Eugenia brejoensis Mazine

Proença, Carolyn E. B., De Oliveira, Marla I. U., Sobral, Marcos & Landim, Myrna F., 2014, Novelties in Myrtaceae: contributions to the Flora of the State of Sergipe, Brazil, Phytotaxa 173 (3), pp. 217-225 : 218

1.1. Eugenia brejoensis Mazine (in Mazine & Souza 2008: 775) ( Figs. 1A–B )

Complement to original description: —Bark of the trunk very thinly striate, grey with cream or tan patches, not exfoliating when seen. Berries maturing simultaneously in an inflorescence, shiny black, 5–8 × 5–7 mm, globose to oblate, sometimes puberulous even when mature; the calyx lobes involute and also black at maturity; seed 1, transverse, c. 7 × 6 mm; testa light brown, crustaceous, opaque with a fibrous, net-like texture; embryo conferruminate, oblong-reniform, shiny when dry.

Distribution: —Described as endemic to Pernambuco ( Mazine & Souza 2008), it has since been found that this species is rather widespread in Northeastern Brazil. It occurs in Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe ( Cunha 2013, this study, Sobral et al. 2013).

Ecology: —The congested cluster of all-ripe shiny black fruits could presumably be consumed at once and may make it attractive to bats and monkeys; this would agree with the rather thick, crustaceous seed coat.

Figures

FIGURE 1. New or rare species of Myrtaceae from Sergipe and Bahia, Brazil. A–B. Eugenia brejoensis Mazine. Mature fruits and seeds (Landim et al. 1252, ASE), scale in cm. C. E. tephrogyna Sobral & Proença. Mature fruits (Paula-Souza s.n., ASE 15432). D–E. E. tephrogyna. Old flowers (Viana 471, ASE). F, H. Myrcia landimiana Proença & M.Ibrahim. Mature fruits (Paula-Souza s.n., ASE 15430). G. Myrcia landimiana. Young inflorescence with leafy bracts (Gomes & Santos 282, ASE). I–J. Myrcia ovina Proença & Landim. Inflorescence with persistent bracts and upper surface of mature leaf (Carneiro 264, UB). K. Myrcia spathulifolia Proença. Leaves and immature fruits (Carvalho Sobrinho 763, UB). L. Myrcia ramuliflora (O.Berg) N.Silveira. Leaves and inflorescence (Fonsêca s.n., ASE 405). Photographs: C.E.B. Proença.