Laxoplumeria verticillata J.F.Morales & I.L. Morais, 2018

Morales, J. Francisco & Morais, Isa Lucia De, 2018, Studies in the Neotropical Apocynaceae LII: A synopsis of Laxoplumeria with three new species, Phytotaxa 343 (1), pp. 35-46 : 45

Laxoplumeria verticillata J.F.Morales & I.L. Morais , sp. nov. Figs. 6 , 7 .

Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Novo Cruzeiro, Estrela, estrada para Lufa , 16 Nov 1959, Mendes-Magalhães 15670 (Holotype, BHCB!; isotypes, CR!, MO!, WAG!) .

Laxoplumeria verticillata is recognized by its petioles 16–22 mm and elliptic leaf blades.

Trees 15–25 m, stems glabrous, with milky sap. Leaves verticillate to subverticillate, petioles 16–22 mm; leaf blade 7–13.1 × 2.1–4 cm, elliptic, apex acute to acuminate, base broadly acute to obtuse, glabrous, with 16–20 pairs of secondary veins. Inflorescences 4–6.5 cm long, sparsely puberulent, peduncles 15–25 mm, pedicels 3–4 mm, bracts up to 1.5 mm; calyx lobes 0.7–1.1 mm, ovate, the apex acute, densely ciliolate marginally; corolla cream, glabrous, tube 6.1–7 × 1.2–2.1 mm, lobes 2.6–2.8 × 1.2–1.4 mm, oblong; stamens inserted in the distal part of the corolla tube, near the mouth, anthers 1–1.2 mm; ovary 1.7–1.9 mm, nectary ca. 1/6 of the ovary length. Follicles 13–25 × 0.4–0.7 cm, glabrous; seeds unknown.

Distribution and habitat: — Endemic to Brazil, restricted to the Bahia and Minas Gerais states, growing in moist forest at 200– 800 m. Flowering and fruiting in May, October, and November.

Common names: — “peroba branca”, “tambu peroba” ( Brazil, Minas Gerais).

Observations:— Laxoplumeria verticillata is recognized by the following combination of characters: verticillate to subverticillate leaves, petioles 16–22 mm, leaf blades elliptic with the apices acute to acuminate, inflorescences 4–6.5 cm long, and calyx lobes 0.7–1.1 mm.

The voucher cited by Simões et al. (2016) as L. baehniana is currently the type of L. verticillata . The latter species differs from the former by its elliptic leaves (vs. obovate) with the apices obtuse (vs. acute to acuminate), calyx lobes 0.7–1.1 mm (vs. 1.5–1.6 mm), and corolla tube 6.1–7 mm long (vs. 3.9–4.1 mm).

Paratypes: BRAZIL. Bahia: Almadina, rodovia para Ibitupã, Raimundo 1129 ( CEPEC, M), Minas Gerais: estação experimental de Café, Gomes 389 ( BHCB, CR) ; estação experimental do Coronel Pacheco, Gomes 2796 ( BHCB) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Laxoplumeria species.

FIGURE 7. Laxoplumeria verticillata (A–F from Magalhães 15670, CR, G from Gomes 2796, BHCB).A. Branch with inflorescence. B. Pedicels and bracts. C. Sepal, adaxial view. D. Corolla. E.Anther. F. Gynoecium and nectary. G. Fruit.