Rourea prostrata C. Toledo, Phytotaxa 408(2): 120. 2019.

Toledo, Cassio A. P., Souza, Vinicius Castro & Lucas, Eve J., 2020, Nomenclatural and taxonomic updates in Rourea subgen. Rourea sect. Multifoliolatae (Connaraceae), PhytoKeys 169, pp. 137-175 : 137

Rourea prostrata C. Toledo, Phytotaxa 408(2): 120. 2019. Illustration: Toledo and Souza (2019)

Type.

Brazil. Minas Gerais: Rio Pardo de Minas, Vereda Funda, parcela 4, 15°57'20"S, 42°27'23"W, 981 m alt., 11 Dec 2008 (fr.), A. C. Sevilha et al. 5011 (Holotype: CEN barcode CEN 00097193!; isotype: ESA!).

Description.

Subshrubs prostrate; branchlets tomentose, lenticels sparse, inconspicuous. Leaves 13-17(-21)-foliolate, loosely disposed; petiole 0.2-1 cm long, villous, with glandular trichomes; rachis 3-5.5 cm long, villous, with glandular trichomes; leaflets subopposite, subsessile; blade of the basal pair of leaflets 0.5-1 × 0.3-0.7 cm, orbicular, others 0.9-1.7 × 0.5-1 cm, oblong, rarely elliptic or narrowly obovate, chartaceous, discolorous, abaxially villous, greenish, adaxially sparsely villous, dull, base slightly asymmetric, rounded or subcordate, apex rounded, margin flat, ciliate; midvein abaxially prominent, adaxially flat, secondary veins 5-6 pairs, abaxially slightly prominent, adaxially flat or slightly prominent, tertiary veins flat on both surfaces. Inflorescences in axillary cymes; bracts ca. 2 mm long; peduncle 0.7-1.8 cm long, hirsute, with glandular trichomes; rachis 1.3-2.2 cm long, hirsute, with glandular trichomes. Flowers unknown, loosely disposed; pedicel 3-8 mm long, with glandular trichomes, 1-2 bracteoles located up the lower half; sepals (persistent on fruits) with outer surface sparsely hirsute, with glandular trichomes, inner surface subglabrous, margin ciliate; petals (persistent on fruits) glabrous; stamens (persistent on fruits) with sparse glandular trichomes; ovary (persistent on fruits) densely hirsute, style subglabrous, stigma not seen. Fruits 0.8-1 × 0.3-0.4 cm, colour not seen, outer surface sparsely hirsute, more densely at the apex, inner surface glabrous, apex acuminate, style partially persistent, calyx covering one third of the fruit; seeds 0.7-0.8 × 0.4 cm, arillode colour not seen.

Distribution, habitat and phenology.

Rourea prostrata in only known from the type location (15°57'20"S, 42°27'23"W), which is near the municipality of Rio Pardo de Minas, MG (Fig. 11 ). It is the only known species of Connaraceae reported as a prostrate plant. The type was collected with fruits in December.

Recognition and notes.

Rourea prostrata is morphologically similar to R. bahiensis due to the number and size of leaflets. However, R. prostrata is a prostrate subshrub with glandular trichomes, while R. bahiensis is a liana or scandent shrub eglandular. Rourea prostrata can also be mistaken for R. chrysomalla , although it mainly differs by its prostrate habit, chartaceous leaflets and sparsely hirsute fruits measuring 0.8-1 × 0.3-0.4 cm vs. erect habit, coriaceous leaflets and completely velutinous fruits measuring 1-1.4 × 0.4-0.6 cm.

Figures

Figure 11. Geographic distribution of Rourea macrocalyx (circles), R. prostrata (triangles) and R. tenuis (squares).