Gaylussacia brasiliensis (Spreng.) Meisn. var. brasiliensis Fl.

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 : 8-10

2.1. Gaylussacia brasiliensis (Spreng.) Meisn. var. brasiliensis Fl. bras. 7: 129. Fig. 4 a-c

Shrub 0.4–1.5 m tall; branches glabrous; non-glandular trichomes white on branches, leaves, flowers and fruits; glandular trichomes absent; capitate to subcapitate glands yellowish or darkened present on flower, leaves and occasionally on branches; deciduous cataphylls on old branches. Leaves with reticulodromous venation, petiolate leaves, petiole robust, 1–1.5 × 1 mm, pubescent, leaf blade chartaceous, elliptical or obovate, 2.2–5.5 × 1–2.7 cm, apex rounded to obtuse, mucronate, thickly calloused apical gland, base rounded to obtuse, margin revolute, entire to serrate from the centre to the apex, adaxial surface glabrous or with capitate glands, abaxial surface with capitate glands. Inflorescence axillary raceme, peduncle 1.5–4.1 mm, rachis 14–31 mm long, sparsely pubescent; bracts deltoid and bracteoles oblanceolate. Pedicel 2.4–5.2 mm in length, glands present; calyx lobes 1.0–1.5 × 1.2–1.8 mm, glabrous or margin with glands; corolla 7–12 × 2.0– 3.7 mm, dark pink to red, urceolate, glabrous; style 9–11 mm long, glabrous; 10 stamens with filaments 1.5–1.8 mm long, pubescent, anthers 3.8–5.4 mm long. Submature fruit 2.6–4.6 mm diam., globose, ribbed, glabrous, with or without glands, brown to black when in sicco.

Examined material: Prados, trilha da Pedreira, 21°03’54.9”S, 44°06’36.2”W, 21.X.2009, fl., M Sobral et al. 13004 ( HUFSJ); São João del-Rei, Serra do Lenheiro, 21°14’42”S, 44°29”43” W, 10.XII.2017, fl. and fr., MTR Costa, C Carvalho, 1281 ( HUSFJ); 10.X.2009, fl. and fr., M Sobral et al. 12903 ( HUFSJ); 22.VIII.2018, fl., G Nascimento et al. 2 ( HUFSJ); 21°13’11”S, 44°29’71”W, 8.VIII.2015, fl., MTR Costa et al.335 ( HUFSJ); 21°83’00”S, 44°17’34”W, 9. V.2015, fl., SN Carvalho, MTR Costa 49 ( HUFSJ); 21°88’19”S, 44°17’39”W, 8.VIII.2015, fl., SN Carvalho , MTR Costa 59 ( HUFSJ); 21°88’21”S, 44°17’39”W, 8.VIII.2015, fl., SN Carvalho, MTR Costa 61 ( HUFSJ); 21°14’55”S, 44°30’20”W, 5.VIII.2017, fl., MTR Costa et al. 1089 ( HUFSJ); 21°09’14”S, 44°18’10”W, 12.XII.2013, fr., M Sobral et al.15635 ( HUFSJ); 21°15’82”S, 44°30’91”W, 31.X.2016, fl. and fr., MTR Costa 650 ( HUFSJ); transmission towers, 21°15’25”S, 44°30’55”, 11.VIII.2017, fl. and fr., MTR Costa et al. 1117 ( HUFSJ); Road to Trindade, 21°13’49”S, 44°29’57”W, 17.VII.2017, fl., MTR Costa et al. 1025 ( HUFSJ). Tiradentes, Serra de São José , 21.X.2010, fl., M Sobral et al. 13672 ( HUFSJ); trilha Tiradentes-Prados , 29.IX.2023, fl., JE Nascimento-Jr 1831 ( HUFSJ); fl., JE Nascimento-Jr 1832 ( HUFSJ) .

Gaylussacia brasiliensis is the species within the genus with the broadest geographical distribution, occurring in Paraguay and throughout most of Brazil, except for the Amazon and the northern portion of the Caatinga. The species inhabits diverse biomes, ranging from coastal areas, forests, and savannas to predominantly mountainous regions with rocky outcrops, such as the campos rupestres. The extensive geographical distribution of the species is reflected in its significant morphological variation, often posing challenges in its identification due to overlapping characteristics with other species. Numerous species names and infraespecific taxa are currently synonymized under G. brasiliensis ( Romão 2024) , necessitating further phylogenetic and population genetic studies for a better understanding of the species delimitation.

Despite the considerable morphological variability, only two variations are currently recognized for this species: Gaylussacia brasiliensis var. nervosa Meisn. , with a restricted distribution in rocky vegetation of the central-eastern Brazil, and the typical variety, distributed throughout the complete range of the species. In the Serras do Lenheiro and São José, only the typical variety occurs, flowering and fruiting for the most part of the year, from May to December. The most similar species in the Serras do Lenheiro and São José is G. pulchra , which possesses glandular trichomes (especially in the calyx), unlike G. brasiliensis , which has only non-glandular trichomes.

Figures

Figure 4 – a-m. Species of Gaylussacia – a-c. Gaylussacia brasiliensis – a. branch with racemose inflorescences; b. flowers after anthesis; c. immature fruits; d-g. Gaylussacia montana – d. habit; e. branches with axillary racemose inflorescences; f. flowers after anthesis; g. glandular trichomes on the hypanthium and calyx; h-m. Gaylussacia chamissonis – h. branch with axillary racemose inflorescences, with immature fruits detailed in the bottom right corner; i. leaves with strongly revolute margins; j.leaf with abaxial surface bearing yellow glands and non-glandular white trichomes; k. lateral view of flowers after anthesis; l. frontal view of flowers after anthesis; m. stamens with filaments bearing yellow glands and non-glandular white trichomes.Photographs: c. Marcos Sobral; all other photographs are by the authors.