Sinningia flammea Chautems & Rossini, 2019

Chautems, Alain, Valquíria F. Dutra,, Fontana, André P., Peixoto, Mauro, Perret, Mathieu & Rossini, Josiene, 2019, Three new species of Sinningia (Gesneriaceae) endemic to Espírito Santo, Brazil, Candollea 74 (1), pp. 33-42 : 34-37

Sinningia flammea Chautems & Rossini , spec. nova

( Fig. 2A , 3 ).

Holotypus: BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Itaguaçu, Cachoei- rão , propriedade Sr. Hilário Lopes , trilha da cachoeira , 8.IX.2006, fl., R.C. Britto et al. 134 ( MBML-39758 !) .

This species resembles Sinningia aghensis Chautems by the habit, the leaves nearly whorled and the long ascending peduncles, but differs by having smaller leaf blades that are vinaceous abaxially and by the narrow tubular bright orange corollas with a greenish-yellow throat (vs. leaves green abaxially and wide tubular funnel-shape and purple corollas, with a darker purple and white marbled throat).

Herb rupicolous, arising from perennial tuber, 2–9 × 3–10 cm in diam. Stems erect, 8–30 cm tall, usually unbranched, reddish to vinaceous with some green streaks, villose, trichomes 3–4 mm long. Leaves usually 2 pairs, decussate, isophyllous, condensed in an apparent whorl of 4 toward the apex of the stem, petiole 0,3– 1 cm long, blade ovate to obovate 2.2–9 × 1.6–6.7 cm, dark green and pubescent on adaxial face, vinaceous and incanoustomentose abaxially, base obtuse, apex obtuse, margin crenatedenticulate, 7–9 pairs of veins, vinaceous abaxially. Inflorescence 1–2 pair(s) of ascending peduncles, in the axils of upper leafs or small bracts below the leafs, 10–27 cm long, vinaceous with greenish dots, villose, each peduncle carrying at their apex 4–12 flowers organized in pair-flowered cymes. Flowers borne on erect to horizontal pedicels, 1.3–4.7 cm long, vinaceous, villose. Calyx campanulate, sepals fused at base for 3 mm, green with reddish apex, 9 × 3 mm, triangular to lanceolate, pubes- cent with glandular trichomes. Corolla tubular, 4.2–4.5 cm long, outside dark vinaceous at young buds stage, brightly orange with touch of yellow at maturity, pubescent with longer eglandular and shorter glandular trichomes, tube at the very base enlarged forming two dorsal bulges that are the nectary chambers, c. 7 mm diam., then, briefly constricted to around 3–4 mm in diam., widening progressively to about 8 mm in diam., throat greenish yellow, lobes equal, patent, internally greenish yellow at base, orange at the apex with yellow veins. Stamens 4, included, filaments 3.9–4.2 cm long, white or yellowish, puberulous, anthers 3 × 2 mm, coherent by their apex and side, star-shaped, pollen white; nectary formed by five separate glands of 1–2 × 1 mm; ovary conical, 5–7 mm long, whitish, puberulous, style 4.5–4.8 cm long, white, puberulous, barely exserted at maturity, stigma stomatomorphic. Fruit a conical capsule, beaked at the apex, fully dehiscent, 8–10 × 4–5 mm, seeds fusiform to prolate, dark brown, 0.5–0.6 mm.

Etymology. – The name refers to the bright and vivid yellow-orange color of the corolla that evokes fire flames.

Distribution and ecology. – This species is endemic to the eastern part of Espírito Santo State ( Fig. 1 ). It has only been encountered on inselbergs above 700 m alt. in the Municipalities of Itaguaçu and Colatina. Scattered populations have been found growing on sun exposed and steep granitic rock, among clumps of large Bromeliaceae and Velloziaceae .

Phenology. – Flowers were observed between July and September. Mature fruits were registered on cultivated material around November-December.

Conservation status. – The new species has been observed so far in only two localities representing two locations. None of them are part of the protected area network. Populations are composed of a few scattered individuals. Threats in those locations are granite extraction from the inselbergs and extension of monoculture of coffee or Eucalyptus L’Hér. in the immediate surroundings. With an EOO <5000 km ², an AAO <500 km ², two known locations coupled with a continuous decline in area, extent and quality of habitat, Sinningia flammea is assigned a preliminary assessment as “Endangered” [EN B1ab(iii)] using the IUCN Red List ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes. – The new species is morphologically related to S. aghensis , sharing similarities in the whorled phyllotaxis, the leaf blade shape and the very long peduncles. Nevertheless, it differs by having much smaller leaf blades and narrow tubular bright orange corollas (vs tubular-campanulate dark purple corollas). Although flowers arise from long peduncles above a leafy stem and not directly from the tuber, the long tubular corollas resemble S. helioana Chautems & Rossini , but color and size differ (bright orange tube 4.2– 4.5 cm long with greenish hues in throat vs tube red 2.5–3 cm long with throat cream). Preliminary phylogenetic data place the new species in close relationship with the two above mentioned taxa within the clade “ Corytholoma ” ( PERRET et al. 2003, 2007).

Material of this species was introduced in cultivation under the provisional name Sinningia sp. “Itaguassu”.

Paratypus. – BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Colatina, Itapina, morro do Maquiji , Córrego Maquiji , Fazenda Pedra Grande , 27.VII.2009, fl., A.P. Fontana & L. Menini Neto 6076 ( MBML-47808 ) .

Figures

Fig. 2. – Photographs of Sinningia Nees. A. Sinningia flammea Chautems & Rossini; B–C. Sinningia hoehnei Chautems, A.P. Fontana & Rossini; D. Sinningia stapelioides Chautems & M. Peixoto. [Pictures: A–C: A. P. Fontana; D: M. Peixoto]

Fig. 3. – Sinningia flammea Chautems & Rossini. A. Habit; B. Adaxial leaf surface and margin detail; C. Lateral view of flower with calyx; D. Frontal view of corolla; E. Calyx and style; F. Schematic arrangement of the nectary glands; G. Insertion of stamens in the corolla; H. Ventral surface of anthers; I. Dorsal surface of anthers showing the star shape; J. Fruit. [Fontana & Menini Neto 6076, MBML] [Drawing: J. Rossini]

Fig. 1. – Distribution map of Sinningia flammea Chautems & Rossini (triangles), S. hoehnei Chautems, A.P. Fontana & Rossini (squares) and S. stapelioides Chautems & M. Peixoto (star).