Pavonia paucidentata Fryxell, 2009

Fryxell, Paul A., 2009, A new species of Pavonia (Malvaceae) from the Atlantic coastal forests of eastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 2, pp. 13-18 : 14-15

Pavonia paucidentata Fryxell , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Arbores ad 4 m altae caulibus glabrescentibus, laminis foliorum coriaceis glabris anguste ellipticis penninervibus distaliter grosse paucidentatis acutis vel acuminatis, stipulis linearibus rigidis 25–31 mm longis, petiolis adaxialibus barbatis, pedicellis axillaribus solitariis 7–14 cm longis distaliter pubescentibus cetera glabris, bracteis involucellorum ca. 8 lanceolatis 14–18 x 3–4 mm, in margine ciliatis, petalis ut videtur luteis quam involucellis subaequantes, genitaliis inclusis, fructibus ignotis.

Type:— BRAZIL: Bahia: Estrada de Valenço para Guaibim ca. 2 km, entrada à esq., 8 km, ramo vicinal à esq. RPPN Agua Branca , 15°19’44”S, 39°5’25”W, 220 m, 9 April 2004, P. Fiaschi, J.G. Jardim & J.L. Paixão 2533 (holotype NY!, isotype CEPEC) .

Small tree to 4 m tall, the young stems minutely and obscurely lepidote (the scales <0.1 mm in diameter), becoming glabrescent, the older stems with longitudinal ribs. Leaf blades leathery, narrowly elliptic, 8–20 cm long, 2.5– 6 cm wide (smaller upward), at base narrowly rounded or auriculate-cordate, the margin continuously ribbed, proximally entire, distally coarsely few-toothed (the teeth prominent), acute or acuminate apically, glabrous above and beneath, basally 3-veined, penninerved (the midrib prominently raised beneath), with 6–9 pairs of lateral secondary nerves also prominently raised beneath. Petioles 2–6 cm long, bearded on adaxial side, the hairs 0.5– 1 mm long, mostly simple, otherwise glabrous. Stipules persistent, solitary or sometimes divided into 2 elements, linear or subulate, 25–31 mm long, 1 mm wide, rigid, erect and slightly curved (in sicco), glabrous. Pedicels solitary in the axils of the uppermost leaves, 7–14 cm long, terete, obscurely articulated 2–5 mm below the calyx, distally pubescent (hairs simple, 0.5– 1 mm), otherwise subglabrous. Involucel of ca. 8 distinct bracts, each lanceolate, 14–18 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, dorsally minutely lepidote, marginally ciliate, the hairs ca. 1 mm long. Calyx 8–9 mm long, partially concealed by the involucel, minutely pubescent and marginally ciliate like the involucellar bracts. Petals apparently yellowish, subequal to involucel at anthesis. Genitalia included in corolla (i.e., not exserted). Fruits not seen.

This new species keys out to Pavonia calyculosa St. - Hilaire & Naudin (1842: 40) using the key provided by Fryxell (1999: 237–239), but differs in the prominent distal teeth of the leaf margins, the much longer stipules, the shorter and broader involucellar bracts, and a different pubescence pattern.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pavonia paucidentata. Type specimen: Fiaschi et al. 2533 (NY).