Eriosema tozziae Cândido & Fort., 2014

Cândido, Elisa S., Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, Bezerra, Luísa M. P. A. & Aranha Filho, João Luiz M., 2014, A New Species of Eriosema (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Phaseoleae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil, Phytotaxa 178 (3), pp. 229-232 : 229-231

Eriosema tozziae Cândido & Fort. -Perez, sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Eriosema tozziae is morphologically similar to Eriosema defoliatum , but differs from it by its persistent leaves during the reproductive period, caducous stipules, all of the three carenal calyx lobes nearly equal in length (5–8 mm long), shorter inflorescences (10–13 cm long), and shorter pedicels (4–5 mm long). Whereas in E. defoliatum leaves are caducous during the reproductive period; stipules persistent; one of the three carenal calyx lobes is longer than others (10–15 mm vs. 3–5 mm); the inflorescences are longer (15–30 cm), as are the pedicels (8–10 mm).

Type :— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: ca. 15 km W of Corinto Municipality , alt. 600 m, 02 March 1970 (fl, fr), H . S . Irwin et al. 26766 (holotype UB!) .

Subshrub ca. 1 m tall, stems erect, densely pilose, with non-glandular and glandular trichomes. Stipules 4–5 × 2–2.5 mm, ovate, rhombic or lanceolate, apex acute to rounded, caducous, externally pilose. Stipels absent. Leaves trifoliolate, petioles 2–3 mm long. Lateral leaflets 1.5–3.5 × 1.5–2 cm, terminal leaflets 3–5.5 × 2–3.5 cm, without clearly marked veins, adaxial and abaxial surfaces densely rufous-velutinous, ovate to broadly ovate, apex mucronate, base slightly cordate, margins entire, petiolule up to 1 mm long, pilose. Bracts 3–4 × 6.5–8 mm, ovate to lanceolate, adaxial surface densely pilose, abaxial surface glabrous, multi-veined. Inflorescences terminal or axillary racemes, with up to 22 flowers, racemes (including peduncle) 10–13 cm long, pilose, pedicels 4–5 mm long, flowers 10–15 mm. Calyx 5- lobed, pilose, margins entire, 5-veined; tube 3–4 mm long, the two vexillary lobes 3–4 mm long, the three carenal lobes 5–8 mm long; corolla yellow, the standard 12–15 × 8–9 mm (excluding claw), obovate, multi-veined, apex slightly retuse or slightly emarginate, base auriculate, auricles 1 mm long, adaxial surface pubescent, abaxial surface glabrous; claw 3–4 mm; wing petals 9–10 × 4–5 mm (excluding claw), obovate, apex rounded, glabrous, slightly auriculate; claw 4 mm long; keel petals 10 × 3–4 mm (excluding claw), falcate to obovate, apex rounded, glabrous to pilose at the apex; claw 3–4 mm long; stamens 13–16 mm long, uniform; ovary pilose; the style straight, stigma minute. Fruit ca. 14 × 8 mm, brown, pilose, widely elliptic, staminal tube persistent. Seeds not seen.

Distribution and ecology: —The taxon is known from a single collection in the municipality of Corinto, in the cerrado region of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Phenology: —The species was collected with flowers and fruits in March.

Etymology: —The epithet honors Dr. Ana Maria Goulart de Azevedo Tozzi, a distinguished Brazilian legume researcher.

Conservation Status:—In accordance with the IUCN Red List criteria (IUCN 2001), the conservation status of Eriosema tozziae must be considered Data Deficient (DD) because it is represented only by a single collection. However, our field observations suggest that the species may be rare and threatened by the encroaching Eucalyptus plantations. No other populations of E. tozziae were found in our visits to the region.

Discussion:— Eriosema tozziae resembles E. defoliatum Bentham (1859: 524) . They are easily differentiated by the length of their fully developed inflorescences: it is 10–13 cm in E. tozziae , whereas in E. defoliatum it is always longer than 15 cm. The new species also differs from E. defoliatum by its persistent leaves during the reproductive period (vs. caducous), caducous stipules (vs. persistent), and longer pedicels (8–10 mm vs. 4–5 mm).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Eriosema tozziae. A. Flowering branch. B. Detail of the leaflet C. Detail of the stem indumentum. D. Calyx. E. Standard petal. F. Wing petals. G. Keel petals. H. Immature fruit with the persistent calyx, staminal sheath and gynoecium (H. S. Irwin et al. 26766). Drawn by Samira Rolim.