Cryptanthus pirambuensis D.M.C. Ferreira & Louzada, 2022

Ferreira, Débora Maria Cavalcanti & Louzada, Rafael Batista, 2022, Two new species of Cryptanthus (Bromelioideae, Bromeliaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 571 (1), pp. 65-75 : 66-69

Cryptanthus pirambuensis D.M.C. Ferreira & Louzada , sp. nov. ( Figures 1–3 ).

Type:— BRAZIL. Sergipe: Pirambu, Mata de Sambaíba , 41 m elev., 10°39’19”S, 36°51’53”W, 09 November 2017, fl. cult. 18 April 2018, fl., D. Cavalcanti & E. Ferreira 904 ( UFP!) .

Diagnosis: — Cryptanthus pirambuensis differs from C. alagoanus by 17–23 flowers (vs. ca. 8 flowers) in the apical cluster of the inflorescence, 9–10 flowers (vs. 5–6 flowers) in the lateral clusters of the inflorescence, and sepal lobes narrowly elliptic or elliptic (vs. lanceolate or ovate). Cryptanthus pirambuensis differs from C. pickelii by 17–23 flowers (vs. ca. 5–11 flowers) in the apical cluster of the inflorescence and 9–10 flowers (vs. 3–6 flowers) in the lateral clusters of the inflorescence. Cryptanthus pirambuensis differs from C. ruthiae by 17–23 flowers (vs. ca. 32 flowers) in the apical cluster of the inflorescence, 9–10 flowers (vs. 4–5 flowers) in the lateral clusters of the inflorescence, floral bracts 27.5–34 mm long (vs. 11.2–22 mm long), flowers 44–61 mm long (vs. 31–41 mm long) with extended petals, sepals 20–22.5 mm long (vs. 9–15 mm long), lobes 10.8–13.6 mm long (vs. 3.5-7.5 mm long), ovary with 15–17 ovules (vs. ca. 2 ovules) per locule in the perfect flowers.

Description:—Plants terrestrial, propagation by stolons, rhizomes 1–8 cm long and 0.7–0.8 cm in diameter. Stems 2.2–3.8 cm long, 0.7–1 cm in diameter, erect. Leaves 7–9 in number; sheath 2.6–2.7 × 2.1–4.2 cm, very widely ovate, abaxial surface vinaceous except the greenish-white base, densely lepidote abaxially, adaxial surface greenishwhite, glabrous, except distally densely lepidote; prickles 0.2–0.3 mm long, 0.2–1 mm apart, generally antrorse; blade 21.8–70.1 × 0.9–3.4 cm, linear-oblanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, green, except the vinaceous cuneate base, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote base, margins slightly undulate, apex acuminate or cirrhose; prickles 0.2–0.7 mm long, 0.6–5.6 mm apart, antrorse. Inflorescence compound, with sessile clusters of flowers; 6–11 lateral clusters of flowers; each cluster with 9–10 flowers, apical cluster with 17–23 flowers; rachis (main axis) 2.3–2.5 cm long; primary bracts 2–74 × 1–4.8 cm, foliaceous, linear-oblanceolate, oblanceolate, lanceolate or narrowly triangular, green, except the vinaceous base, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote base, margins slightly undulate, apex acuminate or cirrhose; prickles 0.2–0.6 mm long, 1–4.6 mm apart, antrorse. Staminate flowers: floral bracts 31–34 × 8–15 mm, narrowly elliptic or elliptic, white or greenish white at the base and vinaceous at the apex, abaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote apex, adaxial surface glabrous except for the sparsely lepidote apex, apex mucronate; flowers 44–50 mm long (with extended petals); sepals ca. 20 mm long, connate at the base for 7.3–9.5 mm, white at the base and vinaceous or green at the apex; lobe vinaceous or green, 10.8–12.1 × 3.5–4 mm, narrowly elliptic, mucronate; petals 29.2–40 × 3.8–4 mm, oblanceolate, acute or obtuse, connate at the base for 12–22 mm, white, with 2 callosities beginning 12.5–22 mm from the base in the adaxial surface, the callosities covered with inconspicuous glandulose trichomes; filament 18–30 mm long, basally adnate to the petals for 9.5–22 mm, slightly more connate to the antesepalous ones; anther 5–6.7 mm long, subbasifixed or dorsifixed, base bilobed, apex mucronulate or emarginate; pistillode: ovary trigonous, 7.2 × 3–4.6 mm, ovules lacking, epigynous tube 3.8–8 mm, style reduced, ca. 0.3 mm long, stigma reduced, ca. 0.6 mm long. Perfect flowers: floral bracts 27.5–32 × 15.2–20 mm, ovate-falcate, white at the base and vinaceous at the apex, abaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote apex, adaxial surface glabrous except for the sparsely lepidote apex, apex mucronate; flowers 55–61 mm long (with extended petals); sepals 21–22.5 mm long, connate at the base for 7.5–9.5 mm, white toward the base and vinaceous or green at the apex; lobe vinaceous or green, 12.5–13.6 × 4.8–5.5 mm, narrowly elliptic, mucronate; petals 36–39.6 × 5–6.2 mm, oblanceolate, acute, connate at the base for 13 mm, white, with 2 callosities beginning 14–16.2 mm from the base in the adaxial surface, the callosities covered with inconspicuous glandulose trichomes; filaments 24–26 mm long, basally adnate to the petals for 12.3–15 mm; anthers 5.3–6.8 mm long, subbasifixed, base bilobed, apex mucronulate; pistil: ovary trigonous, 11.5–12 × 5.5 mm, placentation axile, ovules 15–17 per locule, epigynous tube 6.5–8.5 mm long, style 28–32 mm, stigma 6–7.2 mm, conduplicate-patent. Fruits unknown.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the municipality of Pirambu where the type specimen was collected.

Distribution and habitat:— Cryptanthus pirambuensis is known from two localities in the municipality of Pirambu, Sergipe State, Brazil, from sea level to about 50 m elevation ( Fig. 1 ). It occurs in the Atlantic Forest phytogeographic domain in lowland semideciduous seasonal forest and restinga forest (see vegetation types in Thomas & Barbosa 2008). The individuals grow on clayey or sandy soils in closed forest with trees ca. 5 m tall. The area is included in the biogeographic subregion of “ Bahia ” (see biogeographic subregions in Silva & Casteleti 2005; Ribeiro et al. 2009).

Phenology:— Flowering has been recorded in nature in May and in cultivation in January and April.

Conservation status:— Cryptanthus pirambuensis is only known from two localities that are about 10 km apart. One of them is in a private property and the other is inside a conservation unit called Reserva Biológica de Santa Isabel. At the type locality, it was observed that some trees were cut down. This could cause a decline in the area of occupancy of the species. Thus, we suggest that C. pirambuensis should be classified as Critically Endangered (CR) based on the criterion B2 ab(ii) of the IUCN (2019).

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes)— BRAZIL. Sergipe: Pirambu, Margem esquerda da estrada no bosque, 46 m, 10°36’52.40”S, 36°42’25.90”W, 19 October 2012, sterile, J . A . Siqueira-Filho 2866 ( HURB); Pirambu, Mata de Sambaíba , 40 m, 10°39’22.20”S, 36°51’48.50”W, 02 July 2010, fl. cult. 19 January 2013, fl., J . A . SiqueiraFilho et al. 2896 ( HURB); Pirambu, Mata de Sambaíba , 41 m, 10°39’19”S, 36°51’53”W, 09 November 2017, fl. cult. 28 June 2018, D. Cavalcanti & E . Ferreira 829 ( RB!); Pirambu, Mata de Sambaíba , 41 m, 10°39’19”S, 36°51’53”W, 09 November 2017, fl. cult. 11 April 2018, fl., D. Cavalcanti & E . Ferreira 903 ( ASE); Pirambu, Reserva Biológica de Sta Isabel , September 1994, sterile, M . Landim 732 ( ASE); Pirambu, Reserva Biológica de Santa Isabel , 0-50 m, 10°41’17”S, 36°47’75”W, fl., 06 May 1999, G . Martinelli & T . Barbará 15349 ( CEPEC, RB) .

Notes on taxonomic affinities:— Herbarium specimens of C. pirambuensis sp.nov. were identified as C. alagoanus . Cryptanthus alagoanus was described from specimens from the municipality of Paripueira, in Alagoas State ( Leme & Siqueira-Filho 2001). In fact, C. pirambuensis is morphologically similar to C. alagoanus due to its elongated leaf blades but differs by the floral bracts basally white or greenish white with vinaceous apex (vs. white with brown or greenish apex) and stigma 6–7.2 mm long (vs. 5–5.5 mm long)(see Table 1 ). Cryptanthus pirambuensis is also morphologically similar to C. pickelii , C. pseudopetiolatus Philcox (1992: 265) and C. ruthiae Philcox (1992: 268) due to the leaf blade shape and color. Cryptanthus pirambuensis can be differentiated from C. pickelii by the ovary with 15–17 ovules (vs. 7–13 ovules) per locule in the perfect flowers (see Table 1 ). It differs from C. pseudopetiolatus by length of the stigma lobes 6–7.2 mm (vs. 3.2 mm) in the perfect flowers and ovary with 15–17 ovules (vs. ca. 8–9 ovules) per locule in the perfect flowers (see Table 1 ). Cryptanthus pirambuensis can be differentiated from C. ruthiae by the epigynous tube 3.8–8.5 mm (vs. 1–2.5 mm) and stigma 6–7.2 mm long (vs. 2.6–3 mm long) in the perfect flowers (see Table 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Cryptanthus pirambuensis and Cryptanthus vinosibracteatus in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil.

FIGURE 2. Cryptanthus pirambuensis. A. Habit. B. Leaf sheath (adaxial side). C. Leaf (adaxial side). D. Staminate flower. E. Perfect flower. F. Floral bract of staminate flower. G. Floral bract of perfect flower. H. Sepals of staminate flower. I. Sepals of perfect flower. J. Petals and stamens of staminate flower. K. Petals and stamens of perfect flower. L. Anther of staminate flower. M. Anther of perfect flower. N. Style and stigma. O. Ovary and epigynous tube of staminate flower. P. Ovary and epigynous tube of perfect flower. Drawing by Felipe Martins.

FIGURE 3. Cryptanthus pirambuensis. A. Habitat. B. Specien at the type locality. C. Flowering individual in cultivation. D. Leaf sheath (abaxial side). E. Leaf sheath (adaxial side). F. Leaf (adaxial side). G. Inflorescence. H. Apical flower cluster. I. Lateral flower cluster. J. Floral bract of staminate flower. K. Floral bract of perfect flower. L. Anther. M. Staminate flower. N. Perfect flower.