Anthurium capixaba Theófilo, D.R. Couto & Manhães, 2024

Valadares, Rodrigo Theófilo, Couto, Dayvid Rodrigues, Manhães, Vitor Da Cunha, Silva, Lucas De Almeida & Dutra, Valquiria Ferreira, 2024, Anthurium capixaba (Araceae): a new species with cordate leaves from Brazil, Phytotaxa 664 (1), pp. 75-82 : 76-77

Anthurium capixaba Theófilo, D.R. Couto & Manhães , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Anthurium capixaba is similar to A. marcusianum but differs in having a very elongate decumbent stem (> 100 cm long), prophylls and cataphylls 5.5–9.36 cm long, longer leaf blade (35.5–41.3 cm long), upper surface glaucous, sinus rhombic to mitered, longer peduncle (73.3– 55 cm long,) spathe naviculate, glaucous, with pinkish border, ovate, base cordate, almost meeting, then decurrent, rostrate to apiculate at apex and, spadix with stipe 3.8–7.9 cm long.

Type: — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Burarama, Base da Pedra da Ema, complexo rupestre de granito, 20º41’13.4”S, 41º19’26.5”W, ca. 180 m, 28 April 2010, D. R. Couto 1591 & F. C. Favoreto (holotype VIES!).

Rupicolous herb; stem elongate,> 100 cm long, decumbent; Lacking glandular punctations throughout; internodes 0.4–0.5 cm; prophylls and cataphylls 5.50–9.36 cm long, greenish when young, brownish to chestnut when old, drying medium brown, persistent and entire at the stem apex, deciduous at the stem base; sheath 2.5–4.4 cm. Leaf not peltate; petiole 47–50 × 0.4–0.5 cm, erect, greenish, covered with raphide cells, terete; geniculum 0.8–0.9 cm, clear matte green when fresh, drying blacker than the rest of the petiole, terete,; leaf blade 35.5–41.3 × 27.1–28.0 cm, perpendicular to petiole, ovate, chartaceous when fresh, coriaceous when dry; upper surface glaucous, green, with whitish border, drying medium green, densely covered with raphide cells, lower surface light green, matte, drying medium green,, apex acute, base cordate; anterior lobe 22.7–26.7 cm; posterior lobes 12.6–14.3 cm, imbricate, rounded at apex; sinus rhombic to mitered; midrib light green adaxially, obtuse at the base, rounded and prominent at the apex adaxially, rounded and prominent abaxially; basal veins 4 to 7 pairs; 1st pair free to the base or fused for 0.8–1.0 cm, reaching the margin above 1/2 of the anterior lobe length; 2nd pair of basal veins fused for 2.3–2.8 cm, reaching the margin above 1/3 of the anterior lobe length; the remainder coalesced ca. 0.7–3.8 cm; primary lateral veins 5 to 7 on both sides, arched, prominent adaxially when fresh, raised below abaxially when fresh; interprimary veins distinct from the primary lateral veins; collective vein arising from the base or from one of the basal veins, 0.3–0.7 cm from the margin. Peduncle 73.3–55.0 × 0.4–0.5 cm, 1.1–1.4 times longer than the petiole, erect, terete, greenish,, covered with raphide cells, geniculum absent at the apex; spathe 5.3–5.6 × 2.2–3.2 cm, chartaceous when fresh, naviculate, coriaceous when dry, greenish, glaucous, with pinkish border, ovate, base cordate, almost meeting, then decurrent, rostrate to apiculate at apex, reflexed in post-anthesis and fructification, pustules absent, both surfaces densely covered with white speckles; spadix 8.1–10.6 × 0.4–0.5 cm, stipe 3.8–7.9 cm long, cylindric to tapered, brownish in post-anthesis; 5 to 6 flowers visible per principal spiral, 8 to 9 flowers visible per secondary spiral. Flowers rhombic, tepals brownish in post-anthesis, dorsally acute, internally convex. Infructescence not seen.

Habitat and distribution: — Anthurium capixaba was found on inselbergs surrounded by submontane seasonal semideciduous forest fragments ( Veloso et al. 1991), in the Atlantic Forest Domain from Espírito Santo State, Brazil ( Fig. 2 ). At the type locality, the plants occur preferentially on shaded rocky outcrops, alongside Alcantarea extensa Smith (1943: 116) ( Bromeliaceae ), Coleocephalocereus fluminensis ( Miquel 1838: 48) (1838: 48) Backeberg (1942: 53) ( Cactaceae ), and Pseudobombax aff. petropolitanum Robyns (1963: 83) ( Malvaceae ). In field observations, the population size was ca. 15 individuals, growing scattered or in small groups.

Conservation status: —Since more information is needed regarding the species’ geographic distribution and population size, we provisionally categorise the species as Data Deficient [ DD] at this time. It is important to highlight that inselberg plants have had their populations reduced due to the exploitation of granite in Espírito Santo. In addition, the species has ornamental attributes that could make it a target for overexploitation for commercial purposes in the future.

Eponymy: —The specific epithet “capixaba ” refers to people or things native to the Espírito Santo State.

Phenology: —Flowering in February and April.

Paratype:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Castelo, Estrela do Norte, afloramento após o distrito, 20°36'13.0"S, 41°11'04.9"W, 26 February 2013, V. C. Manhães & D. R. Couto 298 ( VIES!).

Notes: —More detailed studies may define the position of Anthurium capixaba in the Anthurium sections. It is necessary to confirm the presence of a funicle with trichomes, a typical character of species in eastern Brazil. However, the specimens analyzed showed fertilized ovules, making this assessment impossible. The species most closely resembles Anthurium marcusianum , another typical species of inselbergs. This species differs from A. capixaba in usually having a shorter erect stem (up to 30 cm long vs. decumbent, more than 100 cm long), usually smaller blades (8.2–33.9 cm long vs. 35.5–41.3 cm long), upper surface non glaucous (vs. glaucous), sinus spathulate, obovate to parabolic (vs. rhombic to mitered), shorter peduncle (24.5–61.4 cm long vs. 73.3–55.0 cm long), spathe expanded, non glaucous, lanceolate, decurrent at base, forming obtuse to right angle with the peduncle, rostrate to acuminate at apex (vs. spathe naviculate, glaucous, ovate, base cordate, almost meeting, then decurrent, rostrate to apiculate at apex), spadix sessile to stipe 0.7 cm long (vs. spadix with stipe 3.8–7.9 cm long). The two species are allopatric. Anthurium capixaba is found in inselbergs associated the Itapemirim River Depression while A. marcusianum is restricted to the inselbergs north of the Doce River.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Anthurium capixaba. A. Petiole in cross section. B. Leaf blade. C. Peduncle in cross section. D. Inflorescence.

FIGURE 2. Geographic distribution of Anthurium capixaba and Anthurium marcusianum in Brazil.