Hampea lanceolata F. Areces, 2019

Areces-Berazain, Fabiola & Vega-Lopez, Victor J., 2019, Hampea lanceolata (Malvaceae, Malvoideae), a new species from Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico, Phytotaxa 404 (3), pp. 121-126 : 122-124

Hampea lanceolata F. Areces , sp. nov.

Type:— MEXICO. Chiapas: Municipio of Cintalapa, SE of Cerro Baul on the border with the state of Oaxaca, 16 km northwest of Rizo de Oro along a logging road to Colonia Figaroa [Figueroa], 1600 m, 6 September 1972 [bud, ♀ fl, immature fr], D. E. Breedlove 27604 (holotype: MO 2363983!, isotypes: CAS, F!, MEXU). Figs. 1 , 3 (A–B).

Similar to Hampea montebellensis Fryxell (1977: 291) but differing in the glabrous leaves with domatia, the relatively longer pedicels, and the glabrous (or nearly so) inner fruit walls.

Small to medium-sized understory tree to 18 m tall, dioecious. Young branchlets and petioles stellate-puberulent to pubescent, brown. Leaves with petioles 2–9 cm long; stipules subulate, 7–12 mm long, stellate-puberulent, usually persistent; blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 10–23.5 × 3–7(–8) cm, cuneate or acute at base, acute to long acuminate at the apex, entire, glabrate on both surfaces except for stellate hairs on main veins beneath, black-punctate, 3–5-nerved (often somewhat triplinerved or 5-plinerved), the 2–4 main lateral veins diverging at a narrow angle from the base, and forming pocket domatia at their junction with the primary vein, foliar nectaries 3, located towards the base, the central one more distally placed. Flowers unisexual, 1–3 in axillary fascicles. Pedicels 2.5–6 cm long (up to 9 cm in fruit), stellate-puberulent, often with a small ovate bract at the junction with the stem. Involucral nectaries lacking. Bracteoles 3, linear to subulate, usually longer than calyx, 6–11 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, persistent in fruit. Calyx cupuliform to somewhat campanulate, 6–8 mm long, 5–6 mm diameter, 3–5-lobed, the lobes unequal, obtuse, minutely stellate-puberulent and black-punctate outside. Corolla 3–3.5 cm in diameter, petals patent to reflexed, slightly obliquelyobovate, 1.2–1.6 × 0.7–0.9 cm, rounded at apex, broadened at the base and forming a tube that surrounds the ovary within the calyx (in pistillate flowers), white, densely yellowish-puberulent outside (where exposed in bud), essentially glabrous inside, black-punctate. Staminate flowers with numerous stamens in a column 5–6 mm long, the free portion of filaments 4–6 mm long, yellow. Pistillate flowers with a reduced staminal column 2–3 mm long and fewer stamens up to 2 mm long, anthers indehiscent, non-functional; style undivided, strongly recurved, exceeding the column by 6–7 mm; stigmatic surface decurrent, hairy. Capsule globose to broadly ellipsoid or slightly obovoid, 3-locular, 1.2–2 cm long, 1.2–1.7 cm in diameter, greenish turning yellowish in dry specimens, minutely stellate-puberulent, the valves sparsely puberulous to glabrous internally except for a fringe of whitish hairs along sutures of dehiscence. Seed one per locule, broadly ovoid to nearly globose, 8–10 mm long, 7–8 mm wide, black to dark brown, with a white aril covering about one third of the seed.

Distribution and habitat:— Hampea lanceolata occurs in the highlands of northern Chiapas extending southwest through the Oaxacan border into the Chimalapas region ( Fig. 2). It grows in undisturbed mountain cloud forest and pine-oak- Liquidambar Linnaeus (1753: 999) forest from (900-) 1300 to 2460 m. Fryxell (1969, 1988, 1990, 2000) reports it (as H. longipes ) for Guatemala and Honduras, but these reports are based on misidentifications of other species of Hampea .

Phenology:—Specimens with flowers have been collected from May to October. Fruits have been collected from September to April.

Etymology:—The specific epithet alludes to the characteristic narrow leaves of this species.

Conservation status:— Hampea lanceolata is restricted to primary montane forests and has not been reported outside this habitat. Its estimated extent of occurrence and area of occupancy are less than 20,000 km ² and 2,000 km ² (but more than 5,000 km ² and 500 km ²) respectively, meeting the criteria B1 (a,b) and B2 (a,b) for the category of Vulnerable according to the IUCN red list ( IUCN, 2012). Jones et al. (2018) categorized it (as H. longipes ) as at Risk of Extinction (En Peligro de Extinción) under the Methods of the Evaluation of Risk of Extinction of Plants (MER- Plantas) developed by the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Similar species:— Hampea lanceolata is closely allied to Hampea montebellensis , a species seemingly restricted to the wet forests of Lagunas de Montebello National Park and neighboring areas in the municipality of La Trinitaria (Chiapas) adjacent to the border with Guatemala ( Fig. 2). The two species are similar in overall appearance including the coarse brown pubescence of branchlets and petioles, the relatively narrow leaves, and the spherical capsules up to 2 cm long. Hampea lanceolata differs in having glabrous leaves with domatia at the junction of main veins, relatively longer pedicels (up to 9 cm in fruit), and in the glabrous or very sparsely puberulent inner fruit walls. Hampea montebellensis , in contrast, has puberulent to softly tomentose leaves on the underside, fruiting pedicels up to 6 cm long, and the inner carpel walls are densely white-pubescent.

Despite the resemblance to H. montebellensis , most herbarium specimens of H. lanceolata have been misidentified and cited in floras as H. longipes Miranda ( Fryxell 1969, 1988, 1990, 2000). Hampea longipes was described from north-west Chiapas, in “el lugar llamado Selva Negra, en el camino de Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán a Rayón” ( Miranda 1954). Only a few collections, most within the vicinity of the type locality, actually belong to this species ( Fig. 2). It can be distinguished from H. lanceolata by the finer pubescence of branchlets, petioles and pedicels, the relatively wider leaves without domatia, the slender, longer pedicels which can reach up to 16 cm in fruit, the much smaller bracteoles (up to 2 mm long), and the larger (2.5–3.5 cm) fruits with 2–3 seeds per locule ( Fig. 3C–D ). Hampea breedlovei Fryxell (1977: 291) , described from the same area as H. longipes (“in the Selva Negra 10 km above Rayón Mezcalapa along road to Jitotol, Municipio of Rayón”), is conspecific with this species.

Selected specimens examined:— MEXICO. Chiapas: Municipio Berriozábal: 13 km north of Berriozábal near PozoTuripache and Finca El Suspiro , 900 m, 25 December 1972 [fr], D. E. Breedlove & R. F. Thorne 30758 ( NY). Municipio Cintalapa: SE of Cerro Baul on the border with the State of Oaxaca, 16 km northwest of Rizo de Oro along logging road to Colonia Figaroa [Figueroa], 1600 m, 8 January 1973 [fr], D. E. Breedlove & A. R. Smith 31406 ( NY) ; SE of Cerro Baul on the border with the State of Oaxaca, 17 km NW of Rizo de Oro along a logging road to Colonia Figaroa [Figueroa], 1600 m, 12 October 1979 [immature fr], D. E. Breedlove 44406 ( MO) ; Southeast of Cerro Baul on the border with the State of Oaxaca, 16 km northwest of Rizo de Oro along logging road to Colonia Figaroa [Figueroa], 1600 m, 14 November 1983 [fr], D. E. Breedlove & F. Almeda 60241 ( MO, NY). Municipio Jitotol : 4 miles N of Jitotol above bridge over Río Hondo , 28 July 1988 [fl], D. Baro & R. Jones 913 ( NY) ; Steep wooded slope on the bank of the Río Hondo 4 miles north of Jitotol on the road to Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán , 1676 m, 12 February 1965 [fr], D. E. Breedlove 8972 (F) ; Steep wooded slope on the bank of the Río Hondo 4 miles north of Jitotol on the road to Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán , 1676 m, 29 May 1965 [bud, ♂ fl], D. E. Breedlove 10142 (F) ; Steep wooded slope on the bank of the Río Hondo 4 miles north of Jitotol on the road to Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán , 1676 m, 20 August 1965 [bud, fl], D. E. Breedlove 12044 (F) ; Along the Río Hondo 6.5 km north of Jitotol along road to Pichucalco , 1700 m, 27 October 1971 [immature fr], D. E. Breedlove & R. F. Thorne 21378 ( MO, NY) ; Steep wooded slope on the bank of the Río Hondo 4 miles north of Jitotol on road to Pueblo Nuevo Solistahuacán , 1676 m, 24 January 1965 [fr], P. H. Raven & D. E. Breedlove 19973 (F). Municipio Oxchuc : 9 mi from turnoff of hwy 199 to El Niz, (turnoff 1 mi S Oxchuc), along Río Tzaconeja = ( Río Florido ) at suspension bridge, 1500 m, 14 July 1990 [bud, fl], R. Jones & D. Baro 1070 (F, NY) ; 20 km from turnoff of hwy 199 to El Niz, (turnoff 1 mi S Oxchuc), along Río Tzaconeja = ( Río Florido ) across river from town of Río Florido , 1500 m, 15 July 1990 [bud, fl], R. Jones & D. Baro 1072 ( NY) ; 20 km from turnoff of hwy 199 to El Niz, (turnoff 1 mi S Oxchuc), along Río Tzaconeja = ( Río Florido ) across river from town of Río Florido , 1500 m, 25 July 1990 [bud, ♀ fl, fr], R. Jones & D. Baro 1073 ( NY). Municipio Rayón: Selva Negra, on sides of steep wooded hillsides, 1900 m, 19 July 1991 [bud, fl], R. Jones 2021 ( NY). Municipio Tenejapa: By river in steep canyon above “Paraje Yashanal”, 5.3 miles from Tenejapa, 1600–1700 m, 31 July 1988 [bud], D. Baro & R. Jones 914 (F, NY) ; Near Paraje Yashanal , 2460 m, 28 January 1981 [fr], D. E. Breedlove 49642 ( NY) ; Near Paraje Yashanal , 2300 m, 22 April 1981 [fr], D. E. Breedlove 51082 ( MO) ; Between Tenejapa and Cancuc, above Paraje Yashanal , down in river canyon 2–3 km E of Yashanal, 1600 m, 6 August 1989 [bud, fl], R. Jones & D. Baro 920 ( NY) ; Ojo del Río Yashanal , 1700 m, 20 August 1982 [fl], A. Méndez Ton 4491 ( NY) ; Ojo del Río Cueva Yashanal , 1500 m, 15 October 1982 [immature fr], A. Méndez Ton 4816 ( MO, NY) ; Ojo del Río Yash zanal, 1600 m, 5 January 1983 [fr], A. Méndez Ton 5330 ( MO, NY). Municipio Yajalón: Cerro de Akabana , 15 February 1984 [fr], A. Méndez Ton 7257 ( MO). Oaxaca: Municipio San Miguel Chimalapa : Cabecera del Arroyo Caracol , Cerro Guayabitos , al NO. de Congregación Benito Juárez , ca. 40 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec, 1450 m, 16°44′N, 94°10′30′′W, 7 August 1984 [bud, ♂ fl], S. Maya 372 ( MO, NY) ; Paraje palmero “El Gringo”, cerca del parteaguas continental (en la vertiente S.) al O. de Cerro el Retén , ca. de 25 km. en linea recta al NE de Zanatepec, 1600 m, 16°41′N, 94°16′W, 20 August 1984 [bud, ♂ fl], S. Maya 466 ( MO, NY) ; Cabecera del Cañón Hierba Santa, faldas S del Cerro Guayabitos, ca 4 km en linea al NO de Benito Juárez, ca 39 km en linea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec , 1500–1700 m, 16°44′N, 94°10′W, 12 March 1985 [fr], S. Maya 1344 ( MO, NY) ; Cabecera del Cañón Hierba Santa, faldas S del Cerro Guayabitos, ca. 4 km en línea recta al NO de Benito Juárez, ca. 39 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec , 1500–1700 m, 16°44′N, 94°10′W, 2 September 1986 [fl], S. Maya 3788 ( MO) ; Cerro El Retén, cerca del paraje palmero “El Progreso” y la vereda El Progreso-El Salto , ca. 23 km al NE de Zanatepec, 16°40′N, 94°15′W, 10–12 September 1986 [immature fr], S. Maya 3865 ( MO) ; Cañon El Salto, ca. 2 km al NO de La Coralilla (Díaz Ordáz), ca. 38 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec, lado S del Cerro Sabinal , 1300–1450 m, 16°43′N, 94°11′W, 30 October 1986 [fr], S. Maya 4147 ( MO). Municipio Santa Maria Chimalapa: Cerro El Quetzal, ca. 4 km al N del Cerro Guayabitos, ca. 8.5 km en línea recta al NO de Benito Juárez, ca. 44 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec, 1900 m, 16°46′N, 94°11′W, 22–24 January 1986 [fr], S. Maya 2807 ( MO) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hampea lanceolata (D. E. Breedlove 27604, MO). A. Branch with buds, pistillate flowers and immature fruits. B. Detail of flower. Drawing by the authors.

FIGURE 3. Distinguishing features between Hampea lanceolata and Hampea longipes. A–B. Holotype of Hampea lanceolata (D. E. Breedlove 27604, MO). C–D. Holotype of Hampea longipes (F. Miranda 7769, MEXU). Note the longer bracteoles and the coarse brown pubescence in Hampea lanceolata (A), and the leaf bases with main nerves diverging at narrower angles and forming pocket domatia (B). The scale bar equals 2 cm.