Arachnandra drepanocarpa (Baker) Barfuss, Leme & W. Till, 2025

Leme, Elton M. C., Till, Walter, Halbritter, Heidemarie & Barfuss, Michael H. J., 2025, Arachnandra, a new monotypic genus in Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae) from the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, Phytotaxa 693 (1), pp. 1-32 : 25-27

Arachnandra drepanocarpa (Baker) Barfuss, Leme & W. Till , comb. nov.

Basionym:— Tillandsia drepanocarpa Baker, J. Bot. 26: 41. 1888. Type:— BRAZIL. São Paulo: Rio das Pedras, 23º 52’ S, 46º 28’ W,

15 December 1826, Burchell 3596 (holotype K!). ≡ Vriesea drepanocarpa (Baker) Mez , in C. DC., Monogr. Phan. 9: 581. 1896, syn. nov. = Vriesea dusenii L.B. Smith, Contr. Gray Herb. 98: 17. 1932. Type: — BRAZIL. Paraná: Jacareí, 12 March 1910, P. Dusén

10712B, fl. cult. (holotype S!, isotype S!), syn. nov. = Tillandsia pabstiana E. Pereira , Bradea 1: 439. 1974. Type: — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Domingos Martins, Pedra dos

Ventos, ca. 400 m elevation, 5 June 1974, R. Kautsky 438 (holotype HB!), syn. nov.

Emended description:— Plants epiphytic, flowering 35–100 cm high. Leaves 16 to 20 in number, densely rosulate, forming a narrowly funnelform rosette; leaf sheath elliptic, 5–6.5 × 3.5–4.5 cm, densely and inconspicuously pale brown lepidote on both sides, thin in texture, green to purplish-red; leaf blade narrowly lanceolate, 11–25 × 1–1.8 cm,

not narrowed at the base, apex acuminate, green to reddish-purple, thin in texture, sparsely and inconspicously white lepidote mainly abaxially to glabrous. Peduncle slender, 18–35 cm long, 0.2–0.4 cm in diameter, erect, glabrous, green; peduncle bracts the basal ones foliaceous, the upper ones subfoliaceous, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, 6–10 × 0.6–0.8 cm, erect except for the suberect distal portion, enfolding the base of the peduncle, distinctly exceeding to equaling the internodes, green to reddish-purple, glabrescent. Inflorescence (fertile part) a cylindric spike-raceme, inconspicuously once-branched, slender, 13–60 cm long, erect; primary bracts narrowly lanceolate, acuminate-caudate, 3.5–8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, green, glabrous, erect except for the recurved distal end, exceeding the branches; lateral branches 3 to 10 in number, 1.5–5 cm long, erect, sparsely flowered, bearing up to 4 flowers; stipes 5–10 × 1.5–2 mm, green, glabrous, often bearing 1 sterile bract similar to the floral bracts; rachis slender, flexuous, green, glabrous, internodes 5–8 mm long, 1–1.5 mm in diameter; floral bracts triangular, 8–10 × 5–5.5 mm, apex acute, green, inconspicuously lepidote to glabrous, distinctly shorter than the sepals, divergent to slightly secund with the flowers, carinate, membranaceous, weakly nerved. Flowers diurnal, strongly fragrant, divergent to slightly secund, laxly arranged, 27–30 mm long (with the petals extended), pedicels inconspicuous, ca. 3 mm long, 4–5 mm in diameter at distal end, green, glabrous; sepals lanceolate, subsymmetrical, imbricate, apex acuminate, 15–15.5 × 4.5–5.5 mm, glabrous, free, ecarinate, green, thin in texture toward the apex and margins, thicker at the base; petals spathulate, apex acute or narrowly obtuse and slightly cucullate, 23–27 × 5–7 mm, 3.8–4.6 times longer than wide, white, connate at the base for 5–7 mm, the distal half spreading to reflexed, with the apex sometimes inrolled at anthesis, forming an open, fan blade-like corolla, bearing at the base 2 linear to narrowly lanceolate, long acuminate or irregularly bifid, 9–10 × 1 mm appendages adnate to the petal tube and free above it; stamens shorter than the petals but exposed by the reflexed petals, radially disposed at anthesis, postrate over the corolla, resembling a “spider”; filaments terete, white, adnate to the petal tube and free above it; anthers linear, the base distinctly bilobed, the apex apiculate, usually bifid, 3–4 mm long, subbasifixed, the connective area exposed and not covered by the margins of the pollen sacs; pollen subglobose, ca. 55 µm in diameter (longest axis), sulcate, the sulcus broad, without ornamental exine elements, margins moderately distinct, with small exine elements attached, exine reticulate, lumina broad, polygonal; style shorter than the petals and about equalling the stamens; ovary almost totally superior or if inferior by a small fraction not more than 1/8 (considering the nectary tissue), placentation totally superior; stigma of the conduplicate-patent type, blades spreading-recurved, densely papillose, white, ca. 3 mm long; ovules shortly caudate. Capsules subcylindric, slender, beaked, 32–37 mm long; seeds including appendages 17–22 mm long, the umbrella-like, plumose basal appendage many times longer than the length of the seed nucleous, the apical appendage inconspicuous, undivided, 0.5–1 mm long.

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Without exact place, P. J. M. Maas s.n. et al., cult. Utrecht Bot. Gard. 2015GR00921 via Corn . Bak s.n. (U!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1741]. Santa Catarina: Brusque , Morro Santa Luzia , 200 m elevation, 24 April 1951, s.c. 4009 (US!) ; ibidem, 2 March 1952, cult. R. Reitz s.n. ( US!). Paraná: Antonina, Rio Debeora , 3 April 1914, P. Dusén 14690 (S!) ; Antonina, Reserva Natural do Morro da Mina , 7 May 2008, P.R. Petean s.n. (MBM!) ; Paranaguá, Ilha do Mel, Estação Ecológica , 25°27’ S, 48°21’ W, 24 November 1997, S.M. Silva & R. A. Kersten s.n. (NY!). São Paulo: Cananéia, 26 August 1999, E. Leme 4746, B.R. Silva & K. Green (HB!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1587] ; Itanhaém, P.E. Serra do Mar, Núcleo Curucutu, entorno do Vale do Rio Mambu , 30-100 m elevation, 24º02’51.7” S, 46º49’05.7” W, 16 April 2001, G.O. Romão et al. 652 (RB! UEC!) ; ibidem, 16 April 2001, G.O. Romão et al. 660 (ESA!); Sete Barras, Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho , 24º10’ S, 47º55’ W, 17 August 2002, T.B. Breier 415 & J. C. Budke (UEC!). Rio de Janeiro: Parati, Sertãozinho, km 158 da Rod. Rio-Santos, ca. 100 m elevation, 19 February 1995, E. Leme 2926 (RB!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1506] ; Parati, Rod. Rio-Santos, km 596, 16 November 2014, T.M. Machado 718, E. Fernandez, T. Lima & A. Weigand (UFRN!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B2817]. Espírito Santo: Domingos Martins, margens do Rio Jucu , 27 August 1974, G. Martinelli 418 & L. C. Gurken (RB!) ; ibidem, Chapéu , 15 May 1994, G. Hatschbach 60972 (MBM!) ; Santa Maria de Jetiba , terreno de Paulo Seick, 1100 m elevation, 26 April 2004, L. Kollmann 6678 (MBML!) ; Castelo, Fazenda Forno Grande , 900 m elevation, 26 April 2004, L. Kollman 6679 & R.L. Kollmann (MBML!) ; Santa Teresa, Est. Biol. Santa Lúcia, parcelas de baixa encosta, 23 March 1999, I.G Varassin 62, L. Kollmann, E. Bausen & W. Pizziolo (MBML!) ; ibidem, Valsugana Velha , left margin of the river, 600 m elevation, 15 August 2000, L. Lollmann 3067 & R.R. Vervloet (MBML!) ; Santa Teresa, Santo Anselmo , 24 March 2006, L. Kollmann 8813, A. P. Fontana, S. Krauser & L. Lima (MBML) ; Santa Teresa, Nova Lombardia, Res. Biol. Augusto Ruschi , cabeceira do Rio Saltinho , 800 m elevation, 13 March 2002, L. Kollmann 5658, E. Bausen & W. Pizziolo (MBML) ; ibidem, trilha Mauriti , 30 July 2002, R.R. Vervloet 570, E. Bausen & W. Pizziolo (MBML!) ; ibidem, trilha da divisa, sentido terreno de Vanildo Bragacha , 27 August 2002, R.R. Vervloet 728, E. Bausen & W. Pizziolo (MBML!) ; ibidem, 25 March 2003, R.R. Vervloet 2043, E. Bausen & J. Rossini (MBML) ; ibidem, picada após marco 82, 6 May 2003, R.R. Vervloet 2352 & W. Pizziolo (MBML!); Santa Leopoldina, Rio das Farinhas , prop. Valter Pereira , 20 April 2006, A. P. Fontana 2098 & C. P.Esgario (RB!) ; Muqui, torre da Claro , 750 m elevation, 24 April 2007, L. Kollmann 9637, A. P. Fontana & K. Brahim (MBML!) ; Cariacica, Res. Biol. Duas Bocas , 16 June 1999, J. M.L. Gomes 2528 (VIES) ; ibidem, 20º18’21” S, 40º30’20” W, 23 November 1999, J.M.L. Gomes 2724 & A. Carvalho (VIES!) ; ibidem, Pau Amarelo, old Condomínio Rural Cantinho do Céu, 20°16’ S, 40°32’ W, 6 May 2008, A. P. Fontana 5200, R. Goldenberg, A. M. Amorim, C. N. Fraga & M.M. Saavedra (RB!). Minas Gerais: near Bahia border, Santa Maria do Salto , Talismã , RPPN Fazenda Duas Barras , 841 m elevation, 16º24.80’ S, 40º03.21’ W, 23 March 2010, E. Leme 8175 & L. Kollmann (RB!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1586]. Bahia: Una, January 1983, E. Leme 506, A. M. de Carvalho, L. A. M. Silva, J. Kent & R.L. Frasier (HB!) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1588] ; ibidem, February 1991, A.T. de Brito s.n., cult. E. Leme 1723 (HB) [DNA isolate MHJB-B1505] ; Una, Res. Biol. do Mico-Leão, entrance km 46 in road BA-001, Ilhéus-Una , 15°09’ S, 39°05’ W, 24 September 1992, A. M. Amorim, S. C. Sant’Ana & J.G. Jardim 777 (CEPEC!, MBM!, NY!, US!) ; ibidem, 1 June 2000, S. C. de Sant’Ana, H.S. Brito & J. A.L. Santos 881 (RB!, NY!) ; ibidem, picada paralela ao Rio Maruim , 18 September 1997, A.M. Amorim, S.R. Profice, P. Dalprete & S. C. Sant’Ana 2093 (CEPEC!, NY!) ; Una, road Una-Olivença, 12 km N. of Una , Fazenda de Clovis de Matos Pires , 75 m elevation, 24 April 1976, C. E. Calderón, T.S. Santos & L.B. de Oliveira 2392 (CEPEC!, US!) ; ibidem, km 12 road Una-Olivença , 24 April 1976, T.S. Santos 3106 (CEPEC!) ; Una, Fazenda S. Rafael , 18 June 1971, R.S. Pinheiro 1406 (CEPEC!, RB!) ; Arataca, P. N. da Serra das Lontras, trilha da Serra das Lontras, descida da “trilha nova”, 5 May 2011, P. Leitman 209, L. Daneu, T. Araújo, L. C. Gomes, J. L. Paixão & R. Perdiz (RB!, CEPEC!) ; ibidem, subindo pelo vale à esquerda da estrada, depois da casa do Sr. Otarcílio , 381-712 m elev., 11 November 2011, P. Leitman 380, R. Perdiz, J.L. Paixão, L. C. Gomes & L. Daneu (RB!) ; Uruçuca, Serra Grande, BA 653, P. E. da Serra do Conduru , trilha da sede, 220 m elev., 22 April 2023, E.H. Souza 2590 & R.R. N. França (HURB) ; Itacaré, Campo Cheiroso , 1 March 2018, E.H. Souza 458 (HURB) ; Buerarema, 16 km SE of Buerarema, road to Vila Brasil, 150 m elevation, 15°03’ S, 38°15’ W, 8 March 1986, T.S. Santos & E. J. Judziewicz 4206 (CEPEC!) .

Distribution and habitat:— Arachnandra drepanocarpa is endemic to Brazil, where it lives along the coastal Atlantic Forest with a discontinuous and sparse occurance from the southern states of Santa Catarina and Paraná (in a south-north order), crossing all southeastern states (i.e., São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais), to the northeastern state of Bahia (fig. 15). The plants grow exclusively in the understory of well-conserved forest fragments, where they form few-numbered to large groups of individuals on the lower parts of the thinner tree trunks and branches, in elevations from close to sea level to ca. 1100 m, despite it is more common in altitudes between 300 to 800 m, probably as a consequence of the poor conservation status of the lowland forests which was in most part destroyed over the past decades.

Conservation Status:— Along the distribution area of Arachnandra drepanocarpa , some known subpopulations are located inside private as well as state and federal conservation units: in Paraná state, it is found in the private Reserva Natural do Patrimônio Natural do Morro da Mina, and in the Estação Ecológica da Ilha do Mel, which is maintained by the state; in São Paulo, in the state parks of Serra do Mar and Carlos Botelho; in Espírito Santo, in federal units, like Estação Ecológica Santa Lúcia and Reserva Biológica de Augusto Ruschi; in Minas Gerais, in the state park of Alto Cariri, and in the private Reserva do Patrimônio Natural da Fazenda Duas Barras, and in Bahia in Reserva Biológica de Una, Parque Nacional da Serra das Lontras, and state park of Serra do Conduru.

Nevertheless, the survival of this species is not free of threats, like frequent fires that occasionally destroy the forest, even inside protected areas, as well as the continuous habitat fragmentation and forest impoverishment. So, applying the criteria adopted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2001), this unique species can be considered vulnerable (VU; A1c), since the inferred or suspected population size reduction is associated with decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat.