Vellozia fontellana R.J.V.Alves & N.G.Silva, 2017

Alves, Ruy José Válka, Sadala-Castilho, Rachel, Lima, Heloísa Alves De, Guimarães, Alessandra Ribeiro, Wetzel, Maria Luíza Ribeiro & Silva, Nílber Gonçalves Da, 2017, A new species of the genus Vellozia (Velloziaceae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil, with comments on endemism, distribution and conservation, Phytotaxa 328 (2), pp. 140-148 : 142-146

Vellozia fontellana R.J.V.Alves & N.G.Silva , sp. nov.

Vellozia fontellana differs from V. crinita by the taller stature and hemispheric shrubby habit (vs. grasslike, cushion-forming) ( Fig. 2 ), erect profusely branched caudices; caudex diameter 15–25 cm (vs. 40 mm); leaf sheaths sparse on caudex, exposed, not splitting into fibers (vs. densely packed on caudex, early-splitting); stalked-capitate emergences distally secreting oil-resin covering the hypanthium ( Fig. 3 A, B ), apical one third of pedicel, abaxial side of outer tepals, along abaxial midrib of inner tepals, style and abaxial side of stigma lobes (vs. linear subulate, 3–4 mm long non-secretory emergences on hypanthium ( Fig. 3 C, D ) and vestigial on pedicel); Stamens 18, basally connate with tepals (vs. 15, free from tepals), filaments roughly the same length as anthers (vs. much shorter) ( Fig. 1 ); linearly oblanceolate tepals (vs. broadly lanceolate) growing on exposed north-facing outcrops (vs. growing under half-shaded south facing overhangs in outcrops). Differential character states for V. fontellana and V. crinita are provided in Table 1 and Figs. 2–4 .

Type:— BRAZIL, Minas Gerais: Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, crista da trilha para a Cachoeira dos Macacos, 21 o 42’ 49.65”S, 43 o 53’ 37.65”W, 1276 m alt., 15 April 2016, R. Sadala-Castilho 5 (holotype R!, isotypes RB!, CESJ!).

Erect cespitose caulirosulate plants forming hemispheric crowns growing on sandy soil and exposed northward cliffs; caudices branched, 35(–90) cm tall excluding the green leaves, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter; leaves tristichous, linearlanceolate, arched, 8–21 × 4–8 mm, stiff-leathery in texture, glabrescent, margins and midvein abaxially ciliate, the trichomes near base 3 mm long, gradually becoming shorter toward the serrulate apices, blades abscise in a straight line as soon as they wilt, leaf sheaths with obtuse apices, which remain entire and gradually become recurved with age, furrows on abaxial side reaching ½ of lamina thickness, papillate; flowers solitary in each rosette, 50 ± 6 × 36 ± 7 mm, pedicel (4) 7–12 cm long, 1.5 mm in diam. (1 mm in dehydrated specimens), base trigonous with sparse linear trichomes up to one third of its length, thereafter obscurely terete-trigonous with stalked capitate oil-resin glands gradually progressing from sparse with short stalks to very dense with 1 mm long stalks; hypanthium elliptic, terete-trigonous, 8–10 × 4–5 mm, dark green or more often purple, densely covered by stalked capitate 3–4 mm long oil-resin glands with a matching hypanthium color; ovary with functional septal nectaries in the apical one third; tepals in two whorls, basally free or connate for less than 1 mm, as wide as the hypanthium, linearly lanceolate, uniformly violet, outer whorl 65–67 × 10 mm with stalked capitate oil-resin glands sparse over entire abaxial surface, inner whorl glabrous, 65–67 × 9 mm, eglandulate; corona absent; stamens 18, briefly connate with tepal bases, 35 mm long, filaments filiform, 18 mm long, white, anthers 17 mm long, basifixed, with longitudinal dehiscence synchronized with anthesis, yellow; style ca. 55 mm long, white, with sessile to subsessile oil-resin glands, stigma 3-lobed, 5 mm in diam., yellow, with sessile to subsessile oil-resin glands on abaxial surface; capsule globose with dry tepals persistent, ca. 13 × 12 mm, loculicidal, densely covered by stalked capitate oil-resin glands, brown; seeds less than one half mm long, numerous, angulous, with translucent, amber-colored crenulate testas.

Phenology: — Anthesis lasts 3–4 days with flowering peak in March–April and a second peak in January; Pollen in tetrads, 99% viable; Seeds shed June–July and March.

Poikilohydry: — Living leaves becoming purplish and apparently wilted from May to July and again in October [2014], but turning back to green in contact with dew or rain.

Distribution and habitat:—Currently known only from north-facing slopes in quartzite campo rupestre in the Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Santa Rita do Ibitipoca, Minas Gerais, 21 o 42’45.37”S, 43 o 53’35.18”W.

Etymology: — Dedicated to our master and colleague, botanist Jorge Fontella Pereira for his many decades of dedicated taxonomic work, teachings and friendship.

Further specimens seen (paratypes): — 19 February 1987, Andrade 912 ( BHCB!, SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 2 October 1993, Cachoeira dos Macacos, Ferreira 9 ( CESJ! SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 2 October 1993, Borda do paredão acima da Pedra Quadrada, Ferreira 12 ( CESJ! SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 12 March 1994, Ponte de Pedra , Forzza s.n. ( CESJ 27322 ! SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 30 March 2004 Entre a Ponte de Pedra e o Camping, Forzza, R. C. 3286 ( RB!, K!, SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 4 February 2004, Vale do Rio Salto , 43°53’39.99984”S, 21°42’43.99992”W, Forzza, R. C. et al. 2650 ( RB!, MBM!, K, SPF not seen) ; ibidem, 26 January 2010, Trilha da portaria em direção à Lombada , contrafortes abaixo da Gruta do Cruzeiro, 21°42’44’’S, 43°53’40’’W, No caminho da Ponte de Pedra formam grandes semiesféricas, Mello-Silva, R. 3249 ( CESJ!, RB!, US not seen, W not located) ; ibidem, Prainha das Elfas, 21º42’29,7”S 43º53’37,8”W, 16 December 2010, Montserrat 4 ( SPF not seen) ; ibidem, March 2014, Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca , Área adjacente à trilha para Ponte de Pedra, 21°42’02.1’’S, 43°53’57.9’’W, 1284 m alt. R. Sadala-Castilho 1 ( R!) .

Complemented diagnosis of V. crinita :— [the original description text by Goethart & Henrard (1937: 368) is in italics]: Small [cushion-forming] subshrub [to 10 cm tall excluding live leaves]. Caudex very short, thickened, ovoid, densely covered by leaf sheaths. Leaves [soft membranous] subrosulate, up to six [8] per rosette, erect to patent, the external ones persisting (marcescent) and reflexed, all curved, canaliculate to subcomplicate, linear and attenuate almost from the middle, narrowly carinate, sulcate on both faces, margins of the keels rather densely adpressedly serrate, the serrature grading in to long white hairs which gradually become shorter toward the apex, the apices very narrowly rounded, 20 × 0.5 cm. Sheaths very broad, broadly ovate, apex rounded and dividing into curved dark matte fibers, sulcate. Flowers subterminal, solitary, pedunculate, medium-sized, lilac-colored. Peduncles filiform, trigonous, basally glabrous, from the middle nearly covered by very short, narrowly linear, flattened, rather tortuous scales with acute apices, gradually becoming longer toward the apex. Ovary [hypanthium] obovate, with a truncate apex, densely covered by scales similar to those of the peduncle but much longer (up to 4 mm). Tepals [in two whorls, broadly lanceolate], ca. [24] 35–50 × 10–15 mm [abaxial side and margins of outer whorl covered with linear, acute, non-secretory emergences; inner whorl eglandulose, about 2 mm wider than outer], apices obtuse and mucronulate. Stamens [15 in six whorls alternating 2 and 3!, shorter than the tepals, attached to hypanthium]. Anthers linear [15–17 mm long!] filaments, filiform [arched, 2–4 mm long!]. Style about 1½ times longer than the stamens. Stigma broadly 3-lobed, peltate. Capsule [dry, loculicidal, with persistent filiform oil-resin glands, brown]. Brazil: Summit of the Serra de São José d’El Rey, on the rock outcrops. 15 December 1886. Flowers lilac-colored. GLAZIOU no. 16388. Type (L!), registered under 912.180—543. [ V. crinita is known only from the type locality: the São José massif in the municipalities of Coronel Xavier Chaves, Lagoa Dourada, Prados and Tiradentes (21 o 4’ 26.6”S, 44 o 9’2.62”W), and from the nearby Lenheiro massif in São João Del Rei. In both localities it grows restricted to half-shaded southward cliff overhangs and slopes between 1000 and 1400 m alt. It flowers profusely in the peak rainy season (December– January) and again in mid-winter (May–July) when dew precipitates copiously in the early mornings.]

Material of V. crinita studied: — BRAZIL, Minas Gerais, Tiradentes, Serra de São José [Del Rei]: 15 December 1886, On rock summit, Glaziou 16388 (holotype L!; isotypes K!, NY!, P!) ; ibidem, January 1896, Alvaro Silveira 1275 ( R!) ; ibidem, 1 August 1965, A. P. Duarte 8721 ( RB!) ; ibidem, 19 May 1978, 850– 1000 m alt., G. Martinelli 4789 ( RB!) ; ibidem, 6 December 1983, H. F. Leitão-Filho et al. 15216 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, 30 June 1987, Shepherd et al. 19106 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, Mello-Silva , R. et al. 11235 ( MBM!) ; Mello-Silva , R. 9722 ( MBM!, K not seen) ; São João Del Rei, Serra do Lenheiro : 25 December 1987, 21 o 07’56,94960’’S, 44 o 18’07,54920’’W, 1020 m alt., Alves, R. J. V. 191, ( R!, SPF photo!) ; ibidem, 25 December 1987, 21 o 07’56,94960’’S, 44 o 18’07,54920’’W, 1020 m alt., Alves, R. J. V. 193 ( SPF photo!) .

Histochemical tests of hypanthial emergences: — Both Vellozia crinita and V. fontellana , were positive for lipophilic compounds, mucilage, protein, starch, sugar, phenolic compounds, polyssacharides and suberin. Oil-resin secretion was confirmed only for V. fontellana on the distal surfaces of the heads ( Fig. 4 F , Table 1).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of visited localities in Minas Gerais (in grey), Brazil. Stars: Populations of Vellozia crinita; Circle: Population of V. fontellana. Squares: visited quartzite outcrop habitats where the aforementioned species were not found. (map by Tamara A. F. Vieira using QGIS 2.18)

FIGURE 2. Comparison of habits, outer tepals, inner tepals stamens and styles with stigmas. A–E. Vellozia crinita (R.J.V. Alves 12526); F–J. V. fontellana (R. Sadala-Castilho 1); A, F. Schematic habits (scale bars=10 cm); Remaining scale bars=10 mm. B, G. Sepals; C, H. Petals; D, I. Stamens; E, J. Styles with stigmas. (Illustrated by Ruy J. V. Alves)

FIGURE 3. Emergences on hypanthia and capsules. A–B. Stalked-capitate in V. fontellana, R. Sadala-Castilho 1 (R). C–D. Subulate in Vellozia crinita with raindrops; C. R.J.V. Alves 12526; D. Silveira 1275 (R); (Photos A–B, by R. Sadala–Castilho, C–D by R.J.V. Alves). Scale bars: ca. 5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Transverse median sections of the leaf blades, pedicels and hypanthia. A,C&E Vellozia crinita (R.J.V. Alves 12526, R), B,D,F&G V. fontellana (R. Sadala-Castilho 1, R). A–B: Leaf blades. Heterogeneous mesophyll consisting of adaxial hypodermis (Hy) and abaxial hypodermis (*), aquiferous parenchyma (Ap), palisade parenchyma (Pp) and spongy parenchyma (Sp). Collateral vascular bundles consist of two phloem strands forming a V-shaped unit either continuous (Cp) or discontinuous (Df). C–D: Pedicels. Note the triangular shape of vascular bundles in V. crinita (C) and circular in V. fontellana (D). E–F: Emergences on hypanthia. E. Linear-subulate, non-secretory emergences. F: Capitate oil-resin glands. G: Detail of oil-resin secretion at head apex, stained with copper acetate (arrow). Scale bars: 100 μm (A,B,E&F), 500 μm (C–D), 50 μm (G). Dyes used: A–D: safranine and astral blue, E–F: toluidine blue, G: copper acetate. (Photos A–B by A.R. Guimarães, C–F by M.L. Wetzel and G by R. Sadala-Castilho).