Jaltomata veracruzana M.M. Martínez-Flores & M. Burgos-Hdz., 2025

Martínez-Flores, Ma. Mercedes, Burgos-Hernández, Mireya, Martínez-Domínguez, Lilí & Nicolalde-Morejón, Fernando, 2025, Jaltomata veracruzana (Solaneae, Solanoideae, Solanaceae), a new species from the mountain cloud forests of Veracruz, Mexico, Phytotaxa 712 (2), pp. 141-155 : 142-147

Jaltomata veracruzana M.M. Martínez-Flores & M. Burgos-Hdz. , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–3 )

Type:— MEXico: Veracruz: Municipality Coacoatzintla, Las Coles , 19°42’49”N, 96°57’26”W ; 2200 m; 24 May 2018; L. Cuevas Reyes et al. 383 (holotype CIB 18804 UV!, isotypes CIB 27641 UV!, CHAPA!, IBUG!, MEXU!, XAL!) .

Diagnosis:— Jaltomata veracruzana has markedly ovate-deltoid leaf blades with sinuate to sinuate-toothed margins, attenuated-truncated bases, and dense pubescence on the abaxial surface, green pedicels, calyces that are black to blackish when in flower, green with blackish markings and black midvein when the fruit is ripe, lobes ovate-elliptical, trichomes white and sparse, and corollas with light-purple veins. It differs from the similar J. bohsiana by the ovate-deltoid leaves with sinuate to sinuate-toothed margins ( J. veracruzana ) vs. leaves elliptical with entire to entire-repand margins ( J. bohsiana ), green pedicels ( J. veracruzana ) vs. reddish-purple pedicels ( J. bohsiana ), ovate-elliptical calyx lobes ( J. veracruzana ) vs. triangular lobes ( J. bohsiana ), and corolla pilosulose on both surfaces without margin ciliolate ( J. veracruzana ) vs. corolla adaxially pilosulose with margin ciliolate ( J. bohsiana ). The rest of the Mexican species have a green calyx, sometimes with some purple coloration, but never completely dark when in flower. No other Mexican species of Jaltomata has a corolla with light-purple veins.

Description:— Herbaceous or suffrutescent plants, 0.30–1.0 m tall. Stems angular in cross section, erect, branched, hollow, green to purple-green when fresh, olive-green when dried; pubescence dense to sparse, mainly at nodes and apical buds, trichomes 0.5–0.7 mm long, whitish, simple, thick, short, and septate. Leaves alternate, simple, proximally solitary, distally geminate, green to olive-green when fresh, green with brown tones when dried; blades 92–145 × 60–120 mm, sparsely pubescent on the adaxial face, dense on the abaxial face; young leaves ovate with entire to slightly sinuate margins, mature leaves ovate-deltoid with sinuate to sinuate-toothed margins, apex acute, with angle of between 40–60°, base attenuate-truncate; venation anastomosed with abundant trichomes along the veins on the abaxial face, the midvein 9.0– 12 mm wide with 6–9 secondary veins on either side; petioles 25–48 mm long, winged, slightly flattened, green, greenish-brown when dried. Inflorescence axillary, umbellate, the flowers not synchronized, never with solitary flowers; peduncles 10–28 mm long, quadrangular in cross section, sparsely to densely pubescent, green, positioned at 45–90° relative to the stem. Flower buds ovoid, green with purple veins, trichomes whitish, dense. Flowers 5–15 per umbel, pedicels 5–9 mm long, green, terete to quadrangular in cross section, pendulous, sparsely pubescent; calyx 5–6 mm diameter in flower, 9–11 mm diameter in fruit, black to blackish in flower, becoming green with blackish markings and black midvein in fruit, 5-lobate, lobes ovate-elliptic, fused to 1/3 of the base, extended to concave when flowering, sparsely pubescent; corolla 9–13 mm diameter, rotate, pale greenish-yellowish with light-purple veins, dark-green maculae in the center, 5-lobate, pilosulose on both surfaces; stamens with filaments 2.0– 3.5 mm long, straight, whitish-green when fresh, yellowish-brown when dried, sparsely pubescent in the lower third, glabrous distally, anthers 1.3–2 mm long, ovoid, sub-basifixed, longitudinally dehiscent, yellowish, pollen yellow; pistil with style 2.5–4.0 mm long, equal in height to the stamens, straight, light green when fresh, brown when dried, stigma 0.4–0.5 mm wide, capitate, light green when fresh, dark-brown when dried, ovary 1.5–2.0 mm diameter, bilocular, green when fresh, dark-brown when dried, ovules ~90 per ovary. Fruits berries, spherical to oblate, 8–11 mm diameter when immature, 10–15 mm diameter when ripe, initially green with dark green lines which turn purple during the ripening process, then black, epicarp smooth and shiny; seeds 1.3–1.5 mm long, numerous, discoid, oblate, yellowish-brown, testa alveolate to rugose.

Distribution and Ecology:— Jaltomata veracruzana is only known from eastern Mexico in the Sierra de Chiconquiaco in the state of Veracruz ( Fig. 4 ), which forms part of the Sierra Madre Oriental. This species occurs in the mountain cloud forest from 1640 to 2400 m in elevation, growing in clay-type soils with abundant organic matter and, to a lesser extent, in sandy soils. Generally, this species is associated with crops of maize.

Preliminary conservation status:— According to the criterion B established by the IUCN (2024), with an EOO of 17.326 km 2, two known locations, and each population with between five to 20 individuals, J. veracruzana can be considered as Endangered EN (B1ab(i)(iii)). Although its AOO is 12,000 km 2, its distribution is narrow and scarce across the deteriorated mountain cloud forest. The forest in this area has been affected by its proximity to centers of human population and loss of vegetation due to livestoc production, illegal logging, agriculture, and the expansion of human settlements ( Williams-Linera 2007, Peláez et al. 2014, Sánchez-Ramos & Dirzo 2014, Partida-Sedas 2017, CONABIO 2020).

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting from April to September.

Etymology:— The specific epithet alludes to the state of Veracruz, where the type specimen was collected and where the species is endemic.

Additional specimens examined:— MEXico. Veracruz: Municipality Altotonga: Aproximadamente km 28 Carretera Perote – Altotonga , 19º44’15.2”N, 97º14’53.1”W, 2075 m, 5 August 2024, L. Martínez-Domínguez & F. Nicolalde-Morejón 2982 ( CIB!, CHAPA!), 2983 ( CIB!, CHAPA!). Municipality Chiconquiaco: Camino a Plan de La Flor ; 19°46’23”N, 96°45’19”W, 1638 m, 26 April 2018, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 2710 ( CIB!), 2711 ( CIB!) ;

19°46’10”N, 96°45’38”W, 1640 m, 26 April 2018, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 348 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!), 349 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!, XAL!), 352 ( CIB!, MEXU!, XAL!), 353 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, IBUG!, MEXU!, XAL!) ; camino Vaquería – Naranjos ; 19º45’51”N, 96º46’15”W, 1800 m, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 448 ( CIB!, MEXU!) ; 19º45’48”N, 96º45’47”W, 1,520 m, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 450 ( CIB!, MEXU!) ; camino Vaquería – Plan de la Estrella, 19°46’10”N, 96°45’38”W, 1640 m, 26April 2018, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1267 ( CIB!), 1268 ( CIB!), 1269 ( CIB!). Municipality Coacoatzintla: El Aguacate 2, 19°42’41”N, 96°57’38”W, 2410 m, 24 May 2018, F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 2746 ( CIB!), 2747 ( CIB!) ; L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 399 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!, XAL!), 400 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!), 401 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!), 402 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!, XAL!), 403 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!, XAL!), 404 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, IBUG!, MEXU!, UAMIZ!, XAL!) ; L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1308 ( CIB!), 1309 ( CIB!), 1310 ( CIB!) ; Las Coles, 19°42’43”N, 96°58’18”W, 2300 m, 24 May 2018, L. Martínez-Domínguez et al. 1304 ( CIB!) ; 19°42’49”N, 96°57’26″W, 2200 m, 24 May 2018, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 383 ( CIB!) ; F. Nicolalde-Morejón et al. 2742 ( CIB!) ; Metlapiles, 19°42’49”N, 96°57’26”W, 2200 m, 24 May 2018, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 384 ( CIB!, CHAPA!) ; 19°42’25”N, 96°57’1”W, 2100 m, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 388, 389 ( CIB!, MEXU!, XAL!), 391 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, IBUG!, MEXU!, UAMIZ!, XAL!), 392 ( CHAPA!, CIB!, MEXU!, XAL!), 393 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!), 394 ( CIB!, MEXU!, XAL!) ; 19°42’21”N, 96°56’56”W, 2200 m. L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 395 ( CIB!, CHAPA!, MEXU!, XAL!), 396 ( CIB!, XAL!), 397 ( CIB!) ; 19°42’41”N, 96°57’38”W, 2410 m, L. Cuevas-Reyes et al. 398 ( CIB!, MEXU!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Vegetative morphology and habitat of Jaltomata veracruzana. A Adult plant; B Plant with fruits at maturity in habitat; C Plant associated with maize crop; D Leaves; E Trichomes on leaves; F Leaves and roots. Photographs by Lilí Martínez-Domínguez.

FIGURE 2. Reproductive morphology of Jaltomata veracruzana. A Fruits at maturity; B Fruits in the ripening process; C Ripe fruit cross-section preserved in 70% alcohol; D Seed; E Flower at full anthesis showing the light-purple veins (see circle); F Lateral view of the flower (arrows show the veins); G Inflorescence with flowers recently opened; H Detail of calyx and corolla. Photographs by Lilí Martínez-Domínguez.

FIGURE 3. Jaltomata veracruzana M.M. Martínez-Flores & M. Burgos-Hdz., sp. nov. A General aspect of the plant; B Style and stigma; C Filament and anther; D Longitudinal aspect of the flower showing the reproductive structures; E Corolla, gynoecium and androecium; F Calyx and fruit. Illustrated by Robin Leoneth Pérez Lucas, based on L. Cuevas Reyes et al. 383 (CIB!).

FIGURE 4. Geographic distribution of Jaltomata veracruzana and J. bohsiana. Map by Ma. Mercedes Martínez-Flores.