Polygala jardimii J.F.B.Pastore, 2021

Bar, Jose Floriano, Mota, Michelle, Amano, Erika & Martinez, Agustina, 2021, Disentangling Polygala obovata Complex (Polygalaceae), with a Description of Three New Species for Brazil, Systematic Botany (Basel, Switzerland) 46 (4), pp. 985-997 : 991-994

Polygala jardimii J.F.B.Pastore , sp. nov. TYPE: BRAZIL. Bahia: Uruçuca, rodovia BA-001, mirante da praia, rodovia,

14 28 9 36 99 S, 39 1 9 51 99 W [-14.476, -39.030], 22 Jun 2007, J.F.B. Pastore & Suganuma 2138 (holotype: HUEFS [127600!]; isotype: CEN[69433!]

Decumbent herbs, to 25 cm tall. Roots slightly lignified. Stems slender, with a single to few arising from the base, cylindrical, green, without yellowish glands forming spots, densely puberulous, trichomes short-clavate. Leaves opposite, sub-opposite, or alternate, petiole ca. 1 mm long, chartaceous, lamina (0.5–)0.8–1.2 3 (0.3–) 0.4–0.5 cm, broad- obovate, rarely narrow-obovate, apex apiculate, margin slightly thickened, base obtuse, covered by small glandular trichomes. Racemes spiciform, 0.4–0.7 3 0.6–0.8 cm, reaching 1.2 cm after fruits fallen, flowers congested; peduncle short, to 2 mm; bracts 0.8–1 3 0.4 mm, lanceolate, apex acute, ciliate, with two small yellowish spots at the base, occasionally persistent at anthesis, twice the length of bracteoles; bracteoles 0.5–0.6 3 0.2 mm, lanceolate, ciliate; pedicel 1–1.1 mm, glabrous. Flowers white, 3.6–3.8 mm long; outer sepals ciliate, with two small yellow spots at the base; lower outer sepal 1.3–1.4 3 0.7–0.9 mm, ovate, apex slightly acuminate; upper outer sepals 1–1.3 3 0.5 mm, free to almost the base, lanceolate, apex acuminate; inner sepals (wings) 3–3.2 3 1.1–1.2 mm, elliptic, apex acuminate, margins not ciliate, longer than the mature fruits; lateral petals 1.7–1.9 3 0.7–0.8 mm; keel 2.1–2.4 mm long, cristate, with yellow spots along the dorsal central vein, persistent on mature fruits; crest 4–6-lobed; style erect, terminated by an oblique cymbiform pre-stigmatic cavity, posterior extremity with a conspicuously crested appendage with abundant trichomes and an anterior globose stigma. Capsules 2–2.2 3 1.3–1.4 mm, elliptical, stipitate, asymmetric, with yellow spots along the central vein, style caducous in fruit; seeds ca. 1.5–1.7 3 0.6–0.7 mm, oblong-elliptical, puberulous, appendages obovate, 2/3 of the length of the seed, 1–1.1 3 0.2–0.4 mm. Figure 8 .

Distribution — Polygala jardimii occurs in the municipalities of Itacare, Uruçuca, and Ilheus, southern coastal areas of Bahia state, Brazil ( Fig. 3 ). The species was frequently collected in open roadside areas on red-clay soils in the Atlantic Forest biome.

Etymology —The species is named after Dr. Jomar G. Jardim for his important contributions to the study of the Brazilian flora, especially that of the southern coastal areas of Bahia state.

Notes —There was little variation in the fertile structures among the examined specimens of this species ( Fig. 9).

By the floral morphology and seed size, Polygala jardimii is closely related to P. multiceps ( Fig. 4 ). However, it may be easily distinguished by the leaf shape (wide obovate in P. jardimii vs. elliptic in P. multiceps ), the apex of the lateral petals (rounded in P. jardimii vs. acute in P. multiceps ), and the number of lobes in the crest (four in P. jardimii vs. six in P. multiceps ). Whereas Polygala jardimii occurs in open areas of the Atlantic Forest in the coastal areas in the south of Bahia state, Polygala multiceps is frequently found on rocky fields of the campos rupestres vegetation of the Serra do Espinhaço in Minas Gerais state.

Polyaga jardimii resembles P. obovata by the asymmetrical fruits, elliptical seeds, and elliptical to obovate leaves. However, it may be easily recognized from this and all other related species by its smaller flowers and fruits ( Fig. 4 ), and

by the bracts, bracteoles, and external sepals (ciliate in P. jardimii vs. sparsely ciliate or glabrous in other species).

Additional Specimens Examined — Brazil. — BAHIA: Ilheus, estrada de Ilheus para Itacare , entrada a esquerda, 14 33 9 56 99 S, 39 03 9 23 99 W [-14.565, -39.056], 28 Dec 2005, S.F. Conceiç ~ ao et al. 479 ( HUEFS) ; Itacare, ca. 6 km

SW of Itacare, on side road south from the main Itacare-Ubaitaba road, south of the mouth of the Rio de Contas, 29 Jan 1977, R.M. Harley et al. 18378 (L, NY) ; Itacare , Fazenda Capit ~ ao, 7.9 km W of junction BA 001 on road from Itacare to Itacare, 5 Jan 1967, R.P. Belem and R.S. Pinheiro 2984 ( UB, US) ; Itacare , Junto a estrada Taboquinhas / Itacare, 01 Jan 1988, M. Sobral 5752 ( CEPEC) ; Ubaitaba , 14 20 9 6.59 99 S, 39 05 9 30.4 99 W [-14.335, -39.091], 40–100 m, 04 Nov 2001, W.W. Thomas et al. 12773 ( HUEFS) ; Uruçuca , Distrito de Serra Grande. 7.3 km na estrada Serra Grande / Itacare, Fazenda Lagoa do Conjunto Fazenda Santa Cruz, 14 25’S, 39 01’W [-14.416, -39.016], 7 Sep 1991, A.M. de Carvalho 3629 ( HUEFS, NY) ; Uruçuca , Serra Grande, 14 35’S, 39 17’W [-14.583, -39.283], 29 Jun 2017, M.L. Guedes et al. 25816 ( ALCB) ; Uruçuca , Serra Grande , forest inventory study site, 7.3 km N of Serra Grande on road to Itacare, Fazenda Lagoa do Conjunto Fazenda Santa Cruz, 02 Feb 1992, 39 01’S, 14 35’W [-14.583, -39.016], W.W. Thomas et al. 9028 ( NY) ; Uruçuca , Serra Grande , 7.3 km na estrada Serra Grande / Itacare, Conjunto Fazenda Santa Cruz, 39 01’S, 14 35’W [-14.583, -39.016], 25 Aug 1992, A.M. Amorim et al. 650 ( NY, US, USP) .

Figures

FIG. 8. Polygala jardimii J.F.B.Pastore. A. Bract and bracteoles.B. Inferior outer sepal. B'. Two superior outer sepals. C. One of the two inner sepals (wings). D. Keel. D'. Keel crest, opened. E. Androecium and lateral petals. F. Capsule. G. Seed. H. Leaf. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Photos by J. F. B. Pastore. (A–H. J.F.B. Pastore & Suganuma 2138 (CTBS)).

FIG. 3. Distribution map for Polygala capitolensis J.F.B.Pastore, P. jardimii J.F.B.Pastore, P. paganuccii J.F.B.Pastore, P. obovata A.St.-Hil. & Moq., and P. multiceps Mart. ex A.W.Benn.

FIG. 4. Comparison of floral morphology of Polygala capitolensis J.F.B.Pastore (L.S. Kinoshita 08–198 (UEC)), P. multiceps Mart. ex A.W.Benn (J.N. Nakajima 3520 (CTBS)), P. jardimii J.F.B.Pastore (J.F.B. Pastore & Suganuma 2138 (CTBS)), P. paganuccii Mart. ex A.W.Benn. (G. Hatschbach 56835 (CTBS)), P. obovata A.St.-Hil. & Moq. (R. Schmidt 1519 (ICN)). Scale bar 5 1 mm. Photos by J. F. B. Pastore.