Passiflora caparaoensis A.Magro-Moraes, M.A.Milward-de-Azevedo & A.P.Gelli

Moraes, Andreza M., Milward-De-Azevedo, Michaele A. & De Faria, Ana Paula G., 2022, A new species of Passiflora section Dysosmia (Passifloraceae s. s.) from the Atlantic Forest, southeast Brazil, Phytotaxa 545 (2), pp. 139-150 : 141-143

Passiflora caparaoensis A.Magro-Moraes, M.A.Milward-de-Azevedo & A.P.Gelli , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 and 2 )

Type: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alto Caparaó, Parque Nacional do Caparaó , Tronqueira , elev. 2,000 m.a.s.l., 24 January 2019, A.M. Moraes & A.P.G. Faria 376 (Holotype CESJ!) .

Diagnosis: —This species is characterized by the pink to dark red tendrils, stipules asymmetric with aristate apex and slightly dentate and gland-tipped margin, sparse indument abaxially and glabrous adaxially, petioles without glands, leaf blade 3-lobed, entire with trichomes at margin, sparsely pubescent adaxially, sparingly hirsute with hispid main veins abaxially, bracts maculate of pink, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, dentate gland-tipped at margin, corona triseriate with vinaceous to purple bandage filaments, 2 mm from the base, ovary and fruit glabrous.

Description:—Vine, herbaceous; indument hirsute to villous, unicellular and filiform trichomes. Stem cylindrical, sulcate, greenish to reddish, villous. Tendrils pink to dark red, hirsute. Stipules 0.9–1.6 × 0.4–0.7 cm, semi-ovate, asymmetric, apex aristate, base oblique/asymmetric, margin slightly dentate gland-tipped, one central vein hirsute ending in arista, abaxial surface sparsely hirsute, adaxial surface glabrous. Petioles 0.7–1.7 cm long, hirsute to hispid, glands absent. Leaf blades 3.2–6.5 × 4–6.9 cm, 1.7–2.9 × 1–1.9 cm (lm), 0.9–1.8 × 0.6–1.3 cm (ll), chartaceous, 3-lobed, lobes oblong-lanceolate, divergent angle 48º–50º, apex acute, apiculate, base rounded to subcordate, margin entire with trichomes, sometimes with base dentate gland-tipped, adaxial surface sparsely pubescent, abaxial surface sparingly hirsute with main veins hispid, venation light green. Bracts 1.2–1.9 × 0.7–1.3 cm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, apex acute ending in arista, base cordate, margin dentate gland-tipped, central vein hirsute, indument sparsely hirsute, maculate of pink to vinaceous, persistent, verticillate. Peduncles 1.9–2.9 cm long, solitary; pedicels 0.25–0.3 cm long. Floral buds ca. 1 cm, ovate; hypanthium 2.7–3 cm. Flowers white to cream; sepals 1–1.3 × 0.2–0.4 cm, apex obtuse, with aristate, abaxial surface hirsute, central vein, indument sparsely hirsute; petals ca. 0.7 × 0.1 cm, apex acute; corona triseriate, two external filaments 0.9–1 cm long, filiform, intercalated, apex rounded, vinaceous to purple bandage 0.2 cm from the base, internal filaments 0.15–0.2 mm long, filiform, apex rounded, white to purple; operculum 0.15–0.3 cm long, membranaceous, internal margin undulate, apex with filaments 0.1–0.2 mm long, apex clavate to bilobate; limen 0.1–0.15 × 0.4–0.5 cm, cupuliform; androgynophore 0.5–1 cm long; filaments 0.4–0.5 cm long, anthers 0.3–0.4 × 0.15–0.2 cm; ovary 0.35–0.4 × 0.2 cm, oblong-lanceolate, glabrous; styles 0.4–0.9 cm long. Fruit a berry ca. 3.6 × 2.0 cm, green immature, ovoid, glabrous. Seeds 0.5–0.6 × 0.25–0.3 cm, oblong, testa foveolate.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alto Caparaó, Parque Nacional do Caparaó, 09 September 1997, L.S. Leoni 3747 (RB!); 09 January 2021, A.M. Moraes & R.F. Tiburtino 381 (CESJ!).

Distribution and habitat: —Until now, the distribution of Passiflora caparaoensis appears to be restricted to PNC ( Fig. 3 , blue dots). This known population occurs at an elevation of approximately 1,990 to 2,200 m.a.s.l. in a cloud forest, in the transition area between high montane ombrophilous forest and high-altitude grassland, near the riverbed. In this environment, temperatures can be extremely low throughout the year (reaching ca. min 4ºC) (ICMBio 2015).

Etymology: —The name of the new species refers to the location of its record, known as the region of Caparaó, between Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, and that gives the name to Caparaó National Park.

Phenology: —This species was collected with buds, flowers and fruits in January and with flowers in September.

Conservation status: —Critically Endangered (CR). The observed population of P. caparaoensis contains less than ten mature individuals. In its occurrence area, we found the presence of an invasive species of fern, Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kunth (1879: 11), and a continuous flow of tourists. At present, we are not aware of any other locality where this species persists. Therefore, we suggest that the species can be categorized as CR, considering the very small or restricted population with less than 50 individuals (criterion D) ( IUCN 2022).

Specimens analyzed from morphologically similar species: — Passiflora campanulata . BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Lima Duarte, Distrito de Conceição do Ibitipoca, Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Extremidade norte, 23 March 2002, A.S.M. Valente & F.S. Araújo 166 (CESJ!). Rio de Janeiro: Teresópolis, Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos, Pedra do Sino, 22º27’24,0”S, 43º 01’17,3”W, 2,016 m.a.s.l., 14 January 2019, N.B.G. Fernandes & A.M. Moraes 7 (HCTR!). Orgain Mountains, no date, W. Lobb s.n. (K, Holotype). Paraná, Monte Alegre, 19 April 1912, P. Dusén 14078 (S, Holotype). Passiflora setulosa . BRAZIL. Paraná: Jaguariahyva, April 1915, P.K. Dusén 16964 (S, Holotype, US, Isotypus). Passiflora vellozoi . BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Baependi, Toca dos Urubus, 29 December 2004, F.M. Ferreira 917 (CESJ!). Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, Trilha Ruy Braga, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, 1308 m.a.s.1., 24 September 2018, A.M. Moraes & R.F. Tiburtino s.n. (UFJF!). Petrópolis, Cachoeira da Bromélia, Parnaso, 22º27’51,1”S, 43º05’24,4”W, 1047 m m.a.s.1., 2 February 2018, M.A. Milward-de-Azevedo et al. 481 (HCTR!). Passiflora villosa . BRAZIL. São Paulo: São Paulo, 20 November 1941, B.J Pickel 5512 ( US).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Passiflora caparaoensis. A. leaf, B. branch, C. Stipules, D. longitudinal cut of the flower, E. detail of operculum and limen, F. Bracts (A.M. Moraes & A.P.G. Faria 376), G. seed, H. fruit (A.M. Moraes & R.F. Tiburtino 381). Drawn by Andreza M. Moraes.

FIGURE 2. Passiflora caparaoensis. A. branch with leaves, stipules and tendrils (A.M. Moraes & R.F. Tiburtino 381), B. detail of the petiole without glands and base dentate gland-tipped leaves, C. detail of the surface abaxial of stipule, D. surface adaxial of leaves, E. surface abaxial of leaves, F. branch with leaves, floral buds and tendrils, G. detail of the bracts, H. old bracts, I. ovary, J. detail of the operculum and limen (A.M. Moraes & A.P.G. Faria 376), K. fruit (A.M. Moraes & R.F. Tiburtino 381). Photography by Ana Paula G. de Faria and Andreza M. Moraes.

FIGURE 3. Geographical distribution map of Passiflora caparaoensis and P. campanulata. BA= Bahia, ES= Espírito Santo, GO= Goiás, MT= Mato Grosso, MS= Mato Grosso do Sul, MG= Minas Gerais, PR= Paraná, RJ= Rio de Janeiro, RS= Rio Grande do Sul, SC= Santa Catarina, SP= São Paulo.