Pombalia velutina (Schulze-Menz) Paula-Souza, Phytotaxa

Paula-Souza, J., Lima, A. G. & Souza, V. C., 2021, THE VIOLETS OF THE BRAZILIAN SAVANNA: A REVISION OF THE POMBALIA LANATA COMPLEX (VIOLACEAE), WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (357), pp. 1-32 : 25-28

6. Pombalia velutina (Schulze-Menz) Paula-Souza, Phytotaxa 183(1): 11, f. 1D, 3H (2014).

– Hybanthus velutinus Schulze-Menz, Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 12(111): 111 (1934).

Type: Paraguay. “In regione fluminis Yhú”, x 1905, E.Hassler 9514 (lectotype G! [ G76156 ], designated by Seo et al., 2009; isolectotype BM!, G! [ G76155 , G76157 , G76158 ]) . Figures 1D,E , 9E–G , 11 .

Suffrutescent herb, 15–30 cm high, branched from a well-developed, bud-bearing underground root-like system, erect; internodes 3–26 mm. Stipule 5–7 × c. 0.5 mm, margin entire; leaves alternate, sessile to subsessile; blade 17–33 × 6–12.5 mm, oblanceolate, elliptic to lanceolate, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, margin entire, subentire or serrate, or less frequently sharp-toothed, base acute to attenuate, tomentose to villous or woolly, hairs all stellate or frequently simple with sparse or rare stellate hairs. Flowers white, with a yellow spot at the base of the anterior petal, axillary in poorly defined racemose inflorescences or most frequently arranged in congested terminal inflorescences; pedicel 9–18(29) mm; bracteoles c.2 × 0.5 mm wide; sepals equal, 8–9.5 × 3.5–8 mm, lanceolate to ovate, margin fimbriate, base truncate to rounded or cordate, villous; posterior petals 6.5–9 × 2–3.5 mm, oblong to lanceolate; lateral petals 14–20 × 8.5–17 mm, clawed or less frequently spatulate, falcate, villous; anterior petal 13–17 × 11–25 mm, including a claw 7–10 mm long, transversely oblong or less frequently subsquare, apex truncate to emarginate, smooth, villous; filaments 1–1.5 mm, connective appendages hyaline, 0.3–0.5 mm long, frequently asymmetrical, nectar glands noduliform, sometimes much reduced and inconspicuous, inserted on the filaments, villous; style 3–3.7 mm, glabrous, straight, ovary c. 2.5 mm, villous. Capsule 9–10.5 × 6–7.5 mm, ellipsoid to ovoid; seeds c.3 × 2 mm.

Etymology. The epithet refers to the dense, villous indument of the species.

Distribution and habitat. Pombalia velutina is found in grasslands and savannas from southern São Paulo to Paraná states in Brazil and adjacent areas of Paraguay, showing the southernmost distribution of this group, isolated from the other species that are typical of the core area of the Brazilian Cerrado (see Figure 3 ; for a more detailed discussion on its geographical distribution, see Paula-Souza et al., 2011).

Phenology. Flowering and fruiting specimens of Pombalia velutina have been collected from September to November, with a single record in December.

Conservation status. The AOO of Pombalia velutina (20 km 2) fulfills IUCN’s AOO criterion for Endangered status (EN); however, there are records of the species in conservation units, and many notes accompanying herbarium specimens refer to it as being frequent in the area. Moreover, personal observations have been of recorded populations growing in disturbed sites along roadsides. This information, combined with the species’ large EOO (61,264 km 2) suggest that it would be more accurate to assign to Pombalia velutina a conservation status of Least Concern (LC).

Selected specimens examined. BRAZIL. Paraná: Castro, na rodovia entre Castro e Itararé, Parque Florestal de Caxambú, 30 xi 1984, Mattos 26914 ( HAS) ; Jaguariaíva, BR 151 , entrada da Fazenda 3 Ledes II, a c. 1 km E do pedágio, 24.33310°S, 49.79395°W [24°19′59.2′′S, 49°47′38.2′′W], 26 ix 2007, Paula-Souza et al. 8736 ( SPF); Palmeira, 25 x 1976, Dombrowski 6627 ( MBM) ; Ponta Grossa, Furnas , 10 ix 1997, Cervi 6326 ( MBM, NY, UPCB) ; Tibagi, Três Pontões, 12 x 1959, Hatschbach 6377 ( ESA, HBR, MBM, US); Ventania, arredores de Ventania, 15 x 1996, Chagas e Silva & Soares-Silva 2035 (ESA, FUEL, HUEFS, HUFU). Rio Grande do Sul: Tucunduva, 1861-62, Weir 378 ( BM, F, K [ K001215439 , K001215440 ]). Santa Catarina: Abelardo LuZ, 8–9 km N of Abelardo LuZ, 26°33′S, 52°20′W , 900–1000 m a.s.l., 8 xii 1964, Smith & Klein 13868 ( US). São Paulo: Itararé, 9 km de Itararé para Bom Sucesso de Itararé , beira de estrada, 24.115°S, 49.340833°W [24°11′12′′S, 49°16′22′′W], 13 xi 2003, Paula-Souza et al. 3645 ( ESA) .

This species is readily recognised by its broad and fimbriate sepals, unique among species of the Pombalia lanata complex, and the flowers usually forming congested inflorescences.

Figures

Figure 1. Scanning electromicroscopic images of the indument in species of the Pombalia lanata complex: A and B, Pombalia lanata; C, P. strigoides (from Paula-Souza & Ballard Jr., 2014, and reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, Magnolia Press); D and E, P. velutina.

Figure 3. Distribution of Pombalia cristalina, P. insignis, P. poaya, P. strigoides and P. velutina.

Figure 9. A–D, Pombalia strigoides: A, habit; B, habitat; C, configuration of the androecium around the gynoecium (an, anther; ca, connective appendage; gl, nectar gland; pp, posterior petal; st, style); D, detail of flowering branch; E–G, Pombalia velutina: E, root system (bud indicated by arrow); F, flowering branch of congested inflorescence; G, detail of broad, fimbriate sepals (arrow). Photographs by Juliana de Paula-Souza.

Figure 11. Pombalia velutina: A, habit; B, gynoecium on the pedicel; C1, anterior stamen; C2 and C3, variation of indument and shape of connective appendage of posterior stamens; D, variation of size and shape of sepals; E, variation of siZe and shape of the corolla. Modified from Paula-SouZa et al., 2011, and reproduced with the permission of the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de Genève. Drawn from Hatschbach 59430 (A and C1), Dombrowski 6627 (B), Dombrowski 676 (C2 and C3), Hatschbach 37073 (D1), Hatschbach 45845 (D2), Hatschbach 17099 (E1) and Hatschbach 64106 (E2) by Rogério Lupo.