Evolvulus delicatus C.V. Silva & Sim.

Silva, Cintia Vieira Da & Simão-Bianchini, Rosangela, 2014, Three new species of Evolvulus (Convolvulaceae) from Bahia, Brazil, Phytotaxa 166 (2), pp. 132-138 : 135-137

Evolvulus delicatus C.V. Silva & Sim. -Bianch., sp. nov., Fig. 2 A–H

Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Rio de Contas, trilha para o Pico das Almas, vale ao sudeste do Campo do Queiroz , 1586 m, 13º31’21,6”S, 41º57’27,9”W, 13 September 2011, C.V. Silva, G.O. Silva, C. Takeuchi & R.B. Louzada 213 (holotype SP! , isotype K! ).

Inter species sectionis Phyllostachyi ab E. hypocraterifloro Dammer (1897: 37) foliis ad caules adpressis, complanatis, verticillatis (vs. foliis patulis, conduplicatis, distichis) differt.

Caespitose herb with many erect stems 19–35 cm tall. Stem slender, densely to sparsely branched at the base, internodes 2–12 mm, young branches densely sericeous to adpressed-villous, older branches glabrescent, greyish, trichomes with unequal branches. Leaves adpressed to the stem, whorled, blades lanceolate, flat, 6–10 × 1.5–3 mm, sessile, entire, acute, base attenuate, sericeous on both surfaces with greyish to whitish hairs; venation hyphodromous. Flowers in semi-globose rarely elongated, terminal spikes; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles linearlanceolate, 2 × 0.5 mm, sericeous beneath, glabrous above; sepals lanceolate, 6 × 1 mm, apex purplish, indumentum similar to that of the bracteoles; corolla hypocrateriform, blue, 15 mm diam., 14 mm long, tube 3 mm, midpetaline bands sericeous outside; filaments 3 mm, anthers 1 mm; styles 2, totally free at the base, 2 mm, stigmas filiform, 7 mm; ovary globose, 1 × 1 mm, 4-locular, 1-ovuled. Fruit a capsule, pyriform, 5 × 5 mm, glabrous; seeds glabrous, brown, 2 × 1 mm.

Distribution and ecology: — E. delicatus is endemic to Rio de Contas, Bahia, and is found on quartzite rock outcrops. Flowering and fruiting takes place throughout the year.

Conservation status: —Endangered according to criteria B2ac, D2 criteria ( IUCN, 2013). The only known population of this species is located in a protected area, where it is known from seven sampled specimens, most of them from Pico das Almas (Bahia). In a recent trip to this area, several sparsely distributed clumps of plants were observed. Only one was collected in flower.

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Rio de Contas, Caminho Mato Grosso-Itabira , 18 April 2003, M.E.R. Junqueira et al. 198 ( HUEFS!) ; Pico das Almas, vertente leste, subida do pico do campo norte do Queiroz , 10 November 1988, R.M. Harley et al. 26314 ( CEPEC, K!, NY, SP!, SPF!) ; Pico das Almas , 1450–1500 m alt., 30 November 1988, R.M. Harley et al. 26531 ( CEPEC, K!, MO, NY, SP!, SPF!) ; Pico das Almas, vale ao pé do Pico , ca. 1850m, 20 February 1987, R.M. Harley et al. 24497 ( K!, SP!, SPF!) ; Pico das Almas , 1479m alt., 17 June 2009, R.M. Harley & A.M. Giulietti 56096 ( HUEFS!) ; Pico das Almas , 1600–1850m alt., 22 July 1979, S.A. Mori et al. s.n. ( RB! 12485) .

Discussion: — Evolvulus delicatus belongs to section Phyllostachyi . It differs from other species in this section by the small whorled leaves, more or less adpressed to the stem, and the greyish to whitish indumentum. E. delicatus shares with E. hypocrateriflorus the greyish indumentum of the leaves, which turn slightly brownish toward the top of the branches, but E. hypocrateriflorus is more robust with ovate, conduplicate, distichous leaves, and is endemic to Goiás.

Among the Evolvulus species of Bahia, E. delicatus is close to E. helichrysoides Moricand (1844: 80) , but this is a much taller subshrub, with thicker branches, and the leaves are more than a third longer, it is not caespitose in habit. Evolvulus delicatus is a fragile herb that forms clumps with several thin stems.

In the Flora of Pico das Almas ( Simão-Bianchini 1995) the population of E. delicatus was treated as E. aff. brevifolius ( Meissner 1869: 336) Ooststroom (1934: 219) , but the type of this species (Riedel s.n. in NY!) has bigger oblong or elliptic leaves, which are obtuse at the apex and have a brownish villous tomentose indumentum.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A–H. Evolvulus delicatus (from the holotype). A. Caespitose habit B. inflorescence (detail); C. leaf (adaxial surface); D. bracteole (adaxial surface); E. bract (adaxial face); F. corolla (longitudinal section); G. two styles each one with two filiform stigmas; H. fruit opened. I–O. Evolvulus harleyi (from the holotype). I. habit; J. inflorescence (detail); K. leaf (adaxial surface); L. bracteole (adaxial surface); M. bract (adaxial surface); N. corolla (longitudinal section); O. two styles each one with two filiform stigmas. (A–H: C.V. Silva et al. 213; I–O: Harley et al. 53523; drawing by Klei R. Sousa)