside the distinctive characteristics presented in the diagnosis, this new species differs from it by the leaf blades with entire margins (vs. entire to remotely spinulose near the apex), and apex green or reddish (vs. blackish), inflorescence shorter (ca. 10 cm vs. 12 – 16 cm long), with orange rachis (vs. green), sepals longer and narrower (7.5 – 8.8 × 3 mm vs. 6 – 7 × 4.5 mm), with the lateral wing equaling the midnerve (vs. exceeding the midnerve) and a shorter apical mucro (1.5 – 1.8 mm vs. 2 – 3 mm long). In addition, W. aurantiolilacina and W. altocaririensis are typically Atlantic Forest dwellers living in the same phytogeographic region. Wittmackia altocaririensis (Fig. 3 A – B) was originally found in the municipality of Santa Maria do Salto, in Minas Gerais state on the border with the State of Bahia, in a well-preserved Atlantic Forest area, on the crest of a mountain range covered by short montane forest, inside the Alto Cariri State Park, about 910 m elevation. It is important to mention that the known subpopulations of W. aurantiolilacina are situated only about 7 km apart from it, in straight line, inside the neighboring Alto Cariri National Park in the Bahian municipality of Guaratinga, as well in the same neighbourhood, inside the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural da Fazenda Duas Barras (paratype specimen), on the border with Alto Cariri State Park, also in the county of Santa Maria do Salto, about 950 m elevation, in an area situated about 3 km apart, in straight line, from the known population of W. altocaririensis. Other species of Wittmackia with yellowish-orange or orange inflorescence, except for the petals, are W. bicolor (L. B. Smith, 1955: 12) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 18), W. canaliculata (Leme & H. Luther, 1998: 184) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 19), W. laevigata (Leme, 2005: 13) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 21), W. pendulispica (Leme & L. Kollmann, 2013: 4) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 23), and W. viridostigma (Leme & H. Luther, 2003: 7) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 25). All of them have white petals in contrast with the lilac petals of W. aurantiolilacina and are not morphologically so closely related to it (Fig. 3). In general terms, W. aurantiolilacina can be easily differentiated from: (1) W. bicolor (Fig. 3 C – E) by its longer inflorescence (ca. 10 cm vs. 5 – 8 cm long), longer sepals (7.5 – 8.8 mm vs. ca. 5 mm long), longer petals (ca. 14.5 mm vs. ca. 9 mm long), without appendages (vs. with lacerate appendages), and stigma pale lilac (vs. white); (2) W. canaliculata (Fig. 3 F – G) by its cylindric inflorescence (vs. subcylindric-capitate), which is longer and narrower (ca. 10 × 2.8 cm vs. ca. 5 × 3.5 cm), flowers shorter (24.5 – 25.5 mm vs. ca. 28 mm long), sepals shorter and narrower (7.5 – 8.8 × 3 mm vs. 12 × 5 – 7 mm), petals shorter (ca. 14.5 mm vs. ca. 19 mm long) with acute apex (vs. acuminate), and stigma pale lilac (vs. white); (3) W. laevigata (Fig. 3 H – I) by its simple inflorescence (vs. shortly paniculate, once-branched), longer flowers (24.5 – 25.5 mm vs. 17 – 19 mm long), sepals longer (7.5 – 8.8 mm vs. 5 – 6 mm long), petals without appendages (vs. bearing acicular-digitate appendages), stigma pale lilac (vs. white), and ovary shorter (10 – 11 mm vs. 5 – 6 mm long); (4) W. pendulispica (Fig. 3 J – L) by its suberect inflorescence (vs. pendulous), longer flowers (24.5 – 25.5 mm vs. 14 – 15 mm long), sepals longer and narrower (7.5 – 8.8 × 3 mm vs. 5 × 4.5 – 5 mm), petals longer (ca. 14.5 mm vs. 9.5 – 10 mm long), without appendages (vs. bearing lacerate-digitate appendages), and stigma pale lilac (vs. white); and W. viridostigma (Fig. 3 M – N) by its simples inflorescence (vs. shortly paniculate, once-branched), longer flowers (24.5 – 25.5 mm vs. 17 – 18 mm long), petals longer (ca. 14.5 mm vs. ca. 11 mm long), without appendages (vs. bearing digitate-denticulate appendages), and stigma pale lilac (vs. green). The discovery of this unique new species of undeniable ornamental value, highlighted by the unusual color combination of its inflorescence, underscore the crucial role of living collections in revealing the hidden diversity of the flora of the Atlantic Forest. Only through the cultivation and subsequent flowering of specimens within the scientific bromeliad collections of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden and “ Refúgio dos Gravatás ” was it possible to recognize its distinct morphological features and confirm its novelty to science. Originating from a highly restricted area within one of the world’s most threatened biodiversity hotspots, W. aurantiolilacina epitomizes the alarming pattern highlighted by Brown et al. (2023) that newly described plants often have extremely narrow distributions, small and fragmented populations, and inhabit environments subject to intense anthropogenic pressure. Its immediate recognition as a threatened species reinforces the urgency of integrating taxonomic discovery with conservation action. In this context, newly described and Data Deficient taxa must not be overlooked, but rather treated as conservation priorities, to ensure that the species revealed today do not become a tomorrow record of extinction.	en	Leme, Elton M. C., Amorim, André M., Silva, Bruno R., Ferreira, Glaucia C., Fernandez, Eduardo P. (2025): A new Wittmackia species (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) from a hotpoint within a hotspot in Brazil. Phytotaxa 730 (2): 189-198, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.730.2.6
