Chaetogastra crassifolia F.S.Mey. & R.Goldenb., 2016

Meyer, Fabrício Schmitz & Goldenberg, Renato, 2016, Four new species of Chaetogastra (Melastomeae, Melastomataceae) from Southern Brazil, Phytotaxa 282 (4), pp. 239-258 : 244-248

Chaetogastra crassifolia F.S.Mey. & R.Goldenb. sp. nov. ( Figures 4–6 )

Type: — BRAZIL. Paraná: Campina Grande do Sul, Serra do Capivari, trilha que segue para o Capivari Grande, 2 March 2013, F.S. Meyer, F. Schmitz & G. Sade 1620 (holotype: UEC!, Isotypes: MBM!, NY!, UPCB!).

Diagnosis: — Chaetogastra crassifolia differs from Tibouchina cerastiifolia var. hirsuta Cogniaux (1891: 1177) by the chartaceous leaves and larger hypanthia (7–9.6 × 3–4.4 mm), vs. membranaceous leaves and smaller hypanthia (3.6–4.6 × 1.9–2.5 mm) in T. cerastiifolia var. hirsuta .

Subshrub with sympodial growth, 20–70 cm tall. Branches sparse to moderately hirsute, trichomes 1.6–3.8 mm long, both glandular and not glandular, erect, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked. Petiole 3–6.5 mm long, sparsely to moderately hirsute, trichomes 1–2.8 mm long, glandular and not glandular mixed, erect, the base rounded, enlarged to slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; blade 3.2–5.3 × 1.3–3 cm, chartaceous, elliptic or ovate, surface flat or conduplicate, patent on dry specimens, apex acute, base obtuse, margins crenulate, short-ciliate, trichomes 1.4–3 mm long, not glandular, appressed, the base linear and not enlarged, immersed, not forked, adaxial surface glabrous or sparse to moderately strigose, trichomes distributed on the whole surface or restricted to the leaf base, 1.6–2.7 mm long, not glandular, appressed or curved, the base linear, not enlarged, immersed, either forked or not forked, followed by a sequence of white dots, abaxial surface sparse to moderately setulose, trichomes 0.6–2.5 mm long, both glandular and not glandular, appressed, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; veins 5–7, first and second lateral pairs confluent, if 7 with the submarginal tenuous. Thyrsoid short or long, cymes axillary and terminal, flowers lax; internode of the inflorescence base 4–6.5 cm long; bracteoles 2–10 × 0.7–3.5 mm, oblanceolate, abaxial surface glabrous or sparsely strigose to setulose, trichomes 0.7–1 mm long, not glandular, appressed or curved, the base rounded, slightly enlarged or not, not immersed, not forked, adaxial surface glabrous, margins long-ciliate, trichomes 0.7–1.4 mm long, not glandular, curved, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked. Flowers (4–)5–merous; hypanthium 7– 9.6 × 3–4.4 mm, obovate, slightly constricted in its apical portion, vinous, smooth (without longitudinal ribs), moderately setose, trichomes 2–3 mm long, glandular, curved, the base rounded and slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; sepals 1.9–3.7 × 1.1–1.9 mm, narrowly triangular to oblong but with a wide base, apex acuminated, abaxial surface with the indumentum similar to the hypanthium, but concentrated on its central portion, adaxial surface glabrous, margins long-ciliate, trichomes 0.8–1.7 mm long, not glandular, curved, the base rounded, slightly enlarged, not immersed, not forked; petals 26.1–28.5 × 18.8–23.4 mm, purple, obovate, apex obtuse or truncate, margins short-ciliate, trichomes 0.1– 0.3 mm long, not glandular, erect, the base rounded, not enlarged, not immersed, not forked; stamens (8–)10, antepetalous with filaments 3.6–5.8 mm long, pedoconnective ca. 0.5 mm long, anthers 3.6–5.9 mm long, yellow, anther pore ca. 0.3 mm wide, antesepalous with filaments 6.2–8.7 mm long, pedoconnective 2–3 mm long, anthers 6–9.7 mm long, yellow or yellow with lilac or red spots, anther pore ca. 0.3 mm wide, both anthers with attenuate apex, apical–ventral pore and pedoconnective appendages with obtuse apex; ovary 5–5.5 × 3.8–4 mm, apex moderatly pubescent with trichomes ca. 0.5 mm long, not glandular, erect, the base rounded and not enlarged, not immersed, unbranched; style 8.1–11 mm long, apex curved, glabrous. Capsule 11.8–12.6 × 5.4–6.5 mm, smooth (without longitudinal ribs).

Paratypes:— BRAZIL. Paraná: Antonina, Serra Ibitiraquire , 1 April 2004, A.Y. Mocochinski & M.B. Scheer 271 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, 1 April 2004, A.Y. Mocochinski & R.T. Proença 272 ( UPCB!). Bocaiúva do Sul, Bocaina , 16 January 2001, O.S. Ribas & E. Barbosa 3173 ( MBM!). Campina Grande do Sul, Serra do Capivari , 6 March 1969, G. Hatschbach 21216 ( MBM!) ; ibidem, 8 February 1971, G. Hatschbach 26308 ( MBM!) ; ibidem, 2 March 2013, F.S. Meyer 1623 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer 1624 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer 1625 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer 1626 ( UEC!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1635 ( UEC!, UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer et al. 1660 ( UEC!, UPCB!) ; ibidem, 9 January 2015, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2122 ( NY!, RB!, UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2123 (MBM!, NY!, RB!, UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2124 ( NY!, RB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2125 ( UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2126 ( NY!, UPCB!, US!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2127 ( NY!, UPCB!, US!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2133 (MBM!, NY!, UPCB!) ; ibidem, F.S. Meyer & E.D. Lozano 2134 ( NY!, UPCB!) .

Distribuition and habitat:— Chaetogastra crassifolia is endemic to Paraná ( Figure 1B ). It occurs in High-altitude Grasslands , in the localities of “Serra da Bocaina ” (25°3’48.63”S- 49°0’55.36”W), “Serra do Capivari” (25°8’19.65” S-48 °49’20.64”W; Figure 4G ), and “Serra Ibitiraquire” (25°14’50.94”S- 48°48’23.28”W) .

Phenology:—Flowering and fruiting from January to April.

Conservation status:—This species can be considered as Endangered, according to IUCN’s category B2a (2012). The Area of Occupancy is about 5.000 km 2, and the Extent of Occurence 211.025 km 2. Only a few populations occur inside conservation units; fires are frequent in these regions and may be threatening these populations.

Etymology:—The epithet refers to the thick consistency of the leaves, which is an uncommon feature in other species of the genus.

Affinities: — Chaetogastra crassifolia is similar to Tibouchina cerastiifolia var. hirtsuta due to the sympodial growth, hirsute branches, elliptic leaves and the antesepalous stamens with long pedoconnectives, 2.2–3 mm long in T. cerastiifolia var. hirsuta and 2–3 mm long in C. crassifolia . Chaetogastra crassifolia differs from Tibouchina cerastiifolia var. hirtsuta by the differences pointed on the diagnosis. Tibouchina urbanii Cogniaux (1888: 682) is also similar to C. crassifolia due to the sympodial growth, vinous hypanthium, chartaceous and ovate leaves, with a conspicuous petiole 2.2–5.3 mm long in T. urbanii and 3–6.5 mm long in C. crassifolia . Chaetogastra crassifolia differs from T. urbanii by the chartaceous leaves and antesepalous stamens with 2–3 mm long pedoconnectives, vs. membranaceous leaves and 0.4–0.8 mm long pedoconnectives in the antesepalous stamens of T. urbanii . Chaetogastra crassifolia is also similar to Chaetogastra cristaensis (see below) due to the sympodial growth, chartaceous leaves, ovate leaf blade, wide and large hypanthium, 7–9.6 × 3–4.4 mm in C. crassifolia and 5–7 × 3.4–5 mm in C. cristaensis . Chaetogastra crassifolia differs by the margin of the leaves with trichomes 1.4–3 mm long (vs. 3–6 mm long in C. cristaensis ), and also by the antesepalous stamens with 2–3 mm long pedoconnective (vs. 1–1.2 mm long in C. cristaensis ). It is also similar to Tibouchina debilis by the inflorescences with lax, predominantly pentamerous flowers, and the antesepalous stamens with long pedoconnectives, 2.3–2.7 mm in T. debilis and 2–3 mm long in C. crassifolia . As in T. debilis , the leaves in C. crassifolia can be seldom conduplicate. Chaetogastra crassifolia differs from T. debilis by the sympodial growth, elliptic or ovate leaves with petioles, 3–6.5 mm long vs. monopodial growth, elliptic-lanceolate leaves with short petioles, 0.5–2.2 mm long. Some specimens of C. crassifolia were included in T. debilis in the taxonomic treatment of Tibouchina for the state of Paraná ( Meyer 2010), but with a note suggesting that they might belong to an undescribed species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution maps for species of Chaetogastra. A: C. cordeiroi; B: C. crassifolia; C: C. cristaensis; D: C. riograndensis. PR: state of Paraná; SC: Santa Catarina; RS: Rio Grande do Sul.

FIGURE 4. Chaetogastra crassifolia photos.A: Habit; B: Leaf (adaxial surface); C: Leaf (abaxial surface); D: Floral bud; E: Pentamerous flower; F: Details of the stamens; G: Habitat of the species, at “Serra do Capivari”, Paraná, Brazil.

FIGURE 5. Paratype of Chaetogastra crassifolia, photos obtained from the dried specimen. A: Branch; B: Detail of the indumentum on the branch; C: Part of the inflorescence; D: Bracteole (abaxial surface); E: Sepal (adaxial surface); F: Stamens; G: Gynoecium (A-G: based on Meyer 1631).

FIGURE 6. Illustration of the holotype of Chaetogastra crassifolia. A: Branch; B: Bracteoles and floral bud; C: Hypanthium and gynoecium in longitudinal section; D: Antepetalous stamen; E: Antesepalous stamen).