Eugenia tain R. Flores , B. Holst & A. Ibáñez, 2022

Flores, Rodolfo, Holst, Bruce K. & Ibáñez, Alicia, 2022, Two new species of Myrtaceae from the western Caribbean forests of Panama, Phytotaxa 568 (1), pp. 61-71 : 66-69

2. Eugenia tain R. Flores, B. Holst & A. Ibáñez , sp. nov.

Type:— PANAMA. Comarca Ngäbe-Bugle: isla Escudo de Veraguas, 1 m, 9°6’14”N, 81°33’18”W, 5 June 2021 (fl., fr.), A. Ibáñez & R. Flores 10280 (holotype: PMA!; isotypes MO!, SEL!, COL!, B!) Figure 4 D-F, Figure 5 .

Diagnosis:— Eugenia tain is morphologically similar to Eugenia belloi Barrie (2005: 4) and to Eugenia skutchii C.V. Morton & Standley (in Standley 1937: 774). From E. belloi , E. tain can be distinguished by its leaves chartaceous and mainly obovate, although occasionally ovate or elliptic, (vs. leaves coriaceous and elliptic), generally shorter petioles, 6–11 mm (vs. petioles generally longer, 10–20 mm); hypanthium campanulate (vs. globose), sepals markedly inequal (vs. subequal). From E. skutchii , E. tain can be distinguished by its generally shorter petioles, 6–11 mm (vs. petioles generally longer, 10–20 mm), smaller leaf blades, 7.5–18 cm (vs. larger blades, 13–24 cm), and lateral veins 9–15 per side (vs. lateral veins 16–20 per side).

Description:—Tree, 6–15 m; branchlets, leaves, and inflorescences adpressed pubescent with ochraceous trichomes, dibrachiate; branchlets compressed at nodes. Leaves opposite, petiolate, the petioles 6–11 × 1–1.8 mm, canaliculate; blades mostly obovate, ocasionally ovate or elliptic 7.5–18 × 3.3–10.3 cm, chartaceous, bicolorous, the adaxial surface pubescent or glabrescent, bright green when fresh, light to dark brown, greenish or brown-reddish when dry, abaxial surface, ochre or green-grayish when fresh and ochre or brown-grayish when dry, glands inconspicuous but visible at 10×; apex caudate, acuminate to cuspidate; base acute; midvein adaxially slightly sulcate, abaxially prominent, convex, pubescent; lateral veins 9–15 per side, ascending from the midvein to a marginal vein equaling the lateral veins in prominence and slightly arched between ca. 1–2 mm from the margin, sometimes the marginal veins inconspicuous on the abaxial surface. Inflorescences racemose, solitary, occasionally paired, supra-axillary or subterminal, axes to 20(-25) mm, 1–6 flowers per inflorescence, peduncle 1.5–3.5 mm long or occasionally not visible; bracts persistent, pubescent on both surfaces, 0.7–1.5 × 0.5–1.3 mm, elliptic or subtriangular, apex acute; pedicels 5–11 mm long; bracteoles persistent, pubescent on both surfaces, 1.5–2 × 1.5–2 mm, subtriangular or ovate, apex acute or subobtuse. Flowers 4–merous, buds 3–4 × 2.5 mm (including hypanthium); hypanthium campanulate, pubescent, ca. 1 mm in bud, ca. 2 mm in flower; disk velutinous, sparsely velutinous, or with scattered hairs; calyx lobes free, in two unequal pairs, 3.5–4 × 4–6 mm (the largest ones) and 2–3 × 4–4.5 mm (the smaller ones), concaves, pubescent on both surfaces, orbicular or ovate with apex rounded; petals 4, reflexed, ca. 6 × 4 mm, obovate. Stamens ca. 175; anthers subglobose to reniform, ca. 0.5 mm; filaments ca. 12 mm long. Ovary bilocular, 10–14 ovules per locule; style ca. 10 mm; stigma punctate. Fruit globose, ovoid or obovate, 1.5–3 × 1.2–2.5 cm, reddish to purple when mature, pubescent, or with scattered hairs, slightly verrucose with longitudinal faint lines, pericarp thin-walled ca. 1 mm, calyx persistent. Seed one, 0.5–2.5 cm long, wide-elliptic.

Distribution, habitat and phenology:—This species is common in the Damani-Guariviara wetlands. It thrives in the mixed swamp forest with an abundance of Campnosperma panamense and is frequently seen along channels and lagoons. It had a density of 14 individuals (2%) in one hectare of mixed swamp forest in the wetlands (López et al. in prep.). It has also been collected in Escudo de Veraguas Island where it was found on the coastal border and in the swamp forest ( Fig. 2B, 2C ). The species was also found in the wetland forest (on the side of a river) of Donoso, in Colón province, in an area of a large copper mining operation. Flowering specimens were collected in May, June, September and fruiting specimens in February, May, June, September and October.

Conservation:—This species has been found in three locations, two of them within protected areas (Escudo de Veraguas Island Protected Landscape and Damani-Guariviara Wetlands of International Importance) and one (Donoso), which is part of a mining project that has caused great deforestation and loss of habitat. The two protected areas are not properly managed by personnel from the Ministry of Environment. Both areas are being seriously affected by unsustainable practices such as clear cutting for cattle ranching, rice cultivation, slash and burn agriculture (DamaniGuariviara), timber extraction, and uncontrolled tourism (Escudo de Veraguas). Due to the strong negative impact that its habitat is receiving, the Extension of Occurrence (EOO) of 1,699.530 km 2 and an Area of Occupation (AOO) of 20 km 2, we consider that Eugenia tain fits the category of Vulnerable (VU) [VU B1ab (i,ii,iii,iv)+2ab (i,ii,iii,iv)] of the IUCN Red List and criteria ( IUCN 2012).

Etymology:—The epithet of this species refers to the common name given to it by the Ngäbe indigenous inhabitants of that region, “Jabona tain” (tain meaning red in the ngäbere language), an allusion to the reddish, ochraceous color of the underside of the leaves.

Discussion:— Eugenia tain has a racemose inflorescence in which the ratio pedicel: internode is 2:1. Based on this, according to the phylogenetic study by Mazine (2006), it must be included in Eugenia sect. Racemosae O. Berg (1856: 278) .

Eugenia tain is similar to Eugenia belloi and to Eugenia skutchii from Costa Rica. All three species have leaves uniformly covered with ochre appressed trichomes on the abaxial surface. However, they can be distinguished by the characters listed in the diagnosis and their different habitats. Eugenia tain grows at low elevations in coastal and swamp forests in the Caribbean, while E. belloi and E. skutchii grow in humid montane forests at elevations up to 1,800 m in the Pacific watershed.

With the description of Eugenia tain , 39 species of Eugenia are now recognized in Panama.

Paratypes:— PANAMA. Comarca Ngäbe-Bugle: isla Escudo de Veraguas, islote boscoso cercano a la isla, 1 m, 9°05’54”N, 81°32’47”W, 28 May 2010 (fl., fr.), A . Ibáñez, R . Flores & L . José 6570 ( PMA!); isla Escudo de Veraguas, orilla de playa, 5 m, 9°5’53”N, 81°32’43”W, 23 October 2014 (fr.), R . Flores & T . Santiago 3636 ( PMA!, SEL!, UCH!); isla Escudo de Veraguas, borde costero, 1 m, 9°6’6”N, 81°32’’55” W , 24 September 2019 (fl., fr.), A . Ibáñez, R . Flores, K . Rodríguez & G . Camarena 9691 ( PMA!); isla Escudo de Veraguas, bosque inundable en parcela 10, 2 m, 9°5’42.36”N, 81°32’58.54”W, 3 March 2020 (sterile), A . Ibáñez, R . Flores, G . Camarena & M . de Stapf 10107 ( PMA!); Humedal de Damani-Guariviara, Laguna de Damani, Parcela 1, bosque inundable (swampo), 5 m, 8°56’34”N, 81°42’38”W, 12 May 2014 (st.), A . Ibáñez, R . Flores & O . López 8915 ( PMA!); Humedal de Damani Guariviara, Cerari , bosque inundable (swampo), 1 m, 8°56’34”N, 81°42’27”W, 26 October 2014 (fr.), R . Flores & T . Santiago 3649 ( USJ!). Humedal de Damani-Guariviara, Laguna de Damani , vegetación de laguna (orilla), 5 m, 8°56’9”N, 81°42’48”W, 19 September 2011 (fr.), R. Flores & A. Ibáñez 1399 ( PMA!); Humedal de Damani-Guariviara, Tobori , orilla del río, 0 m, 8°56’54”N, 81°46’33”W, 11 May 2015 (fl., fr.), A. Ibáñez & R. Flores 9379 ( PMA!, F!, SEL!); Colón: Donoso, Teck Cominco Petaquilla mining concession. Forested banks of Río Caimito , 5 m, 09°00’30”N, 080°40’59”W, 28 February 2009 (fr.), G. McPherson 20322 ( MO!, PMA!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitats where the new species grow.A.Swamp forests around a lagoon in Damani-Guariviara wetland, habitat of both Myrcia damaniensis and Eugenia tain. B. Inside a swamp forest with abundant Symphonia globulifera (tree with aerial roots) and Campnosperma panamense, habitat of both Myrcia damaniensis and Eugenia tain. C. Coastal forest in Escudo de Veraguas island. Habitat of Eugenia tain (tree on the left). Photos by A. Ibáñez.

FIGURE 4. Myrcia damaniensis and Eugenia tain. A–C. Myrcia damaniensis. A. Flowering branch. B. Flowering branch showing underside of leaves. C. Fruiting branch. D–F. Eugenia tain. D. Flowering branch showing underside of leaves. E. Detail of flower showing reflexed petals at anthesis. F. Fruiting branch. Photos by A. Ibáñez.

FIGURE 5. Eugenia tain. Holotype specimen.