Dyckia ursina Smith (1943: 109)

Büneker, Henrique Mallmann, Soares, Kelen Pureza & Assis, Lucas Coelho De, 2016, The Dyckia sordida complex (Bromeliaceae, Pitcairnioideae) and a new species from Minas Gerais, Brazil, Phytotaxa 244 (1), pp. 57-68 : 65-67

4. Dyckia ursina Smith (1943: 109) , Fig. 5A–D

Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Jaboticatubas, Serra do Cipó, 12–13 May 1940, Foster 636 (holotype GH!; isotype SP!) .

Etymology: —The brown-lanate indument present in the peduncle and sepals probably originated from the Latin epithet “ ursina ” (ursinus = Latin for “like a bear”) ( Forzza 1997) because it resembles grizzly bear fur.

Observations: —This species is easily recognizable, showing isolated rosettes, with arched, secund leaves, sessile flowers and subglobular calyx densely brown-lanate lepidote, which are conspicuous characteristics already highlighted by Smith (1943). The species grows on rock fields of Serra do Cipó. The only known population occurs in the Chapéu do Sol locality in the Cardeal Mota district, municipality of Santana do Riacho. Some of the vouchers described as collected in Jaboticatubas have probably been mislabeled as the distribution of D. ursina is restricted to one population.

Conservation Status: — Dyckia ursina is the only species of the D. sordida complex that is present in the Red Book of the Flora of Brazil ( Forzza et al. 2013). The species is Critically Endangered (CR) under criteria: B2 ab(iii).

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Serra do Cipó, 5 km ao norte do município de Jaboticatubas, Chapéu de Sol , 29 April 1952, L. B. Smith 6697 et al. ( NY) ; Santana do Riacho , 11 January 1999, R. C. Forzza 2078 et al. ( SPF) ; Vale Mãe D’água, 2 May 1993, J. V. Coffani-Nunes s.n. ( SPF 126533 ) ; Cardeal Mota, próximo a Chapéu do Sol , 17 June 2014, H. M. Büneker 294 et al. ( HDCF) ; Chapéu do Sol , 1 April 1996, R. C. Forzza & A. Rapini 231 ( SPF) ; Km 109, Rodovia Belo Horizonte-Conceição do Mato Dentro , 31 May 1991, J. R. Pirani s.n. ( SPF 73424 ) ; Estrada Lagoa Santa-Conceição do Mato Dentro, ca. 2 Km depois do camping Véu de Noiva , 12 June 1996, R. Mello-Silva 1086 et al. ( SPF) .

Figures

FIGURE 5.A–D. Dyckia ursina L.B. Sm.(Büneker 294 et al.). A. Rocky slope habitat with fire in the background.B. Simple inflorescence detail. C. Branched inflorescence detail. D. Specimen in habitat.