Pleroma setosociliatum (Cogn.) F.S. Mey. & F.B. Matos., 2017

Meyer, Fabrício Schmitz & Matos, Fernando Bittencourt De, 2017, The recognition of Tibouchina setosociliata Cogn. (Melastomataceae, Melastomeae) and its transfer to Pleroma D. Don, Phytotaxa 305 (3), pp. 201-208 : 202-204

Pleroma setosociliatum (Cogn.) F.S. Mey. & F.B. Matos. comb. nov. ( Figures 2–3 ) Tibouchina setosociliata Cogn.

Ark. Bot. 9(15): 9. 1910, as “setoso-ciliata ”.

Type:– BRAZIL. Paraná: Morretes, “Serra do Mar, in monte Marumby”, 13 February 1904, Dusén 3514 A [Lectotypes here designated: S (image!), Isolectotypes: BR, pro parte! (excluding fragments within the envelope), F (image!).

Dwarf shrub, 0.2–0.6 m tall. Branches, petioles, and axis of inflorescences moderately strigose, trichomes 0.4–1.1 mm long, non glandular, appressed, narrow base; young branches quadrangular, old branches terete. Leaves opposite; petioles 0.4–2.1 mm; blades 0.8–1.6 × 0.5–1 cm, ovate, base rounded, apex acute, margin sparsely setose, trichomes 0.7–1.4 mm long, non glandular, curved, the base narrow, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely strigose, trichomes 0.1–0.4 mm long, non glandular, appressed, the base narrow, disposed between the nerves; 3 acrodromous nerves, basal disposition. Flower solitary; bracts 2, leaf-like, 3.6–5 × 2.5–4 mm, oval or rounded, concave, apex acute or apiculate, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface sparsely strigose on the basis, trichomes 0.3–0.7 mm long, non glandular, appressed, the base narrow. Flowers 5–6merous, pedicels 1.3–1.5 mm long.; hypanthium 4.8–5.1 × 4.3–4.8 mm, moderately setose, trichomes 0.7–2 mm long, non glandular, curved, the base slightly enlarged; sepals 6–6.3 × 2.9–3.2 mm, oblong, apex mucronate or apiculate, adaxial face glabrous, abaxial face with the same indumenthum as the hypanthium; petals 27.4–28.8 × 18.8–20.5 mm, obovate, apex obtuse, mucronate or cuspidate, purple but with white color at the nail, changing to red on old flowers; stamens 10–12, slightly dimorphic, antepetalous stamens with filaments 6.8–7.5 mm long, sparsely pubescent, trichomes 0.1–0.2 mm long, glandular, erect, the base narrow, distributed in the basal portion, pedoconnective 0.9–1.1 mm long, appendages glabrous, anthers 5.9–6.2 mm long, purple, antesepalous stamens with filaments 7.4–8.5 mm long, sparsely pubescent, trichomes 0.1–0.3 mm long, glandular, erect, the base narrow, distributed in the basal portion, pedoconnective 1.9–2.2 mm long, appendages glabrous, anthers 7–7.5 mm long purple; ovary 5.1–5.7 × 3–3.5 mm, densely sericeous on the apex, trichomes 0.7–1.7 mm long, non glandular, appressed, narrow base; style sigmoid, 12.4–13.9 mm long, glabrous. Capsule 8–9 × 6.4–7 mm, sepals caducous.

Distribution and habitat:— Pleroma setosociliatum is restricted to high-elevation grasslands (campos de altitude) of “Serra do Mar”, between 1000–1800 m, on eastern Paraná and Santa Catarina ( Figure 1 ).

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting from September to May.

Conservation status:— Pleroma setosociliatum is considered Endangered according to IUCN (2012) criterion A3. The area of occupancy (AOO) is around 124,000 km 2 and the extent of occurence (EOO) 1,149,939 km 2. Some occurrence sites are being transformed into Pinus plantations, pastures, or kaolin mines, as in “Serra do Quiriri” (26°0’57.62”S – 48°56’39.03”W) and “Serra de Araçatuba” (25°54’8.46”S – 48°59’33.63”W). Some populations occur within protected areas, at “Parque Estadual do Marumbi” (25°27’12.80”S – 48°55’12.80”W), “Parque Nacional Saint-Hilaire/Lange” (25°38’9.39”S – 48°41’27.66”W), “Parque Estadual da Serra da Graciosa” (25°21’8.31”S – 48°54’2.61”W), and “Parque Estadual do Pico Paraná ” (25°14’56.92”S – 48°48’18.81”W). However, human-induced fires are frequent, even within these areas, being one of the main threats for this species.

Etymology:— The specific epithet consists of two adjectives in Latin, i.e. setosus (setose, bristly) and ciliatus (ciliate, having fine hairs at the margin, resembling eyelashes; Stearn 2004). It makes reference to the indument of the leaf margins, with scattered ascending stiff hairs. The compound word was originally hyphenated, as “ setoso-ciliata ”, but this is here corrected by deletion of the hyphen, in agreement with Article 60.9 of the Melbourne Code ( McNeill et al. 2012).

Additional Iconography:— Meyer et al. (2010, Fig. 2j )

Examined specimens:— BRAZIL. Paraná: Antonina, Agudo da Cotia , 6 July 2000, M. Scheer 75 ( MBM). Campina Grande do Sul, Pico Paraná, 30 November 1996, J. Cordeiro & O. S. Ribas 1367 ( MBM) ; ib., 5 October 1997, J. M. Silva et al. 2053 ( MBM) ; Serra dos Órgãos, 4 July 1991, Y. S. Kuniyoshi 5421b ( MBM). Guaratuba, Morro dos Perdidos , 13 November 1998, E. P. Santos et al. 601 ( UPCB) ; ib., 19 November 1999, A. C. Cervi & E. P. Santos 6888 ( UPCB) ; ib., 26 November 1999, E. P. Santos & S. Pereira 841 ( UPCB) ; ib., 12 October 2003, A. C. Cervi & E. P Santos 8549 ( UPCB) ; ib., 2 September 2010, M. Verdi et al. 5672 ( FURB) ; ib., 29 October 2011, G. Felitto & R. Kersten 186 ( MBM) ; ib., November 2013, G. O. Romão & A. P. T. Dantas 1685 ( ESA, HUFU, UEC, UPCB) ; ib., November 2013, G. O. Romão & A. P. T. Dantas 1690 ( ESA, UEC, UPCB) ; ib., 14 February 2014, F. S. Meyer et al. 1887 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., 14 February 2014, F. S. Meyer et al. 1892 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., 14 February 2014, F. S. Meyer et al. 1896 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., 14 February 2014, F. S. Meyer et al. 1913 ( UEC, UPCB) ; Serra de Araçatuba , 10 November 1959, G. Hatschbach 5555 ( MBM) ; ib., 22 November 1959, G. Hatschbach 6590 ( MBM, NY) ; ib., 19 November 1972, G. Hatschbach 28102 ( MBM) ; ib., 15 September 1982, R. Kummrow 2022 ( INPA, MBM, MO, SPF, UEC, UNB) ; ib., 9 November 1994, C. B. Poliquesi 214 ( MBM, UNB) ; ib., 9 November 1994, C. B. Poliquesi & J. Cordeiro 225 ( HUFU, MBM) ; ib., 15 November 1995, J. M. Silva et al. 1493 ( MBM) ; ib., 23 November 1996, E. P. Santos et al. 272 ( UPCB) ; ib., 1 December 1998, J. M. Silva et al. 2650 ( MBM) ; ib., 30 October 2003, J. M. Silva et al. 3810 ( MBM, K). Morretes, Boa Vista , 29 April 2000, A. L. Pasdiora 80 ( UPCB) ; Parque Estadual do Marumbi , 15 January 1950, G. Hatschbach 1750 ( MBM) ; Pico do Facãzinho , 3 November 1999, A. L. Pasdiora 52 ( MBM, UPCB) ; ib., 24 November 1999, A. L. Pasdiora 57 ( UPCB) ; Pico Olimpo , 13 November 1970, G. Hatschbach 25382 ( MBM; S) ; Ponta do Tigre , 20 October 1997, A. Soares 252 ( MBM) ; Serra da Igreja , 1 May 2000, M. B. Scheer 19 ( UPCB 47609 ; 49564) ; ib., 8 February 2001, M. Scheer 204 ( MBM). Piraquara, Morro do Bruninho , 4 November 2011, F. R. Maia et al. 7 ( UPCB) ; Morro do Canal , 8 October 2004, E. J. Stange s.n. ( UPCB 50434 ) ; ib., 1 January 2003, R. Varotto 20 ( MBM) ; Serra do Emboque , 3 December 1977, G. Hatschbach 25746 ( MBM) ; Torre do Vigia , 27 November 2003, J. M. Silva et al. 3909 ( MBM). Quatro Barras, Mãe Catira, 12 December 1980, E. F. Paciornik & J. M. Silva 204 ( MBM). Santa Catarina: Campo Alegre, Iquererim, 19 November 1992, J. Cordeiro & C. B. Poliquesi 911 ( HUFU, MBM) ; Serra Quiriri, 28 December 1999, J. Cordeiro et al. 1716 ( MBM). Garuva, Serra Quiriri , 28 December 1999, J. Cordeiro et al. 1716 ( MBM) ; ib., 25 October 2006, J. M. Silva et al. 5191 ( MBM) ; ib., 21 March 2008, M. L. Brotto & V. Ariati 104 ( UPCB) ; ib., 28 December 2013, F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1796 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1797 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1798 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1800 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1801 ( UEC, UPCB) ; ib., F. S. Meyer & N. A. G. Escobar 1803 ( UEC, UPCB). Joinville, Morro do Jurapê , 11 January 2006, F. C. S. Vieira & W. S. Mancinelli 1509 ( FURB, JOI) .

Affinities: — Pleroma setosociliatum is most similar to Tibouchina dubia , which is widespread from São Paulo (from imprecise location; Figure 1 ) to Rio Grande do Sul, between 800–1000 m, in Araucaria forests and lower elevation grasslands ( Meyer et al. 2010; BFG 2015; Guimarães 2017). Besides preferring open vegetation formations, both species have elliptical to oval leaves, oval to orbicular bracts (or also oval to orbicular bracteoles in T. dubia ), setose hypanthia, purple coloured reproductive structures, and glabrous styles. Pleroma setosociliatum differs from T. dubia , however, by its smaller size (0.2–0.6 m vs. 1–3 m tall in T. dubia ), smaller leaves (0.8–1.6 × 0.5–1 cm vs. 1.7–3.4 × 0.6–1.3 cm) with sparsely setose margins (vs. moderately strigose), solitary flowers (vs. inflorescences with 3(–5) flowers), and antesepalous stamens with shorter connectives (1.9–2.2 mm vs. 3–3.9 mm long). Pleroma setosociliatum is also similar to Tibouchina reitzii Brade (1960: 137) , which occurs in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, and Santa Catarina ( Meyer et al. 2010). Both species have oval to orbicular bracts (or also orbicular to oval bracteoles in T. reitzii ) and setose hypanthia. Pleroma setosociliatum differs from T. reitzii by the smaller leaves (0.8–1.6 × 0.5–1 cm vs. 4–8.4 × 0.8–2.6 cm in T. reitzii ) with glabrous adaxial surfaces (vs. strigose), sparsely setose margins (vs. moderately strigose), smaller bracts (3.6–5 × 2.5–4 vs. 9–19 × 7–12 mm) and solitary flowers (vs. inflorescences with 3–7 flowers, rarely solitary flowers).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution Map for Pleroma setosociliatum, and related species; Pleroma setosociliatum as yellow circles, T. reitzii as blue squares and T. dubia as red asterisks. The red question mark indicates that the type of T. dubia came from São Paulo, but the precise locality is unknown. SP: state of São Paulo; PR: Paraná; SC: Santa Catarina; RS: Rio Grande do Sul.

FIGURE 2. Pleroma setosociliatum, photos from a dried specimen (Meyer et al. 1892 at UPCB).A: Branch. B: Leaf (adaxial surface). C. Bract (abaxial surface). D. Floral bud. E. Stamens. F. Gynoecium. G. Fruit.

FIGURE 3. Pleroma setosociliatum photos. A: Habit. B: Leaves. C: Pentamerous flower. D: Hexamerous flower. E: High-elevation grasslands (campos de altitude) of “Serra Quiriri”, place of occurrence of the species.