Aspilia pseudocalea G.Silva & A.Teles, 2017

Silva, Gustavo Henrique Lima Da & Teles, Aristônio M., 2017, Ten years later: a new species of Aspilia (Asteraceae-Heliantheae) from Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, Brazil, Phytotaxa 314 (1), pp. 117-122 : 117-121

Aspilia pseudocalea G.Silva & A.Teles , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–3 ).

Closely related to A. prostrata , but differs by its leaves sessile (vs. petiolate), leaf blade linear (vs. narrow oblong); peduncles 7.5–14.5 cm long (vs. 2.3–3.6 cm long); involucral bracts lanceolate, 4–5-seriate (vs. oblong, 3-seriate); paleae apices acuminate (vs. rounded).

Type:— BRAZIL. Goiás:Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, em direção ao Morro do Japonês, 14°08’09.0”S, 47°48’53.1”W, 1186 m, 14 March 2015, R. N. Ribeiro, D. O. Diniz-Neres, G. L. Soares-Feitosa, L. L. C. Antunes & M. V. A. Soares 14 (holotype UFG!, isotypes MO!, RB!, UB!).

Perennial herbs with xylopodial stems, branched, decumbent, 50–80 cm long. Stem terete, strigose. Leaves opposite, decussate, ascending, sessile; blade linear, 4.4–8.7× 0.2–0.7 cm, apex acute, base acute to decurrent, margin entire, plane, strigose on both sides, with basal acrodromous venation. Capitula solitary, terminal, heterogamous, radiate; peduncle 7.5–14.5 cm long, strigose. Involucre campanulate, 6–9× 5–7 mm, involucral bracts 4–5-seriate, foliose, lanceolate, 6–9× 2–3 mm, apex acute, margin entire, strigose. Receptacle convex, paleaceous; paleae conduplicate, oblong, 6–7 mm long, apex acuminate. Ray florets 7–9, sterile, corolla liguliform, tube 2–2.5 mm long, limb oblong to elliptic, 7–9× 4–7 mm, apex 2-dentate. Ray cypselae aborted, oblong, 1.5–2 mm long; pappus coroniform, 3-aristate. Disk florets 21–25, bisexual, corolla tubular, 5–6 mm long, tube ca. 2 mm long, lobes 1–1.5 mm long; anthers 2.5–3 mm long, connective with an oval appendage 0.7–0.8× 0.4–0.5 mm; style 5–6 mm long, branches 2–3 mm long. Cypselae obovoid, 4–5× 1.9–2.5 mm, setose from middle to the apex and glabrous from middle to the base; pappus coroniform, 2–3-aristate, 1.5–2.2 mm long, brownish.

Distribution and ecology: — Aspilia pseudocalea is only known so far from the municipality of Alto Paraíso de Goiás, at the Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, in the State of Goiás ( Fig. 4 ). The species was found growing in grassland (campo limpo) on cambisol soil on sloping relief.

Conservation Status: —The new species, according to IUCN Red list categories ( IUCN 2017), is considered Endangered (EN, subcriterion D, population size estimated to number less than 250 mature individuals) as it grows in a highly specialized habitat and is known by few and small populations.

Phenology: —Flowering and fruiting specimens were collected in February, March, April, June, and October.

Etymology: —The specific epithet of this new species refers to the morphological similarity of this species with Calea kirkbridei .

Discussion: — Aspilia pseudocalea belongs to A. sect. Aspilia . This new species is closely related mainly to A. prostrata Santos (1996: 88) , but its morphology also resembles A. hispidantha Robinson (1984: 268) and A. procumbens Baker (1884: 194) . The species described herein differs from the other three by its linear sessile leaves (vs. petiolate oblong, narrow oblong or oblong lanceolate leaves), involucre dimensions 0.6–0.9× 0.5–0.7 cm (vs. 1–1.6× 1–1.3 cm, variation of the three species), and involucral bracts lanceolate, 4–5-seriate (vs. oblong to ovate, 2–3-seriate). However, the most notable character in Aspilia pseudocalea is the scar at the base of the cypsela this being 2–2.5 mm long, and double the length of a similar scar present in A. hispidantha , A. procumbens and A. prostrata , where its length reaches no more than 1 mm. In addition, A. hispidantha and A. prostrata are not recorded in the State of Goiás ( Santos 2001; Flora do Brasil 2020 2017).

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, ca. 1 km da sede do Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, 7 February 1987, J. R. Pirani, R. M. Harley, B. L. Stannard, A. Furlan & C. Kameyama 1752 ( K, MBM, SPF) ; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, em direção ao Morro da Baleia , 14°07’21”S, 47°39’58.8”W, 1230 m, 20 April 2015, R. N. Ribeiro, D. O. Diniz-Neres, R. C. Sodré, V. F. Mansano, M. J. Silva, T. M. S. Melo 64 ( UFG) ; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Cerrado sentido restrito, ao lado da GO-239, 14°06’29”S, 47°39’59”W, 1186 m, 4 June 2015, R. N. Ribeiro, D. O. Diniz-Neres, G. L. Soares-Feitosa, M. J. Silva & T. R. N. Souza 130 ( UFG) ; Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros, Jardim de Maytrea 14°07’41.383”S, 47°41’10.749”W, 1214 m, 6 October 2015, G. H. Silva, R. N. Ribeiro, D. O. Diniz-Neres, P. S. Pereira, C. S. Santos 347 ( UFG) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aspilia pseudocalea. A. Habit. B. Leaf. C. Ray floret. D. Palea. E. Disk floret. F.Anthers. G. Style. H. Cypsela. I. Two awn pappus variation. (All illustrations made from the holotype. Drawings by the first author).

FIGURE 2. Aspilia pseudocalea, in vivo. A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Leaves. D. Xylopodium. E. Capitula. (Photos by the first author and Rogério Neves Ribeiro).

FIGURE 3. Aspilia pseudocalea. A. Stem indumentum. B.1. Adaxial leaf blade indumentum. B.2. Abaxial leaf blade indumentum. C. Ray floret. D. Palea. E. Disk floret. F. Cypsela.

FIGURE 4. Distribution of Aspilia pseudocalea.