Ouratea robusta F.O.Silva & M.R.V.Barbosa, 2018

Silva, Fernanda Oliveira, Barbosa, Maria Regina De V. & Amorim, André M., 2018, A new species of Ouratea (Ochnaceae) from the Atlantic Forest in Northeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 373 (1), pp. 86-90 : 87-88

Ouratea robusta F.O.Silva & M.R.V.Barbosa , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A–H )

Type: — BRAZIL. Sergipe: Pirambu, Reserva Biológica de Santa Izabel, 10° 37’ 45.22”S, 36° 41’ 36.72” W, dunas no km 11 da praia, na direção de ponta das margens, 28 January 1992, fl. and fr., C. Farney, D. Araújo, J. C. Gomes & J. C. Oliveira 2943 (holotype RB!, isotypes ASE!, JPB! UEC!).

Diagnosis:— Ouratea robusta resembles O. crassa and O. fieldingiana , but differs from those by presenting dull leaves with entire or slightly serrate margins, and stout, loose panicles with 8–18 secondary branches, the basal pair 7–16 cm long.

Shrub or tree, 2.5–8 m tall; branchlets glabrous. Leaves alternate, oblong to rarely ovate- elliptic, 8–20 × 5.5–10 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, flat, apex acute or acuminate, base obtuse to slightly subcordate, margins entire or slightly serrate; costa sunken or slightly prominent along the basal half on both sides, secondary veins sunken and inconspicuous on both sides; petioles 10–15 mm long, canaliculate adaxially, glabrous; stipules in pairs, often caducous, triangular, 5.5–10 × 4–5 mm, acute, base truncate. Inflorescences terminal, rarely subterminal, paniculate, pyramidal, erect, showy, with 60–100 flowers, lax, glabrous, primary axis thick, 12–26 cm long, secondary branches 8–18, 2 basal ones 7–16 cm long; cataphylls scars numerous; bracts foliaceous 1–3, 4–8 × 2.5–5 cm, on the first and up to the third lateral branch, caducous, the remaining branches with bracts triangular, 10–20 × 3 mm, caducous; bracteoles 1–3, the outer one triangular, concave, 5–10 × 3 mm, the 2 inner ones triangular, slightly concave, ca. 4 × 2 mm, caducous. Floral buds ovate or ovate-elliptic, 8–10 × 4–5 mm, glabrous, apex acute, base truncate. Flowers pedicellate, 6–11 mm long; sepals 5, ovate to lanceolate, 9–11 × 3–6 mm, unequal, 2 outer ones narrower and rigid, 3 inner ones broader and softer, apex acute, base ovate, glabrous; petals 5, yellow, flabellate, 8–12 × 8–11 mm, glabrous, apex rounded to slightly truncate, base truncate, margin crenate or crenulate; stamens 10, anthers subsessile, 7–10 × 1 mm, yellow, rugulose, poricidal; gynophore columnar, 0.5–0.8 mm long, glabrous; carpels 5, 0.5–0.6 mm long, glabrous, style gynobasic, filiform, 4–9 mm long, slightly twisted at the apex when dried, stigma punctiform, glabrous. Monocarps obovoid to ellipsoid, 1–2, 6–7 × 4 mm, apex rounded, glabrous, vertically positioned; carpophore oblate to elliptic, 5–10 × 5 mm; sepals persistent, patent; fruit pedicel ca. 10 × 1–1.3 mm, glabrous.

Distribution and habitat:— In lowland coastal forests and especially in maritime thickets (restingas) or coastal savannas (tabuleiros) on sandy soil in the states of Alagoas, Sergipe, and northern Bahia. In Sergipe it can also be found in the Serra de Itabaiana National Park, on the eastern slopes of both Itabaiana and Comprida Mountains, in an open shrub or shrub-tree vegetation physiognomy that reminds the coastal savannas and considered as an ecological refuge ( Dantas et al. 2010).

Etymology:— The epithet refers to the appearance of the leaves and inflorescences, usually showy and thick.

Phenology:— Collected in flower from November to February and May, and in fruit from November to May and July.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— BRAZIL. Alagoas: Maceió, Conj. Novo Horizonte , 21 January 1999, bud and fl., R. P. Lyra-Lemos 4106 ( ASE, JPB) ; Marechal Deodoro, Campo Grande , 17 January 1992, fr., C. S. S. Barros & I. A. Bayma 109 ( MAC, JPB) ; ibid., próx. povoado Malhada , 9 February 2000, bud, fl. and fr., R. P. Lyra-Lemos et al. 4569 ( MAC, RB) ; Penedo, Barragem da Faz. Gameleira , 10°04’S, 36°29’17”W, 26 December 1998, fr., M. N. Rodrigues 1424 ( MAC) ; Piaçabuçu, próx. Mata das Varas , 19 November 1982, bud and fl., R. F. A. Rocha 384 ( MAC) ; Tabuleiro Martins, 21 February 1979, fl. and fr., G. Mariz 1032 ( UFP). Bahia: Jandaíra, Litoral Norte , 11°40’11”S, 37°33’37”W, 2 March 2012, fr., F. S. Gomes & M. L. Guedes 1062 ( ALCB) ; Mata de São João, Praia do Forte, 16 December 2010, fr., H. Adorno & A. M. Miranda 66 ( HST, HUEFS, IPA). Sergipe: Areia Branca , Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana , 6 January 2009, bud and fl., K. Mendes et al. 313 ( UFP) ; ibid., 15 January 1993, bud and fl., M. Viana & S. Gomes 17 ( ASE) ; ibid., 22 April 2008, fr., K. Mendes et al. 248 ( ASE, HUEFS, UFP) ; ibid., Serra Comprida , 3 February 2008, fl., J. E. Nascimento-Júnior et al. 224 ( ASE) ; Barra dos Coqueiros, 5 December 1997, bud, fl. and fr., C. Amaral & E. Santos 32 ( ASE, CEPEC, HUEFS, JPB) ; Estância, Abaís , 6 March 1996, bud and fr., C. Amaral & E. Santos 66 ( ASE) ; ibid., APA Sul , 9 March 2010, fr., C. A. S. Souza et al. 32 ( ASE) ; ibid., Povoado Porto do Mato , 9 July 2008, bud and fl., C. S. Nascimento 88 ( ASE) ; ibid., 17 April 2008, fr., C. S. Santos 127 ( ASE) ; ibid., 17 April 2008, fr., C. S. Santos 141 ( ASE) ; Indiaroba , 16 February1998, fr., M. Landim 1418 ( ASE, HUEFS) ; Itabaiana, Serra de Itabaiana , 22 January 1999, bud, M. Aurélio s.n. ( ASE 1040 ) ; ibid., 29 January 1999, bud and fl., M. C. Santana 48 ( ASE) ; Itabaiana / Areia Branca , Estação Ecológica da Serra de Itabaiana, 21 January 1992, bud and fl., L. C. Giodarno et al. 1221 ( RB) ; Itaporanga d’Ajuda, Caueira , 6 March 1996, fr., C. Amaral & E. Santos 51 ( ASE, JPB) ; ibid., Fazenda Cajú , EMBRAPA, 9 November 2007, fr., S. M. Costa et al. 222 ( ASE, HUEFS) ; ibid., 22 February 2008, fr., T. Araújo 39 ( ASE, JPB) ; ibid., Fazenda Trapsa , 5 November 2007, bud and fl., A. B. Sales et al. 105 ( ASE) ; ibid., 27 February 2007, fl. and fr., J. F. Melo & E. Santos 27 ( ASE, JPB) ; ibid., 19 May 2008, fr., I. S. Matos 21 ( ASE 11128 A) ; ibid., 19 May 2008, bud and fl., I. S. Matos 21 ( ASE11128 B) ; ibid., 18 December 2007, bud and fl., A. B. Sales 139 ( ASE, JPB) ; ibid., 23 March 2007, fr., J. F. Melo et al. 30 ( ASE) ; Japaratuba, Fazenda Pontal , 30 January 1992, bud, C. Farney et al. 3034 ( ASE, RB) ; ibid., Reserva do P. A. ( INCRA), 29 January 1996, fr., M. F. Landim et al. 852 ( ASE) ; Lagarto, Povoado Boa Vista, Rio Piauitinga , 30 March 2007, fr., Araújo et al. s.n. ( ASE 10458 ) ; Laranjeiras , 4 March 1982, fr., E. M. Carneiro 290 ( ASE) ; Pirambu, Lagoa do Sangradouro , 10°40’54”S, 36°48’03’ W, 25 May 2012, fr., A. P. Prata et al. 3081 ( ASE, JPB) ; Salgado, Sítio Gameleiro , 18 December 1981, bud, G. Viana 321 ( ASE, JPB) ; Santa Luzia do Itanhy, povoado Castro, Fazenda Santo Antônio , 17 April 1982, fr., E. M. Carneiro 326 ( ASE) ; ibid., RPPN Mata do Castro , 7 February 1996, bud, M. Landim 871 ( ASE) ; ibid., borda da clareira, 11°23’22”S, 37°25’07”W, 3 March 2011, bud and fl., L. A. Gomes et al. 61 ( ASE) ; ibid., 11°23’55”S, 37°25’32”W, 22 February 2013, bud and fl., L. A. Gomes et al. 1003 ( ASE) ; São Cristóvão, Campus Universitário , 23 November 1982, fr., G. N. Silva 51 ( ASE) ; ibid., fragmento próximo à rodovia João Bebe Água , 20 March 2006, fr., L. Ribeiro et al. 78 ( ASE) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Ouratea robusta. A. Fruiting branch. B. Detail of leaf margin C. Buds. D. Open flower. E. Petal. F. Anthers. G. Gynoecium. H. Fruit. A, B, H. C. Farney et al. 2943 (JPB), C, D, E, F. G. R.P. Lyra-Lemos 4569 (RB).