Ameroglossum asperifolium E.M.Almeida, J.M.P.Cordeiro & L.P.Felix, 2021

Almeida, Erton M., Christenhusz, Maarten J. M., Wanderley, Artur Maia, Cordeiro, Joel Maciel P., Melo, José Iranildo Miranda De, Batista, Fabiane Rabelo Da Costa & Felix, Leonardo P., 2021, An overview of the Brazilian inselberg genus Ameroglossum (Linderniaceae, Lamiales), with the description of seven new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 746, pp. 1-25 : 9-10

Ameroglossum asperifolium E.M.Almeida, J.M.P.Cordeiro & L.P.Felix sp. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77216326-1

Figs 2B , 3f–k

Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the presence of two conspicuous wings on the dorsal sepal (vs calys without wings in all other species). It also has leaves that are rough to the touch with aciculate hairs (vs glabrous or softly hairy in all other species).

Etymology

The epithet derives from the Latin ʻ asper ʼ, ʻroughʼ, and ʻ folium ʼ, ʻleafʼ, reflecting the rough texture the leaves of this species.

Material examined

Type BRAZIL – Alagoas • Ibateguara, Sitio Bananeiras ; 08°58ʹ35ʹʹ S, 35°53ʹ33ʹʹ W; 512 m a.s.l.; 28 Oct. 2014; L.P. Felix, E.M. Almeida, J.P. Araújo, J.M.P. Cordeiro 15160; holotype: EAN!; isotypes: IMA!, IPA!, K!, RB !.

Paratype BRAZIL – Alagoas • Ibateguara ; 08°58ʹ35ʹʹ S, 35°53ʹ33ʹʹ W; 512 m a.s.l.; 10 Jun. 2015; E.M. Almeida & A.M. Wanderley 1572; EAN[23212] !.

Description

Saxicolous chamaephyte up to ca 1 m, rarely with secondary branching. Young branches purplish, lustrous, quadrangular, not winged, pubescent, with aciculate trichomes; branches brownish when mature, slightly inclined, subquadrangular. Leaves opposite, decussate; leaf blade 4.0–16.0 × 1.7– 5.5 cm, purplish when young, later green with purplish margin, lustrous, elliptic to ovate, strongly bullate; adaxial side pubescent, with aciculate trichomes; abaxial side glabrescent, with recurved trichomes; apex acute to acuminate, flat; margin flat, ciliate. Inflorescence a simple dichasium. Peduncle purplish, subcylindrical, winged, pubescent, with trichomes recurved and papillose; primary peduncle 0.65–2.10 × 0.08–0.17 cm, secondary peduncle 0.40–0.75 × 0.08–0.17 cm. Pedicel 0.60–1.50 × 0.14– 0.20 cm, purplish, pubescent, with trichomes recurved and papillose; ventral side with wings on the proximal third to totally winged. Bracts 0.20–0.50 × 0.06–0.08 cm, purplish; abaxial side glabrescent, trichomes recurved, adaxial side glabrescent, trichomes papillose, margin ciliate with recurved trichomes. Calyx purplish, abaxial side glabrescent, with aciculate trichomes, recurved and papillose, adaxial side densely covered by papillose trichomes, rarely recurved, margin glabrous; dorsal sepal 1.9–2.4 × 0.5–0.7 cm, widely lanceolate, winged; lateral sepals 1.6–2.1 × 0.3–0.5 cm, lanceolate; ventral sepals 1.5–2.0 × 0.3–0.4 cm, lanceolate. Corolla 5.5–7.0 cm long, scarlet, externally pubescent, with glandular trichomes; internal side glabrescent, with papillose trichomes; tube 4.3–5.9 cm long; upper lip 1.2–1.7 × 0.8–1.1 cm, slightly bilobate; lower lip 1.1–1.6 × 0.5–0.6 cm, inner perianth with trichomes filiform, violet; lobes revolute; median lobe 0.20–0.27 × 0.08–0.10 cm. Stamens included, adnate to the median third of the corolla tube; filaments violaceous, dorsal ones 1.8–2.6 × 0.08 cm; ventral ones 2.0–2.9 × 0.08 cm; anthers 0.15 cm diam.; staminodium 0.17–0.20 cm, adnate until the middle third of the corolla tube, glabrous. Ovary ca 0.7 × 0.3 cm, glabrescent, with trichomes papillose and/or aciculate; style 5.0–6.0 cm, occasionally exserted, glabrous. Capsule 1.5–2.0 × 0.6–0.8 cm, slightly purplish. Seeds 0.10 × 0.05 cm.

Distribution

Ameroglossum asperifolium sp. nov. is known only from a small population growing on a granite outcrop where it covers an area of approximately 0.5 ha in the Leste Alagoano mesoregion, Alagoas State, Brazil. Elevation ca 510 m.

Ecology

Flowering and fruiting was observed in June and October. The rocky outcrop where the species was collected is located at the edge of a secondary road near the Usina Serra Grande sugarcane plantation, Alagoas State, and was probably originally surrounded by Atlantic Forest vegetation.

Population and threats

There is only a single known isolated population of this species, occupying an area of less than 10 km 2. In addition to the degradation of the surrounding habitat due to agricultural expansion, we observed invasion of the outcrop by Furcraea foetida (L.) Haw. ( Asparagaceae ), resulting in competition for space and consequent reduction of the population of this newly described taxon.

Figures

Fig. 2. Reproductive branches and floral details of different taxa of the genus Ameroglossum Eb.Fisch., S.Vogel & A.V.Lopes. A. A. alatum sp. nov. B. A. asperifolium sp. nov. C. A. bicolor sp. nov. D. A. fulniorum sp. nov. E. A. genaroanum sp. nov. F. A. intermedium sp. nov. G. A. manoelfelixii L.P.Felix & E.M.Almeida. H. A. pernambucense Eb.Fisch., S.Vogel & A.V.Lopes. I. A. xukuruorum sp. nov.

Fig. 3. a–e. Ameroglossum alatum sp. nov. (Almeida & Wanderley 461). a. Reproductive branches. b. Stem. c. Leaf, abaxial side.d. Inflorescence. e. Corolla opened, showing the stamens.f–k. Ameroglossum asperifolium sp. nov. (Felix et al. 15160). f. Reproductive branches.g. Leaf, adaxial side.h. Inflorescence, showing the calyx. i. Flower. j. Flower, showing the stamens. k. Corolla opened, showing the stamens.