Myrcia reitzii (D.Legrand) Mazine

Santos, Matheus F., 2025, Taxonomic monograph of Myrcia sect. Eugeniopsis (Myrciinae, Myrteae, Myrtaceae), an endemic clade of Eastern South America, Phytotaxa 703 (1), pp. 1-100 : 58-59

11. Myrcia reitzii (D.Legrand) Mazine (in Mazine et al. 2014: 98) ( Figures 12 , 32A–D , 33 , 34 ).

≡ Marlierea reitzii D. Legrand (1961: 284) . Type:— BRAZIL. Santa Catarina: Lauro Müller, Vargem Grande , 400 m, 17 December 1958 (fl.), Reitz 8095 (holotype MVM! [image], isotypes G!, HAS, HBR!, MO, NY!, S!, UC! [image], US! [image]).

Description:— Tree, 6 to 20 m high. Trichome reddish, simple or dibrachiate, 0.08–0.16 mm. Twig when young flattened, puberulent, when mature greyish (when dry), cylindrical, cortex slightly cracked; branching monopodial, internode 1.5–5.8 cm, node swollen; cataphylls not seen, deciduous; buds pubescent. Leaf concolorous, chartaceous, blade 6.4–20.3 × 2.3–6.5 cm, elliptic or ovate, apex acuminate to acute or attenuate, base narrowly cuneate to obtuse or attenuate, margin plane, secondary veins 2–5 mm apart, held at an angle of 60–75° relative to the midvein, one or two marginal veins, the first 1.0– 1.5 mm and the second 0.5 mm from the margin, tertiary veins usually conspicuous in the adaxial surface and inconspicuous in the abaxial surface, areoles 0.2–0.8 mm, pellucid dots conspicuous to inconspicuous in the abaxial surface, 1–2 per mm 2; adaxial surface glabrous, secondary veins raised; abaxial surface puberulent to glabrous, secondary veins slightly raised; petiole 15–26 × 1–3 mm, canaliculate, puberulent. Inflorescence 6.0–13.0 × 3.0–16.0 cm, 18–142 flowers, axillar at the terminal or subterminal nodes of the SGU (central bud developing a vegetative branch), usually only one pair per SGU, one inflorescence per axillary bud, inflorescence pherophyll usually deciduous, opposite branching, three branching per node, rachis puberulent, first internode of central rachis 1–3 mm wide; bracts deciduous, not seen; bracteoles deciduous, not seen. Flower bud 2.6–3.4 × 1.4–2.0 mm, clavate, corolla hidden or barely apparent before anthesis; hypanthium bud 1.2–1.4 mm extending above the summit of the ovary, usually not tearing at anthesis or rarely a small vertical rip (but not tearing the staminal ring), externally puberulent, pellucid dots covering the whole surface; calyx 4–merous, lobes 0.4–1.4 × 0.6–1.4 mm, not fused, deciduous parallel to the hypanthium ring, depressed ovate, concave, apex rounded, both surfaces puberulent; corolla 4–merous, petals white, 1.2–1.8 × 1.2–2.6 mm, widely depressed ovate, very widely ovate or very widely obovate, plane to concave, apex rounded, externally puberulent, internally puberulent to glabrous; staminal ring ca. 0.4 mm wide, puberulent (rarely glabrous), stamens 70–103, filament 2.0–6.0 mm long, anther 0.16–0.32 × 0.16–0.32 mm, gland at the apex; ovary 0.6–1.0 × 0.6–1.2 mm, obconic, style 4.8–7.0 mm long, glabrous, stigma punctiform. Fruit mature red to black, 1.5 × 1.5 cm, globose, base obconic, glabrescent to glabrous, totally covered by pellucid dots, remnants of hypanthium and calyx present; seeds 1 per fruit.

Distribution and Habitat: — Myrcia reitzii occurs in tropical and subtropical regions in the Atlantic Forest domain, ranging from the Santa Catarina to São Paulo states ( Figure 12 ). The species inhabits rainforests and riparian forests, typically occurring at forest edges and within understory, being found in elevations from 350 to 1,100 meters. It is noted as locally abundant in some areas.

Phenology: —Flowering occurs from November to February, peaking in December. Fruiting occurs from February to August, with mature fruits in May and June.

Conservation Status: — Myrcia reitzii has an Extent of Occurrence estimated at approximately 58,441 km 2 (threshold of Least Concern) and a small Area of Occupancy (76 km 2, threshold of Endangered) (sensu IUCN 2022). The species has been recorded in over than 10 localities (22 records) across its range; however, only two of these are within Conservation Units, and most records are concentrated in the eastern Paraná State. Due to this conflicting data, the species is assigned as Data Deficient (DD; IUCN 2022), though it warrants attention for conservation.

Taxonomy: — Myrcia reitzii is a distinctive species, primarily identified by its swollen nodes, long petioles, and leaves with secondary and tertiary veins raised on the adaxial surface, with small areoles ( Figure 32A–D ). Additional diagnostic features include monopodial branching, an elliptic or ovate leaf blade, axillar inflorescence at terminal or subterminal nodes of the SGU, elongated flower bud, and fruit with an obconic base. The vernacular name “pindaíba” has been recorded in the Paraná state.

Illustrations and images in previous works: — Legrand (1961, as Marlierea reitzii ), Legrand & Klein (1971, as Marlierea reitzii ), Lannoy et al. (2021).

Additional specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Paraná: unknown municipality, 13 December 1929 (fl.), Gurgel 100 ( R, RB); 20 August 1911 (fr.), P.Dusén 12072 ( NY). Mun. Adrianópolis, 19 April 2017 (fr.), E.Barbosa 4592 ( MBM, RB). Mun. Bocaiúva do Sul, 19 May 2005 (fr.), J. M. Silva 4336 ( BHCB); ibidem, 20 December 1972 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 31025 ( MBM). Mun. Campina Grande do Sul, 14 July 1999 (fr.), J. M. Silva 2996 ( MBM); ibidem, 16 December 1962 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 9514 ( MBM); ibidem, 20 January 1963 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 9855 ( MBM); ibidem, 27 December 1967 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 18182 ( MBM, NY, P, US); ibidem, 8 February 1968 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 18579 ( K, MBM, NY, P, US); ibidem, 9 July 2014 (fr.), M. L.Brotto 1715 ( MBM, RB, SPF, SPSF). Mun. Guaraqueçaba, 15 March 1984 (fr.), Y. S.Kuniyoshi 4747 ( MBM, US); ibidem, 5 February 1985 (fl.), Y. S.Kuniyoshi 4834 ( MBM). Mun.

Morretes, 13 January 1972 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 28644 ( MBM); ibidem, 16 January 1990 (fl.), V.Nicolack 117 ( MBM, SPF, US). Mun. Piraquara, February 2005 (fr.), M.Reginato 201 ( BHCB); ibidem, 17 December 1998 (fl.), A.Lacerda 190 ( MBM); ibidem, 17 November 1997 (fl.), J. M. Silva 2249 ( BHCB, HUEFS, MBM, NY, SP, SPF); ibidem, 7 December 1978 (fl.), Y. S.Kuniyoshi 4498 ( MBM). Mun. Quatro Barras, 29 June 1988 (fr.), G.Hatschbach 52152 ( HUEFS, MBM); ibidem, 5 May 1980 (fr.), G.Hatschbach 42996 ( MBM). Mun. Rio Branco do Sul, 26 December 1978 (fl.), G.Hatschbach 41855 ( MBM, NY, SPF, UEC). Mun. Tunas do Paraná, 23 March 2001 (fr.), J. M. Silva 3358 ( BHCB, ESA, MBM, SPF, SPSF). Santa Catarina: Mun. Lauro Müller , 24 April 1959 (fr.), R.Reitz 8786 ( NY, US). São Paulo: unknown municipality, no date (fl.), Puiggari s.n. ( P 05131506). Mun. São Miguel Arcanjo, 23 April 1994 (fr.), P. L. R.Moraes 941 ( ESA, RB, SP); ibidem, 19 December 2000 (fl.), P. L. R.Moraes 2317 ( ESA, SPF). Mun. São Paulo, 19 April 1995 (fr.), S. A. P.Godoy 469 ( MBM, SP, SPF, UEC); ibidem, 22 June 1995 (fr.), S. A. P.Godoy 618 ( SP); ibidem, 3 November 1983 (fl.), J. B.Baitello s.n. ( SPF 00046607); ibidem, 9 December 1988 (fl.), O. T.Aguiar 289 ( SPSF).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Distribution of Myrcia eugenioides (triangles) and Myrcia reitzii (circles). Solid lines represent the boundaries of South American countries and Brazilian states. The grayscale reflects elevation.

FIGURE 32. A–D. Myrcia reitzii. A. Habit of specimen approximately 25 m tall. B. Trunk with thick bark. C. Fruiting branch showing swollen node. D. Immature obovoid fruits. E–H. Myrcia tenondeporan. E. Internal bark. F. Immature leaves. G. Fruiting branch; note the prolonged leaf apex. H. Cross section of mature fruit. Image credits: A–E, G and H) Eduardo H. P. Barretto.

FIGURE 33. Representative specimens of Myrcia sect. Eugeniopsis: Myrcia reitzii (Baitello 7243 [SPF]).

FIGURE 34. Representative specimens of Myrcia sect. Eugeniopsis: Myrcia reitzii (Silva 3358 [SPF]).