Corresponding author: Yuri Fernandes Gouvêa (
Academic editor: Sandra Knapp
We describe a new species of spiny
Neste trabalho descrevemos uma nova espécie aculeada de
Gouvêa YF, Giacomin LL, Stehmann JR (2018) A sticky and heavily armed new species of
Brazil, especially the eastern portion of its territory, is one of the primary centres of diversity and endemism for both non-spiny (
For the present study, specimens from the following herbaria were examined: ALCB, BHCB, CEPEC, FURB, HUEFS, MBM, MBML, NY, RB, RFFP and UFP (acronyms from Index Herbariorum;
Differs from
Brazil. Minas Gerais: Ataléia, povoado de Canaã do Brasil, estrada não pavimentada que liga o município de Ouro Verde de Minas ao povoado de Canaã do Brasil, crescendo em área alterada próximo a afloramento rochoso gnáissico (inselberg ou pão de açucar),
Shrubs up to 3.5 m, erect, moderately branched. Young stems terete, densely tomentose with hyaline to ochraceous stellate-glandular trichomes, these sessile to long-stalked with multiseriate stalks up to 1 cm long, multiangulate, the rays 5–20, 2–3-celled, unequal in length, all or almost all with a capitate glandular distal cell, the midpoint 2–3-celled, equal to or twice the length of the longest ray, the distal cell glandular; stems densely armed with prickles up to 17 mm long and to 2.3 mm wide at the base, straight, slightly flattened, stramineous to yellowish at base, becoming ferruginous towards the apex, pubescent with stellate trichomes like those of the stems and some small, stalked, uniseriate glandular trichomes at the base; bark of older stems greyish dark brown. Sympodial units difoliate to plurifoliate, the leaves not geminate, the leaves arranged in a 2/5 phyllotaxic spiral. Leaves simple, lobed, 20.5–42 cm long, 20–38 cm wide, the blade broadly elliptic to broadly ovate, membranous, discolorous, green adaxially and whitish light green abaxially when fresh, becoming dark green adaxially and light green to pale brown abaxially when dried; adaxial surface densely stellate-glandular tomentose but always visible, with multiangulate trichomes, these short- to long-stalked, with multiseriate stalks 3–4 cells wide, up to 1 mm long, the rays 4–11, 1-celled, all eglandular or with one or more glandular ones (then 2–3-celled), unequal in length, the midpoints 2–3-celled, usually longer than the rays, mixed with smaller porrect to antrorse, usually eglandular stellate trichomes, these sessile to short-stalked (stalks to 0.1 mm long), the rays 2–5, 1-celled and minute, inconspicuous, unbranched, subsessile uniseriate glandular trichomes; the abaxial surface densely stellate-glandular tomentose, the epidermis barely visible, with trichomes like those of the adaxial surface, but more densely distributed; sparsely to moderately armed along the midrib and the primary veins of both surfaces with straight, laterally compressed prickles reaching up to 10 mm long and to 1.3 mm wide at the base adaxially, up to 17.5 mm long and to 1.8 mm wide at the base abaxially; primary veins 5–7 pairs; base cordate, the two major basal lobes obtuse to rounded, 2.5–7 cm long at the longest point, often overlapping each other over the petiole, not decurrent on to the petiole; margins with the lateral lobes 1.5–4.8 cm long, 4–9 cm wide at base, acute or less often obtuse or rounded at the apex, both basal and lateral lobes sometimes with small secondary lobes; apex acute; petiole 4.5–19.5 cm, densely tomentose with trichomes like those of the stem, armed. Inflorescence a scorpioid cyme, usually unbranched, rarely forked or trifurcate, internodal or subopposite the leaves, the axis densely glandular tomentose with trichomes like those of the stem, but these hyaline to ochraceous, armed; peduncles 2.6–6 cm long, the rachis 4.3–11 cm long, with 11–35 flowers, with up to 3 open at the same time; pedicel insertions generally unequally spaced, adjacent to spaced 2.3 cm apart; pedicels 4.8–18 mm long in open flowers, straight, articulated at base, armed, densely tomentose with trichomes like those of the stem, but with the epidermis and trichomes often purple-coloured. Flowers 5-merous, the plants andromonoecious, producing hermaphroditic flowers (long-styled) and functionally male short-styled flowers, which vary in proportion (number of long- vs short-styled flowers) between inflorescences. Calyx somewhat urceolate, inflated, foliaceous, purple (mainly along the margins and apex of the calyx lobes) to green, armed, densely tomentose with the epidermis barely to not visible basally, becoming gradually more visible towards the apex of the lobes, with trichomes like those of the stem but these sometimes purple and with some eglandular rays; base rounded, markedly plicate on the fusion line at the base of the adjacent sepals, these basally concave, the calyx tube 4.5–8.2 mm long, 9.4–15.2 mm in diameter at the point with the largest diameter, the lobes 7.5–15.6 mm long, 6–9 mm wide at the base, triangular, the margins plane to strongly undulate and revolute, the apices acute to caudate. Corolla 2.3–3.9 cm in diameter, purple to lilac or bluish-lilac, stellate, lobed 2/5 to 1/2 of its length, interpetalar tissue absent, the tube 1.1–2.2 cm long, the lobes 10.9–15 mm long, 8.8–13.4 mm wide, deltate to triangular, the margins straight to slightly convex at base, the apex acute, apiculate or not, stellate-glandular tomentose abaxially with trichomes like those of the leaves, almost glabrous adaxially with trichomes sparsely distributed along the veins and near the apex. Stamens equal; filament tube 1–2.1 mm long; free portion of the filaments 1.3–2.9 mm long, glabrous; anthers 7.5–10 mm long, 2.8–4.3 mm wide, 2.4–2.9 mm thick at the widest point, slightly gibbous, broadly lanceolate, narrowed towards the apex, sagittate at base, connivent, with the pores directed to apex and slightly extrorse, the epidermis papillose, slightly swollen dorsally. Ovary conical to somewhat cupuliform, 4-lobed, 4-locular, densely stellate-glandular tomentose at the apex, becoming glabrous with age, the trichomes 2–7-rayed, stellate, sessile, with a 2–4-celled, eglandular or glandular midpoint longer than the 1-celled rays; style 13.7–15.9 mm long in long-styled flowers, 1.2–3.7 mm long in short-styled flowers, cylindrical, glabrous; stigma globose to clavate, up to 1.4 mm long in long-styled flowers, papillose, green when fresh. Infructescence axis up to 29 cm long. Fruit a widely depressed ovoid to obloid berry, 11.4–20 mm long, 12–22.5 mm wide, the pericarp smooth, pale green to white, with scattered stellate trichomes at the apex; fruiting pedicels 1.4–2.2 cm long, armed; fruiting calyx strongly accrescent, completely covering the fruit in all stages of development, the tube 16–20.4 mm long and 19–34 mm in diameter at the widest point, the lobes 11–21.8 long, 13.7–19 mm wide at base. Seeds ca. 230 per berry, ca. 2 mm long and 2.4 mm wide, flattened, reniform, dark brown. Chromosome number: not known.
Line drawing of
Detail of
Endemic to eastern Brazil (Figure
Distribution of
Flowering specimens were found from April to November, when immature fruits were also observed, indicating that
The epithet
Endangered (EN) B2 a, b (ii, iii, iv); Extent of Occurrence (
Amongst the species in this group, only
Habitats of
The size and colour of the
Plants growing in open restinga vegetation sites exhibit distinct architecture. These plants are lower and wider in their overall appearance due to the branching near the base of the major stem, with which the first order branches form angles close to 90° (see Fig.
The discovery of
We would like to thank the curators of the cited herbaria for the loan of specimens or allowing us to study material at each collection; Philipe Sena Saviott “Bill” for the companionship and helpfulness during one of the expeditions; Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais for the greenhouse and support given to maintain living specimens; Belkiss Almeri for the drawings; and for the reviewers for their valuable contributions. Financial support was given to JRS by FAPEMIG (APQ-04156-15, APQ-03792-16) and CNPq (306086/2017-4), to LLG by CNPq (427198/2016-0) and FAPESPA/CAPES (Proc. AUXPE 88881.159124/2017-01).