Luehea speciosa Willd., Neue Schriften Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin

Gerace, Samuele, Peruzzi, Lorenzo, Baumgratz, José Fernando A. & Bovini, Massimo G., 2025, Flora of Rio de Janeiro: the genus Luehea (Malvaceae: Grewioideae), Rodriguesia (e 00512024) 76, pp. 1-13 : 10-12

7. Luehea speciosa Willd., Neue Schriften Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin 3: 410. tab.5. 1801.

= Luehea densiflora A.St.-Hill., Fl. Bras. Merid. 1: 294. 1828.

= Luehea laxiflora A.St.-Hill., Fl. Bras. Merid. 1: 293. 1828.

= Lueh ea fe r r ug inea Tu rc z., Bu l l. S oc. I mp. Naturalistes Moscou 31(1): 224. 1858.

= Luehea alternifolia (Mill.) Mabb., Gard. Bull. Singapore 54(2): 254. 2002. Figs. 2 m-p; 3f; 5

Shrubs to trees, 2–20 m hight. Petiole 0.6–1.5 cm long. Leaves 6.8 –24 × 5–13.8 cm, membranaceous, elliptic, ovate or oblong, base subcordate to rounded, adaxial surface green, with trichomes stellate, abaxial surface white, with densely trichomes arachnoid and stellate. Inflorescence with 2–20 flower, 3.3–16 cm long, terminal and axillary. Flowers 4.8–9 cm wide; pedicel 0.9–3.5 cm long. Epicalyx with 7–10 bracteoles 1.6–3.2 × 0.25–0.7 cm, lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate, base cuneate. Sepals 2.1–5.2 × 0.7–1.5 cm, lanceolate, 1/2-basal revolute. Petals 2.4– 4.3 × 0.7–1.9 cm, white, obovate to oblong, margin repand. Androecium grouped in 5 phalanges, free; staminodes 0.5–1.4 cm long; stamens 1.4–2.8 cm long. Ovary 4–9 × 4–8 mm, ovate to globular, circular to pentagonal in transversal section; style 1.1–2.1 cm long, 1/2-basal pubescent; stigma 3–5.5 mm wide, 1–2 mm long. Capsule 1.9–4.8 × 1.25–2.4 cm, oblong, ovate, elliptic, narrow-elliptic or globular, apex rounded, truncate, acute or cuneate, base rounded, acute, cuneate or truncate, tomentose, valve with dorsal surface convex to plane, sometimes with central relief, pentagonal or circular cross section, margins planes, not crest-like. Seeds 0.6–1.8 × 0.2–0.5 cm.

Selected examined material: Araruama, estrada do morro grande, 1.XI.2015, fr., B.N. Riguetti 18 ( RB). Barra do PiraÍ, Dorândia, 23.IX.2015, fr., L. Silva 655 ( RB). Barra Mansa, Fazenda Boa Esperança, 8.V.2013, fl., M.G. Bovini et al. 3825 ( RB). Cambuci, BR-116, 9.I.2017, fr., M.G. Bovini et al. 4267 ( RB). Campos dos Goytacazes, Sossêgo do Imbé, Rio Sossêgo, 16.V.1989, fl., G. Martinelli et al. 13318 ( RB). Cardoso Moreira, 10.VI.2014, fr., J.O. Mendonça-Junior ( RB 00906223). Casimiro de Abreu, BR-101, 30.V.1987, fl., C. Atorge & F.M. Pena 1646 (R). Duque de Caxias, Reserva da Petrobras, trilha ao redor do lago da barragem, 5.VIII.1997, fr., J.M.A. Braga et al. 4320 ( RB). ItaboraÍ, Serra de Itaitindiba, Alto da Gaia, 16.VI.2017, fl., D.N.S. Machado et al. 2143 ( RB). Itaguaì, Serra Arapucaia, 14.VII.1927, fr., Pessoal Horto Florestal ( RB 00436801). Itatiaia, Rodovia Presidente Dutra, proximo confino estado do Rio de Janeiro, 26.V.1951, fl., H. Monteiro 3084 (RBR). Macaé, estrada para Glicério, 28.VI.2016, fl. and fr., M.G. Bovini & J.M.A. Braga 4243 ( RB). Mangaratiba, Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Nacional de Rio das Pedras, 23.XI.2001, M.G. Bovini et al. 2095 ( RB). Maricá, Inoã, Serra do Cassorotiba, 11.IV.2015, fl., D.N.S. Machado & G.A. de Quieroz 501 ( RB); Miracema, 25.VII.2001, fl., S.M. Souto & J.M. Lima 150 (RBR). Niterói, Morro da Detenção, Parque das Águas, 9.VI.2011, fl. and fr., G.C. Lessa et al. 06 ( RB).Nova Friburgo, Flor das Andorinhas, 16.III.2001, fr., A. Quinet ( RB 00436791). Petrópolis, Itaipava, 30.IV.2006, fl., G. Siqueira & O. Gracff 109 ( RB). PiraÍ, Represa de Ribeirao das Lages, 24.IV.1991, fl., G.V. Somner & M.V.L. Pereira 626 (RBR). Quatis, estrada para o distrito de Fumaça, 9.V.2013, fl., M.G. Bovini et al. 3832 ( RB). Resende, Parque Estadual da Pedra Selada, 4.V.2015, fl., L.J.T. Cardoso et al. 1415 ( RB). Rio Bonito, Serra do Sambê, Estrada Velha de Lavras, 3.VII.2016, fl., G.A. de Quieroz & D.N.S. Machado 368 ( RB). Rio das Ostras, Fazenda Itapebussus, 1.VII.2004, fr., A. Oliveira & D. Oliveira 866 ( RB). Rio de Janeiro, Parque Nacional da Tijuca, estrada da Vista Chinesa, 27.VII.1960, fl., H.F. Martins 131 ( RB). Santa Maria Madalena, área de amortecimento do Parque Estadual de Desengano, 8.VI.2016, fl., J.F.A. Baumgratz et al. 1496 ( RB).São Gonçalo, Morro de Itaoca, 12.VII.1997, fr., R.N. Damasceno 565 ( RB). Sapucaia, Fazenda Ouro e Sal, 13.IX.2003, fl., L.F.T. Menezes et al. 1042 (RBR). Saquarema, Morro dos Pregos, 10.VI.1982, fl., D. Neto & C. Farney 33 ( RB). Silva Jardim, Reserva Biológica Poço das Antas, 6.VIII.1981, fr., E.F. Guimarães et al. 1171 ( RB). Teresópolis, dist. Campo Limpo, 28.V.1977, fl., L.A.F. de Carvalho 518 ( RB). Volta Redonda, Fazenda Santa Cecilia do Ingà, 14.III.2005, fl., R. Oliveira et al. (RBR 14403).

Geographical distribution and habitat: Luehea speciosa is widespread from southern Mexico to Paraguay and northern Argentina ( Setser 1977). In Brazil, it occurs in all phytogeographic domains, except the Pampa Biome. Luehea speciosa is the most frequent species in the State of Rio de Janeiro, occurring in thirty-one municipalities from elevations between 20 and 1,050 m in submontane to altomontane ombrophilous forests and in riparian or gallery forests, showing a preference for areas with high brightness and anthropocenic impact ( Fig. 5 ). This species is present in the following conservation units: Parque Nacional de Itatiaia (Itatiaia), Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Nacional de Rio das Pedras (Mangaratiba), Parque Estadual da Pedra Selada (Resende), Parque Nacional da Tijuca , Parque Natural Municipal da Serra do Mendanha (Rio de Janeiro), Parque Estadual do Desengano (Santa Maria Madalena), and Reserva Biológica Poço das Antas (Silva Jardim). Flowering and fruiting were recorded throughout the year.

Luehea speciosa is the type species of the genus, and it is morphologically very similar to L. macrophylla since both have flowers and fruits larger than most Brazilian species. It is distinguished from L. macrophylla for its lanceolate to narrow-lanceolate bracteoles of the epicalyx (vs. ovate), ovary circular to pentagonal in transversal section (vs. angular), and valves of the capsule with dorsal surface convex or plane ( Figs. 2 n-p; 3f; vs. deeply sulcate, see Figs. 2h and 3e ).

For the state of Rio de Janeiro, several specimens were identified as L. grandiflora and some as L. speciosa . These materials showed considerable overlapping in the morphometric analysis ( Gerace 2021), resulting in the failure to make any distinction. Given consistency with the protologue and the priority in publication, all these specimens were herein identified as L. speciosa . Furthermore, this complex of species is currently being assessed in a broader and more indepth way using molecular analyses to clarify the relationships among taxa (Gerace, in preparation).

Figures

Figure 2 – a-b.Luehea candicans – a. leaf; b. capsule.c-d.L. conwentzii – c. leaf; d. capsule. e-f.L. divaricata – e. leaf; f. capsule. g-h. L. macrophylla – g. leaf; h. capsule. i-j. L. ochrophylla – i. leaf; j. capsule. k-l. L. paniculata – k. leaf; l. capsule. m-p. L. speciosa – m. leaf; n-p. capsules. (a-b. S. Lima 406; c-d. C. Farney et al. 3578; e-f. J.F.A. Baumgratz et al. 1724; g-h. S. Gerace 128; i-j. T.M. Scarponi; k-l. D.N.S. Machado & L.A. Ribas 285; m-o. G.A. de Queiroz 408; n. B.N. Riguetti 18; p. D. Costantino). Photos by Samuele Gerace.

Figure 3 – a. Luehea conwentzii – fruiting branchlet. b-c. L. divaricata – b. fruiting branchlet; c. flower. d-e. L. macrophylla – d. fertile branchlet; e. detail of the fertile branchlet. f. L. speciosa – fruiting branchlet. Photos: a. Massimo Bovini; b-c. Marcus Coelho; d-e. Samuele Gerace; f. Carlos Ferreira.

Figure 5 – Geographical distribution of Luehea speciosa in the state of Rio de Janeiro.