Harpochilus paraibanus Monteiro et al. (2018: 291)

Costa-Lima, James Lucas Da & Chagas, Earl Celestino De Oliveira, 2019, A revision of Harpochilus sheds light on new combinations under Justicia (Acanthaceae), Phytotaxa 393 (2), pp. 119-130 : 125-127

Harpochilus paraibanus Monteiro et al. (2018: 291) .

TYPE:— BRAZIL. Paraíba: Mun. Passagem, Serra do Aba, 17 April 2016 (fl), E. M. P. Fernando 392 (holotype: herb. Manuel de Arruda Câmara [cat. #1897]; isotypes: herb. Manuel de Arruda Câmara , herb. Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, RB). ( Fig. 2C–D , 3 )

Shrubs, 1–3 m tall; stems cylindrical, usually with inflated internodes at base, smooth to slightly striated longitudinally, pubescent. Leaves opposite, decussate; petioles 0.8–2.5 cm long; blades 5–12 × 2.6–7.5 cm, broadly ovate, deltate or broadly elliptic, apex acute to acuminate, margin short-ciliate, base rounded to decurrent, adaxial surface glabrescent with sparse hyaline trichomes, setose on veins, abaxial surface setose, trichomes more concentrated on veins, cystoliths conspicuous, ca. 0.1 mm long, adpressed, covering the entire blade, visible on adaxial surface, venation eucamptodromous, secondary veins in 5–10 pairs, alternate or subopposite, veins impressed on adaxial surface, prominent on abaxial surface. Inflorescences in dichasial cymes, with 3(–5) flowers per inflorescence unit, main rachis pubescent to setose, peduncle 0.6–1 cm long, pubescent, pedicel 0.1–0.3 cm long, pubescent; first order bracts 2, lateral, 2.5–5 × 0.5–2 cm, decussate on the main axis, chartreuse-green, broadly elliptic (most basal bracts on the main rachis), narrowly elliptic, or trullate to linear (most apical bracts), apex attenuate, setose on both surfaces, long-ciliate at margin; second order bracts 2, lateral, 2.5–3.2 × 0.2–0.5 cm, narrowly lanceolate to linear, like bracts of the first order; bracteoles 2, lateral, 1–2.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, narrowly lanceolate to linear, apex attenuate, as the first order bracts. Calyx 5-lobed; lobes 1–1.6 × 0.15–0.2 cm, equal, narrowly triangular to linear, both surfaces sericeous, margins occasionally appearing short-ciliate. Corolla white, pale to yellowish green, bilabiate, sparsely pilose inside the tube, pilose inside the lobes, setose outside; tube 1–1.6 cm long, cylindrical, inflated at base, erect; upper lip 2–4 × 0.4–0.6 mm, spatulate, narrow, curved downward, ciliate, flat to slightly sinuous at the margin, enveloping the style and the filaments for most of their length, shortly 2-lobed at apex, the lobes 1.8–2.2 mm long; lower lip 3-lobed, the lobes 1.8–3.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, spatulate, narrow, irregularly curled downward, ciliate, flat to slightly sinuous at the margin. Filaments 2.2–3.5 cm long, glabrous, arcuate; anthers 5.5–7 mm long, with 2 parallel thecae, equal, non-appendiculate, sagittate at base. Ovary 1.2–4 × 0.8–1.2 mm; style 4–5.2 cm long, glabrous for most of its length, sparsely setose at base, arcuate; stigma punctiform; nectary disc annular. Capsule 1.8–2.2 cm long, sterile basal portion 0.6–1.2 × 0.3–0.4 cm, fertile apical portion 0.8–1 × 0.3–0.5 cm, ellipsoid, smooth in sicco, glabrous, glaucous when young, chestnut-brown when ripe; seeds 4, 4–7 mm diam., suborbicular, glabrous, flat.

Distribution and habitat: — Harpochilus paraibanus is known from the states of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, in northeastern Brazil ( Fig. 1 ). It is likely that it is also present in other states within the semiarid region. It occurs in dry forests, such as carrasco vegetation, caatinga s.s., and deciduous seasonal forests in the Caatinga domain; on sedimentary substrates, such as sandy soils and limestone outcrops, as well as crystalline substrates, at elevations between 100 and 800 m.

Conservation status: — Monteiro et al. (2018) placed Harpochilus paraibanus under the Endangered (EN) category, according to IUCN (2017) criteria, because the species was known from a single population. However, we propose that this species actually falls under the category Least Concern (LC) because it has a relatively wide distribution in semiarid areas of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba (EOO = ca. 112,000 km 2). Nevertheless, H. paraibanus was recorded in areas that have suffered from deforestation due to cattle farming, removal of trees for firewood and charcoal, the extraction of kaolin, and the creation of wind farms. Further, although there are many specimens in herbarium collections, only one subpopulation is within a protected area, Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Serra das Almas, in the municipality of Crateús, Ceará.

Specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Ceará: Sine loco accuratio, 1 June 2013 (fl, fr), A. S. F. Castro 2717 ( EAC) ; Mun. Caucaia, Pedreira do Coité , 26 May 1959 (fl, fr), A. Fernandes s.n. ( EAC 1888 ) ; ibidem, Conceição , 27 June 2004 (fl, fr), A. S. F. Castro 1490 ( EAC) ; Mun. Caridade, Maciço de Baturité, vertente seca do Maciço de Baturité , 30 May 2008 (fl), M. O. T. Menezes 21 ( EAC) ; Mun. Crateús, Serra da Ibiapaba , na descida dos Tacuns, 11 June 1979 (fl, fr), E. Nunes & A. J. Castro s.n. ( EAC 6465 ) ; ibidem, Ibiapaba Norte, picote, 21 May 1997 (fr), M. A. Figueiredo s.n. ( EAC 25829 ) ; ibidem, RPPN Serra das Almas [Grajal, 5º6’0’’S, 40º52’22’’W, 250 m, according to HUEFS sheets], 4 May 2003 [9 May 2002, according to HUEFS sheets] (fl), F. S. Araújo & S. F. Vasconcelos 1539 ( EAC, HUEFS – 2 sheets) ; ibidem, 4 June 2002 (fl), F. S. Araújo & S. F. Vasconcelos 1548 ( EAC, HUEFS – 2 sheets) ; ibidem, 5º8’S, 40º24’22.3’’W, 680 m, 8 April 2017 (fl), M. Mizushima 71 ( HUEFS) ; Mun. Guaramiranga, Sítio Salva-Vidas , 21 September 2004 (fl), V. Gomes & L. W. Lima-Verde 2109.8 ( EAC) ; Mun. Itaiçaba, Morro do Ereré , 10 April 1982 (fl), E. P. Nunes s.n. ( EAC 11166 ) ; Mun. Pedra Branca, BR 020 , entre Cruzeta e Tauá , 30 April 1981 (fl, fr), P. Martins s.n ( EAC 10260 , F 1938311 , HUEFS 80751 ) ; Mun. Quixeramobim , 25 July 1995 (fl), A. S. F. Castro s.n. ( EAC 23138 ) ; Mun. Quixeré, Faz. Mato Alto, Cedro , [5º12’S, 37º48’W, 110 m, according to K sheet], 13 June 1996 (fl), E. L. Paula- Zárate et al. 257 ( EAC – 2 sheets, K, MOSS) ; ibidem, Chapada do Apodi, Fazenda Manga do Cedro , 17 June 1997 (fl), E. O. Barros et al. 151 ( EAC) ; Mun. Santa Quitéria, perto do Morro de Itataia , 26 April 1979 (fl), A. Fernandes & A. J. Castro s.n. ( EAC 5960 ) ; Mun. Sobral, Taperuaba, Fazenda Macapá , 16 May 1991 (fl), A. Fernandes s.n. ( EAC 17671 ) ; Mun. Tabuleiro do Norte, Chapada do Apodi, Sto. Antônio da Ladeira , 22 May 2003 (fr), E. Silveira s.n. ( EAC 32437 ) ; ibidem, 3 May 2010 (fl), E. R. Silveira et al. s.n. ( EAC 47158 ) ; Mun. Tauá, Cachoeirinha , 27 April 1981 (fl, fr), E. Nunes & Angélica [ M. A. Figueiredo] s.n. ( EAC 10089 ) ; ibidem, Bacia Hidrográfica do Riacho Carrapateiras, Tecelão , 17 August 2013 (fr), R. C. Gomes 15 ( EAC) . Rio Grande do Norte: Sine loco accuratio, Chapada do Apodi , 26 April 2007 (fl), E. Silveira s.n. ( EAC 41642 , HUEFS 138369 ) ; Mun. Assu [Açu], 25 September 1997 (fl), F. M. B. Paiva 16 ( MOSS) ; ibidem, área de caatinga ao S do aeroporto, 5º36’05’’S, 36º57’15’’W, 105 m, 28 February 2017 (fl, fr), J. L. Costa-Lima 2741 ( HUEFS, MAC, UFRN) ; Mun. Caicó, RN 288 sentido Currais Novos, entrada a cerca de 1 km da cidade, vicinal para a Serra da Formiga, 20-22 km da estrada, Serra da Formiga , 6º21’18’’S, 36º57’17’’W, 300–370 m, 15 August 2009 (fl), J. G. Jardim et al. 5552 ( UFRN) ; Mun. Caiçara do Rio do Vento, Serra da Ubaia , 5º47’58”S, 36º05’15”W, 424 m, 30 October 2014 (fl), A. A. Roque 1568 ( UFRN) ; Mun. Caraúbas, Faz. Itaoca , 15 October 2008 (fl, fr), R. G. Ferreira 109 ( EAC) ; Mun. Equador, Serra das Queimadas, área de extração de caulin [sic] e para instalação do Complexo Eólico Santapape , 6º54’43’’S, 36º42’58’’W, 754 m, 13 August 2015 (fl), E. O. Moura et al. 415 ( UFRN) ; Mun. Felipe Guerra, Sítio Lagoa de Jurema , 8 May 1997 (fl), L. F. Marques 07 ( MOSS) ; ibidem 14 June 1997 (fl), F. V. S. Mendonça 12 ( MOSS) ; ibidem, localidade Junco, Cachoeira do Rancador [sic], entrada da Fazenda, próximo a margem do Rio Mossoró , 26 April 2008 (fl), R. C. Oliveira 2140 ( MOSS) ; Mun. Florânia, Serra de Santana, rod. para Tenente Laurentino ca. 6 km da sede municipa [sic], 6º07’44’’S, 36º45’23W, 656 m, 29 May 2010 (fr), J. G. Jardim et al. 5758 ( RB, UFRN) ; Mun. Mossoró, Serra Mossoró , 27 July 1972 (fl), O. F. Oliveira 62 ( MOSS) ; ibidem, 2 August 1972 (fl), O. F. Oliveira 78 ( MOSS) ; ibidem, Projeto de Colonização Mulunguinho , 21 June 1995 (fl), F. Ernesto Sobrinho 246 ( MOSS) ; Mun. São Vicente, entre São Vicente e Currais Novos , BR 276 , 22 July 1991 (fl, fr), M. A. Figueiredo et al. 292 ( EAC, MOSS) .

Discussion: —When describing Harpochilus paraibanus, Monteiro et al. (2018) designated the specimen Fernando 392, deposited at ACAM herbarium, as the holotype. The acronym ACAM refers to the Mycological Herbarium of the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece ( Thiers 2018 +); therefore, it is impossible that the holotype of H. paraibanus is at ACAM (G. Zervakis, pers. comm.). Monteiro et al. (2018) probably meant to refer to the non-indexed herbarium Manuel de Arruda Câmara at the State University of Paraíba (UEPB), Brazil. Unfortunately, the non-indexed collections cited in the protologue could not be be analysed and, until the completion of this paper, the isotype cited at RB had not been distributed.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Harpochilus neesianus (circles), H. paraibanus (squares), Justicia citrina (star), and J. phaeocarpa (triangles), with the Brazilian semiarid region highlighted in orange.

FIGURE 2. Harpochilus neesianus. A. Flowering branch, with a detail of the corolla. B. Capsule and seed, in sicco. Harpochilus paraibanus. C. Flowering branch. D. Capsule and seed, in sicco. Photograph credits:A. Domingos (A), A.S.F. Castro (C), J.L. Costa-Lima (B, D).

FIGURE 3. Harpochilus paraibanus. A. Flowering branch. B. First order bract, abaxial view. C. Second order bract, abaxial view. D. Bracteole, abaxial view. E. Detail of the cyme, flowers in buds. F. Flower. G. Detail of a stamen, showing the anther. H. Capsule. I. Seed. Drawing by Felipe Martins.