Cryptanthus brevibracteatus D.M.C. Ferreira & Louzada, 2021

Ferreira, Débora Maria Cavalcanti, Almeida, Erton Mendonça De & Louzada, Rafael Batista, 2021, Two new species of Cryptanthus (Bromelioideae, Bromeliaceae) from northeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 523 (1), pp. 99-109 : 107-108

Cryptanthus brevibracteatus D.M.C. Ferreira & Louzada , sp. nov. ( Figures 1 , 4 and 5 )

Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Boa Nova, Fazenda Cotermaia , 781 m elev., 14°22’26.6”S, 40°11’14”W, 18 October 2020, fl. in cult. 29 October 2020, L. Daneu 744 (holotype: UFP! , isotype: CEPEC! , RB! ).

Diagnosis: — Cryptanthus brevibracteatus differs from C. warren-loosei in a fewer number of flowers in the apical cluster of the inflorescence (7 flowers vs. ca. 18 flowers), floral bracts 9.2–10 × 3.2 mm (vs. 17.3–18.5 × 3.6–4.7 mm), sepals 9.5–11.5 mm long (vs. 15.3–18.2 mm long), connate for 6.6–8 mm (vs. 8.5–10 mm) and sepal lobes 3.8–4.9 mm long (vs. 5.6–8 mm long), anther apices rounded (vs. acute).

Description:—Plants terricolous, andromonoecious, propagating by axillary shoots, rhizomes of 1.5 cm long, and 0.25–0.45 cm in diameter. Stems 1.9–2 cm long, 0.4–0.6 cm in diameter, erect or decumbent. Leaves 5–7 in number; sheath 0.8–1.5 × 0.7–1.5 cm, very widely ovate, abaxial surface greenish-white, densely lepidote, adaxial surface greenish-white and glabrous at the base, brown and sparsely lepidote to at the apex; prickles 0.3–1 mm long, 0.5–1 mm apart, antrorse; blade 0.6–19.5 × 0.6–2.2 cm, narrowly elliptic, lanceolate or oblanceolate, brown, greenish-brown or reddish-brown, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote base, margins undulate, apex acuminate; prickles 0.5–0.7 mm long, 0.3–3 mm apart, antrorse. Inflorescence compound, spike-like with sessile clusters of flowers; 2–4 lateral clusters of flowers; each cluster with ca. 2 flowers, apical cluster with ca. 7 flowers; rachis (main axis) 2.5–4.5 cm long; primary bracts 0.3–22.1 × 0.2–2.2 cm, foliaceous, lanceolate, brown, greenish brown or reddish brown, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface glabrous except for the densely lepidote base, margins undulate; prickles 0.2–0.8 mm long, 0.3–3.6 mm apart, antrorse, apices acuminate. Staminate flowers: floral bracts ca. 10 × 3.2 mm, narrowly triangular or narrowly elliptic-falcate, white at the base and brown at the apex, abaxial surface glabrous at the base and densely lepidote at the apex, adaxial surface glabrous, apex caudate-mucronate; flowers ca. 28 mm long (including the extended petals); sepals 9.5–11.5 mm long, connate for ca. 8 mm, base white; lobes brown, 2–4.9 × 1.7–2.2 mm, ovate, mucronate; petals 18.5–19.5 × 3.3–3.5 mm, oblanceolate, rounded, connate for ca. 5 mm, white, with 2 callosities start on 6–7 mm from the base, covered with inconspicuous glandulose trichomes; stamens: filament 17.3–18 mm long, the antepetalous ones basally adnate to the petals for ca. 7 mm, the antesepalous ones basally adnate to the petals for ca. 5 mm, anther 1.5–2.2 mm long, subbasifixed, base cordate, apex rounded; pistil: ovary trigonous, 6–8 × 2.5–4.2 mm, ovules absent, epigynous tube 2.2–4 mm long, style reduced, ca. 0.2 mm long; stigma reduced, ca. 0.2 mm long. Perfect flowers: floral bracts ca. 9.2 × 3.2 mm, irregular, oblong-falcate, glabrous at the base and sparsely lepidote at the apex on both surfaces, with fimbriate trichomes on the apex, apex mucronate; flowers ca. 31 mm long (including the extended petals), diurnal; sepals 10.8–11.5 mm long, connate for 6.6–7 mm, white at the base and brown at the apex; lobes 4.2 × 3–3.2 mm, ovate, glabrous at the base and sparsely lepidote to at the apex on both surfaces, mucronate; petals 14.2–27 × 4 mm, oblanceolate, rounded or obtuse, connate for ca. 7 mm, white, with 2 callosities start on ca. 7.5 mm from the base, bearing inconspicuous glandulose trichomes; stamens: filament ca. 12.5 mm long, white, the antepetalous ones basally adnate to the petals for ca. 4.5 mm, the antesepalous ones basally adnate to the petals for 6–7.5 mm; anther ca. 2.2 mm long, base cordate, apex rounded; pistil: ovary trigonous, ca. 8.2 × 3.2 mm, placentation axial, ovules 5–7 per locule, epigynous tube 2–2.2 mm long, style 9–20 mm long; stigma 2.2–3 mm long, conduplicate-patent.

Etymology: —The specific epithet ‘ brevibracteatus ’ refers to the shorter floral bracts compared to the other species of the genus.

Distribution and habitat: Cryptanthus brevibracteatus is a terricolous plant and is known only from two records from a transition area between Atlantic Forest and Caatinga, in the municipality of Boa Nova, Bahia State, Brazil, at 781 to 900 m elevation ( Fig 1 ). It occurs in forest areas popularly known as “Mata de Cipó” with trees about 3 m tall ( Fig. 5A ). The site of occurrence of C. brevibracteatus is situated in a private property. The new species has a restricted and sparce occurrence in the area, of small groups. Cryptanthus boanovensis Leme (2015: 93) is sympatric with this species.

Phenology:—Flowers in nature in October.

Conservation status: —The species is only known from two sites in a private property. Cryptanthus brevibracteatus is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) based on the criterion B2 ab(ii), due to the low number of locations where the species is found and possible decline in the area of occupancy.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes): — BRAZIL. Bahia: Boa Nova, Fazenda Cotermaia (owner Alipe Maia) , entrance 1.2 km E of Boa Nova on Road to Dario Meira, 790 m elev., 14°22.389’S, 40°11.309’W, 15 October 2001, W. W. Thomas, A. M. Carvalho, M. R. Barbosa, S. Sant’Ana & J. L. Paixão 12642 ( CEPEC!) ; Boa Nova , 3.3 km east of Boa Nova on Road to Dario Meira, 850-900 m elev., 14°22.983’S, 40°11.177’W, 15 October 2000, W. W. Thomas, J. Jardim & S. Sant’Ana 12272 ( CEPEC!, NY image!) .

Notes on taxonomic affinities:— Cryptanthus brevibracteatus is morphologically similar to C. crassifolius due to the leaf blade shape, but can be differentiated by the glabrous adaxial surface of the leaf blades, except for the densely lepidote base (vs. leaves with densely lepidote adaxial surface), and 9.5–11.5 mm long sepals (vs. 13–16 mm, see Table 2 ). Compared to C. diamantinensis , C. brevibracteatus has a similar leaf blade size but differs from the former by the ovate sepals (vs. narrowly linear-lanceolate, see Table 2 ). Cryptanthus brevibracteatus is also similar to C. warren-loosei due to the leaf blade color, but differs from the latter mainly by the 9.2–10 mm long floral bracts (vs. 17.3–18.5 mm long) and rounded anther apex (vs. acute, see Table 2 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution map of Cryptanthus apiculatantherus and Cryptanthus brevibracteatus in Bahia State, northeastern Brazil.

FIGURE 4. Cryptanthus brevibracteatus.A. Habit. B. Leaf sheath (adaxial surface). C. Leaf (adaxial surface). D. Floral bract of staminate flower (abaxial surface). E. Floral bract of perfect flower (abaxial surface). F. Staminate flower. G. Perfect flower. H. Sepals of staminate flower (abaxial surface). I. Sepals of perfect flower (abaxial surface). J. Petals and stamens of staminate flower. K. Anther. L. Style and stigma. M. Ovary and epigynous tube of staminate flower. N. Ovary of the perfect flower. (A–N: L. Daneu 744). Drawing by Felipe Martins.

FIGURE 5. Cryptanthus brevibracteatus. A. Habitat. B. Population in nature. C. Individual in nature. D. Top view of the rosette with flowers. E. Leaf sheath (abaxial surface). F. Leaf sheath (adaxial surface). G. Leaf (abaxial surface). H. Leaf (adaxial surface). I. Bract of staminate flower. J. Staminate flower. K. Bract of perfect flower. L. Perfect flower. (D–L: L. Daneu 744).