Cuphea ericoides Chamisso & Schlechtendal (1827: 366)

Facco, Marlon Garlet & Cavalcanti, Taciana Barbosa, 2023, Taxonomic Revision of Cuphea sect. Trispermum s. l. (Lythraceae), Phytotaxa 588 (1), pp. 1921-1935 : 1921-1935

9. Cuphea ericoides Chamisso & Schlechtendal (1827: 366) .

Lectotype (here designated):— BRAZIL. “In Brasilia aequinoctiali tropica”, Sellow s.n. [106?] ( M [0146136] image!, probable isolectotype K p.p. image!). Figs. 10A–G , 22 .

Cuphea ericoides var. juniperifolia Saint-Hilaire (1833: 119) . Lectotype (first step designated by Lourteig 1987: 41, second step lectotypification here designated):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: “in monte dicto Serra de S. José [approx. -21.101, -44.195] prope urbem S. Jo ã o del Rei”, February [1818], Saint-Hilaire B2 2398 bis (P [01901676] image!, isolectotype P [01901677] image!), syn. nov.

Cuphea ericoides var. laxa Koehne (1907: 87) . Lectotype (designated by Lourteig 1987: 41):— BRAZIL. Bahia: “Serra da Vendinha [approx. -13.506, -41.162], Queimado preto, 1100 m alt.”, November 1906, Ule 7326 (HBG [524667] image!, isolectotypes GH image!, L image!).

Cuphea ericoides var. oxycedrina Koehne (1907: 87) . Lectotype (designated by Lourteig 1987: 41):— BRAZIL. Bahia: “Serra Sincora [Serra do Sincorá, approx. -13.495, -41.180], 1600 m alt.”, November 1906, Ule 7325 (HBG [524668] image!, isolectotypes GH image!, K image!, L image!).

Cuphea ericoides var. pithyusa Saint-Hilaire (1833:119) . Lectotype (first step designated by Lourteig1987:40, second step lectotypification here designated):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: “in sabulosis montium altorum, vulgò Serra de Curmatahy [Curimataí, approx. -17.885, -43.939], ad fines occidentales terrae adamantinae”, September [1817], Saint-Hilaire B1 2000 (P [01901678] image!, isolectotype P [01901679] image!).

Cuphea imbricata Moricand ex Koehne (1877: 291) , nom. nud., pro syn.

Cuphea stricta Moricand ex Koehne (1877: 291) , nom. nud., pro syn.

Subshrubs to shrubs 40–150 cm tall; stems erect, indumentum pubescent, eglandular trichomes <0.5 mm long, with curved apices, mixed with short glandular trichomes, <0.5 mm long; internodes 0.2–2 cm long; brachyblasts absent. Leaves 3(–5)-verticillate, coriaceous, sessile, blades 3–10(–16) × 0.5–2 mm, linear, rarely narrow-ovate, apex acute, base obtuse to truncate, margin plane, indumentum strigose on both surfaces, one-armed trichomes, mixed with sparse glandular trichomes, rarely glabrous; hyphodromous. Racemes 10–20 cm long, frondose, simple to compound, usually contracted at apex of branches; bracts similar to leaves, subequal pairs. Flowers alternate; pedicels 2–5 mm long; bracteoles ca. 1.2 mm long, ovate; floral tubes 6–10 mm long; spur obtuse, deflexed; outer surface atropurpureous to vinaceous, sometimes green ventrally, indumentum pubescent and strigose, mixed with glandular trichomes; inner surface villous behind the stamens, pilose on the rest of the floral tube; petals 6, pink to purple, subequal, two dorsal 4.4–5.2 × 1.4–3.4 mm long, narrow-obovate to obovate, four ventral 5–5.3 × 2.4–3.1 mm, obovate; stamens free in the upper third of the floral tube, five antesepalous exserted, four antepetalous subexserted; pistil 5–8 mm long; ovary slightly pilose; style glabrous to pilose; ovules 3(–4); nectary ca. 0.7 × 0.7 mm, deflexed. Seeds 2–3, 1.6–1.9 × 1.6–1.9 mm, broad-elliptic to suborbicular, apex truncate, base obtuse, margin obtuse.

Phenology: —Collected with flowers and fruits throughout the year, mostly from August to January.

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil, in states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Pernambuco ( Fig. 22 ); “campos rupestres” and “cerrados”, on rocky outcrops, and in wet grasslands on sandy soil; 500–2500 m elev.

Conservation status: — Cuphea ericoides was categorized as Least Concern (LC) due to its wide geographic distribution, as well as being relatively common and well-collected.

Representative specimens examined: —BRAZIL. Bahia: Abaíra, Catolés, 13º17’00”S, 41º51’00”W, 20 December 1991, Harley et al. H50174 (CEN!, HUEFS!, SPF!); Andaraí, BA-142, Andaraí-Mucugê, margem direita do rio Piaba, 12°57’03”S, 41°16’36”W, 10 August 2016, Facco et al. 491 (CEN!); Andaraí, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, Serra Capa Bode , ca. 2 km da BA-142, nas margens da estrada, 12º56’11”S, 41º19’43”W, 11 August 2016, Facco et al. 492 (CEN!); Barra da Estiva, ca. 6 km de Barra da Estiva, na estrada para Itanhaçú, Morro do Ouro, 10 January 1999, Cavalcanti et al. 2461 (CEN!, HUEFS!); Contendas do Sincorá, estrada para Triunfo do Sincorá, 29 October 1978, Martinelli 5473 (RB!); Érico Cardoso, Poço do Major, 13º22’06”S, 42º06’54”W, 14 January 2008, Rapini et al. 1534 (HUEFS!); Ituaçu, Serra do Sincorá, W of Barra da Estiva on the road to Jussiape, 13º40’00”S, 41º25’00”W, 23 March 1980, Harley et al. 20800 (NY image!, UEC image!); Jacobina, Serra de Jacobina, Blanchet 2604 (BR image!, F image!, K p.p. image!, NY image!, W image!); Jacobina, Blanchet 3617 (W image!); Jacobina, Serra do Tombador, 11º05’13”S, 40º40’21”W, 02 July 1996, Harley et al. PCD 3328 (ALCB!, CEN!, HRB!, HUEFS!); Lençóis, ca. de 1 km do início da estrada lateral que sai da Rodovia Lençóis-Seabra, a 23 km NW de Lençóis, Serra do Palmital, 16 February 1994, Harley et al. CFCR 14165 (CEN!, ESA!, RB!, SPF!); Licínio de Almeida, 2 km antes da entrada da cidade, 10 January 2006, Nunes et al. 1639 (HUEFS!); Morro do Chapéu, leito seco do Rio Ferro Doido, próximo à ponte da rodovia BA-052, 19 km da cidade, 11º37’38”S, 41º00’09”W, 07 August 2016, Facco et al. 485 (CEN!); Mucugê, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, subida para o Morro do Gobira, na trilha, 13º05’02”S, 41º22’40”W, 11 August 2016, Facco et al. 493 (CEN!, UB!); Palmeiras, próximo à localidade de Caeté Açu, Cachoeira da Fumaça (Glass), 12º36’01”S, 41º27’17”W, 11 October 1987, Queiroz et al. 1902 (CEN!, HUEFS!, NY image!); Rio de Contas, Rio Brumado, cachoeira do Fraga, 13º35’53”S, 41º49’42”W, 17 January 2004, Pereira-Silva et al. 8395 (CEN!, HUEFS!); Sento Sé, Serra das Almas, 10º19’58”S, 41º22’59”W, 14 May 2010, Fontana & Leme 6671 (CEN!). Minas Gerais: Botumirim, estrada para o Rio do Peixe, entrada a 2,2 km de Botumirim, em frente a Fazenda Botafogo, 4 Km do início da estrada, 16º53’42”S, 42º59’30”W, 18 November 2007, Mello-Silva et al. 3009 (CEN!, SPF!); Capitólio, Regi ã o da Represa de Furnas, estrada para mineradoras, antes da entrada para Furnas, cachoeira do terceiro córrego, 20º35’55”S, 46º17’33”W, 26 October 2006, Nakajima et al. 4381 (HUFU!); Conceiç ã o do Mato Dentro, Rio Santo Antônio, 23 November 1997, Hatschbach et al. 67433 (HRB!, MBM!); Congonhas do Norte, Serra do Cipó, Serra Talhada, Fazenda do Cambota, alto da Serra do Jo ã o Camilo, 18º48’39”S, 43º45’09”W, 19 January 2004, MelloSilva et al. 2375 (CEN!, SPF!); Datas, Rodovia Datas-Serro, a 20 km de Datas, 18º34’20”S, 43º35’34”W, 10 February 2015, Cavalcanti et al. 3943 (CEN!); Diamantina, estrada BR-259-Conselheiro Mata, km 26, 18º18’06”S, 43º52’44”W, 27 April 1997, Cavalcanti et al. 2307 (CEN!); Gouveia, 40 km SE of intersection of BR-259 to Diamantina with BR-259 to Serro, 27 November 1985, Graham 959 (MBM!, NY image!, RB!); Gr ã o Mogol, estrada vicinal ca. 5 km da rodovia para Gr ã o Mogol, estradinha de terra para o rio Itacambiruçu, 16º35’45”S, 42º55’38”W, 03 February 2015, Cavalcanti et al. 3893 (CEN!); Itacambira, estradinha para o morro da torre repetidora, 17º04’58”S, 43º18’41”W, 05 February 2015, Cavalcanti et al. 3905 (CEN!); Lavras, próximo à cidade, 09 December 1980, Leitão-Filho et al. 11860 (UEC image!, RB!); Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cipó, Rodovia Belo Horizonte-Conceiç ã o do Mato Dentro, km 118, 19º15’27”S, 43º33’31”W, 23 April 1997, Cavalcanti et al. 2277 (CEN!); S ã o Jo ã o Batista do Glória, Paraíso Perdido, Córrego Quebra Anzol, 4,5 km da Rodovia MG 050 , 20º37’28”S, 46º19’24”W, 29 September 2005, Romero et al. 7240 (HUFU!); S ã o Jo ã o del-Rei, Morro da Trindade, na estrada para o campo de instruç ã o do exército, 21º08’27”S, 44º17’09”W, 16 January 2003, Cavalcanti et al. 3093 (CEN!); S ã o Tomé das Letras, Serra de S ã o Thomé, 30 October 1984, Mello-Silva et al. CFCR 5677 (SPF!). Pernambuco: Brejo da Madre de Deus, Mata do Buriti, 08º12’41”S, 36º23’32”W, 19 January 2000, Nascimento & Silva 313 (CEN!); Buíque, subida da Serra S ã o José, encosta virada para leste, 08º35’29”S, 37º12’17”W, 08 May 2018, Pereira-Silva et al. 17190 (CEN!); Buíque, Chapada da Serra S ã o José, 08º33’20”S, 37º12’25”W, 08 May 2018, Pereira-Silva et al. 17191 (CEN!). Specific locality unknown: “Brasilia”, Sellow 2049 (K image!).

Cuphea ericoides is characterized by linear, acute, 3(–5)-verticillate, hyphodromous leaves ( Fig. 10B ), flowers clustered at the apex of the branches, and by floral tubes usually atropurpureous. Individuals of this species can reach up to 1.5 m tall, often forming dense populations. It is one of the most common Cuphea species in the “campos rupestres” of the Espinhaço mountain range, occurring from northern Bahia to southern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. It is also recorded in the mountainous regions of eastern Pernambuco state. In populations from Bahia and Minas Gerais, there are records of hummingbirds visiting C. ericoides flowers ( Cavalcanti 1990, Machado et al. 2007, Mattos 2015, Moura 2016, Kaseker 2018).

The circumscription of C. ericoides used to be problematic because of its proximity to the linear-leaved species C. laricoides and C. paralarix , and because of morphological and chromosomal number variation (n = 8, 12, 14, and ca. 24; Graham & Cavalcanti 2001, Pozzobon et al. 2020). Four varieties of difficult recognition were associated with the observed morphological variation ( Saint-Hilaire 1833, Koehne 1907 , Lourteig 1987 ), and some were synonymized by Lourteig (1987) . Furthermore, during the development of this study, a plant population similar to C. ericoides was discovered in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

According to the results of phylogenetic analyses using AFLP and ITS markers (Facco, unpublished data), specimens of C. ericoides from the state of Mato Grosso, C. laricoides and C. paralarix are genetically distant from typical C. ericoides (specimens from Bahia, Minas Gerais and Pernambuco). The analyses also supported the description of a new species based on the specimens collected in Mato Grosso ( C. araguaiaensis ).

Morphologically, the presence of brachyblasts in C. araguaiaensis , C. laricoides , and C. paralarix is the main distinguishing feature from C. ericoides , along with yellow flowers in C. paralarix and leaves with revolute margins in C. araguaiaensis and C. laricoides . Cuphea laricoides also contrasts by its decumbent habit and petals that vary from white to lilac, and in C. araguaiaensis the leaves are opposite. In C. ericoides , the habit is erect ( Fig. 10A ), the brachyblasts are absent, the phyllotaxy is 3(–5)-verticillate, the leaf margin is plane, and the petals are pink to purple ( Fig. 10C ).

Chamisso & Schlechtendal (1827) described C. ericoides based on the collection “ Sellow s.n. ”, which was not found by Lourteig (1987) . In the online catalog of herbarium F there is a photo negative (nº 17885) of a specimen of C. ericoides from B, collected by F. Sellow, destroyed during World War II. This specimen, which has the number “106” handwritten in the lower right corner, was probably used for the description of C. ericoides , since D.F.L. von Schlechtendal was curator of the Royal Herbarium in Berlin from 1819–1833, in close association with A. von Chamisso ( Stafleu & Cowan 1985). There are several specimens from F. Sellow in K and M, however only one from M has the number “106” on the exsiccate, which was designated here as the lectotype of C. ericoides .

Cuphea ericoides var. juniperifolia , C. ericoides var. laxa , C. ericoides var. oxycedrina and C. ericoides var. pithyusa were described based on variations in indumentum, leaf shape and leaf dimensions, diagnostic characters that are extremely weak, and therefore these taxa were synonymized under C. ericoides .

In “ Flora Brasiliensis ”, Koehne (1877) raised C. ericoides var. linifolia Saint-Hilaire (1833: 120) to the species rank and indicated C. ericoides var. hervita Saint-Hilaire (1833: 118) as its synonym. Cuphea linifolia (A.St.-Hil.) Koehne (1877: 282) , from C. sect. Euandra , is easily recognized by the acute, ascending spur.

Figures

FIGURE 10. A–G. Cuphea ericoides. A. Habit; B. Detail of the branches; C. Flowering branch; D. Floral tube in lateral view, without petals; E. Floral tube in longitudinal-dorsal section, without petals; F. Pistil. G. Seed. H–M. Cuphea flava. H. Habit; I. Flowering branch; J. Floral tube in lateral view, without petals; K. Floral tube in longitudinal-dorsal section, without petals; L. Pistil; M. Seed.A, C: Facco et al. 492; B, E–G: Facco et al. 485; D: Facco et al. 491; J, K: Bovini et al. 1724; L: Sevilha & Pereira-Silva 2213; M: Davidse et al. 17808. Scale bar. D, E, J: 3 mm; F, K, L: 2 mm; G, M: 1 mm. Photos. H–I: Marcos V. Dantas Queiroz.

FIGURE 22. Geographical distribution of Cuphea ericoides, Cuphea flava and Cuphea paralarix.