Agarista oleifolia (Cham.) G.Don var. oleifolia,

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 : 6

1.3. Agarista oleifolia (Cham.) G.Don var. oleifolia, Gen. Hist. 3: 838. 1834. Fig. 3 e-i

Treelet or tree ca. 4 m tall; branches glabrous to occasionally pubescent; non-glandular trichomes white to ferruginous absent or sparsely present on new branches, leaves, and calyx; glandular trichomes absent. Leaves with reticulodromous venation, petiolate, petiole robust and non-flexible, 5–9 mm × 0.6–1 mm, leaf blade subcoriaceous, elliptical, oblong, or lanceolate, 4.5–10.2 × 0.9–2.2 cm, apex acute to rounded, mucronate, base obtuse to rounded, margin flat or slightly revolute, entire, adaxial surface glabrous to pubescent at the base of the midvein, abaxial surface glabrous, occasionally with conspicuous foveolate glands associated with the secondary veins. Inflorescence axillary raceme, subterminal, peduncle 1.5–3 cm, rachis 3–4 mm long, glabrous to pubescent; bracts deltoid and bracteoles setiform. Pedicel ca. 5 mm long; calyx lobes ca. 1.3 × 1.2 mm, sparsely pubescent on the edges; corolla 0.9–1.1 × 3–5 cm, white to cream, tubular-urceolate, glabrous; style 8–9 mm long, glabrous or occasionally with the presence of glands; 10 stamens with filaments 6–7 mm long, flattened, sparsely pubescent, geniculate below the anther, anthers ca. 1.5 mm long. Submature capsules 6–7 mm diam., subglobose, glabrous to pubescent, brown to black in sicco.

Examined material: Tiradentes , Serra de São José, 10.XI.1952, fr., AP Duarte 3505 ( F, L, RB); 9.IX.2002, fl. and fr., J Chaddad Jr. 90 ( ESA, HUFSJ); 30. VI.1987, fr., GJ Shepherd et al. 19055 ( IBGE); first dam close to the mining company, 21.XI.2013, FB Santos & LC Moreira 78 ( R) .

Agarista oleifolia is distributed in Eastern Brazil, ranging from the states of Bahia to Paraná, and in the central region of the country, in the states of Goiás and Mato Grosso. It inhabits environments characterized by rocky outcrops and watercourse margins. The species undergoes flowering from September to November and fruiting from October to June.

Judd (1983) and Romão et al. (2024) recognized two varieties for this species, primarily distinguished by the trichomes on the inflorescence rachis present in A. oleifolia var. oleifolia and absent in A. oleifolia var. glabra (Meissn.) Judd. Only the typical variety occurs in the study areas, specifically in the Serra de São José, where the species A. eucalyptoides is also found, slightly resembling A. oleifolia but easily distinguished by its leaves with slender and flexuous petioles, unlike A. oleifolia , which has more robust and nonflexuous petioles.

Figures

Figure 3 – a-i. Species of Agarista with white to cream flower – a-d. Agarista eucalyptoides – a. habit; b. leaves with slender and elongated petiole; c. flower after anthesis; d. immature fruits; e-i. Agarista oleifolia – e. general appearance of the branch; f. detail of the robust and short petioles; g. axillary racemose inflorescences with flowers in bud; h. inflorescence detail; i. immature fruits. All photographs are by the authors.