Bauhinia andrade-limae A.C.B. Santos & Vaz, 2022

Dos Santos, Antonio C. B., Vaz, Angela M. Studart Da F., Da Silva, Maria A. P., Paula, Antonio P. O., Feitoza, Lidiane De L. & Carvalho, Reginaldo De, 2022, A new species of Bauhinia (Cercidoideae, Leguminosae) from the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, Brazil, Phytotaxa 576 (3), pp. 289-296 : 290-293

Bauhinia andrade-limae A.C.B. Santos & Vaz , sp. nov.

Type: — BRAZIL. Pernambuco: S„o Lourenço da Mata, Estaç„o Ecológica de Tapacurá, Mata do Toró , Cl„ do lagoa, 8º03’35.9”S 35º10’40.4”W, 16 July 2021 [fl., fr.], A.C. B. dos Santos et al. 76 (holotype PEUFR!, isotypes EAC!, CEPEC!, HCDAL!, HST!, HUEFS!, IPA!, K!, MAC!, P!, RB!, UFP!). Figures 1 , 2 .

Diagnosis: — Bauhinia andrade-limae is similar to Bauhinia membranacea , both sharing largely ovate bilobed leaves with obtuse apex, usually with nine main veins and almost glabrous lenticulate stems, but differing by the chartaceous leaves in B. andrade-limae (vs. membranaceous leaves in B. membranacea ), cordate base (vs. truncated to subtruncated), lobes congested in at least 1/3 of the total length (vs. lobes congested in more than 2/3 of total length), open and curved lobes (vs. parallel lobes), upper and lower surface glabrous (vs. upper surface hairy on the central margin and lower surface pubescent with sparse and appressed glandular trichomes), petiole glabrous (vs. petiole pubescent), flower buds up to 5.3 cm long at anthesis (vs. flower buds ca. 9.5 cm at anthesis), glabrous and reticulate legume with woody valves (vs. tomentose or villous-tomentose to sparsely villous legume with sometimes canescent indumentum).

Description:—Shrub or small tree 2–5 m tall with lenticulate and glabrous stems. Distal internode (1.3–) 3–4 (–7.5) cm long. Leaves bilobed, blade (9–) 10–14.5 (–20) × (7–) 9–12.5 (–13.5) cm, chartaceous, base cordate, 7–9- nerved, marginal vein inconspicuous, lobes congested in at least 1/3 of the total length, reaching up to 1/2 of the leaf blade, lobes open and curved, largely ovate to ovate-oblong, apex obtuse to slightly acute; glabrous upper surface with imperceptible primary, secondary and tertiary veins, glabrous lower surface with prominent primary vein, slightly prominent reticulate secondary veins and slightly depressed tertiary veins, glandular trichomes absent. Petiole (2.5–) 3–4 (–6.2) cm long, thin, and glabrous. Stipules 1–3 × 1 mm long, chartaceous and glabrous; extrafloral nectaries present at the base of the petiole. Inflorescence terminal pseudoraceme, (5.6–) 8–19.5 cm long, pedunculated; peduncle (0.5–) 1.5–3 cm long, slender; partial inflorescences 2-flowered; reduced to pairs of foliaceous bracts 1–2 × 1 mm long, arranged alternately at the base of the pedicel; pedicel 6–11 mm long. Flower buds up to 5.3 cm long at anthesis, linear, 5-sided, minutely tomentose with numerous short ferruginous glandular trichomes. Flowers pedicellate, pedicel 6–11 mm long, hypanthium cylindrical to urceolate, ca. 1 cm long, internally black and glabrous and externally with ferruginous trichomes; sepals not seen; petals linear, white, 1.8–2.5 × ca 0.2 cm, externally glabrous; stamens 10, fertile, heterodynamous, filament 7–25 mm long, fused at the base in a hairy staminal column 3–7 mm long, anthers 5–8 × 2 mm, dorsifixed, longitudinal dehiscence; gynoecium 19–40 mm long, stipe 7–20 mm long, ovary compressed 6–10 × 1–2 mm, tomentulose with yellowish trichomes, style 8–17 mm long, stigma bifid, glabrous, black. Legume elastically dehiscent 9.5–16.7 × 1–1.7 cm, linear, apex acuminate and base cuneate, stipe 1.3–2.7 cm long, 12–15 seeds per valve; valves woody, glabrous and reticulate, dark brown. Seeds 5–8 × 5–6 mm, compressed, testa dark brown, smooth, and bony.

Distribution and habitat: — Bauhinia andrade-limae is endemic to northeastern Brazil, restricted to the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco ( Figure 3 ). This species occurs in the Atlantic Forest domain, in rainforest (Chagas-Mota et al. 3740, MAC; G.L. Esteves & O. Viégas 365, MAC), lowland seasonal semideciduous forest (E. G. dos Santos 11, IPA) and dense shrubby vegetation (M. Oliveira & A.A. Grillo 1025, MAC), at elevations of 166 m (A.C. B. dos Santos et al. 76, HCDAL).

The states where the new species occurs have a rich biodiversity, with several recently described endemic taxa, such as: Pleurophora pulchra Siqueira, Cotarelli, Pastore & Cavalc. (2015: 185) , Amorimia pellegrinii Almeida (2016: 14) , Hymenaea cangaceira Pinto, Mansano & Azevedo (2017: 42) , Erythroxylum pyan Costa-Lima (2018: 225) , Orthophytum alagoanum Leme & Fontana (2020: 180) , Megascops alagoensis Dantas (2021: 401) , Aspidosperma dardanoanum Alves-Silva (2021: 271) , Trogon muriciensis Dickens (2021: 499) , Waltheria marielleae Coutinho & Alves (2022: 353) and Phyllopezus selmae Dubeux (2022: 345) .

Phenology: —The species was collected with flowers from June to September, with only one collection each recorded in January, March, May and November; fruits were collected from June to November with only one collection each in January, March and May.

Conservation status: —According to the IUCN criteria (2012) and based on area of occupancy (AOO of 60 km 2) and extent of occurrence (EOO of 10426.9 km 2), Bauhinia andrade-limae is assessed as threatened EN B2b(i, ii, iii). The Atlantic Forest domain is highly fragmented with isolated areas and irregularly shaped patches, which can lead to population isolation ( Trindade et al. 2008) and a decrease in the persistence of many species ( Scarano & Ceotto 2015). Some populations are within protected areas, such as the Tapacurá Ecological Station (Pernambuco) and the Pedra Talhada Biological Reserve (Alagoas), but other populations were recorded mainly on farms, old mills, and montane areas.

Etymology: —The epithet “andrade-limae” is a tribute to professor Dandano de Andrade-Lima, a researcher at Empresa Pernambucana de Pesquisa Agropecuária – IPA, who contributed to the improvement and organization of botanical collections in the northeast. He was responsible for creating the first Botany graduate course in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, and took part in scientific expeditions promoted by foreign and national institutions, having a deep knowledge of the northeastern flora.

Vernacular name: —Mororó (B. Pickel 221, IPA).

Taxonomic notes: —Among the species of Bauhinia ser. Cansenia , B. andrade-limae is similar to B. membranacea as both share largely ovate bilobed leaves with an obtuse apex and nine prominent primary veins on the underside and an imprinted midrib on the upper side. However, B. andrade-limae presents chartaceous leaves with cordate base, glabrous upper and lower sides, and congested lobes in at least 1/3 of the total length, while B. membranacea has membranaceous leaves with truncated base, hairy upper surface and lower surface puberulous with adpressed and sparse glandular trichomes ( Vaz & Tozzi 2003a).

Bauhinia andrade-limae is restricted to areas of Atlantic forest in the states of Alagoas and Pernambuco, while Bauhinia membranacea occurs in the states of Bahia, Góias, Piauí and Tocantins, inhabiting areas of cerrado and humid forest, as well as in foothills, higher elevation deciduous forest, on borders of altered mesophyllous forest and in secondary semideciduous forest ( Vaz & Tozzi, 2003a).

Of the species of Bauhinia ser. Cansenia recorded in the Atlantic Forest in the northeast, B. andrade-limae shares with B. corifolia Queiroz (2020: 294) leaves with a glabrous upper surface, cordate base and 7–9 prominent primary veins in the lower part of the blade, but B. andrade-limae has chartaceous bilobed leaves, with obtuse to acute apex and congested lobes in at least 1/3 of the total length, while B. corifolia has rigid leathery leaves with a blunt apex, and short sinuses between the lobes, when present ( Queiroz et al. 2020). Compared to Bauhinia arleneae Santos & Queiroz (2022: 213) , B. andrade-limae shares the shrubby or small tree habit with chartaceous leaves glabrous on both sides and with prominent primary veins on the underside, but differs by having a largely ovate bilobed leaf blade with 7–9 primary veins, cordate base and obtuse apex, while B. arleneae has an elliptical, entire blade with 3–5 primary veins, with obtuse base and acuminate apex ( Santos et al. 2022).

Most of the collections recorded in Pernambuco come from the Tapacurá Ecological Station, a wildlife refuge in Mata do Toró intended for the development of research on the conservation of forest resources and the Atlantic Forest fauna through the graduate program in biodiversity from Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE. The new species occurs in a species-rich area, where Leguminosae is the most representative family, with 68 of the 479 total species recorded ( Pereira-Silva et al. 2022). The records of the new species in Alagoas mostly come from collections by Chagas-Mota during the 2009–2011 period.

Field characters of Bauhinia andrade-limae include discolored leaves (M. Oliveira & A.A. Grillo 1025, MAC) with a reddish green underside (A.C. B. dos Santos et al. 76, HCDAL). The ripe fruits have smooth, reticulated brown valves (E. G. dos Santos 11, IPA). The flower buds have lilac streaks (K. Almeida & T.M.C. da Silva 170, PEUFR).

Additional Specimens Examined: — BRAZIL. Alagoas: Boca da Mata, Serra da Nascéia, 26 September 2009 [fr.], Chagas-Mota 5735 (MAC!) ; Ch „ Preta , Serra Lisa , 16 October 2010 [fr.], Chagas-Mota & J.M. Ferreira 9042 (MAC!) ; Flexeiras, Águas Belas , 06 August 2010 [fr.], Chagas-Mota et al. 7916 (MAC!) ; Ibateguara, Akidaban , borda da trilha, interior da mata, 08 August 2002 [fl., fr.], M. Oliveira & A.A. Grillo 1025 (IPA!, MAC!, HUEFS!) ; Ibateguara , Coimbra , 27 October 2003 [fr.], M. Oliveira & Bráulio 1432 (IPA!, MAC!) ; Ibateguara , Coimbra , Grota da Burra , 29 March 2011 [fr.], Chagas-Mota 10699 (MAC!) ; Joaquim Gomes, AL-3F, 9º02’42”S 35º49’12”W, 4 July 2016 [fl.], A.A.S. Mascarenhas s.n. (RB!, MAC) ; Mar Vermelho, Fazenda Canadá , 08 May 2009, Chagas-Mota et al. 3740 (MAC!) ; Messias, Engenho Oriente , Serra da Cachoeira , 11 June 1980 [fr.], C.V. Lima et al. 07 (IPA!, RB!, HCDAL!) ; Messias, Engenho Horizonte , Serra da Cachoeira , 11 June 1980 [fl., fr.], G.L. Esteves & O. Viégas 365 (MAC!) ; Murici, Fazenda Pedra Branca , próximo à Cachoeira , 16 September 2004 [fl.], E. Cardoso 39 (MAC!) ; Quebrangulo, ReBio Pedra Talhada , Trilha principal, interior da mata, 9º15’16”S 36º25’50”W, 05 September 2012 [fr.], B.S. Amorim et al. 1646 (MAC!, NY, JPB) ; Teotônio Vilela, Fazenda Brejo , Próximo a BR-101, 18 November 2008 [fl., fr.], E.B. Jesus 08 (MAC!) ; Viçosa, Fazenda Jussara , 28 January 2010 [fl.], Chagas-Mota 7251 (MAC!) ; Viçosa, Fazenda Jussara , 23 September 2010 [fl.], Chagas-Mota et al. 8661 (MAC!) ; Viçosa, Fazenda Jussara , 23 September 2010 [fr.], Chagas-Mota et al. 8662 (MAC!) ; Viçosa, Fazenda Jussara , 25 November 2010 [fr.], Chagas-Mota & J.M. Ferreira 9625 (MAC!) ; Pernambuco: Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Margem direita do Rio Gurjaú , parte mais baixa da mata, 14 May 1952 [fl., fr.], A. Ducke & D. Andrade-Lima 107 (IPA!, IAN, SP) ; Quipapá, Engenho Brejinho , 16 June 1972 [fl., fr.], D. Andrade-Lima 6908 (IPA!, HCDAL!, RB!) ; Quipapá , Engenho Brejinho , 15 September 1972 [fl., fr.], D. Andrade-Lima 7021 (IPA!) ; Quipapá , Engenho Brejinho , 15 September 1972 [fl.], D. Andrade-Lima 6993 (IPA!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata, Tapera , S„o Bento , campo à beira dos caminhos, March 1919 [fl., fr.], B. Pickel 221 (IPA!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Mata do Toró , 26 August 1980 [fl., fr.], A. Bocage & D. Andrade-Lima 18 (IPA!, HCDAL!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Mata do Toró , 26 August 1980 [fr.], A. Bocage & D. Andrade-Lima 10 (IPA!, HCDAL!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Refúgio da Vida Silvestre Mata do Toró , interior da mata do Toró , 31 January 2016 [fr.], E. G. dos Santos 11 (IPA!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Estaç „o Ecológica do Tapacurá , 8º00’46”S 34º57’01”W, 21 July 2000 [fr.], K. Almeida & T.M.C. da Silva 59 (PEUFR!, RB!, JPB) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Estaç „o Ecológica do Tapacurá , 21 August 2003 [fl.], M.S. Sobrinho 310 (UFP) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Estaç „o Ecológica de Tapacurá , 8º00’46”S 34º57’01”W, 19 July 2001 [fl., fr.], K. Almeida & T.M.C. da Silva 170 (IPA!, RB!, PEUFR!, JPB) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Estaç „o Ecológica de Tapacurá , Mata do Toró , 8º03’36”S 35º10’40”W, 16 July 2021 [fr.], A.C. B. dos Santos et al. 78 (HCDAL!) ; S„o Lourenço da Mata , Estaç „o Ecológica de Tapacurá , Mata do Toró , 8º03’36”S 35º10’40”W, 16 July 2021 [fl.], A.C. B. dos Santos et al. 77 (HCDAL!) ; August 1937 [fr.], Vasconcellos Sobrinho 498 (IPA!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Bauhinia andrade-limae—A: General aspect of the branch; B: upper surface of the blade; C: lower surface of the blade; D: small mucron at the apex between the blade lobes; E: detail of the reticulate secondary veins; F: flower bud; G: detail of the petal; H: heterodynamous stamens connected to the stem column at the base; I: anther; J: detail of the hairy stem column; K: stipitate gynoecium; L: bifid stigma; M: ripe fruit; N: details of the reticulated surface of the pod; O: seed. Drawing by R. Carvalho based on the holotype.

FIGURE 2. Bauhinia andrade-limae—A: General aspect of the branch showing leaf disposition; B: lower surface of the blade showing the veins; C: floral buds; D: developing fruit. Holotype field photos: A.C.B. Santos

FIGURE 3. Map of Northeastern Brazil showing the state of Alagoas (AL) and Pernambuco (PE) and the distribution of Bauhinia andrade-limae (red dots).