Evolvulus harleyi Sim.

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

Evolvulus harleyi Sim. -Bianch. & C.V. Silva, sp. nov., Fig. 2 I–O

Type:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Rio de Contas, nos arredores da cidade, estrada para Jussiape , 1094 m, 13º35’15”S, 41º48’11”W, 20 March 1999, R.M. Harley, A.M. Giulietti, R.P. Oliveira, A. Zanin & M.M. Silva 53523 (holotype: SP! , isotype HUEFS! , K! ).

Caulibus debilibus, foliis linearibus vel lanceolatis et inflorescentia globosa vel subglobosa ad E. lithospermoides accredit sed habitu subfruticoso foliis glabris vel fere glabris dignoscendus.

Erect herb, 15–37 cm tall. Stem slender, virgate, few branched from the base, internodes 4–15 mm, young branches sericeous to villous, glabrescent, trichomes unequal branched, adpressed. Leaves linear to lanceolate, flat to slightly revolute, 9–18 × 1–3(–5) mm, sessile, acute, base attenuate, usually glabrous or with very sparse trichomes irregularly distributed, rarely ciliate, venation hyphodromous. Flowers in globose to semi-globose terminal spikes, 10–15 × 10–15 mm; bracts leaf-like; bracteoles linear to lanceolate, 5 × 1 mm, hirsute beneath, glabrous above, ciliate; sepals lanceolate, 7 × 1,5 mm, indumentum like the bracteoles; corolla hypocrateriform, blue, 13 mm diam., 13 mm long, tube 3 mm, mid-petaline bands sericeous outside; filaments 2.5 mm, anthers longitudinally dehiscent, 1 mm; styles 2, totally free at the base, 2.5 mm, stigma filiform, bifid, 7 mm; ovary globose, 1 × 1 mm, 4-locular, 1- ovuled. Fruit a capsule, globose to subglobose, 4 × 4 mm, glabrous; seeds glabrous, brown, 2 × 1 mm.

Distribution and ecology: — Evolvulus harleyi is endemic to Bahia and grows on quartzite rock outcrops. Populations are known from Barra da Estiva, Cascavel, Ibicoara, Mucugê, Rio de Contas, and Palmeiras. Flowering and fruiting takes place throughout the year, more frequently from February to April.

Conservation status: —Vulnerable according to criteria B1 and B2a ( IUCN, 2013). There are known populations of this species located in a protected area (Parque Nacional Chapada Diamantina ). It has been collected in six municipalities, covering ca. 20.000km 2.

Paratypes: — BRASIL. Bahia: Barra da Estiva, 8 km S de Barra da Estiva, caminho de Ituaçu: entre Morro do Ouro e Morro da Torre , 23 November 1992, M.M. Arbo et al. 5726 ( CTES, SP!, SPF!) ; Serra do Sincorá, 13º40S, 41º25W, R.M. Harley et al. 20813 ( K!) ; Morro da Antena, 16 July 2001, V.C. Souza et al. 26130 ( ESA!) . Cascavel, Borda ocidental do Parque Nacional Chapada Diamantina , 23 March 2005, R. Funch & L.S. Funch 802 ( HUEFS!) . Ibicoara, estrada entre Brejo de Cima e a rodovia Mucugê – Barra da Estiva, cerca de 5 km de Brejo de Cima , 05 February 2003, F. França et al. 4302 ( HUEFS!, SP!) . Mucugê, Guiné , 5 May 2000, A.A. Conceição 870 ( SP!, SPF!) ; Estrada Mucugê-Guiné, a 28 km de Mucugê , 7 September 1981, A. Furlan et al. CFCR 2062 ( SP!, SPF!) ; Alto do morro do Pina , 20 July 1981, A.M. Giulietti et al. CFCR 1542 ( K!, SP!, SPF!) ; Serra do Gobira , 20 February 2005, P.L. Ribeiro et al. 121 ( HUEFS!) . Palmeiras, Cercado, próximo ao sítio do Luiz Piedade , 6 April 2004, C. Van den Berg et al. 1387 ( HUEFS!) ; Parque Nacional Chapada Diamantina , 14 June 2005, G. Costa et al. 16 ( HUEFS!) ; 3 October 2005, G. Costa et al. 63 ( HUEFS!) ; Chapadinha , 20 January 2006, G. Costa et al. 126 ( HUEFS!) ; Orquidário , 5 April 2008, G. Costa et al. 212 ( HUEFS!, SP!) ; Morro do Pai Inácio , 30 August 1994, R. Orlandi et al. PCD 526 ( HRB!, SPF!) ; 14 December 2002, A. Rapini 1003 ( HUEFS!) . Serra do Sincorá, NW of Serra de Ouro , 24 March 1980, R.M. Harley et al. 20905 ( K!, SPF!) .

Discussion: — Evolvulus harleyi belongs to section Phyllostachyi . It is distinct from other species in this section because the leaves are either glabrous on both surfaces or, less often, are very sparsely pilose. In this section, only two species are similar: Evolvulus chamaepitys Martius (1841: 98) has the same habit with spreading ascending stems up to 40 cm, but is many stemmed, the leaves are membranaceous and woolly and somewhat silvery on the abaxial face, while E. harleyi has only a few slender stems from a woody base and the leaves are coriaceous and dull green; Evolvulus lithospermoides Martius (1841: 99) also has few slender stems, linear to lanceolate leaves, and a globose to semi-globose inflorescence, but it is always an erect herb or subshrub and the leaves are sericeous at least on the abaxial face.

The epithet honours Raymond Mervyn Harley, a renowned botanist who collected the type material (R.M. Harley et al. 53523).

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)