Lantana calcicola P.H.Cardoso & G.B.Silva, 2025

Cardoso, Pedro Henrique, Silva, Gabriel Barros Da, Melo, Pablo Hendrigo Alves De, Salimena, Fátima Regina Gonçalves & Silva, Tânia Regina Dos Santos, 2025, Lantana calcicola: a new and threatened Verbenaceae species from Lajedão, a limestone outcrop in northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil, Phytotaxa 690 (1), pp. 107-115 : 109-112

Lantana calcicola P.H.Cardoso & G.B.Silva sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2B‒E ).

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais, Matias Cardoso, Horizonte do Gama , “Lajedão”, 14°52’53”S – 43°45’25”W, 6 April 2017, P. H. A. Melo et al. 6675 (holotype HUEFS; isotype HRCB) .

Diagnosis:— The new species is similar to Lantana canescens Kunth (1818: 258) , but differs by its strigose branches and peduncles of the inflorescences (vs. sericeous-canescent); narrowly lanceolate or linear bracts (vs. ovate), with 0.1‒0.2 cm wide (vs. 0.2‒0.4 cm wide), densely strigose on abaxial surfaces (vs. sericeous-canescent), calyces not persistent and accrescent in fruits (vs. persistent and surrounding the fruits), and larger drupes measuring 0.25‒0.35 × 0.2‒0.35 cm (vs. 0.1‒0.2 × 0.1‒0.2 cm), with a succulent mesocarp (vs. thin mesocarp in Lantana canescens ).

Shrubs ca. 1 m tall, erect, densely branched, branches tetragonal, unarmed, strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes, becoming glabrescent with age. Leaves opposite, patent, conspicuously petiolate, petioles 0.8‒1.4 cm long, sulcate, densely strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes, blades 2.4‒5.3× 1.2‒2.9 cm, chartaceous, slightly discolorous, ovate or lanceolate, apices acute, bases truncate or obtuse, slightly decurrent into petioles, margins crenate-serrate, with more than 20 teeth per side, plan, ciliate, adaxial surfaces bullate, densely strigose, white eglandular trichomes with bulbose bases, veins impressed, abaxial surfaces densely tomentose-villous, canescent, with white eglandular trichomes, sessile glandular trichomes present but these hardly visible due the dense coverage of eglandular trichomes, more visible on the veins, veins prominent. Inflorescences 1-2 per leaf axil, spikes capituliform, 0.9‒1.2 × 1‒1.2 cm, peduncles 1.5‒2.5 cm, tetragonal, sulcate, strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes; bracts 0.4‒0.8 × 0.1‒0.2 cm, narrowly lanceolate or linear, the innermost ones becoming progressively shorter, light green, apices acute or acuminate, adaxial surfaces puberulent, abaxial surfaces densely strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes, margins conspicuously ciliate. Flowers sessile; calyces ca. 0.3 cm long, green, membranaceous, tubulous, 2-lobed, each lobe with 2 inconspicuous teeth, externally minutely strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes, not persistent and accrescent in fruit; corollas hypocrateriform, tubes 0.7‒1.1 cm long, externally densely strigose, with white eglandular trichomes and sessile glandular trichomes, limb 2-labiate, lobes 0.2‒0.35 cm wide, glabrous above, tubes and lobes white, throat yellow to white, strigose; stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at the middle of the tubes, thecae parallel; ovaries ca. 0.15 cm long, glabrous, styles filiform, stigmas oblique. Drupes 1-pyrenate with central weakness zone, 0.25‒0.35 × 0.2‒0.35 cm, globose, immature green, external surface smooth, mesocarp succulent, thick, in sicco brown and with a wrinkled external surface.

Paratype:— Minas Gerais, Matias Cardoso, Horizonte do Gama, “Lajedão”, 14°53’03”S – 43°45’27”W, 12 March 2016, P.H.A. Melo et al. 4781 (HRCB, HUEFS).

Distribution and ecology:— Lantana calcicola occurs on a limestone outcrop, locally known as Lajedão, at the transition with the seasonal deciduous forest, at an elevation ranging from 473‒505 meters. This outcrop is situated in the municipality of Matias Cardoso , in northern Minas Gerais state, within the Caatinga domain ( Fig. 2A ). The new species was collected with flowers and fruits in March and April. Further field expeditions are essential to gather more comprehensive data on its distribution and ecology.

Preliminary conservation assessment:— Lantana calcicola , found within Lajedão Environmental Protection Area, has been collected only twice and is restricted to a small area, with an AOO of 8 km ². Unfortunately, this area faces significant threats from rock extraction and the removal of plants for ornamental cultivation. Additionally, many rural properties engaged in cattle ranching and agriculture surround the area ( Fig. 2A ), and intentional fires frequently devastate the landscape ( Anjos 2016; Cardoso et al. 2023). Therefore, the new species should be classified as “Critically Endangered” (CR) B2ab(i, ii, iii) due to these ongoing threats that degrade habitat quality, along with stochastic events that could lead to population extinction ( IUCN, 2012, 2022).

Etymology:— The specific epithet calcicola refers to the occurrence of the new species in limestone habitats, where calci- denotes calcium and -cola signifies a dweller or inhabitant.

Taxonomic notes:— Lantana calcicola is characterized by its unarmed branches, decussate and conspicuously petiolate leaves, petioles measuring 0.8‒1.4 cm in length, ovate or lanceolate leaf blades, canescent on abaxial surfaces, bracts 0.4‒0.8 × 0.1‒0.2 cm, narrowly lanceolate to linear, white corollas with tubes measuring 0.7‒1.1 cm long, and conspicuous drupes (0.25‒0.35 × 0.2‒0.35 cm) with a thick mesocarp. Among the known species of Lantana , it is morphologically most similar to Lantana canescens . Both exhibit unarmed branches, decussate leaves with conspicuous petioles, and white corollas. However, they can be distinguished by the traits outlined in the diagnosis section, including differences in the indumentum of branches, peduncles, and bracts, shape and size of the bracts, fruit size, mesocarp thickness, and the persistence and growth of the calyces in the fruits. According to Silva & Lima (2012), Lantana canescens is distributed along the Neotropical region and easily recognized by its sericeous-canescent or tomentose-canescent indumentum and brown fruits with a thin mesocarp. It is important to highlight that Lantana canescens displays a wide variation in leaf size and margins, as well as in the apices of the bracts, which can be acute, acuminate, or caudate ( Rotman 2009; Silva & Lima 2012; Silva et al. 2025). However, the differences observed between these two species are sufficiently diagnostic to warrant their recognition as separate entities within Lantana , not representing morphological variations of Lantana canescens .

The Lajedão Environmental Protection Area also harbors another recently described endemic species of Verbenaceae , Stachytarpheta lajedicola ( Cardoso et al. 2023) , underscoring the need for targeted conservation efforts to safeguard this unique limestone outcrop and its distinctive flora. Additionally, three other species of the family have been collected in this area: Bouchea agrestis Schauer (1847: 558) , Lippia aristata Schauer (1847: 581) , and Lippia subracemosa Mansfeld (1924: 155) , all of which exhibit broad distribution ranges ( Moroni & O’Leary 2025; Salimena & Cardoso 2025). It is important to note that the photograph identified as Lippia subracemosa by Cardoso et al. (2023, see Fig. 4B) was incorrectly attributed and depicts Lantana calcicola . Addressing this misidentification is essential for ensuring taxonomic accuracy. Table 1 presents the occurrence records and diagnostic characteristics of each Verbenaceae species recorded in Lajedão.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Lantana calcicola: (A) Branch with inflorescences; (B) Leaf, adaxial surface; (C) Detail of the petiole; (D) Detail of the leaf adaxial surface, showing eglandular trichomes; (E) Detail of the leaf abaxial surface, showing eglandular and sessile glandular trichomes along the central vein; (F) Inflorescence; (G) Bract, abaxial surface; (H) Detail of the bract indumentum, showing eglandular and sessile glandular trichomes; (I) Corolla; (J) Dissected corolla, showing androecium and gynoecium; (K) Detail of the stamens; (L) Detail of the stigma; (M) Fruit; (N) Dissected fruit. (P.H.A. Melo et al. 6675)

FIGURE 2. Geographical distribution map and photographs of the habitat and individuals of Lantana calcicola: (A) Distribution map; (B) habitat showing limestone outcrops at the transition with seasonal deciduous forest; (C) habit; (D, E) branches with inflorescences, highlighting leaves, bracts, and corollas. Photos by P.H.A. Melo.