Guatteria attenuata Maas & Westra, 2019

Maas, Paul J. M., Westra, Lubbert Y. Th., Chatrou, Lars W., Verspagen, Nadja, Rainer, Heimo, Zamora, Nelson A. & Erkens, Roy H. J., 2019, Twelve new and exciting Annonaceae from the Neotropics, PhytoKeys 126, pp. 25-69 : 32-34

Guatteria attenuata Maas & Westra sp. nov. Fig. 10

Diagnosis.

Resembling the Amazonian species G. modesta Diels by the long-attenuate leaf base, but differing by a shorter petiole (2-5 vs. 5-10 mm long), and distinct secondary and tertiary veins which are strongly raised above vs. inconspicuous and flat to slightly raised above.

Type.

BRAZIL, Bahia: Almadina, Serra do Sete-Paus, Rodovia de Almadina para Ibitupã, entrada à esquerda ca. 5 km Fazenda Cruzeiro do Sul, ca. 8 km da entrada do ramal, 14°44'06"S, 39°41'46"W, 300 m, 3 Mar 2005, Fiaschi et al. 2735 (holotype: NY! [NY01196019]; isotypes: RB! [ RB427393 ], U! [U0248902]) .

Description.

Tree ca. 35 m tall, to ca. 58 cm diam.; young twigs densely covered with half-appressed hairs. Leaves: petioles 2-5 by 0.5-1 mm; lamina narrowly elliptic, 6-12 by 2-3 cm (leaf index 3.5-4), chartaceous to coriaceous, discolorous, greyish green above in sicco, brown below in sicco, sparsely covered with appressed hairs above, mainly along primary vein, rather densely covered with appressed hairs below, base long-attenuate, basal margins revolute, apex very shortly and bluntly acuminate (acumen 1-3 mm long), primary vein impressed above, secondary veins 13-18 on either side of primary vein, strongly raised above, smallest distance between secondary veins and margin 2-3 mm, tertiary veins strongly raised on both sides, strongly reticulate. Inflorescence axillary, 1-2-flowered; pedicels 8-20 by 1-2 mm, densely covered with half-appressed, white hairs, articulated at 0.3-0.4 from the base; bracts 5-7, depressed ovate, 1-2 mm long, outer side densely covered with half-appressed, white hairs; flower buds not seen; sepals free, deltate, 4-5 by 4-5 mm, reflexed, inner and outer side densely covered with appressed and erect, curly, greyish hairs; petals greenish, maturing yellowish cream in vivo, narrowly elliptic to obovate, 10-16 by 6-8 mm, inner and outer side densely covered with appressed and erect, curly, greyish hairs; stamens 1-1.5 mm long, connective shield discoid, glabrous. Monocarps and seeds not seen.

Distribution.

Brazil (Bahia) (Fig. 3 ).

Habitat and ecology.

In non-inundated, Atlantic rain forest. At an elevation of ca. 300 m. Flowering: March; fruiting: not recorded.

Notes.

Guatteria attenuata , only known from the type collection and a second sterile collection from the same tree, is according to the label a tree of 35 m high, a size rarely seen in the genus. Also the long-attenuate leaf base is a rare feature in the Guatteria , although in G. modesta from the Amazon region, the base is attenuate.

Preliminary IUCN conservation status.

DD. This species is only known from one locality and the current population size and population trend of this species are unknown. Guatteria attenuata was collected in an area that shows habitat loss due to forest cover loss and this is therefore a possible threat for this species. Nonetheless, this species was assessed as Data Deficient given the overall lack of data of this species.

Other specimen examined.

BRAZIL. Bahia: Almadina, Serra do Sete-Paus, 6 km de Almadina, na estrada para Ibitupã, então 7 km N para a comunidade de Sete-Paus, na nascente do rio Almadina, 14°44'S, 39°42'W, 19 Jul 2005, Lobão et al. 735 (RB).

Field observations.

According to the label of the type collection, the flowers emit a strong scent ("odor forte").

Figures

Figure 3. Distribution map of Annona caput-medusae, A. oleifolia, Guatteria attenuata, G. kamakusensis, G. pseudoferruginea, Klarobelia rocioae, and Xylopia longicaudata.

Figure 10. Guatteria attenuata Maas & Westra. Flowering branch (Fiaschi et al. 2735, isotype U).