Habenaria lavrensis Hoehne var. xanthodactyla J.A.N.Bat. & Bianch., 2023

Batista, João A. N., Cruz-Lustre, Gabriela, do Vale, Aline A. & Bianchetti, Luciano B., 2023, Checklist and molecular phylogenetics reveal three taxonomic novelties in Habenaria (Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae) from Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, Brazil, European Journal of Taxonomy 891, pp. 51-86 : 64-65

Habenaria lavrensis Hoehne var. xanthodactyla J.A.N.Bat. & Bianch. var. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77326615-1

Figs 3G–H

Diagnosis

Similar to H.lavrensis var. lavrensis in general morphology, habitat and phenology, but distinguished by the yellow segments of the petals and lip (vs white) and by the geographical distribution restricted to the Chapada dos Veadeiros region (vs broadly distributed in the States of Goiás, Minas Gerais, and Distrito Federal).

Etymology

From the Greek ‘xanthos’ (yellow) and ‘dactylos’ (finger), referring to the yellow segments of the petals and lip.

Material examined

Type BRAZIL – Goiás • São João da Aliança. GO-118, cerca de 22 km S de São João da Aliança ; 9 Feb. 2004; fl.; J.A.N. Batista & K. Proite 1494; holotype: BHCB [ BHCB199457 ]; isotypes: CEN, RB, SP .

Paratypes

BRAZIL – Goiás • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Chapada dos Veadeiros ; 27 Jan. 1993; fl.; J.A.N. Batista & L.B. Bianchetti 386; CEN [ CEN00018264 ] • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Chapada dos Veadeiros , na estrada de terra em direção a cachoeira da Água Fria ; 8 Jan. 2003; fl.; J.A.N. Batista et al. 1365; CEN [ CEN00046058 ] • Alto Paraíso, Chapada dos Veadeiros , em direção ao Vale da Lua , cerca de 1, 7 km do entroncamento com a GO-239; 30 Dec. 2010; fl.; J.A.N. Batista & L.B. Bianchetti 3095; BHCB [151368] • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Chapada dos Veadeiros ; 30 Dec. 2010; fl.; J.A.N. Batista & L.B. Bianchetti 3100; BHCB [151373] • Chapada dos Veadeiros , 5 km E of Alto Paraíso; 1500 m; 24 Jan. 1979; fl.; Gates & Estabrook 12; HB [70548], NY [ NY01031853 ], RB [ RB00257176 ], SP [195098], UB [UB0018813] • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros , trilha para as corredeiras; 23 Jan. 2009; fl.; P.L. Ribeiro et al. 396; HUEFS [ HUEFS0162888 ] • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, estrada para a Vila de São Jorge ; 23 Jan. 2005; J. Paula-Souza 4555; ESA [090150] • Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros , trilha para as Cachoeiras; 24 Jan. 2005; J. Paula-Souza 4581; ESA [090176] • São João da Aliança, 21 km ao Sul de São João da Aliança ; 23 Feb. 1997; fl.; J.A.N. Batista et al. 729; CEN [ CEN00026177 ] • ca 20, 5 km S de São João da Aliança; 5 Feb. 2010; J.A.N. Batista et al. 2965; BHCB [137850] .

Distribution, Habitat and Phenology

Habenaria lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. is so far only known from Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, in the municipalities of Alto Paraíso de Goiás and São João da Aliança. In the northern part of Chapada dos Veadeiros, in the Distrito Federal and the state of Minas Gerais, where we have collected or examined specimens of this species, only H.lavrensis var. lavrensis is known. Habenaria lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. grows in dry, hillside or campo rupestre, in shallow, dry, gravelly soil. Flowering occurs during the peak of the rainy season, from January to February. In common with other grassland species of the genus, bushfires favoured flowering during the dry period. All populations we observed in flowering grew in areas that burned in the previous dry period. The habitat and the flowering period are about the same between the two varieties.

Conservation Assessment

Habenaria lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. is currently known from only seven populations from six localities and shows an EOO estimated at 1,647 km 2 and an AOO of 32 km 2. Based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria and its guidelines ( IUCN 2012, 2016), the species can be tentatively classified as Vulnerable VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii).

Taxonomic notes

Habenaria lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. is identical in vegetative and flower morphology to H.lavrensis var. lavrensis but distinct by the yellow lateral segments of petals and lip ( Fig. 3G–H ). In contrast, the entire flower is completely white or, at most segments, slightly creamy-white in H. lavrensis var. lavrensis ( Fig. 3F ). Both H.lavrensis var. lavrensis and H.lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. grow at the Chapada dos Veadeiros as homogeneous populations, spatially separated, and we have never found mixed populations or intermediate specimens. In defining the taxonomic rank of this taxon, we followed Stace (1989), who defined a variety as "a population of one or several biotypes, forming more or less distinct local races of a species."

Figures

Fig. 3. Habenaria minuticalcar J.A.N. Bat. & Bianch. sp. nov. A–B. Habitat: seasonally humid grassland with Paepalanthus sp. during the rainy season in December 2010, in Chapada dos Veadeiros. C. Flower, front view. D. Flower, side view. E. Gynostemium, front view. Habenaria lavrensis var. lavrensis. F. Inflorescence. Habenaria lavrensis var. xanthodactyla var. nov. G. Inflorescence. H. Flower, front view. C, E from Batista & Bianchetti 3099 (BHCB); D from Batista 843 (CEN); F from Batista 2940 (BHCB); G fromBatista & Proite 1494 (CEN); H fromBatista & Bianchetti 3095 (BHCB).Abbreviations: an = anther; au = auricles; co = connective; rm = rostellum mid lobe; st = stigmatophores; vi = viscidia. All photographs by J.A.N. Batista.