Coccoloba matudae Lundell, Contr. Univ.

Ancona, Juan José, Ortiz-Díaz, Juan Javier, Gutiérrez-Alonso, Eduardo & Ledesma, Patricia Hernández, 2025, A taxonomic revision of Coccoloba sect. Paniculatae (Polygonaceae, Eriogonoideae), Phytotaxa 704 (2), pp. 106-152 : 130-132

9. Coccoloba matudae Lundell, Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 7: 8. 1942. ( Figs. 12A–F ).

Type:— MÉXICO. Chiapas: Sierra Madre, Saxchanal , Sierra Madre , 2700 m, in advanced forest, 1 July 1941, Matuda 4315 (holotype MICH!; isotype A!; MO!; NY!, US!) .

Epitype (designated by Ortiz-Díaz & Ancona, 2024: 93):— México, Chiapas, municipality La Trinitaria, Laguna Tziscao, Monte Bello National Park, 1380 m, 18 December 1980, D.E. Breedlove 48745 ( MEXU!, MO!).

Description:—Trees hermaphrodites, functionally unisexual, 7–12 m tall; branches striate, glabrous, brown to greyish, lenticelated or sparsely punctiform; ochrea 8.0– 10 mm long, striate. Leaves simple, alternate; petioles (3–) 5–8 mm long, 8–10 mm diameter, striate, glabrous, brown, arising near or above the base of the ochrea; leaf blades 15–19 × 8–10.5 cm, elliptic to broadly elliptic, chartaceous to coriaceous, glabrous or with a few trichomes beneath mostly in the axils of the main nerve, margin entire to slightly undulate, apex abruptly acute or short acuminate, base rounded to truncate sometimes slightly decurrent on petiole; venation brochidodromous, reticulate, prominent, primary veins 8–12 pairs, prominent. Inflorescence racemiform, terminal or subterminal, arranged in a small sympodial panicle, main axis reduced, 2–5 cm long, branches 4–5, 15–30 cm long; glabrous to pulverulent; rachis 1–2 mm diameter, striate, pulverulent; bracteole absent; ochreola 0.6–0.8 mm long, membranous, pulverulent, apex rounded; pedicels 3–4 mm long in fruit. Flowers not seen. Fruit acrosarcum, 9.5–10.5 mm long, 6.5–7.7 mm diameter, ovoid, with prominent ribs, obtuse apex, truncated base, abruptly contracted at junction with pedicel, brown, glabrous; hypanthium accrescent, succulent, almost completely enclosing achene, tepals accrescent, appressed at the apex tuberculate of the achene; achene 7.3–7.7 mm long, 6.4–7 mm diameter, ovoid to subglobose, base rounded, apex tuberculate, depressed– galeate, slightly prominent.

Etymology:—The specific name is dedicated to Dr. Eizi Matuda, who in life dedicated himself to the study of the flora of Mexico.

Phenology:—Flowers from January to July; and fruits from August to November

Distribution and ecology:—This species in endemic to Chiapas, Mexico ( Fig. 12G ), inhabits tropical rain forest and cloud forest; at elevation from 1500 to 2700 m.

Provisional conservation status:—Given the extremely narrow geographic distribution (AOO= 20 km 2) and the small number of occurrences (six). Furthermore, the six occurrences are located within the protected natural areas of El Triunfo, La Sepultura and Lagunas de Monte Bello . Under the IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024), we propose a preliminary IUCN Red List Assessment of Vulnerable [VU D2]. Any future documentation of negative population trends, increased threats, or lapses in appropriate fire management that would degrade habit quality would likely change the assessment toward Endangered under the B criteria.

Specimens examined: — MEXICO. Chiapas: Cintalapa , 1600 m, 3 November 1971, Breedlove 21822 ( MEXU) ; La Trinitaria, Laguna Tziscao, Monte Bello National Park , 1380 m, 18 December 1980, Breedlove 48745 ( MEXU, MO) ; La Trinitaria, Lago Tsiskaw on the Guatemala border, 30 miles east of La Trinitaria , 14 April 1965, Breedlove 9753 ( MEXU) ; Villa Corzo, Ejido Sierra Morena Cerro Bola , 16°26ʹ49ʺ N, 93°05ʹ20ʺ W, 1650 m, 3 August 2002, Reyes-García et al. 5184-b ( MEXU) ; Siltepec , Reserva de la Biósfera El Triunfo, 15°33ʹ24ʺ N, 92°36ʹ14ʺ W, 1728 m, 5 August 2005, Pérez-Bonifaz 138 ( MEXU) ; El Triunfo Reserve, at Cañada Honda , 15°37ʹN, 92°48ʹW, 1400 m, May 1989, Heath & Long MA 110 ( MEXU) ; Cascada Siltepec , 1600 m, 1 March 1945, Matuda 5144 ( MEXU) ; Mapastepec, Fca. Olorido , January 1938, Matuda 2002 ( MEXU) .

Figures

FIGURE 12. A. Specimen of Coccoloba matudae (D.E. Breedlove 48745, MO); B. Portion of inflorescence and pedicels; C. Acrosarcum lateral view; D. Acrosarcum polar view; E. Achene lateral view; F.Achene polar view; G. Geographical distribution.