Coccoloba ibarrae J.J.Ancona & J.J.Ortiz-Díaz, Phytotaxa, 2023

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 : 122-124

5. Coccoloba ibarrae J.J.Ancona & J.J.Ortiz-Díaz, Phytotaxa 599 (2): 103–107. 2023 . ( Figs. 8A–F ).

Type:— MEXICO. Oaxaca: San Felipe Usila, Cerro verde 7 km al NNE de San Felipe Usila, 17°56′ N, 96°30′ W, 1050 m. 30 September 1992, Ibarra et al. 3719 (holotype MEXU!; isotype MO!) .

Description:—Trees hermaphrodites, functionally unisexual, 10–25 m tall; branches glabrous, striate; ochrea 1–1.5 cm long, chartaceous, cylindrical, glabrous to scabrid, with brown dark trichomes. Leaves simple, alternate; petiole 2.5–3.5 long, 4–7 mm thick, striated, scabrid to puberulent, with brown dark trichomes, inserted at base of the ochrea; leaf blade oblong-elliptical to obovate-elliptical, 20–31(–35) long, 14‒21 (–25) cm wide, coriaceous to chartaceous, abaxially scabrid, adaxially glabrous, margin entire, apex acute to slightly rounded, base cordate; venation brochidodromous and reticulate, prominent, scabrid, (9‒) 10‒14 pairs of primary nerves. Inflorescence racemiform, arranged in a large sympodial panicle, branches 5–8, main axis reduced, 2–5 cm long, striate, pilose to sparsely scabrid; spiciform portion 11–22 cm long, rachis 1.5–3 mm diameter, raquis striated, pilose to sparsely scabrid; bracteole cymbiform, 0.8–1 mm, pilose; ochreola 0.6–0.8 mm long, membranaceous, glabrous to pilose-scabrid, runded in the apex, yellowish; pedicel in flower 0.5–1.0 mm long; pedicel in fruit 2.5–3.5 mm. Flowers in two whorls, outer tepals 3, inner tepals 2, alternate, outer tepals coriaceous, pilose or with a line of hairs in the middle vein, with golden-reddish trichomes; inner tepals papyraceous, glabrous; flowers functionally male 2–3 (–5) × fascicle, 1.5–2 mm long; hypanthium 0.7–1 mm long, hirtellous-pilose, turbinate; tepals 1–1.2 mm long; stamens 10, 1.5–2 mm long, filaments filiform 1 mm long, anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long; ovary 0.8 mm long, trigonous, glabrous, style 3, 0.5 mm long; flowers functionally female solitary, 1.5–2 mm long, hypanthium 0.8–1 mm long, hirtellous-pilose, campaniform; tepals 1–1.2 mm long; stamens 10, 1.5 mm long, filaments filiform 1 mm long, anthers 0.5 mm long; ovary 1.5–2 mm long, trigonous, glabrous, style 3, 0.8–1 mm long. Fruit acrosarcum, 13–13.75 mm long, 8.6–9.4 mm diameter, ovoid to prolate, with prominent ribs, apex obtuse to acute, base rounded, abruptly contracted at junction with pedicel, glabrous; hypanthium accrescent, succulent, almost completely enclosing achene, tepals accrescent, appressed at the apex tuberculate of the achene; achene 10.5–11.6 mm long, 8–8.7 mm diameter, globose, base rounded, apex tuberculate, pyramidal, prominent, black, smooth, glossy.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is dedicated to Dr. Guillermo Ibarra Manríquez , collector of the type specimen, and for his dedication to the study of the tropical forests of Veracruz, where the new species is distributed.

Phenology: — Flowers from December to May; fruits from April to December.

Distribution and ecology: — Coccoloba ibarrae is endemic to Mexico. This species is distributed in the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz ( Fig. 8G ). This species inhabits highland rainforest and montane cloud forest at elevations of 1,100 to 1,500 m.

Provisional conservation status:—The EOO is 8,380.16 km 2, within the threshold for Vulnerable (VU) status under subcriterion B1, and the AOO is estimated as 36 km 2, which is below the threshold for Endangered (EN) status under subcriterion B2. Coccoloba ibarrae is an endemic species of cloud forests, with 15 known occurrences and four subpopulations. All occurrences are recorded outside protected natural areas. However, occurrences are located in conserved areas, but this does not indicate that in the future they will be severely fragmented, mainly by coffee cultivation in the municipalities of Cordoba and Orizaba, Veracruz. According to the IUCN methodology ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2024), if the EOO threshold is lower than the AOO threshold, the EOO should be set equal to the AOO to ensure consistency with the definition of AOO as an area within the EOO. Therefore, C. ibarrae is assigned a preliminary status of Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].

Discussion: — Coccoloba ibarrae is similar to C. belizensis , but C. belizensis inhabits the humid forests of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Quintana Roo ( Mexico), while C. ibarrae is endemic to the cloud forests of Veracruz and Oaxaca. In addition, C. belizensis has abaxially glabrous, corrugated blades and no prominent veins, while C. ibarrae has abaxially scabrid, non-corrugated blades and prominent veins.

Specimens examined:— MEXICO, Oaxaca: San Pedro Teutila, El Faro, región La Cañada, 96°39ʹ8ʺN 14°59ʹ10.4ʺW, 1463 m, 14 January 2005, Espinosa & Juárez G. 2293 (MEXU); Valle Nacional, 3 km al SW de Cerro Mirador, camino a San Juan Palantla, 17°53ʹN 96°22ʹW, 1200 m, 29 April 1993, Ibarra et al. 3850 (MEXU); Valle Nacional, cerro Mirador 15 km NNW de Valle Nacional, 17°93ʹN 96°22ʹW, 1200 m, 16 October 1992, Meave et al. 1535 (MEXU); Valle Nacional, cerro Mirador, 15 km NNW de Valle Nacional, 17°53ʹN 96°22ʹW, 1200 m, 27 April 1993, Ibarra et al. 3008 (MEXU). Veracruz: Tenochtitlán, 2 km en línea recta al SE de Tenochtitlán faldas del cerro Gigante o Cipresal, 19°47ʹ99ʺN 96°54ʹ00ʺW, 1200 m, 06 November 2000, Rincón & Durán 2158 (MEXU); Tenochtitlan, Colorado, camino de terracería, Misantla-Tenochtitlan, 920 m, 27 April 1976, Hernández 190 (MEXU, NY); Yacuatla, 1 km al sur de Progreso de Juárez, dirección Barranca de Maíz, 19°48ʹN 96°48ʹW, 1200, 15 January 1990, Gutiérrez-Báez 3807 (MEXU; XAL); Yacuatla, entre Nueva Reforma y El Cedral, 19°50ʹN 96°46ʹW, 1000 m, 06 March 1990, Gutiérrez-Báez 3946 (MEXU); Ixtaczoquitlán, cerro Buena Vista, 18°53ʹ40ʺN 97°21ʹ5ʺW, 1230 m, 27 September 1995, Juárez 750 (MEXU; XAL); Chiconquiaco, Arroyo Colorado, 19°48ʹN 96°47ʹW, 1300 m, 06 March 1990, Gutiérrez-Báez 3940 (MEXU); Atoyac, Miraflores 9 km al NW de Atoyac, 18°57ʹN 96°49ʹW, 1000, 18 May 1985, Acevedo & Acosta 172 (MEXU, XAL); Juchique de Ferrer, La Cima, Plan de Hayas, 1500 m, 26 June 1976, Hernández 1606 (MEXU); Juchique de Ferrer, Cerro de la Botella, 19°46′09.4″N 96°41ʹ36.8ʺW, 847 m, 24 July 2008, Vázquez MVT8643 (MEXU, UV); Santa Ana Atzacan al N de Orizaba, 51-B-2, 1300 m, 03 December 1967, Rosas 888 (MEXU); Carta Blanca, entre Orizaba y Córdoba (Tajitos), 1020 m, 28 May 1967, Rosas 397 (MEXU); Coatepec, en el km 6 (en Zoncuantla) carretera vieja Jalapa-Coatepec, 19°27ʹN 96°57ʹW, 1200 m, 7 March 1978, Calzada 4263 (MEXU); Coatepec, en Zoncuantla, 4 December 1975, Jiménez 107 (MEXU, XAL); La Mina, Las Minas hacia Molinillo, 19°42ʹN 97°08ʹW, 1300 m, 25 May 1989, Durán & J. Becerra 802 (MEXU, XAL).

Figures

FIGURE 8. A. Specimen of Coccoloba ibarrae (G. Ibarra Manríquez 3719, MEXU B. Portion of inflorescence and fruit; C. Acrosarcum lateral view; D. Acrosarcum polar view; E. Achene lateral view; F.Achene polar view; G. Geographical distribution.