Lycianthes cearaensis Bitter, Abh. Naturwiss. Vereine

Costa-Silva, Rafael & Agra, Maria De Fátima, 2018, Lectotypifications of six taxa in Lycianthes (Solanaceae), Phytotaxa 348 (4), pp. 297-300 : 298

1. Lycianthes cearaensis Bitter, Abh. Naturwiss. Vereine Bremen 24: 346. 1919

Type:— BRAZIL. Ceará: Serra de Maranguape , 600 m, Oct 1910, E. Ule 9103 (Holotype B †, photo of holotype F-2564]; lectotype: NY00138709 !, designated here; isolectotypes: K000585757 !, L0003587 !; US00027870!) .

Notes. The holotype of Lycianthes cearaensis was deposited in B ( Bitter 1919), but destroyed during World War II. We have located four specimens of E. Ule 9103, which have handwritten notes made by Bitter, and are designating here the most complete and well-preserved specimen ( NY 138709) as the lectotype for L. cearaensis .

Lycianthes cearaensis was treated in the Flora of Brasil (2017) as a synonym of L. pauciflora (Vahl) Bitter (1919: 341) . However, after analyzing the types and herbarium material of these two taxa, we confirm that they are distinct, and can be distinguished by leaf morphology, indumentum, calyx appendages, and ovary format. Lycianthes cearaensis has elliptic to narrowly elliptic leaves, tomentose indumentum on the abaxial leaf surface, a cupuliform calyx with curved appendages in fruit, and an ovoid ovary. Lycianthes pauciflora differs in the ovate to ovate-elliptic leaves, lax indumentum, pateliform calyx with reflexed appendages in fruit, and a globose ovary.