Piptolepis buxoides (Lessing) Schultz-Bipontinus (1863: 383)

Loeuille, Benoît, Semir, João & Pirani, José R., 2019, A synopsis of Lychnophorinae (Asteraceae: Vernonieae), Phytotaxa 398 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

1. Piptolepis buxoides (Lessing) Schultz-Bipontinus (1863: 383) . Vernonia buxoides Lessing (1829: 247) . Type:—

BRAZIL. ‘ E. Brasilia tropica misit’ , F. Sello (w) s.n. (holotype: P e! [ P02511977 ]) .

Vernonia pseudomyrtus Saint-Hilaire (1833: 367) . Piptolepis pseudomyrtus (A. St.-Hil.) Schultz-Bipontinus (1863: 384), non P. pseudomyrtus Baker (1873: 145) , nom. illeg. Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: près Tapinhoancanga, A. de Saint Hilaire catologue B’ 910-574 (lectotype: P [P00683104], designated here; isolectotypes: B †, K e! [K000497136], MPU e! [MPU023508], P [P00683105, P00683106]).

Distribution and habitat: — Brazil (Minas Gerais). Campo rupestre; 650– 850 m.

Taxonomic notes: —An infrequently collected species, characterized by ovate to oblanceolate and elliptic leaves. It can be confused with Piptolepis schultziana Loeuille & D.J.N.Hind in Loeuille et al. (2012b: 12), which has 17–29 florets per capitulum (vs 12–13). Also similar to P. campestris Semir & Loeuille in Loeuille et al. (2012a: 11), but the velutinous to subsericeous, silverish canescent indument on the adaxial surface of leaves of the latter species easily separates it from P. buxoides . Also similar to P. ericoides Schultz-Bipontinus (1863: 384) : see that species for a discussion of the differences.

Representative specimens: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alvorada de Minas , Itapanhoacanga, estrada Itapanhoacanga –cachoeira Campinas, ca. 3 km de Itapanhoacanga, 18°47’51”S, 43°26’35”W, 846 m, 14 November 2007, M. M . Saavedra et al. 529 ( RB, SPF), ibid., 18°48’19”S, 43°26’12”W, 672 m, 19 November 2011, B . Loeuille et al. 599 ( K, MBM, MO, RB, SPF, US).