Chaetogastra cordeiroi F.S.Mey. & R.Goldenb., 2016

Meyer, Fabrício Schmitz & Goldenberg, Renato, 2016, Four new species of Chaetogastra (Melastomeae, Melastomataceae) from Southern Brazil, Phytotaxa 282 (4), pp. 239-258 : 240-244

Chaetogastra cordeiroi F.S.Mey. & R.Goldenb. sp. nov. ( Figures 2–3 )

Type: — BRAZIL. Santa Catarina: Campo Alegre, Serra Quiriri, 7 April 2009, J. Cordeiro & E. Barbosa 3028 (holotype: MBM!, isotype: ASE).

Diagnosis: — Chaetogastra cordeiroi differs from Tibouchina gracilis ( Humboldt & Bonpland 1823: 138) Cogniaux (1885: 386) by the longer pedoconnectives on the antesepalous stamens, with 2.5–3.3 mm vs. 0.3–1 mm long in T. gracilis .

Subshrub with monopodial growth, 25–80 cm tall. Branches moderately dendritic-strigose, trichomes 0.8–3 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, not enlarged, not immersed, not forked. Petiole 3.3–6.9 mm long, moderately to densely dendritic-strigose, trichomes 1–3.2 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, not enlarged to slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; blade 2.6–7.1 × 0.7–2.3 cm, membranaceous, elliptic-lanceolate or elliptic, surface flat, erect on dry specimens, apex acute or cuspidate, base obtuse, margins crenulate, short-ciliate, trichomes 0.6–1.8 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base linear, not enlarged, immersed not forked, adaxial surface moderately dendritic-strigose, trichomes arranged along the entire surface, 0.7–2.7 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base linear, not enlarged, immersed, either forked or not forked, followed by a sequence of white dots, abaxial surface moderately dendritic-strigose, trichomes 0.5–2.7 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded and slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; veins 5, first and second lateral pairs confluent. Thyrsoid short or long, cymes axillary and terminal, flowers congested; internode of the inflorescence base 7.5–12.3 cm long; bracteoles 2.8–5.9 × 1.3–2 mm, lanceolate, abaxial surface moderately dendritic-strigose, trichomes 0.3–2.3 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked, adaxial surface glabrous, margins long-ciliate, trichomes 0.6–1.7 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked. Flowers (4–)5–merous; hypanthium 6.8–7.7 × 4–4.7 mm, obovate, slightly constricted in its apical portion, vinous, surface smooth (without longitudinal ribs), moderately dendritic-sericeous, trichomes 0.8–4 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded and slightly enlarged or not, not immersed, not forked; sepals 5– 6.7 × 1.7–2.2 mm, narrowly triangular but with a wide base, apex acute, abaxial surface with the indumentum similar to the hypanthium, but concentrated along the central portion, adaxial surface glabrous, margins long-ciliate, trichomes 0.6–1.8 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; petals 24.9– 33.5 × 22.3–25.7 mm, pink, lilac or seldom white, obovate, apex cuspidate, margins short-ciliate, trichomes 0.1–0.3 mm long, not glandular, erect, the base rounded, not enlarged, not immersed, not forked; stamens (8–)10, antepetalous with filaments 4.9–7.3 mm long, pedoconnective 0.6–1.3 mm long, anthers 5.5–6.4 mm long, yellow, anther pore 0.2–0.3 mm wide, antesepalous with filaments 8.1–9.5 mm long, pedoconnective 2.5–3.3 mm long, anthers 7.7–9 mm long, yellow or yellow with lilac spots, anther pore ca. 0.2 mm wide, both anthers with attenuate apex, apical–ventral pore and pedoconnective appendages with obtuse apex; ovary 4.6–7.6 × 2.9–3.7 mm, apex moderately pubescent,with trichomes 0.2–1.6 mm long, not glandular, erect, the base rounded and not enlarged, not immersed, not forked; style 10.6–13.2 mm long, apex curved, glabrous. Capsule 12.5–13.8 × 4.6–6.8 mm, smooth (without longitudinal ribs).

Paratypes:— BRAZIL. Paraná: Balsa Nova, Felipe da Cancela , 9 January 1992, M.I. Langohr 43 ( MBM!) ; ibidem, São Luiz do Purunã, 22 January 2014, J. Cordeiro et al. 5118 ( MBM!). Campo Largo, São Luiz do Purunã , 18 February 2012, E.D. Lozano et al. 887 ( MBM!). Guaratuba , Morro dos Perdidos , 5 December 1997, E.P. Santos & H.M. Fernandes 431 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, 14 February 2014, F.S. Meyer et al. 1877 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1890 ( UEC, UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer 1900 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1907 ( NY, UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1910 (FLOR!, FURB!, NY!, UEC!, UPCB!, US!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1915 ( UEC!, UPCB!) ; Serra de Araçatuba , 21 January 1994, R. Kummrow et al. 3373 (HUEFS, HUFU, MBM!) ; ibidem, 5 December 1997, E.P. Santos 429 ( MBM!, UPCB!). Palmeira, 3 January 1999, G. Bassani 4 ( UPCB!). Piraquara, Purgatório , 22 December 1981, R. Kummrow 1614 ( MBM, MO!) ; ibidem, Represa do Carvalhinho, 9 January 2006, M. Reginato 660 ( UPCB!). Ponta Grossa, Nascente do Rio Tibagi, 2 February 2009, B.O. Andrade 216 ( MBM!). Quatro Barras, Rio Taquari , 21 January 1999, J. Cordeiro et al. 1490 ( FURB!). Tibagi, Parque Estadual do Guartelá , 6 December 2007, E. Camargo & R. Goldenberg 169 ( UPCB!). Tijucas do Sul , Morro do Araçatuba , 15 March 2009, R.R. Völtz 27 ( UPCB!). Santa Catarina: Garuva, Monte Crista, 19 January 1961, Reitz & Klein 10657 (M!) ; ibidem, Serra Quiriri , 16 March 2011, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1023 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1024 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1025 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1026 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1028 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1030 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1031 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1032 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1033 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.J. Comitti 1036 ( UPCB!). São Bento do Sul, Minas de Caulim, 31 Januray 2015, P. Schwirkowski & J. Bianconcini 946 (MBM!, FPS1270!) ; ibidem, 1 February 2015, P. Schwirkowski 950 (MBM!, FPS1271!).

Distribuition and habitat:— Chaetogastra cordeiroi occurs in the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná ( Figure 1A ), between 800–1.600 meters, in montane and high-montane Atlantic Rain Forest, High-altitude Grasslands, and Araucaria Forest. The populations of this species are usually large, with several individuals.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting from December to April.

Conservation status:— This species can be considered Vulnerable, according to IUCN’s category A2 (2012). The Area of Occupancy is about 1.216.000 km 2, and the Extent of Occurence 49.445.0304 km 2. Some occurrence sites have been turned into housing developments, mostly in Balsa Nova, Campo Largo, Piraquara and Quatro Barras, all part of the metropolitan region of Curitiba, the largest city in Paraná. Other areas have been replaced with pastures or species of Pinus Linnaeus (1753: 1000) , mostly in “Serra de Araçatuba” (25°53’21.31”S- 48°57’24.98” W) and “Serra do Quiriri” (26°0’57.62”S- 48°56’39.03”W), where the largest populations of C. cordeiroi are.

Etymology:—The epithet honors the collector of the type, Juarez Meyer Cordeiro, who has been collecting plants, mostly in southern Brazil region, since when he started working at the “Museu Botânico Municipal de Curitiba”, in 1981. As a disciple of Gert Hatschbach, he now works at the herbarium, organizing and determining specimens. This is a small tribute to Juarez, and a way to recognize the importance of his work.

Affinities: — Chaetogastra cordeiroi is similar to Tibouchina gracilis by the monopodial growth, elliptic-lanceolate leaves, sericeous-dendritic hypanthium, and large petals. Chaetogastra cordeiroi differs from T. gracilis by the differences pointed in the diagnosis, and also by strigose branches, with appressed trichomes in C. cordeiroi , vs. hirsute, with erect trichomes in T. gracilis . Chaetogastra cordeiroi is also similar to Tibouchina debilis ( Chamisso 1834: 449) Cogniaux (1885: 401) due to the monopodial growth, elliptic-lanceolate leaves, lax inflorescences, and the antesepalous stamens with long pedoconnectives, 2.5–3.3 mm long in C. cordeiroi , and 2.3–2.7 mm in T. debilis . They differ by the pendulous leaves in T. debilis and erect on C. cordeiroi , and also by the dendritic-sericeous hypanthium in C. cordeiroi , vs. dendritic-setose in T. debilis . Tibouchina rupestris Cogniaux (1891: 1176) is also similar to C. cordeiroi due to the monopodial growth, elliptic-lanceolate leaves and the antesepalous stamens with long pedoconnectives, 2.5–3.3 mm long in C. cordeiroi , and 2.5–3.2 mm long in T. rupestris . They differ by the dendritic-sericeous hypanthium with appressed trichomes in C. cordeiroi , and setulose hypanthium with curved trichomes in T. rupestris and also by the abaxial surface of the bracteoles, which is moderately dendritic-strigose in C. cordeiroi and glabrous in T. rupestris .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution maps for species of Chaetogastra. A: C. cordeiroi; B: C. crassifolia; C: C. cristaensis; D: C. riograndensis. PR: state of Paraná; SC: Santa Catarina; RS: Rio Grande do Sul.

FIGURE 2. Chaetogastra cordeiroi photos. A: Habit, with tetramerous flowers; B: leaf (adaxial surface); C: Floral bud; D: Flowers with white petals; E: Flower with pink petals; F: Part of the inflorescence, with one flower without petals, highlighting the stamens.

FIGURE 3. Holotype of Chaetogastra cordeiroi, photos obtained from the dried specimen. A: Branch; B: Detail of the indumentum on the branch; C: Part of the inflorescence; D: Bracteole (abaxial surface); E: Sepal (adaxial surface); F: Stamens; G: Gynoecium.