Gaylussacia pulchra Pohl, Pl. Bras. Icon. Descr.

Garcia, Lívia & Jr, José Nascimento, 2024, Ericaceae from Serra de São José and Serra do Lenheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Rodriguesia (e 00832024) 76, pp. 1-12 : 11

2.4. Gaylussacia pulchra Pohl, Pl. Bras. Icon. Descr. 2: 41, pl. 127. 1828.

Shrub ca. 0.5 m tall; branches glabrous to sparsely pubescent on young branches; non-glandular trichomes on branches, leaves, edges of the calyx near the apex, and fruits; elongated glandular trichomes present on the calyx, fruits, and occasionally on young branches; darkened capitate to subcapitate glands present on the leaves. Leaves with brochidodromous venation, petiolate, petiole robust, ca. 1.8 × 1.1 mm, leaf blade chartaceous, elliptical to obovate, 2.0–3.1 × 8.5– 1.4 cm, apex rounded to obtuse, mucronate, base cuneate, margin revolute, entire or serrate from the middle to the apex, thick-flattened apical gland, adaxial surface glabrous to pubescent at the base of the central vein, abaxial surface glabrous to sparsely pubescent mainly near the main vein. Inflorescence axillary raceme, peduncle ca. 0.7 cm long, rachis 1.8–2.4 cm long, sparsely pubescent; bracts oval and bracteoles filiform. Pedicel 5–7.4 mm long; calyx lobes 0.6–0.9 × 1–1.2 mm, sparsely pubescent; corolla 7.2–8.5 × 2.3–2.9 mm, reddish, urceolate, glabrous; style ca. 10 mm long, glabrous, 10 stamens with filaments 1.5–2 mm long, glabrous, anthers ca. 4.5 mm long. Submature fruit 2.8–3.2 mm diam., globose, ribbed, sparsely pubescent, blackened in sicco.

Examined material: São João del-Rei, Trindade road, 21°13’49”S, 44°29”57” W, 17.VII.2017, fl.and fr., MTR Costa et al. 1050 ( HUSFJ) .

Gaylussacia pulchra is found in the eastern part of Brazil, specifically in the states of Pernambuco, Bahia, Minas Gerais, and EspÍrito Santo, in mountainous vegetation associated with rocky outcrops (high-altitude fields and rupestrian fields). In the mountain ranges studied by us, the species can be observed flowering in the month of July.

This species is characterized by the presence of flowers with a reddish corolla, as well as the hypanthium, calyx, and some branches with glandular trichomes. This feature is the most distinctive criterion for differentiating it from Gaylussacia brasiliensis , the species that is morphologically more similar in the region.