Lobelia ensiformis Vellozo (1831: 155)

Rollim, Isis De Mello, Coelho, Guilherme Peres, Miotto, Silvia Teresinha Sfoggia, Iganci, João Ricardo Vieira & Trovó, Marcelo, 2023, A nomenclatural and taxonomic review of the Campanulaceae described in Vellozo’s Flora Fluminensis, Phytotaxa 589 (2), pp. 191-197 : 192-194

2. Lobelia ensiformis Vellozo (1831: 155) .

Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. São Paulo, “ Habitat campis apricis mediter ”. [icon ined.] “Syng. Monog.: LOBELIA ensiformis Tab. 155” (Manuscript Sect. of Torre do Tombo, Lisbon) [PT/TT/MSLIV/2778 available at https://digitarq.arquivos.pt/viewer?id=7792203], and published by Vellozo ( Fl. Flumin. Icon. 8: t. 155. 1831 ).

Notes:— Vellozo (1881) described it as an herb with alternate sword-shaped (lanceolate) leaves, the character justifying its epithet “ ensiformis ”. Its growth form, leaf shape and arrangement of flowers in a raceme are similar to those of Lobelia camporum . However, its large bracts and corolla lobes with rounded apices are unlike those of L. camporum or any other Brazilian Campanulaceae .

Vellozo’s iconograph ( Vellozo 1831: 8, t. 155) must be considered inaccurate and does not match any known species of Lobelia . The details of flower morphology clearly show a Lobelia flower, with a dorsal cleft and corolla lobes arranged in two dorsal lobes and three ventral lobes. The locality, as described by Vellozo (1881), refers to the municipality of Cunha, São Paulo, specifically to the part of the Royal Road after crossing the summit of the Serra da Bocaina National Park ( Pastore et al. 2021). His term “ campis apricis ” is used to describe the typical Cerrado vegetation ( Pastore et al. 2021). The region is quite close to the location where Lobelia alpina (= L. camporum ) is found, another indication of similarity of the species.