2. Cipura mestrensis Chauveau & L.Eggers, sp. nov. (Figs. 5 & 6)

Diagnosis: — Cipura mestrensis is similar to C. formosa, but is easily recognized by the not notably resinous bulbs, by the long conspicuous bract (or cauline leaf) similar to the basal leaves (17.3–33.7(–47) cm vs. 3.6–5.5 cm long in C. formosa) and by the ascending outer tepals (vs. patent to slightly reclinate outer tepals of C. formosa). It also differs by longer leaves than those of C. formosa ((23–)31.5– 54.8(–66.2) cm vs. 8–18 cm long), and by smaller flowers (31.5–38.7(–50.3) mm vs. up to 70 mm wide), shorter anthers (4.3–5.2(– 5.8) mm vs. 7.3 mm long), style arms (6.1–7.3 mm vs. 10 mm long) and adaxial crests (2.5–3.1(–3.7) mm vs. 4.8 mm long).

Type:— BRAZIL. Tocantins: Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, TO 040, 31 km após Novo Jardim, 24 km até cruzamento com TO 110, 715 m, 22 January 2016 (fl), L. Eggers et al. 990 (holotype ICN!, isotypes P!, UB!, UFG!).

Perennial herb, aboveground up to (19–) 23.5–47 cm tall to top flower, (28.3–)43.1–62.9(–77) cm tall to terminal bract end; underground stem to (0.4–)2.6–5.7(–7.2) cm long. Bulb subglobose to ovoid, outer cataphylls dry, dark brown, 25.4–40(–53.3) × 19.4–33.7(–40.3) mm, not notably resinous, prolonged in a collar up to (0.4–)2.6–4.5(–5.1) cm. Basal leaves, 1(–2), strongly plicate, linear-lanceolate, erect, (23–)31.5–54.8(–66.2) cm × (5.1–)6.2–10(–13.7) mm, longer than the flowering stem, sometimes with a conspicuous sheath 5–10 cm long. Flowering stem 1(–2) per plant, erect, cylindrical, (10.4–) 19.5–39.8 cm long. Synflorescence cymose, fasciculate, 1–4(–9) subsessile to short pedunculated rhipidia, subtended by a conspicuous bract (or cauline leaf) similar to basal leaves, proximally conduplicate, 17.3– 33.7(–47) cm × 4–9.6(–11.1) mm, and a second smaller bract shorter than the spathes of rhipidia. Peduncles 0.9–10(– 15.3) mm long. Lower valve of spathes (16.7–)21.6–29.6(–35.4) mm long; upper 36.1–52(–55.5) mm long. Rhipidia two-flowered. Flowers lavender to lilac, sometimes white, maculate, 31.5–38.7(–50.3) mm diameter, with ovary partly included in the upper valve, to sometimes slightly exserted. Tepals unequal, shortly fused proximally for 0.3–0.4 mm long. Outer tepals oblong, seemingly oblanceolate to spatulate due to margins strongly revolute from the base to the apical third, 32.7–39.5 × 11.3–17.1 mm, mostly lavender, whitish to yellowish with red-brown to mauve irregular spots at the proximal third, notably upright to ascending, apex rounded, repand, with glandular trichomes distributed along and above the maculate portion. Inner tepals smaller, unguiculate, porrect, then incurved and spreading distally, (15.4–)16.5–19 × 6.5–8.5(–9.6) mm, proximally 2.9–3.3(–5.5) mm wide, cuneate, lavender to whitish or yellowish, streaked red-brown to mauve; mid portion projected to the centre of the flower, with a dense oblong yellow area of oil-producing trichomes (elaiophore), occasionally streaked dark brown; distally longitudinally depressed, whitish with or without lavender spots; lateral sides at the distal end revolute, lavender to whitish, with or without purple strikes, terminal end reclinate and strongly undulate. Filaments mostly free, erect to incurved, narrowing to the top, proximally white, then mauve, base free or connate for 0.2–0.3 mm long, then free for 4.4–5.6 mm long. Anthers lanceolate, 4.3–5.2(–5.8) × 1.4–1.6 mm, ½ to 1/3 adnate to the style arms (adnation for 1.7–2.5 mm long), latrorse; connective apically obtuse to acute, yellowish to white, sometimes with translucid secretion, 0.6–1 mm wide; locules dark brown to black; pollen yellow. Ovary 6.2–9.4 × 2.2–2.6 mm, style white, 10.6–11.9(–12.8) mm long divided into three porrect branches, undivided part 3.6–4.8(–5.7) mm long, style arms white, 6.1–7.3 mm long, with erect, convergent, rounded, white to lavander crests, adaxial crests 2, connivent, 2.5–3.1(–3.7) mm long, abaxial crest, ovate, acute to bilobed, 0.3– 1.4(–2.4) mm long, stigmatic surfaces transverse, 2, on each side at the base of the abaxial crest, lavender or yellow to orange, 0.3–0.4 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid to oblanceoloid, 11–17.5 × (4.1–) 5–6.4 mm, usually above from the lower valve and partially included in the upper valve of the spathes; seeds angular, wrinkled, shiny, 1.7–2.2 mm long.

Distribution and habitat: — Cipura mestrensis occurs mainly in the Espigão Mestre - Serra Geral range of Brazil, between the Tocantins and São Francisco River basins, in eastern Goiás and Tocantins, and western Bahia (Fig. 6). The species was found in the municipalities of Barreiras, Formosa do Rio Preto, Luís Eduardo Magalhães and São Desidério (Bahia); Posse (Goiás), and Mateiros, Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, Taguatinga and Tupiratins (Tocantins). It occurs in grasslands or forests borders in the Cerrado matrix, in sandy soils, sometimes with rocky outcrops, at an elevation range of 360– 845 m.

Phenology: — Cipura mestrensis was recorded with flowers in January, March and April, and with fruits from February to April.

Conservation status: —Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN Red List guidelines (IUCN 2024). Although the taxon meets the area requirements under criterion B2 for threatened (AOO <500 km 2), it does not meet two conditions of the subcriteria. The species occurs within several conservation units as Ecological Station (Estação Ecológica da Serra Geral do Tocantins) and State Parks (Parque Estadual do Jalapão and Parque Estadual de Terra Ronca), which ensure a certain level of protection. However, due to its restricted distribution in the Espigão Mestre range, the species may face environmental threats in this area.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the Espigão Mestre range, which is the most important geographical area of distribution of the species.

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Barreiras, Espigão Mestre, ca. 32 km W of Barreiras, Valley of the Río das Ondas, 600 m, 5 March 1971 (fr), H. S. Irwin et al. 31566 (UB0014193!); Formosa do Río Preto, ca. de 20 km da guarita da Fazenda Estrondo, 450 m, 2 February 2000 (fr), M. R. da Fonseca et al. 1263 (CEPEC00086895 [photo!], HUEFS0046768 [photo!]); id., arredores da cidade, 480 m, 29 April 2000 (fl), F. França et al. 3260 (HUEFS00044284 [photo!]); Luis Eduardo Magalhães, Espigão Mestre, ca. 100 km WSW of Barreiras, 760 m, 6 March 1972 (fl), W. R. Anderson et al. 36639 (NY00537865 [photo!], UB0014206!); id., 760 m, 6 March 1972 (fr), W. R. Anderson et al. 36683 (UB0014207!); id., São Desidério, Espigão Mestre, ca. 10 km N of Río Roda Velha, ca. 100 km WSW of Barreiras, 800 m, 9 March 1972 (fl, fr), W. R. Anderson et al. 36887 (UB0014199!). Goiás: estrada Belém-Brasília para Nazaré, 20 km da cidade, 18 March 1974 (fl), J. A. Rizzo 9709 (UFG0009709 [photo!]); Posse, Rio da Prata, ca. 6 km. S. of Posse, 800 m, 765 m, 5 April 1966 (fr), H. S. Irwin 14376 (NY00910427 [photo!], RB00627322 [photo!], UB0014453!); id., ca. 26 km da cidade em direção à Guarani de Goiás, Fazenda das Araças, 765 m, 7 March 2004 (white fl), M. A. Silva et al. 4893 (ESA093493 [photo!]); São Domingos, povoado São João, trilha do mirante, 10 March 2024 (white fl.), A. F. Rocha 162 (UFG 52999 [photo!]); Tocantins: Mateiros, Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, estrada central, 620 m, 31 January 2015 (fl), G. M. Antar et al. 733 (SPF 219961 [photo!]); id., Parque Estadual do Jalapão, campo próximo a Fazenda Lua Cheia, acessado pela antiga estrada São Felix-Mateiros, 543 m, 22 January 2014 (fl), G. M. Antar & L. F. Nascimento 368 (SPF 219959 [photo!]); Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, TO 040, 31 km após Novo Jardim, 24 km até cruzamento com TO 110, 710 m, 30 March 2016 (fl, fr), O. Chauveau & M. B. Lizarazo 1006 (ICN!); id., Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, acampamento Brejo do Leite, 85 km SE de Ponte Alta, 360 m, 24 February 2021 (fr), M. F. Simon et al. 3964 (CEN00117842 [photo!]); id., estrada Ponte Alta do Tocantins-Rio da Conceição, próximo à fazenda do Sr. Luís Periquito, 465 m, 29 January 2015 (fl), G. M. Antar et al. 704 (SPF 219958 [photo!]); id., TO 110, cerca de 6 km ao norte de Ponte Alta do Bom Jesus, 553 m, 13 Mars 2025 (fr), O. Chauveau & X. Aubriot 15 (P!); Taguatinga, BR 242, cerca de 9, 5 km de Taguatinga, 845 m, 21 January 2016 (fl), L. Eggers et al. 984 (ICN!, P!); id., Serra Geral de Goiás, 9, 5 km de Taguatinga (a partir do trevo para Palmas) em direção ao distrito de Luis Eduardo Magalhães, 815 m, 26 January 2015 (fl), J. Paula-Souza et al. 4763 (ESA090369 [photo!]); Tupiratins, Fazenda Vitória, Lagoa própria de Neuton, 13 January 2001 (fl), S. F. Lolis et al. 250 (UFG0046688 [photo!]).

Taxonomical notes: — Cipura mestrensis is recognized by the lilac to lavender, less frequently white flowers, with notably ascending outer tepals (Figs. 5A, C, D) and dark transverse striations at the proximal portion of the tepals (Fig. 5C), subtended by a long bract (Figs. 5A–B). The species is more similar to C. formosa (Fig. 2G); however, it can be distinguished by flower, bract and leaf characteristics. Flowers of C. mestrensis display typically ascending outer tepals (vs. patent to slightly reclinate outer tepals in C. formosa) and are smaller (31.5–38.7(–50.3) mm vs. ca. 70 mm wide). In addition, the plants present a much longer terminal bract (17.3–33.7(–47) cm vs. 3.6–5.5 cm long in C. formosa) and longer leaves ((23–)31.5–54.8(–66.2) cm vs. 8–18 cm long). Bulbs of C. mestrensis are also not remarkably resinous as bulbs of C. formosa.

Samples of the new species were mixed with specimens of C. formosa in the examined material of the original description of the latter. Concerning geographical distribution, C. mestrensis occurs further west than C. formosa, and is characteristic of the relief of the Espigão Mestre range. Populations of C. mestrensis with white flowers are less common and were so far only found in the states of Bahia and Goiás.

Nomenclatural notes: —The collections Anderson et al. 36639 (NY00537865 [photo!], UB0014206!), Anderson et al. 36683 (UB0014207!) and Anderson et al. 36887 (UB0014199!) from Bahia were listed in the protologue of C. formosa (Ravenna 1988) but do not match the description of this species. In fact, they correspond to C. mestrensis.