Bertolonia cuspidata Bacci & Amorim

Bisewski, Gessica C. A., Bacci, Lucas F., Amorim, André M. & Goldenberg, Renato, 2022, The Genus Bertolonia (Melastomataceae) In The State Of Bahia, Brazil, Phytotaxa 548 (2), pp. 153-183 : 164-165

5. Bertolonia cuspidata Bacci & Amorim (in Bacci et al. 2018: 772). Figures 2e , 7 .

Herbs 15–30 cm tall, terrestrial, rarely epiphytic. Stem 3–6 mm wide, rounded or quadrangular, densely glandulosepunctate (trichomes less than 0.1 mm long), sometimes sparsely glandulose-pilose (trichomes ca. 1.4 mm long). Leaves opposite; petioles 2.6–9.1 cm long, quadrangular, sparsely to moderately glandulose-punctate; blades 7.3–12.2 × 3.9–6 cm, flat, elliptic, base widely rounded to seldom cordate, apex cuspidate, margins entire or slightly crenate, sparsely to moderately ciliate, adaxial surface dark green, sparsely glandulose-punctate (trichomes less than 0.1 mm long, brownish), abaxial surface vinaceous, sparsely to moderately glandulose-punctate (trichomes less than 0.1 mm long, brownish), main veins 3, plus one pair that do not reach the leaf apex, basal. Inflorescences terminal or pseudo-lateral in infructescences, 6.5–11.6 cm long (9.8–17.7 cm long in infructescences), branches moderately glandulose-punctate, glabrous when old. Bracts 0.9–2.8 mm long, elliptic, apex acute, margins ciliate, both surfaces glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose; bracteoles 0.7–1 mm long, elliptic, apex acute, both surfaces glandulose-punctate. Hypanthium 2.1–3.9 × 2.15–4 mm, obconic or short terete, glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose. Sepals elliptic to ovate, apex rounded, margins entire, ciliate, both surfaces glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose. Petals 5.3–7.5 × 4.2– 6.6 mm, light pink, elliptic or ovate, base cuneate, apex apiculate, the apiculum 0.5–0.6 mm long, with a caducous gland head, margins entire, eciliate, both surfaces papillose, otherwise glabrous. Stamens 4.4–5.9 mm long; filaments 2.2–2.9 mm long; anthers 2.1–3.1 mm long, cream colored, narrowly oblong, surface slightly undulate to rugose, pore rounded, non-thickened margins, introrse; connective shortly prolonged (ca. 0.3 mm), unappendaged. Style 3.6–5.4 mm long, straight to slightly curvate, glabrous. Fruits 0.5–0.8 × 0.8–1.2 cm. Seeds fusiform.

Examined material: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Almadina, Borges 461 ( CEPEC!, NY); Cardoso 2137 ( CEPEC!, HUEFS!); Paixão 864 ( CEPEC!, UPCB!). Barro Preto, Amorim 4 775 ( CEPEC!); Amorim 4521 ( CEPEC!, NY); Bacci 232 ( CEPEC!); Borges 475 ( CEPEC!); Coelho 426 ( CEPEC!, UESC!); Ferreira 1478 ( CEPEC!); Fiaschi 1556 ( CEPEC!); Fiaschi 1809 ( CEPEC!, NY); Lopes 332 ( CEPEC!, UPCB!); Lopes 693 ( CEPEC!, NY); Thomas 14285 ( CEPEC!). Boa Nova, Amorim 3602 ( ALCB!, CEPEC!, UPCB!); Ferreira 1696 ( CEPEC!). Itaju do Colônia: Amorim 4342a ( CEPEC!).

Conservation Status: — Bertolonia cuspidata has an EOO of 3,595 km ² and AOO of 595 km ², and should be classified as “Endangered” (EN), following IUCN (2017) categories. This species has been found only outside conservation units, mainly in the “Serra da Pedra Lascada” and “Serra do Corcovado”.

Notes: — Bertolonia cuspidata is endemic to Bahia, occurring in montane rainforests ( Fig. 3e ), on shaded and moist slopes. Collected with flowers from July to February and fruits from August to March. The species can be recognized by the widely elliptic and glandulose-punctate leaf blades with a cuspidate apex, hypanthium glandulosepunctate and also glandulose-villose and petals with an apiculate apex ending in a glandular head. For more details see notes under B. cuspidata, Bacci et al. (2018) , and Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Specimens in vivo. A. Bertolonia alternifolia. B. B. angustipetala. C. B. bullata. D. B. carmoi. E. B. cuspidata. F. B. hirsutissima. Photos:A, C, and E by A. M. A. Amorim; D by G. C. A. Bisewski; B and F by L. F. Bacci.

FIGURE 3. Distributions of species of Bertolonia in Bahia.A. Bertolonia alternifolia. B. Bertolonia angustipetala. C. Bertolonia bullata. D. Bertolonia carmoi. E. Bertolonia cuspidata. F. Bertolonia hirsutissima. G. Bertolonia igrapiuna. H. Bertolonia kollmannii.

FIGURE 7. Bertolonia cuspidata.A. Fertile branch. B. Trichomes on the petiole.C. Leaf base, abaxial surface. D. Short-stalked glandular trichomes on the abaxial leaf surface. E. Inflorescence. F. Hypanthium and calyx, abaxial surface. G. Petals apex, showing the apiculum with glands (arrow). H. Stamen, lateral (left) and dorsal (right) views. I. Ovary and style. [A, E, F, H, I: Borges 461; B: Ferreira 1478; C: Borges 475; D: Amorim 4775; G: Fiaschi 1809].