Gaylussacia Kunth (1818: 215)

Dalastra, Claudenice Hilda & Heiden, Gustavo, 2022, Ericaceae in Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil, Phytotaxa 564 (2), pp. 149-190 : 174

3. Gaylussacia Kunth (1818: 215) .

Type:— Gaylussacia buxifolia Kunth (1818: 276) .

Subshrubs to shrubs, erect to procumbent, orthocladous to deliquescent. Leaves alternate, papery to coriaceous; blade glabrous to tomentose; margin entire to serrate; apical callous glandular; venation camptodromous. Racemes axillary and subapical with bracts at the base of the inflorescence axis; floral bract 1, conspicuous at pedicel base; bracteoles 2 along the pedicel. Flowers 5-merous; calyx lobes basally connate and pubescent to glabrous; corolla gamopetalous, campanulate to urceolate; stamen 10, epipetalous; staminal filaments straight, flat, pubescent to tomentose; anthers dorsifixed; thecae parallel, long-tubular, dehiscence poricidal or by a small apical cleft; ovary inferior; pseudo-10- locular, one ovule per locule; stigma depressed-capitate. Fruit drupoid (nuculanium), globose; seeds lenticular.

The genus Gaylussacia in Rio Grande do Sul comprises three species distributed mainly in a highland grassland of Campos de Cima da Serra ( Figs. 23 A, B, C ), also reaching the regions of Depressão Central ( Fig. 23 A ) and South Coast ( Fig. 23 B ). Gaylussacia are associated with forest edges and in grasslands along cloud forests and riverine forests ( Fig. 17 B ; 19 B, E ; 21 A ), in clay and acidic soils ( Fig. 17 A ), temporary wetlands and peat bogs ( Fig. 19 A ) in rocky hillsides and cliffs, basaltic outcrops, wet sandy soils, peat bogs and sandy soils at restinga.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Gaylussacia angustifolia (Ericaceae). A. habitat and habit in grasslands at Trilha do Cotovelo, Itaimbezinho Canyon, Cambará do Sul, RS; B. habit; C. narrow leaves; D. callous gland at leaf apex; E. inflorescence and flowers; F. immature fruits; G. fruit. Photos G. Heiden (A) and C.H.Dalastra (B, C, D, E).

FIGURE 19. Gaylussacia brasiliensis (Ericaceae). A. habitat in subtropical highland grasslands from Campos de cima da Serra at Cambará do Sul, RS. B. flowering specimen. C. inflorescence; D. flowers. E. immature fruits. F. mature and immature fruits. Photos C.H. Dalastra (A, C, D, E), R. Rigon (B), and S. Bordignon (F).

FIGURE 21. Gaylussacia pseudogaultheria (Ericaceae). A. habitat and habit in grasslands in Trilha do Cotovelo, Itaimbezinho Canyon, Cambará do Sul, RS. B. leaves. C. callous gland at leaf apex. D. raceme. E. flower. F. immature fruit. Photos C.H. Dalastra.

FIGURE 23. Distribution maps of (A) Gaylussacia angustifolia, (B) G. brasiliensis and (C) G. pseudogaultheria (Ericaceae) in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), Brazil. The overview map in upper left corner indicates the position of RS in Southeast South America. Continuous lines represent the boundaries between countries or Brazilian states. Gray scale represents the elevation ranges for RS, whereas lighter tones characterize lower elevations and darker higher elevations. ARG= Argentina; PRY= Paraguay; URY= Uruguay; SC= Santa Catarina state (Brazil).