Moutabea victoriana J.B. Silveira & Secco, 2018

Silveira, João Barros Da & Secco, Ricardo De S., 2018, Taxonomic studiesin Moutabea (Polygalaceae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 365 (3), pp. 225-244 : 241-242

9. Moutabea victoriana J.B. Silveira & Secco , sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 n–s )

TYPE:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaus-Itacoatiara road, Km 26, Reserva Florestal Ducke (02°53’S, 59°58’W), próximo ao sítio do Sr. Isaac, 22 April 1998 (fr.), L. H. P. Martins 89 (holotype: INPA!).

Liana or shrub, ca. 13 m tall. Bark rough, epidermis glabrous, brown to blackened. Leaf blades 6.5 ‒ 25 × 1.7 ‒ 7.5 cm, adaxially opaquegreen, coriaceous, oblanceolate to obovate, rarely narrow-elliptic, glabrous, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate, margin thin, surface discreetly papillate, midrib convex, secondary veins sulcate adaxially, prominent abaxially; petioles 0.5 ‒ 1.4 cm long. Racemes with rachis usually a monad, glabrous, 2 ‒ 4.5 cm long; flowers 1.5 ‒ 2 cm long, pedicels 1.2 ‒ 3 mm long, sepal lobes 4.5 ‒ 7 mm long, 2 ‒ 3.5 mm wide, externally glabrous to glabrescent and internally glabrous, tips 5 ‒ 7 mm long, 2 ‒ 3.5 mm wide, staminal sheath with hood medium, pubescent on dorsum, group of 4 anthers ca. 1.5 mm long, ovary 1 ‒ 1.2 mm long, 1.2 ‒ 1.3 mm diam., 5-lobed, style 9.5 ‒ 11 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruit surface discreetly punctate, greenish brown when immature, orange when mature, pericarp ca. 4 mmthick, appearing woodyin cross-section; seeds 1.7 ‒ 1.9 cm long, velutinous, raphe imperceptible.

Notes:—This species resembles M. arianiae and M. gentryi by its coriaceous leaves, with prominent secondary veins abaxially, staminal sheath with hood medium and velutinous seeds. However, it is easily distinguished by its leaves with a convex midrib, fruits with punctate surface and extremely thick (ca. 4 mm) pericarp. It also differs from M. gentryi by its seeds with an imperceptible raphe, and from M. arianiae by it glabrous juvenile branches, petioles, leaves and inflorescences.

Moutabea victoriana is recognized by its leaves with an adaxially prominent (convex) yellow midrib, contrasting with the greenish blade. For M. A. Freitaset al s.n. (MG), there is reference to bark with striae and incomplete rings.

Etymology:—This species is named in honor the first author’s niece, the late Victoria.

Distribution and habitat: ─ In Brazil it occurs in Amazonas State ( Fig. 6 ). Collected in forest fragments, upland, campinarana, sandbank and slope forests.

Conservation status:— Moutabea victoriana is endemic to Brazil and its extent of occurrence (EOO= 187,848 Km 2) includes only the state of Amazonas. Although its area of occupancy (AOO=32 Km 2) is small, it occurs in some areas of forest that are still preserved and one protected area, which probably contribute to maintaining this species in nature. Therefore, according to IUCN (2017) criteria, this species should be placed in the Least Concern (LC) category.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaus, Reserva Florestal Ducke, 22 April 1998 (fr.), L. H. P. Martins et al. 89 (INPA); Distrito Agropecuária, 20 November 1990 (fl.), M. A. Freitas et al. s.n. (INPA, MG); Manaus, Reserva Florestal Ducke, 28 February 1994 (fr.), A. Vicentini & E. da C. Pereira 408 (INPA); Manaus, Reserva Florestal Ducke, 4 September 1995 (fl.), A. Vicentini 1007 (INPA, RB); Rio Negro, próximo ao Rio Arara, 2 May 1973 (fr.), A. Loureiro et al. s. n. (INPA); Manaus, Itacoatiara, 16 December 1974 (fr.), A. Gentry & J. Ramos 13349 (INPA, NY); Amazonas: Esperança, 7 October 1942 (fl.), A. Duke s.n. (IAN); Manaus, Mata das Terras Altas, ao NE de Flores, s.d. (fr.), A. Ducke s. n. (IAN); km 75–70 da Rodovia Manaus-Itacoatiara, 16 October 1965 (str.), R. Oliveira 2720 (UB).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Moutabea gentryi T. Wendt. a. Branch. b. Adaxial face of the leaf with punctations prominent and veins prominent. c. Flower. d. Adnation between staminal sheath and external petal (hood medium). e. Dehydrated, blackened and broken fruit showing the thick pericarp. f.Pubescent seed with prominent and rigid raphe. (a–b, e–f from O.P. Monteiro & J. Ramos 884; c–d from N. T. Silva 362). Moutabea guianensis Aubl. g. Branch with inflorescences. h. Flower. i. Adnation between staminal sheath and external petal (hood short). j. Dehydrated and blackened fruit (surface reticulate). k. Dehydrated fruit in cross-section showing 5 locules with one seed per locule. l. Pericarp in cross-section showing the farinaceous appearance. m. Seed velutinous with raphe prominent. (g–m from Silveira s.n.). Moutabea victoriana Silveira & Secco. n. Branch. o. Flower. p. Adnation between staminal sheath and external petal (hood medium). q. Fruit. r. Dehydrated fruit in cross-section showing the thick pericarp. s.Velutinous seed with imperceptible raphe. (a from M. A. Freitas et al. 428; o–p from A. Vicentini 1007; q–s from L. H. P. Martins et al.89).

FIGURE 6. Geographical distribution of three species of Moutabea in Brazil: M. gentry, M. guianensis, and M. victoriana.