A new species of Prosopanche (Hydnoraceae) from northeastern Brazil Machado, Ricardo Ferreira Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci De Phytotaxa 2012 2012-12-18 75 1 58 64 4MVZV R.F.Machado & L.P.Queiroz R. F. Machado & L. P. Queiroz 2012 [151,869,730,758] Magnoliopsida Hydnoraceae Prosopanche Plantae Piperales 1 59 Tracheophyta species caatingicola sp. nov.   Type: ⎯ BRAZIL. Bahia: São Gabriel, Alto da Jurema, 11°11’42”S 41°50’29”W,  05 April 2009,  Machado, Rocha, Rocha& Rocha652( holotype HUEFS!; isotypes C!, CEPEC!, CORD!, K!, LIL!, MO!, NY!, RB!, SI!, SP!). Perennial holoparasite herb, hypogean, achlorophyllous; rhizomes 3–4-angular, 8–10 mmdiam., fleshy, haustorial rudiments numerous on the angles 3–5 mmapart. Leaves and bracts absent. Flowers isolated, bisexual, emergent; pedicel 27–30 × 7–8 mm; perigonial tube 5–10 mmlong; tepals 3, outer surface brown, inner surface ochre, valvate, fleshy, 18–22 × 4–14 mm, linear, oblong or ovate-oblong; anthers 3, with 5–8 thecae, joined in an oblongoid, dark-red synandrium, 9.0–9.5 × 4.0–5.0 mm, filaments 2–3 × 2 mm; staminodes reflex, sessile, bifid, split in two oblongoid fleshy bodies, c. 3.0–3.1 × 1.0– 1.5 mmat the base; ovary inferior, 15–20 × 12–17 mm, ellipsoidal or almost spheroidal, ovules much reduced, numerous, embedded in fleshy, parietal placenta, stigma surface triradiate, lamellae not seen. Fruit hypogean, 40–47 × 30–35 mm, indehiscent, berry-like, globose or ellipsoid, pericarp dry, surface rugose, ripe placentae fleshy, bright white, embedding numerous seeds.   Distribution, habitat, and hosts:—The species is only known from a small area in the municipality of São Gabriel, Bahia( 11°11’45”S 41°50’10”W). Flowering plants were observed in March and April, and ripe fruits were found in July and August. It occurs in the seasonally dry tropical forest, known as caatinga. Local climate is mostly semi-arid, classified as CwB under the Köppen climate classification, with the mean annual temperature of 23ºC, total rainfall of 500 mm.year -1and a long dry season between May and September ( Oliveira 2009). Soil is mostly derived from crystalline bedrock and limestone outcrops. Vegetation is characterized by a low and open canopy and deciduous shrubs and trees, most with spines or prickles. Legumes are a dominant group in caatinga vegetation ( Queiroz 2006, Queiroz & Lavin 2011).  Prosopanche caatingicolawas found in association with three mimosoid legume species:  Parapiptadenia zehntneri( Harms 1924: 712)  Lima& Lima(1984: 26),  Mimosa ophthalmocentraMartius ex Bentham (1875: 415)and  Calliandra depauperata Bentham (1875: 546).  Conservation status:—Although it was recorded in only a small area of ca. 200 m 2,  P. caatingicolashould be classified as DD (data deficient) according to the IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2010) because it could potentially have a wider range. The plant is visible only when flowers are exposed and, thus, is difficult to locate.   Etymology and ethnobotany:—The specific epithet highlights the fact that the new species was found in the caatinga vegetation. Local people call this plant ‘gemedeira’, the one that makes the soil groan, believing that on Good Friday the plant makes the soil tremble and groan. Unlike other species of  Prosopanche, no part of the plant of  P. caatingicolais used as food by local people.   Additional specimens examined ( paratypes):— BRAZIL. Bahia: São Gabriel, Alto da Jurema, 11°11’45”S 41°50’10”W,  10 August 2010,  Machado, Rocha& Rocha653( CTES, F, HUEFS, MBM); same locality,  11 June 2011,  Machado654( B, HUEFS, SPF); same locality,  9 September 2012,  Machado655( HUEFS).  Notes:—  Prosopanche caatingicolais closely related to  P. bonacinai, both sharing the mostly trigonous rhizome and reproductive structures smaller than those of  P. americanaand  P. costaricensis( Table 1). They can be differentiated by the number of thecae (5–8 thecae in  P. caatingicolavs. 20–30 in  P. bonacinai), shape and division of staminodes (split in two oblongoid bodies vs. entire or bilobed at the apex) and shape of the fruit (almost globose or ellipsoidal vs. obovoidal or pyriform).  Prosopanche caatingicolaalso has the smallest flowers in the genus ( Table 1) and was observed to be associated with three mimosoid legumes. No legume host has been cited for  P. bonacinai, and it is reported to parasitise plants of several other families, Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Malvaceae, Rhamnaceaeand Solanaceae( Cocucci 1965, Cocucci & Cocucci 1996). 2009-04-05 HUEFS, C, CEPEC, CORD, K, LIL, MO, NY, RB, SI, SP Machado & Rocha Brazil -11.195 BRAZIL 21 -41.84139 1 59 1 holotype 2010-08-10 CTES, F, HUEFS, MBM Machado & Rocha Brazil -11.195833 BRAZIL 21 -41.83611 3 61 2 paratype 2011-06-11 B, HUEFS, SPF Machado Brazil -11.195833 BRAZIL 21 -41.83611 3 61 1 2012-09-09 HUEFS Machado Brazil -11.195833 BRAZIL 21 -41.83611 3 61 1