Bertolonia reginatoi Bacci & Michelangeli

Bisewski, Gessica C. A., Bacci, Lucas F., Amorim, André M. & Goldenberg, Renato, 2022, The Genus Bertolonia (Melastomataceae) In The State Of Bahia, Brazil, Phytotaxa 548 (2), pp. 153-183 : 176-177

12. Bertolonia reginatoi Bacci & Michelangeli (in Bacci et al. 2018: 783). Figures 10c , 16 .

Herbs 30–50 cm tall, terrestrial, rupiculous, rarely epiphytic. Stem 4–6 mm wide, rounded or quadrangular, densely glandulose-punctate (trichomes less than 0.1 mm long) and sparsely glandulose-pilose (trichomes 2–3 mm long). Leaves opposite; petioles 5–15.5 cm long, quadrangular, densely glandulose-punctate and sparsely glandulose-strigose (trichomes 1.4–3.3 mm long); blades 8–12 × 6–9 cm, flat, ovate to widely ovate, base cordate, apex acuminate, seldom cuspidate, margins crenulate, densely ciliate, adaxial surface dark green, moderately to densely glandulose-punctate (trichomes less than 0.1 mm long, brownish), abaxial surface light green, sparsely to moderately glandulose-punctate and sparsely glandulose-pilose (trichomes 0.9–1.8 mm long, brownish), main veins 3, plus two pairs that do not reach the leaf apex, basal. Inflorescences terminal, 9–12 cm long (11–14 cm long in infructescences), branches moderately glandulose-punctate and moderately glandulose-hirsute, sparsely glandulose-punctate and sparsely glandulosehirsute when old. Bracts 2–3 mm long, lanceolate, apex acute, margins ciliate, both surfaces glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose; bracteoles 1–1.7 mm long, lanceolate, apex acute, both surfaces glandulose-punctate. Hypanthium 1.5–2.8 × 2–3.6 mm, obconic, glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose. Sepals ovate, seldom elliptic, apex acute, margins entire, ciliate, both surfaces glandulose-punctate and glandulose-villose. Petals 5–8.3 × 2.5–4.3 mm, pink, elliptic, base cuneate, apex apiculate, the apiculum 0.6–0.7 mm long, with a caducous gland head, seldom cuspidate, margins entire, eciliate, both surfaces papillose, otherwise glabrous. Stamens 3.1–6 mm long; filaments 2–3 mm long; anthers 1.8–3 mm long, cream colored, narrowly oblong, surface undulate, pore rounded, non-thickened margins, introrse; connective shortly prolonged (less than 0.2 mm), unappendaged. Style 4.7–6.5 mm long, straight or slightly curved, glabrous. Fruits 0.4–0.5 × 0.7–0.9 cm. Seeds fusiform to widely fusiform.

Examined material: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Camacan, Almeida 259 ( CEPEC!); Bacci 209 ( CEPEC!, UEC); Borges 341 ( CEPEC!, NY); Lopes 418 ( CEPEC!); Paixão 420 ( CEPEC!, NY); Reginato 203 ( CEPEC!, NY, UPCB); Reginato 1268 ( CEPEC!, NY, RB!). Itapebi, Fontana 2533 ( RB!). Santa Luzia, Thomas 11384 ( CEPEC, NY, UEC!, US). Wenceslau Guimarães, Amorim 5069 ( CEPEC!); Bacci 272 ( CEPEC!); Bacci 278 ( CEPEC!); Goldenberg 1750 ( CEPEC!, HUFU!, NY, UPCB!); Goldenberg 2062 ( HURB!, NY, UPCB!).

Conservation Status: — Bertolonia reginatoi has an EOO of 1,898 km ² and AOO of 2,069 km ², and should be classified as “Endangered” (EN), following IUCN (2017) categories. This species has been found in the “Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Serra Bonita”, and “Estação Ecológica Estadual de Wenceslau Guimarães”.

Notes: — Bertolonia reginatoi is endemic to Bahia, occurring in montane rainforests ( Fig. 13d ), on shaded and moist slopes. Collected with flowers from December to February and June, and with fruits in February, May, September, and December. Bertolonia reginatoi is recognized by the long petioles (5–15.5 cm long), ovate to widely ovate leaf blades with a cordate base, margins densely ciliate, flowers with pink and apiculate petals, anthers with an undulate surface, and dehiscing through an introrse pore. Bertolonia reginatoi is similar to B. carmoi , however, the leaf margin in B. reginatoi is brownish, which seems to be related to the dense trichomes found there. It is also similar to B. hirsutissima , with populations at Wenceslau Guimarães occurring sympatrically. For more details, see notes under B. hirsutissima in Bacci et al. (2018) and Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURE 10. Specimens in vivo. A. Bertolonia igrapiuna. B. B. linearifolia. C. B. reginatoi. D. B. violacea. E. B. vitoriana. F. Bertolonia sp, belonging to the B. maculata/B. marmorata species complex. Photos:A, C and D by L. F. Bacci; B by F. Michelangeli; E and F by A. M. A. Amorim.

FIGURE 13. Distributions of species of Bertolonia in Bahia.A.Bertolonia linearifolia. B. Bertolonia maculata. C. Bertolonia marmorata. D. Bertolonia reginatoi. E. Bertolonia riocontensis. F. Bertolonia violacea. G. Bertolonia vitoriana.

FIGURE 16. Bertolonia reginatoi.A. Fertile branch. B. Trichomes on the petiole. C. Leaf base, abaxial surface. D. Short-stalked glandular trichomes on the abaxial leaf surface. E. Inflorescence. F. Hypanthium and calyx, abaxial surface. G. Petals apex, showing the apiculum with glands (arrow). H. Stamen, dorsal (left) and lateral (right) views. I. Ovary and style. [A, D: Borges 341; B, C: Bacci 278; E, G, H: Lopes 418; F: Reginato 1268; I: Thomas 11384].