Manihot breviloba P.Carvalho & M.Martins, 2011

Martins, Márcio Lacerda Lopes, Carvalho, Paulo Cezar Lemos De & Amorim, André Márcio, 2011, A remarkable new Manihot (Euphorbiaceae) from the coastal sand plains of Sergipe, Brazil, Phytotaxa 32, pp. 57-60 : 58

Manihot breviloba P.Carvalho & M.Martins , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

A omnibus speciebus Manihotis cauli volubili, petiolo flexo et foliis cum lobis brevibus, differt.

Type: –– BRAZIL: Sergipe: Santo Amaro das Brotas, 12º53’ S 41º18’ W, 9,8m, 14 May 2011, Martins , M. L. L . 1800, Carvalho, P. C. L ., Ledo, C. A. S . & Silveira, T. C. (holotype HUEFS!, isotypes ASE!, CEN!, CEPEC!, HERB!, HB!, K!, P!, SP!,)

Monoecious climbing vine, 1.5–4.0 m long. Stem green, cylindrical, glabrous, smooth, with white latex. Stipules setaceous, glabrous, 1.5–2.0 mm long, deciduous. Leaves alternate; petioles 1–3 cm long, clasping, cylindrical, glabrous, with basal insertion, slightly purple; blades simple, chartaceous, glabrous, 3–lobed, with lateral lobes extremely reduced or absent in the young leaves, margins entire, slightly purple, venation camptodromous, median lobe 3–8 × 2–5 cm long, obovate, apex acuminate, lateral lobes asymmetrical, up to 1 cm long, apex acuminate. Inflorescence racemose or paniculate, erect, 10–17 cm long, glabrous, bracts setaceous, ca. 1 mm long, yellowish, bracteoles setaceous, ca. 0.2 mm long, yellowish. Pistillate flowers 2, opposite or subopposite, 0.7–1.2 cm long, in the middle portion of the inflorescence, pedicels 0.7–2.5 cm long, buds pyramidal. Flower buds ovate. Sepals glabrous, yellowish-green, with purple margin, nectary disc orange with a purple base, slightly lobed. Staminate flowers 0.6-1.2 cm long, Sepals cleft ½ down in five lobes, margin purple, glabrous. Stamens 10, in two whorls, anthers white, staminal disc yellow, lobed. Capsules 2.0– 2.5 cm long, ovate to elliptic, slightly curved, with a smooth surface, apex acuminate, green, winged, ribs 1.0–2.0 mm deep. Seeds ca. 1 cm long, oblong, ventral surface plain, greyish-brown, with small dark spots along the edges, dorsal surface convex, greyish-brown, smooth, caruncle ca. 0.2 mm long, cream colored.

Habitat: ––Shrub vegetation of coastal sand plains.

Distribution: —North coast Sergipe, Brazil.

Etymology: —The name of this species makes reference to its leaf morphology with extremely reduced lateral lobes.

Phenology: ––Was found in the reproductive stage in February, May, June and September, carrying flowers and fruit.

Observations: –– Manihot breviloba is distinguished from all other species of the genus by its vine-like habit, petiole clasping and leaves with extremely reduced lateral lobes. In addition, this species lives in the coastal sand plains, an unusual habit for species of Manihot . Only M. tripartita (Spreng.) Müller (1866: 1068) has been reported from the ‘restingas’ of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo ( Sá 2002, Pereira and Assis 2000). The type was collected in an area of intense sand extraction, a normal event in the littoral of Santo Amaro das Brotas. Its habitat in the troubled environment along the coast of the state of Sergipe, makes this species potentially endangered.

Additional specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Sergipe: Barra dos Coqueiros, 14 September 1995, Landim , M . et al. 590 ( ASE, HUEFS); Barra dos Coqueiros, 20 February 1998 Cruz , A . & Santos , E . 11 ( ASE); Santo Amaro das Brotas, estrada para o Porto de Sergipe, 16 June 2000 Sousa , G . et al. 367 ( CEPEC); Santo Amaro das Brotas, Fazenda Procase, 30 June 1981, Fonseca , M . 534 ( ASE); Ilha das Flores, Betume, 22 June 1982 Viana , G . 524 (ASE).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Manihot breviloba. A) Flowering Branch; B) Leaf; C) Bud of staminate flower; D) Bud of pistillate flower; E) Detail of pistillate flower; F) Fruit; G) Seed in dorsal and frontal views (Martins et al. 1800, Holotype).