Stachytarpheta salimenae P. H. Cardoso & Menini 2021, sp. nov.

Stachytarpheta salimenae P.H.Cardoso & Menini sp. nov. (Fig. 4A–I, Fig. 5A–D).

Type:— BRAZIL. Goiás, Mambaí, 7 June 2012, R. J. V . Alves 9035 (holotype CESJ 62878!; isotype R 227273!).

Diagnosis:— The new species is similar to Stachytarpheta sericea S. Atkins (1991: 281), but differs by the ovate, broadly ovate to subrotund leaf blade (vs. elliptic to broadly elliptic leaf blade), obtuse to rounded apex (vs. acute to obtuse, and apiculate apex), cuneate base (vs. truncate base), margin entire near the base and coarsely serrate towards the apex (vs. margin entire up to the middle third and slightly serrate towards the apex), and ovate bracts (vs. narrowly triangular bracts).

Shrubs 0.4–1.5 m tall, profusely branched, branches erect, woody, smooth, rounded to subtetragonous, densely sericeous, silvery hairs giving a silvery-green appearance when dry. Leaves spreading to suberect, opposite, slightly dicolorous, subsessile to petiolate, petiole to 0.6 cm long; leaf blade 1.8–5.7 × 1.6– 1.1 cm, smaller leaves in the same axil rarely present, ovate, broadly ovate to subrotund, coriaceous, apex obtuse to rounded, rare acute, base cuneate, decurrent into the petiole, margin entire near the base, coarsely serrate towards the apex, not revolute, adaxial surface densely sericeous, bullate, abaxial surface densely sericeous, silvery hairs giving a silvery-green appearance when dry, nectaries present in abaxial surface, veins strongly prominent. Inflorescences 2.3–7.5 × 1.8–2.2 cm, terminal, cylindric, congested, rachis not visible, becoming elongate in fruiting. Flowers sessile, spirally arranged; floral bract 0.4–0.6 cm long, appressed against the calyx, herbaceous, glaucous, ovate, apex acute, abaxial surface sericeous; calyx 1.6–2 cm long, herbaceous, glaucous, flattened-cylindrical, 5-toothed, teeth inconspicuously acute, externally sericeous, erect, not embedded in excavations in the rachis; corolla 1.8–2.2 cm long, a narrow tube and spreading lobes, atropurpureous to black with the base of the tube white, externally with glandular-pedicellate trichomes, throat entirely pubescent, with a dense ring of hairs just above the ovary; androecium included, stamens 2, thecae divergent, staminodes 2, inserted at the top of the corolla tube; ovary ca. 2 mm long, narrow oblong, style 1.9–2.3 cm long, filiform, exserted, stigma capitate. Fruit a schizocarp ca. 5 mm long, brown, outer surfaces reticulate, with thin and flat commissure, apex rounded, with prominent attachment scar, with short stylopodium, covered by the persistent calyx, separating into two cluses.

Paratypes:— BRAZIL: Bahia. Cocos, 6 July 2001, M. L . Fonseca et al. 2858 (IBGE, HUEFS!); Cocos, 6 July 2001, R. C . Mendonça et al. 4428 (CESJ!, IBGE); Correntina, na divisa com Goiás, April 1996, R. M . Harley & G. da Silva s.n. (HUEFS 204072!); São Desidério, 4 April 1984, J. E. R . Collares & M. M. Fernandes 134 (NY!, RB!); São Desidério, 25 May 2010, E . Melo et al. 8272 (HUEFS!). Goiás. São Domingos, 15 May 2000, G . Hatschbach et al. 71139 (ALCB!, BHCB!, ESA!, HUCS, HUEFS!, HUFU!, SP, UB); São Domingos a Posse, May 1840, G . Gardner 4339 (K!); Planalto do Brasil, Serra Geral de Goiás, Rio da Prata, ca. 6 Km of Posse, 6 April 1966, H. S . Irwin et al. 14455 (IAN, K!, MO, NY!, RB!, UB, US). Minas Gerais. Arinos, RPPN Veredas do Pacari, estrada para Chapada Gaúcha, 27 May 2004, M. L . Fonseca et al. 5498 (IBGE, HUEFS!); Chapada Gaúcha, Serra das Araras, June 1840, G . Gardner 5108 (K!). Tocantins. Mateiros, próximo à Serra da Garganta, 11 May 2012, J. S . Silva 1165 (CEN!).

Distribution— Stachytarpheta salimenae occurs in the states of Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, and Tocantins. This species is endemic to the Cerrado domain, where it grows in campo cerrado and campo rupestre, in areno-argillaceous soils, at elevations between 700 and 840 m (Fig. 3).

Phenology— This species was collected with flowers and fruits from April to July.

Provisional conservation assessment— Stchytarpheta salimenae shows an AOO of 40 km ² and an EOO of approximately 45,400 km ², and is found in areas with native vegetation strongly anthropized, i.e., suppressed by agribusiness, mining, and anthropic fires (Klink & Machado 2005, Passos et al. 2010, Werneck et al. 2012). Because of the restricted AOO, the restricted number of known locations, the continuing decline of habitat quality, and the fact that this species does not occur within any protected area, it is provisionally classified as “EN” (Endangered) based on the criterion and sub-criteria B2ab (i, ii, iii, iv) of IUCN (2019).

Etymology:— This species is dedicated to Dr. Fátima Regina Gonçalves Salimena, the former curator of the Leopoldo Krieger Herbarium (CESJ) and a distinguished researcher from the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, in honor of her important contributions to botany, especially for the taxonomy of Verbenaceae. Fátima Salimena has inspired many taxonomists with her enthusiasm and great devotion to botany. She was the former professor and advisor of both the first and second authors of this work.

Taxonomic note:— The discovery of Stachytarpheta salimenae is related to the elucidation of a taxonomic confusion involving two other species of the genus: S. dawsonii Moldenke(1956:231) and S. mollis. The synonymization of these two taxa is further discussed below.

Stachytarpheta mollis was described by Moldenke (1947) based on the collection Glaziou 2196 from Goiás state and was later treated as a synonym of S. villosa (Pohl) Chamisso (1832: 247) by Atkins (2005). However, Cardoso et al. (2020) re-established S. mollis based on various morphological features. This species is endemic to the Chapada dos Veadeiros, in the Brazilian state of Goiás. It can be distinguished from other Stachytarpheta species by the villous stems; sessile and elliptical leaves, with an acute to obtuse apex; narrowly triangular bracts longer than 0.9 cm, with a caudate apex; yellow-greenish calyces with five acute teeth; and, atropurpureous to black corollas (Moldenke 1947, Cardoso et al. 2020).

Stachytarpheta dawsonii was described by Moldenke (1956) based on the collection Y. Dawson 14722 (holotype R, isotype TEX - fragment), from the Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás state. Atkins (2005) did not examine the type of this species, but was able to study a photograph of S. dawsonii presented in Dawson (1957). Atkins (2005) listed three other collections of S. dawsonii from Goiás and Bahia, namely: J.E.R. Collares & M.M. Fernandes 134, G. Gardner 4339, and H.S. Irwin et al. 14455. The original circumscription of S. dawsonii (Moldenke 1956) and that presented by Atkins (2005) are contrasting. While Atkins (2005) described the bracts of S. dawsonii as ovate, with approximately 4 mm long, Moldenke (1956) characterized the bracts as lanceolate, with 10–15 mm long.

Stachytarpheta dawsonii was recognized by Cardoso & Salimena (2020) based solely on the three specimens listed by Atkins (2005). Nevertheless, during ongoing taxonomic studies of the Brazilian Stachytarpheta, we were able to access the holotype of S. dawsonii deposited at R. A comparative analysis of this specimen (Y. Dawson 14722) with the type and additional specimens of S. mollis, indicates that both names should be treated as conspecific. In addition to the morphological identity, the type of S. dawsonii and all specimens of S. mollis are found exclusively in the Chapada dos Veadeiros. Given the morphological similarity and geographical overlap, we synonymize S. dawsonii with S. mollis.

It is now clear that none of the three specimens previously identified as Stachytarpheta dawsonii by Atkins (2005) correspond to S. dawsonii. These specimens actually represent a distinct taxon that is newly described here as S. salimenae. This species differs from other species of Stachytarpheta by a combination of the following characters: stems with sericeous indument; leaves petiolated, ovate, broadly ovate to subrotund, with margins entire near the base and coarsely serrate towards the apices, veins strongly prominent on the abaxial surface; bracts ovate; calyx glaucous; and, corolla atropurpureous to black.

Stachytarpheta salimenae shares atropurpureous to black corollas and a dense indument with Stachytarpheta glazioviana S. Atkins (2005: 233), S. mollis, S. sericea, and S. flavovirescens. However, S. salimenae differs by several characteristics summarized in Table 1. This new species can be found in the region around the borders of Bahia (Northeastern Brazil), Goiás (Central-Western Brazil), Tocantins (Northern Brazil), and Minas Gerais (Southeastern Brazil). S. flavovirescens, S. glazioviana, and S. mollis are endemic to the Chapada dos Veadeiros (Goiás state), while S. sericea is common in the municipality of Cristalina (Serra dos Cristais, Goiás), and the Distrito Federal (Central-Western Brazil) (Atkins 2005).

Stachytarpheta mollis Moldenke (1947: 370). Type:— BRAZIL, Goiás, November 1894, A. F. M. Glaziou 21906 (holotype S [S-R-5870]; isotypes NY fragment [NY00138092], US [US 00811289]).

= Stachytarpheta dawsonii Moldenke (1956: 231). Type:— BRAZIL, Goiás, 5 km W of Veadeiros, 29 April 1956, Y. Dawson 14722 (holotype R [R000196647]; isotype LL fragment [LL00373689]). syn. nov.