Polygala capitolensis 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 : 989-991

Polygala capitolensis J.F.B.Pastore , sp. nov. TYPE: BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Capitolio , 20 35 9 38 99 S, 46 17 9 33 99 W [-20.593, -46.292], 5 Nov 2008, L.S. Kinoshita et al. 08–198 (holotype: UEC [149151!]; isotype: HUFU).

Decumbent herbs, to 15 cm tall. Roots slightly lignified. Stems slender, with a few to many arising from the base, cylindrical, green, without yellowish glands forming spots, puberulous, trichomes short-clavate. Leaves alternate to sub-opposite, petiole ca. 0.5 mm long, chartaceous, slightly decurrent, laminas (0.3–)0.6–0.9(–1.1) 3 0.3–0.4 cm, elliptical, apex acute, margin slightly revolute, base acute, with a pair of yellow glands in it, covered by small glandular trichomes. Racemes spiciform, 0.6–0.8 3 0.8–0.9 cm, reaching 1 cm after fruits fallen, flowers congested; peduncles short, to 2 mm, bracts 1–1.3 3 0.4–0.5 mm, lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, ciliate, with two pairs of small yellow glands at the base, persistent on mature capsules, ca. twice the length of the bracteoles; bracteoles 0.7–0.8 3 0.2 mm, lanceolate, ciliate; pedicel ca. 1.1–1.2 mm, glabrous or distally sparsely puberulous. Flowers white, 4.8–5.2 mm long; outer sepals ciliate; lower outer sepal 1.6–1.8 3 1 mm, ovate, with two or three small yellow glands at the base, apex slightly acuminate; upper outer sepals 1.3–1.6 3 0.7–0.8 mm, lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, free almost to the base, with a number of small yellow glands; inner sepals (wings) 3.8–4 3 1.6 mm, elliptic, apex acuminate, margins not ciliate, longer than the mature fruits, occasionally with one or two yellow glands at the base; lateral petals 2.7–2.8 3 1.1–1.3 mm; keel 3.7–3.9 mm long, cristate, with yellow glands along the dorsal central vein, persistent on the mature fruits; crest 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 2.4–2.7 3 1.6–1.8 mm, elliptical, not or slightly stipitate, asymmetric, with yellow glands along the central vein, occasionally only distally, style caducous in fruit; seeds ca. 1.9–2 3 0.8–0.9 mm, oblong-elliptical, pubescent, appendages obovate, 1/3–1/2 of the length of the seed, 1–1.1 3 0.2 mm. Figure 7 .

Distribution — Polygala capitolensis is narrowly endemic to the municipality of Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The species occurs in rocky fields at elevations above 1200 m ( Fig. 3 ).

Etymology —The epithet refers to the municipality of Capitolio, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

Notes — Polygala capitolensis is more related morphologically with P. paganuccii , whereas it is easily recognized by the floral structures, capsule, and seed differences (see the comparative plate, Fig. 4 ). Also, the leaves in P. capitolensis are elliptic with an acute apex (vs. narrow obovate to oblong obovate with apex apiculate in P. paganuccii ). The bracts in P. capitolensis are persistent with the mature capsule (vs. bracts caducous after the flowers open and during the capsule development). The apex of the lateral petal in P. capitolensis is acute but truncate in the top (vs. rounded apex in P. paganuccii ), whereas the venation pattern in the lateral petals of P. capitolensis is formed by 3–4 veins arising from the base but not, or just a few, branched distally (vs. single vein from the base of the lateral petal branched distally). Furthermore, Polygala capitolensis has maculated leaves with yellow glands, which also appears in all other related species, but in P. capitolensis the glands are bigger and more visible (see Fig. 2 ).

Additional Specimens Examined — Brazil. — MINAS GERAIS: Capitolio, Represa de Furnas, estrada para mineradora Gabi Extraç oes ~, 20 35 9 32 99 S, 46 17 9 20 99 W [-20.592, -46.288], 26 May 2006, J. N. Nakajima et al. 4378 (CTBS, HUFU).

Figures

FIG. 7. Polygala capitolensis 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. Gynoecium. G. Capsule. H. Seed. J. Leaf. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Photos by J. F. B. Pastore. (A–J. L.S. Kinoshita 08–198 (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.

FIG. 2. Polygala multiceps Mart. ex A.W.Benn. 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. Gynoecium. G. Seed. H. Leaf. Scale bar 5 1 mm. Photos by J. F. B. Pastore. (A–H. J.N. Nakajima 3520 (CEN)).