Paepalanthus sessiliflorus var. venezuelensis Moldenke, 1974

Andrade, Maria José Gomes De, Trovó, Marcelo, Rocha, Lamarck & Giulietti, Ana Maria, 2022, Paepalanthus (Eriocaulaceae) without scapes and spathes, a survey with the description of a new species, Phytotaxa 560 (2), pp. 135-152 : 146

2.2. Paepalanthus sessiliflorus var. venezuelensis Moldenke in Phytologia 28: 193. 1974.

Holotype:— VENEZUELA. Bolivar: “carretera El Dorado to Santa Elena de Uairen, 198 km south of El Dorado , at 1200-1400 meters altitude”, 7–10 December 1972, J. Steyermark et al.106609 ( LL [00374800]!, isotypes MO [202560]!, VEN [99028]!, U [00088400]!).

= Paepalanthus lilliputianus Moldenke in Phytologia 3: 115. 1949. Holotype:— GUYANA. November 1931, R. Giglioli s.n. (FI [005381]!, isotypes K [000587316]!, NY [00102895]!).

Moldenke (1974) described Paepalanthus sessiliflorus var. venezuelensis based on the specimen Steyermark et al. 106609, distinguishing the taxon from the typical variety by the sepals of the staminate flowers with acute apex, rather than truncate nor erose; involucral bracts obtusely cuspidate and more gradually attenuate, and stamens slightly exserted.

Moldenke (1949) had previously described Paepalanthus lilliputianus as a very small species of ca. “ 80 mm ” (but the correct measurement is 8 mm, based on the isotypes seen at K and NY), with sessile capitula, lacking scapes, sheaths, and involucral bracts. He comments also that P. lilliputianus resembles P. sessiliflorus from Bahia, Brazil, differing “in technical characters” ( Moldenke 1949). Although described with capitula lacking involucral bracts, the analyses of the isotype at K show the presence of these bracts in two series. Also, another important character observed, was the sepals of the staminate flower with obtuse apex, ciliate with long trichomes, and dorsal face villous with longtrichomes. However, the sepals in P. sessiliflorus var. sessiliflorus are rounded and simply ciliate.

Hensold (1999) refers Paepalanthus sessiliflorus var. venezuelensis as occurring in the Brazilian Amazon, and includes P. lilliputianus in its synonymy, a position followed here after our own analysis of the historical collections. Paepalanthus sessiliflorus var. venezuelensis occurs in sandy soils of the savannas to rock outcrops Northern South America, with records in Venezuela and Brazil ( Figure 3 ).

Additional selected material examined:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Santa Isabel do Rio Negro , campina de Temendaru, ca. 40 km below Tapuruvara, 13 October 1978, M. T . Madison et al. 6226 ( NY); Along the Rio Negro, between Manaus and São Gabriel, Temendui Lagoon, 00°35’S, 64°40’W, 29–30 June 1979, J. M . Poole 1795 ( INPA, NY) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Geographical distribution of Paepalanthus species without scape. Red-orange symbols = Paepalanthus ser. Leptocephali; Blue-green symbols = P. subg. Thelxinoë.