Eugenia umbellata Spreng., Neue Entd.

Sobral, Marcos, 2013, Eight New Atlantic Rainforest Species and Nomenclatural Notes in Brazilian Myrtaceae, Phytotaxa 135 (1), pp. 43-61 : 60

2.3. Eugenia umbellata Spreng., Neue Entd. 2: 169. 1821.

Type: BRAZIL, without collector, MO, probable isotype (image at http://www.tropicos.org/Image/17220), not E. umbellata DC., Prodr. 3: 273. 1828.

= Eugenia pleurantha O.Berg, Fl. Bras. 14(1): 280. 1857. Type: Habitat ad urbem Ypanema in prov. S. Pauli, Sellow s.n., B, lectotype K, here designated; isolectotypes BM, BR, P, U, W; image of lectotype at http://apps.kew.org/herbcat/ getImage.do?imageBarcode=K000276555.

Eugenia umbellata was described by Sprengel (1821) based on a Brazilian gathering without locality. Berg (1857–1859) merged it under the synonymy of Eugenia sphenophylla var. tristis O.Berg , although he apparently did not examined the type of E. umbellata , since he did not cites it in the protologue. Eugenia sphenophylla var. tristis (type: Sellow s.n., Rio de Janeiro, BR; http://www.br.fgov.be/RESEARCH/ COLLECTIONS/HERBARIUM/detail.php?ID=473754) is distinct from E. umbellata through its obovate, not acuminate leaves, smaller petioles and pilose flowers.

Govaerts et al. (2012) includes E. umbellata Spreng. in the synonymy of E. erythrocarpa (Kunth) De Candolle ); nevertheless, Eugenia erythrocarpa , presently known from Colombia (type: Humboldt & Bonpland s.n., P; http://dsiphoto.mnhn.fr/sonnera2/LAPI/leafS/S20120604/P00679478.jpg), has leaves with petioles to 3 mm and blades up to 30 × 25 mm (1.5–1.8 times longer than wide), with a rounded apex, while the Brazilian E. umbellata has leaves with petioles to 10 mm and blades to 80 × 30 mm (2.3–3 times longer than wide), with an evidently acuminate apex.