Cuphea cunninghamiifolia Cavalcanti (1991: 261)

Facco, Marlon Garlet & Cavalcanti, Taciana Barbosa, 2023, Taxonomic Revision of Cuphea sect. Trispermum s. l. (Lythraceae), Phytotaxa 588 (1), pp. 1921-1935 : 1921-1935

8. Cuphea cunninghamiifolia Cavalcanti (1991: 261) .

Type:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros , próximo à Cachoeira do Rio Preto [approx. -14.160, -47.842], perto do povoado S ã o Jorge, 6 February 1987, Pirani, Harley, Stannard, Furlan & Kameyama 1667 (holotype SPF [00048539]!, isotypes K image!, KE, MBM!, NY image!, UB!). Figs. 9G–M , 21 .

Subshrubs 30–100 cm tall; stems erect, indumentum strigose, with one-armed trichomes, and pubescent, eglandular trichomes erect to appressed, <0.5 mm long, mixed with glandular trichomes ca. 1 mm long; internodes 0.5–1 cm long; brachyblasts absent. Leaves opposite, coriaceous, petioles ca. 1 mm long, blades 15–45 × 1.5–4 mm, linear, apex acute, base acute, margin plane to subrevolute, indumentum strigose on both surfaces, with one-armed trichomes, sometimes sparse glandular trichomes on main vein on abaxial surface; hyphodromous, secondary veins rarely visible. Racemes 1.5–4 cm long, bracteose to frondose-bracteose, compound, contracted at apex of branches; bracts 3–20 × 0.8–2 mm, subequal pairs, linear, rarely narrow-ovate, similar to leaves in indumentum. Flowers alternate; pedicels 4–6 mm long; bracteoles 0.7–1 mm long, ovate; floral tubes 7–9 mm long; spur obtuse to saccate, slightly horizontal to deflexed; outer surface purple on dorsal region, green ventrally, indumentum strigose, mixed with short glandular trichomes, <0.5 mm long; inner surface villous behind the stamens, pilose in the lower third of the floral tube; petals 6, white, unequal, the dorsal ones smaller and narrower than the ventral ones, two dorsal 2.2–3.7 × 0.8–1.3 mm, narrowobovate, four ventral 4–5 × 1.8–2.5 mm, narrow-obovate to obovate; stamens free in the upper third of the floral tube, five antesepalous exserted, four antepetalous subexserted; pistil 5–7,3 mm long; ovary glabrous, rarely slightly pilose; style pilose in the basal portion or glabrous; ovules 3–4; nectary ca. 0.8 × 1.2 mm, deflexed. Seeds 2–4, 1.7–2.1 × 1.6–2 mm, broad-obovate, apex slightly retuse, base acute, margin obtuse.

Phenology: —Collected with flowers and fruits from October to February.

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil, in northeastern Goiás state ( Fig. 21 ); sandy riverbanks, gallery forest edges, and “campos rupestres” on sandy soil; 800–1100 m.

Conservation status: — Cuphea cunninghamiifolia was categorized as Endangered (EN) B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii), with EOO of 657 km ² and AOO of 20 km ². It is the same category as in the assessment published by the Red List of Brazilian flora (CNCFlora 2023). Although its distribution is practically comprised by the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, it should be considered that populations of C. cunninghamiifolia are rare, threatened by anthropogenic fires and disordered tourism (CNCFlora 2023). Furthermore, the pressure of agricultural activities around the park is worrying, considering the current weakening of Brazilian environmental policies ( MapBiomas 2021).

Specimens examined: —BRAZIL. Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, ca. de 10 km na estrada depois da cidade em direç ã o a Campo Belo, próximo a Cachoeira Comendadora, 28 January 1991, Giulietti 1082 (CEN!); Alto Paraíso de Goiás, PARNA Chapada dos Veadeiros, descendo a trilha da corrente, Cachoeira de 80 m (Rio Preto), 22 October 1996, Marquete et al. 2747 (CEN!);Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Fazenda S ã o Bento, Trilha da Cachoeira Almécegas II, 24 October 2011, Rando et al. 1100 (HUEFS!); Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cachoeira de Sete Quedas, 14º05’46”S, 47º48’00”W, 14 October 2016, Ribeiro & Diniz-Neres 569 (CEN!); Teresina de Goiás, próximo à margem do rio do Poço Encantado, 13º52’54”S, 47º15’54”W, 06 November 2004, Pastore & E. Suganuma 1099 (CEN!); Teresina de Goiás, Cachoeira do Poço Encantado (antiga cachoeira da Comendadora), 13º52’27”S, 47º15’38”W, 17 November 2005, Cavalcanti et al. 3621 (CEN!); Teresina de Goiás, próximo ao Poço Encantado, 13º52’24”S, 47º15’36”W, 07 January 2006, Pastore & Suganuma 1437 (CEN!); Teresina de Goiás, Cachoeira do Poço Encantado, 13º52’29”S, 47º15’44”W, 25 November 2006, Pereira-Silva & Moreira 11093 (CEN!).

Cuphea cunninghamiifolia is identified by the linear ( Fig. 9G ), hyphodromous leaves, the short racemes (1.5–4 cm long) contracted at the apex of the branches ( Fig. 9H ), and by the white petals ( Fig. 9I ), uncommon in the genus ( Cavalcanti 1991). Another notable feature is the size of the two dorsal petals (2.2–3.7 × 0.8–1.3 mm), which are smaller and narrower than the four ventral petals (4–5 × 1.8–2.5 mm). It is narrowly endemic to the Chapada dos Veadeiros region in northeastern Goiás state, Brazil, between 800–1100 m elev.

Figures

FIGURE 9. A–F. Cuphea congesta. A. Flowering branch; B. Detail of the leaves; C. Floral tube in lateral view, without petals; D. Floral tube in longitudinal-dorsal section, without petals; E. Pistil; F. Seed. G–M. Cuphea cunninghamiifolia. G. Flowering branch; H. Detail of contracted bracteose raceme; I. Flower in frontal view; J. Floral tube in lateral view, without the petals; K. Floral tube in longitudinaldorsal section, without the petals; L. Pistil; M. Seed.A: Puig 2883; B–E: Steyermark 106332; F: Lopez & Palacios 3062; H, L: Cavalcanti et al. 3621; J, K, M: Ribeiro & Diniz-Neres 569. Scale bar.A: 5 cm; B–E: 3 mm; F, M: 1 mm; H: 1 cm; J–L: 2 mm. Photos. G, I: Maurício Mercadante.

FIGURE 21. Geographical distribution of Cuphea bahiensis, Cuphea cunninghamiifolia, Cuphea laricoides and Cuphea praetermissa.