Orthophytum burle-marxii

Orthophytum -marxii Smith & Read (1979: 164),

figs. 3A–G, 7C.

Type:— Brazil. Bahia: J. Bogner 1311 (holotype US!).

Synonyms: Orthophytum burle-marxii L.B.Sm. & Read var. seabrae Rauh (1985: 79).

Type: Brazil. Bahia: Seabra, 6 Oct 1981, Rauh 56 497a (holotype HEID!) syn. nov.

Plants rupicolous, stoloniferous, stems short, ca 2.5 × 4 cm. Leaves patent or slightly arching. Leaf sheaths white-greenish, broadly triangular or ovate-triangular, 1–3 × 1–4 cm, glabrous, rarely sparsely lepidote, margins serrate, prickles 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf blades strongly coriaceous, concave, red or green, cinereous, linear-triangular, 12.8–53 × 1.5–2.5 cm, attenuate, abaxial surfaces densely lepidote, adaxial surfaces lepidote with the base glabrous, margins serrate, prickles antrorse 1–2 mm long, apices mucronate. Inflorescences sessile, compound, many–flowered. Primary bracts coriaceous, red, triangular, or triangular-lanceolate, 2.2– 5.5 × 1–6 cm, sparsely lepidote, margins serrate, apices mucronulate. Vestigial floral bract present. Floral bracts subcoriaceous, red, symmetrical, ecarinate, triangular, 1.5–4.8 × 0.8–3.7 cm, glabrous, margins serrate, mucronulate. Sepals red, asymmetrical, carinate, narrowly triangular, 2 × 0.4–0.6 cm, sparsely lepidote, margins entire, acuminate, or mucronulate. Petals white, linear-spatulate, 1.8–2.5 × 0.6 cm, glabrous, subacute. Petal appendages sacciform, lacerate, ca 7 mm from base. Callosities conspicous. Stamens with antepetalous filaments ca 0.5 mm long and adnate to the petals, the antesepalous ones free, ca 14 mm long. Anthers yellow, ca 4.5 mm long, not apiculate. Ovaries trigonous. Epigenous tubes present, ca 2 mm long. Ovules numerous. Fruits and seeds not seen.

Distribution and habitat: — Orthophytum burle-marxii is known from Lençóis and Morro do Chapéu counties in Bahia. It grows on rocky outcrops in grassland on rocky fields frequently exposed to the sun, from 900–1.400 m elevation.

IUCN conservation status: —VU B1ab (iii). The estimated area for Orthophytum burle–marxii is less than 20,000 km 2. Recently, a degradation of the habitat of this species was observed, mainly due to tourism in the region.

Comments: — Orthophytum burle–marxii and O. heleniceae Leme (2004b: 67) are morphologically similar, but in O. burle–marxii the leaf blade is stiff coriaceous, with sepals, and floral bracts red, forming a red and glabrous band around of inflorescence, while in O. heleniceae the band is green. Living plants of the species can be easily distinguished by these characteristics, but in herbarium material these differences are more difficult to recognize.

Additional specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Lençóis, Morro da Chapadinha, Chapadinha, 22 November 1994 (fl), França et al. 1257 (SP); Serra Larga, 19 December 1984 (fl), Lewis et al. CFCR 7268 (RB); Rio Mucugesinho, 21 December 1981 (fl), Carvalho et al. 1065 (RB); 10 December 2003 (fl), Wanderley & Conceição 2371 (SP); 8 January 2003 (fl), Wanderley & Conceição 2379 (SP); 14 January 2006 (fl), Wanderley et al. 2530 (SP); Morro da Chapadinha, 22 November 1994 (fl), Melo et al. 1257 (CEPEC); Ribeirão do Meio, 08 January 2003 (fl), Wanderley & Conceição 2368 (SP); 17 December 2006 (fl), Louzada & Moreira 45 (SP); Mirante, 13 January 2006 (fl), Louzada & Moreira 11 (SP); Morro do Chapéu, Cachoeira do Ferro Doido, 27 October 1978 (fl), Martinelli 5335 (RB).