Forzzaea bahiana Engels, E.C.Smidt & Leme, 2023

Engels, Mathias Erich, Smidt, Eric De Camargo & Leme, Elton M. C., 2023, Forzzaea bahiana (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae): a new species from the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 618 (2), pp. 202-208 : 203-207

Forzzaea bahiana Engels, E.C.Smidt & Leme sp. nov. ( figs. 1–3 )

Diagnosis:—This new species is morphologically related to F. micra , but differs from it by the broader leaf blades (2.5–5.5 mm vs. 1.5–3 mm wide), densely white lepidote adaxially with trichomes partially obscuring the green color of the leaves (vs. sparsely to subdensely white lepidote, with trichomes not obscuring the dark green to slightly bronze color of the leaves), floral bracts irregularly spinulose (vs. entire), petals with glandular trichomes abaxially, apex subacute to narrowly obtuse (vs. glabrous, broadly rounded), and stamens more deeply included and not pronouncedly exposed above the corolla throat (vs. distinctly exposed above the corolla throat).

Type: BRAZIL. Bahia: Ibitiara, summit of the hill, on conglomerate flat rocky outcrops in the Campos Rupestres in the Caatinga domain, 14 January 2023, fl. and fr. in cult., M . E . Engels 10342 (holotype UPCB!) .

Description:— Plants saxicolous, stemless, 3–5 cm in diameter, 2.5–3 cm tall. Leaves 25–49 in number; sheath 1.0– 1.5 × 2.5–5.5 mm, chartaceous, broadly deltoid, whitish, margins entire, glabrous on both surfaces; blade 10–29 × 2.5–5.5 mm, narrowly subtriangular-lanceolate, spreading, nearly flat to slightly channelled, coriaceous, succulent, green, distinctly nerved mainly abaxially, densely white lepidote on both surfaces with trichomes partially obscuring the leaf color adaxially, margins subdensely (near the base) to laxly (toward the apex) spinulose, apex mucronate, pungent; spines 0.5–1 mm long, deltoid, spreading to slightly retrorse, whitish, 1–3.5 mm apart. Inflorescence sessile, inconspicuously compound; primary bracts resembling the inner leaves; fascicles inconspicuous; floral bracts 5–6 × 2–2.5 mm, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, acute, pungent, erect, obtusely if at all carinate, white lepidote, membranaceous toward the base and margins, margins irregularly denticulate, light green with membranaceous margins. Flowers 3–7 in number, ca. 15 mm long, sessile, fragrant; sepals 7–7.2 × 2.5 mm, lanceolate, apex acute, navicular, nearly symmetric, chartaceous, ecarinate, free, margins irregularly denticulate, abaxial surface with tiny glandular trichomes, light green with hyaline margins; petals 11–12 mm long, broadly spathulate, membranaceous, free, white, margins entire and glabrous, abaxially with tiny glandular trichomes, lobes 5–5.5 mm wide, broadly ovate, apex subacute to narrowly obtuse, bearing inconspicuous callosities for ca. 5 mm above the base. Stamens 4–6 mm long, shorter than the pistil, shorter than the petals and not pronouncedly exposed above the corolla throat at anthesis; filament free, terete, white, unequal in length with the antesepalous ones longer than the antepetalous ones; anther dorsifixed near the base, elliptic, ca. 1.5 mm long., slightly recurved at anthesis. Pistil ca. 8 mm long, erect, cylindrical, white; ovary 2.5–3 × 2 mm, subquadrate in outline, light green, glabrous; placentation axial, distally in the locules; epigynous tube lacking; ovules ca. 3 in each locule, obtuse; stigma ca. 0.8 mm long, simple-patent, papillose. Fruits with persistent sepals, ca. 3.0 × 2.5 mm, broadly ovoid, brownish; seeds 3–8 in number, 1.5–2 × 0.75 mm, ellipsoid to lanceolatoid, thinly longitudinally ribbed, inconspicuously rugulose, brownish.

Distribution and habitat:—This new species occurs as a rupicole in crevices of rocky outcrops (metaconglomerate rocks of the Açuruá Formation), in phytophysiognomy related to Campo Rupestre, at around 1200 m elevation in the Caatinga Domain. It is known so far by only one population (type collection), in the municipality of Ibitiara, state of Bahia, in Chapada Diamantina, northwest of the Espinhaço range, in its Septentrional Plateau. Forzzaea bahiana is the first species of the genus recorded outside the State of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil.

Etymology:—This new species is the first representative of the genus in the state of Bahia, in the Septentrional Plateau of the Espinhaço range, northeastern Brazil, and its specific epithet refers to the state where it was found.

Conservation status:—According to the IUCN criteria and categories (2017), Forzzaea bahiana can be provisionally classified as Data Deficient (DD). More extensive sampling in the Chapada Diamantina and adjacent regions may generate robust and accurate data to better understand the distribution, abundance, and risks, promoting a reliable framework for conserving the species.

Distinctive characters:— Forzzaea bahiana is similar to F. micra (Louzada, Wanderley & Versieux in Versieux et al. 2010: 13) Leme, Heller & Zizka in Leme et al. (2017: 68) and F. pseudomicra Leme & O.B.C.Ribeiro in Leme et al. (2020: 173) due to leaf conformation, small size and floral details. Regarding F. micra , this new species differs by the broader leaf blades (2.5–5.5 mm vs. 1.5–3 mm wide), which gives it a more compact and robust general appearance, the leaf blades are densely white lepidote adaxially with trichomes partially obscuring the green color of the leaf (vs. sparsely to subdensely white lepidote with trichomes not obscuring the dark green to slightly bronze color of the leaf), floral bracts irregularly spinulose (vs. entire), sepals with irregularly denticulate margins, abaxially with glandular trichomes (vs. entire margins, pilosity lepidote), petals with glandular trichomes abaxially, apex subacute to narrowly obtuse (vs. without trichomes, broadly rounded), stamens more deeply included and not pronouncedly exposed above the corolla throat at anhesis (vs. distinctly exposed above the corolla throat), and anthers shorter (ca. 1.5 mm vs. ca. 2.5 mm long).

In relation to F. pseudomicra , this new species can be distinguished from it by smaller leaf rosette size (3–5 cm vs 7–15 cm in diameter); smaller leaf blades (10–29 × 2.5–5.5 mm vs 40–90 × 4–6 mm), sepals free (vs. connate at the base for 1–1.5 mm), with margins irregularly denticulate (vs. entire), abaxially with glandular trichomes (vs. without glandular trichomes), petals suberect to slightly recurved at anthesis (vs. spreading to recurved), broader (4.5–5.5 mm vs 3–3.5 mm wide), white (vs. yellowish-white), abaxial surface with glandular trichomes (vs. glabrous), shorter anthers (1.5 mm vs. 2.5 mm long), stigma simple-patent (vs. simple-erect), with papillae (vs. without papillae), white (vs. yellowish-white).

In addition to the morphological data, F. bahiana has a disjunct distribution to other species of the genus, in the northwestern portion of the Espinhaço range, in the state of Bahia, where it occurs associated with Campos Rupestres in the Caatinga Domain. In contrast, F. micra is known only from two small populations in the Rio Preto State Park, a west-northeast portion of the Meridional Plateau of the Espinhaço range, in the central region of Minas Gerais, where it occurs in the Cerrado Domain. On the other hand, F. pseudomicra is also known only from the type population in the municipality of Couto de Magalh„es de Minas, State of Minas Gerais, where it occurs in association with Campos Rupestres, in the Cerrado Domain ( Leme et al. 2017, 2020, Silva & Nogueira 2023).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Forzzaea bahiana Engels, E.C.Smidt & Leme. A. Habit of flowering plant. B–C. Leaves. D. Detail of prickle. E. Floral bract. F. Sepal. G. Section of flower showing in ovary, petal and stamens. H. Detail of pilosity of adaxial surface of sepals and petals. I. Style and stigma. J. Stigma detail. K. Dried fruit. L. Seed. Drawing by M.E.Engels from the type specimen.

FIGURE 2. Forzzaea bahiana Engels, E.C.Smidt & Leme. A. Flowering plant in lateral view. B. Flowering plant in superior view. C. Section of a flowering plant. D. Flower in superior view. E. Flower in diagonal view. F. Flower in lateral view. G. Sepal in lateral view. H–I. Section of flower showing ovary, sepals, petals, pistil and stamens. J. Detail of the glandular trichomes on the sepal. K. Detail of the margin of the petals. L. Detail of the glandular trichomes on the petal. M. Detail of the anther. N. Detail of stigma. O. Detail of the ovary locule and ovules. Photos by M.E.Engels from the type.

FIGURE 3. Forzzaea bahiana Engels, E.C.Smidt & Leme. A. General view of the environment where the new species has been found. B–C. Individuals of the population in environment. D–E. Detail of vegetative habit of the individuals. Photos by M.E.Engels in the type locality.