Microlicia pataroi R.B.Pacifico, Almeda & Gali, 2022

Pacifico, Ricardo, Almeda, Frank, Gali, Lorena & Fidanza, Karina, 2022, Novelties in Microlicia (Melastomataceae, Lavoisiereae) endemic to the campo rupestre of Guiné, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, Phytotaxa 566 (3), pp. 290-300 : 295-298

Microlicia pataroi R.B.Pacifico, Almeda & Gali , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4–5 )

Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Mucugê. Beco do Guiné no acesso ao Vale do Pati, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina , 12°45’19.7”S, 41°30’37.4”W, 1,262 m, 25 June 2022, fl. fr., R. Pacifico 704, V.E. Bressan & L. Daneu (holotype: HUEM!, isotypes, CAS!, HUEFS!, RB!) .

Diagnosis:— Microlicia pataroi differs from M. intercalycina by its distinctly winged upper internodes (vs. carinate angles on upper internodes in M. intercalycina ), its longer leaf blades 11–18 mm long (vs. 5.5–7 mm) that are glandular-punctate and lack an apical trichome (vs. leaves that are both glandular-punctate intermixed with a scattering of eglandular trichomes and tipped with an apical trichome), 3- to obscurely 5-nerved from the base (vs. 1-nerved), calyx lobes 6.5–6.8 mm long (vs. 2–2.5 mm) that are widely oblong, foliaceous and lacking an apical trichome (vs. triangular with and eglandular apical trichome), pink petals with a yellow base (vs. entirely yellow or yellow-orange), and longer staminal filaments 6.5–9 mm long (vs. 2.5–3.5 mm).

Copiously branched erect shrubs 1–5 m tall. Branchlets light green (when fresh), quadrangular, glandular-punctate, the stem angles with conspicuous narrow wings ca. 0.2 mm wide. Leaves spreading, flat, decussate, ca. 2–2.5 times longer than the internodes, sessile or on short rectangular petioles up to 0.9 mm long; blades 11–18 × 2–5.5 mm, narrowly elliptic, papyraceous, both surfaces vivid green when fresh, pale green when dry, base obtuse to rounded, margin entire and glandular-punctate, the apex acute or rounded, 3- to obscurely 5-nerved from the base, the midvein ca. 0.5 mm wide at the leaf base, venation impressed on the adaxial surface and slightly prominent on the abaxial surface, both surfaces densely glandular-punctate, tertiary veins absent. Flowers 5-merous on pedicels 0.6–0.9 mm long, solitary, terminal or axillary, not clustered at the apex of the branchlets. Hypanthia (at anthesis) 3.9–4.2 mm long, 3.5–4 mm wide at the torus, yellowish green when fresh turning brown to vinaceous when dry, campanulate, densely glandular-punctate. Calyx tubes 0.1–0.3 mm long. Calyx lobes (at anthesis) 6.5–6.8 mm long, 2–2.2 mm wide (at the base), widely oblong and exceeding hypanthia in length, foliaceous, margin entire glandular-punctate, apex acute (sometimes bluntly so), externally glandular-punctate, calyx lobes alternating with white glandular trichomes 0.8–2 mm long. Petals 11–12 × 9–10 mm, widely obovate, pink with a yellow base, margin entire, apex rounded to bluntly acute, both surfaces glabrous. Stamens 10, dimorphic; larger (antesepalous) stamens 5, filaments 8.2–9 mm long, yellow, pedoconnectives 6.5–7 mm long, yellow, appendages 1.3–1.6 mm long, yellow, apex truncate to slightly emarginate, thecae 2.3–2.7 mm long (excluding the rostrum), oblong, pink, externally slightly corrugated, polysporangiate, rostra 0.4–0.7 mm long, white, the circular pores ca. 0.2–0.3 mm wide, ventrally inclined; smaller (antepetalous) stamens 5, filaments 6.5–7 mm long, yellow, pedoconnectives 2.5–3 mm long, yellow, appendages 1–1.4 mm long, apex truncate, thecae 2.4–2.8 mm long (excluding the rostra), oblong, yellow becoming brownish in post-anthesis, externally slightly corrugated, polysporangiate, rostra 0.4–0.6 mm long, the circular pores ca. 0.1–0.2 mm wide, ventrally inclined. Ovaries ca. 4 × 3.5 mm, ovoid, superior, glabrous, 3-locular; styles 8–9 mm long, linear, pink with a yellow base, stigma punctiform. Loculicidal capsules ca. 5 × 4–4.5 mm (when mature), ovoid, brownish (when dry), initially enveloped by the ± constricted hypanthium at the apex, then tardily rupturing and flaking away with age, the apex not exceeding the torus when mature, dehiscent from the apex to the base, columellas caducous. Seeds ca. 0.63–1.10 × 0.27–0.42 mm, pale tan or brown, oblong-reniform, the testa foveolate.

Distribution, habitat and phenology:— Like Microlicia bicolor , M. pataroi is known only from the Serra do Esbarrancado, where it has been collected along the trail to the Vale do Pati, District of Guiné, Mucugê, Bahia ( Fig. 3 ). It grows on rocky outcrops exposed to full sun, at elevations between 1,073 –1,239 m ( Fig. 4E ). Collected flowering in August, November and May, and fruiting in May.

Recognition:— Microlicia pataroi can be recognized by its leaf blades that are 11–18 mm long, 3- to obscurely 5-nerved from the base, with both surfaces densely glandular-punctate, oblong foliaceous calyx lobes 6.5–6.8 mm long that exceed the hypanthia in length, the presence of one white glandular trichome 0.8–2 mm long alternating with each calyx lobe, petals pink with a yellow base, and dimorphic stamens with corrugated polysporangiate thecae. Microlicia macropetala is another putative relative from which M. pataroi can be recognized by its narrower leaves 2–5.5 mm wide that are mostly obtuse at the base (vs. 6–7 mm wide that are broadly rounded to subcordate at the base in M. macropetala ), longer calyx lobes 6.5–6.8 mm long (vs. 4.5–5 mm long) that are oblong and foliaceous (vs. triangular), each calyx lobe alternating with one white glandular trichome 0.8–2 mm long (vs. glandular trichome absent), and smaller petals 11–12 × 9–10 mm (vs. 20–22.5 × 14–15.5 mm) that are pink with a yellow base (vs. entirely magenta). Microlicia pataroi , M. intercalycina and M. macropetala are endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, and may be sympatric in the Mucugê area.

Note:— Microlicia pataroi was treated as Microlicia sp. 4 in the treatment of Lavoisiereae from Mucugê, Bahia ( Pataro et al. 2017).

Etymology:— The epithet honors botanist Luciano Gomes Pataro de Almeida Aguiar (b. 1986–). Luciano described new species of Microlicia ( Pataro et al. 2013) , authored a treatment of Microlicia for Mucugê, Bahia ( Pataro et al. 2017) and collected the first known specimen of M. pataroi (Pataro 129 & H.A. Ogasawara, ALCB).

Conservation:— The EOO and AOO are 0.023 km 2 and 4 km 2, respectively. These values would support a Critically Endangered (CR) conservation status following criterion B of IUCN (2019). Like M. bicolor , all collections of M. pataroi come from the Chapada Diamantina National Park, where their populations are protected.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— BRAZIL. Bahia: Mucugê. Distrito of Guiné, Parque Nacional Chapada Diamantina, Beco do Guiné trail upslope to the Vale do Pati , 12°45’20.1”S, 41°30’39.4”W, 1,239 m, 21 May 2019, fl., F. Almeda et al. 10752 (CAS!, CEPEC!, HUEM!) ; ibidem, 21 May 2019, fr., F. Almeda et al. 10754 (CAS!, CEPEC!, HUEM!, RB!) ; Base da Serra do Esbarrancado , 12º45’45”S, 41º30’57”W, 1,073 m, 19 August 2011, fl., L. Pataro 129 & H.A. Ogasawara ( ALCB!) ; Serra do Esbarrancado , 12º45’22’’S, 41º30’41’’W, 1,209 m, 1 November 2011, fl., A. Quaresma et al. 215 ( HUEFS!) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Distribution of the new species of Microlicia. (A) Brazil with Bahia state highlighted, (B) Bahia, (C) Distribution of M. bicolor and M. pataroi on the Chapada Diamantina.

FIGURE 4. A–D. Microlicia pataroi in the field. A. Branch terminating in a green floral bud. B. Branch terminating in a floral bud at pre-anthesis. C. Close up photo of a flower at anthesis. D.A fruiting (left) and a sterile (right) branches. E. Landscape with campo rupestre along the trail to the Vale do Pati, Guiné district, Mucugê (Bahia, Brazil), the type locality of M. bicolor and M. pataroi. Photographs:A–D by R. Pacifico, E by F.Almeda. Vouchers:A–D, Pacifico et al. 704, the type collection.

FIGURE 5. Microlicia pataroi. A. Habit. B. Leaf adaxial (left) and abaxial (right) surfaces. C. Floral bud. D. Apical branch terminating in a flower at anthesis. E. Flowering hypanthium and calyx lobes. F. Petal in adaxial view. G. Antepetalous (left) and antesepalous (right) stamens. H. Gynoecium. I. Ovary in cross-section. J. Capsule enveloped by the hypanthium. Drawn from the paratypes, Almeda et al. 10754 (HUEM) (A–B) and Quaresma et al. 215 (ALCB) (C–I).