Drosera chrysolepis Taubert (1893: 505)

Gonella, Paulo Minatel, Sano, Paulo Takeo, Rivadavia, Fernando & Fleischmann, Andreas, 2022, A synopsis of the genus Drosera (Droseraceae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 553 (1), pp. 1-76 : 31-32

9. Drosera chrysolepis Taubert (1893: 505) . Figures 7a, 11g –k

Lectotype (designated by Silva & Giulietti 1997):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Serra do Cipó, 1891/92, Glaziou 18857 (K-000432548!; isolectotypes B-100272048!, P-00749151!).

Perennial, caulescent, stem well-developed (1–46 cm in length) with distinct internodes. Active growing leaves few to numerous (3–13), with circinate vernation, petiole linear, 2–3 times narrower than the lamina, lamina lanceolate; stipules triangular to narrowly triangular, divided into few to several laciniae on the apical 1/2–1/3, golden-brown, often with paler margins. Dense indumentum of long white eglandular trichomes and TSG trichomes on leaves, scapes, pedicels and sepals. Petals obovate to broadly obovate, overlapping in anthesis, pink; gynoecium 3-carpelate, styles bifurcated at the base. Seeds oblong, testa reticulate.

Illustrations: — Silva & Giulietti (1997: 101, figs. 13A, C–M—habit and details); Rivadavia (2003: 86, figs. 3.2A– F—habit and details).

Distribution: — Brazil (Northeast: BA; Southeast: MG), endemic. Drosera chrysolepis presents a patchy distribution in the campos rupestres of the Espinhaço Range, from the municipality of Caeté (central Minas Gerais) to the Chapada Diamantina (in Bahia), and disjunctly on coastal sandy plains (restingas) in central coastal Bahia (Fig. 7a).

Habitat: —In the Espinhaço Range D. chrysolepis is found in wet areas of campo rupestre vegetation on sandy to sandy peat soils, or in drier areas on sandy soil with white quartz gravel, at elevations around 1200–1800 m. On the coastal restingas it is found just a few meters above sea level on wet sandy flats.

Phenology:— Drosera chrysolepis produces flowers from April to September, corresponding to the end of the wet season and middle of the dry season.

Conservation status: —Near Threatened (NT). Drosera chrysolepis is widely distributed though relatively localized within its range, usually in small populations restricted to very specific and fragile habitats. The calculated EOO (252,109 km 2) would place it in the LC category, however, the AOO (172 km 2) suggests EN. Although the species does not currently qualify for a category of threat, an observed reduction in area of occupancy due to mining, agriculture, cattle ranching, invasive grasses, and climate change in its campos rupestres range, as well as to urban expansion in its restinga range, all suggest that D. chrysolepis may likely qualify in the near future. It is found inside National Parks (Chapada Diamantina and Serra do Cipó, in BA and MG respectively) and State Parks (Rio Preto and Serra Nova, in MG), among other smaller locally protected areas.

Notes: — Drosera chrysolepis is most similar to D. camporupestris , but is distinguished by characters discussed under that species.

Previous records of D. chrysolepis from Ecuador and Peru ( Correa & Silva 2005 ; assigned as possibly being D. camporupestris by Rivadavia 2003), turned out to be a distinct species, D. condor Gonella et al. (2016: 1421) , closely related to the Venezuelan D. cendeensis Tamayo & Croizat (1949: 175) and the Peruvian D. peruensis Silva & Correa (2002: 543) ( Gonella et al. 2016).

Drosera chrysolepis was described by Taubert (1893) based on the specimen Glaziou 18857 from the Serra do Cipó, but the author did not cite the herbarium where this material was examined, which makes all known duplicates of this specimen syntypes. Silva & Giulietti (1997) cite the specimen deposited at K as an isotype, and Correa & Silva (2005) cite the specimen from P as the holotype. Even though the only specimen personally annotated by Taubert is the one held at B (thus representing the only suitable lectotype), the citation of the specimen from K as an isotype by Silva & Giulietti (1997) gives rise to an inadvertent lectotypification (ICN Arts. 7.11 and 9.10; Turland et al. 2018).

Natural hybrids with D. quartzicola Rivadavia & Gonella (2011: 34) were reported in the publication of that species, but photographs and specimens examined are first provided here (see ‘Natural Hybrids’ below).

Representative specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Abaíra, Cachoeira das Anáguas , 1600 m, 24 February 1992, Stannard et al. H51558 ( SPF, NY, MBM, SP) . Ituberá, km 15 da estrada para a Praia de Pratigi , 08 October 2005, Rivadavia 2112 ( SPF) . Minas Gerais: Itacambira, estrada para Montes Claros (MG 308), 22 April 2010, Gonella et al. 288 ( SPF) . Rio Pardo de Minas, Parque Estadual da Serra Nova , 13 March 2007, Salino et al. 11740 ( BHCB) . Santana do Pirapama, Serra do Cipó, Fazenda Inhame ( Serra Mineira ), 23 March 1982, Cordeiro et al. CFSC 8185 (SP, SPF) . Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cipó, bifurcação da estrada para Morro do Pilar e Conceição do Mato Dentro , 25 February 1997, Rivadavia & Pinheiro 558 ( SPF) . Serra do Cipó , 24 April 1892, Schwacke 8233 (OUPR-4297, OUPR-4298, OUPR-4299) .