Heterocondylus penninervius I. T. F. V. Lopes & J. N. Nakaj. 2021, sp. nov.

Heterocondylus penninervius I.T.F.V. Lopes & J.N. Nakaj., sp. nov. (Fig. 1)

Shrub erect; branches costate and glabrous. Leaves decussate, sessile, concentrated in the lower part of the stem; blade narrowly elliptical to narrowly lanceolate, apex acute to long acute, base truncate, pinnate venation. Capitulescence corymbiform; flat receptacle with scars. Florets ca. 42, corolla infundibuliform, ca. 8.5 mm long, lobes triangular, style with cylindrical appendages, enlarged and glabrous stylopodium. Cypselae prismatic, base stipitate, glutinous, carpopodium cylindrical, asymmetrical.

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Araponga, Serra do Brigadeiro State Park, Serra das 3 Cabeças, Totem Deitado, 1722 m, 31 May 2004, G. E. Valente 1616 & I. V. Silva (holotype VIC!, isotypes HUFU!, K!).

Description: —Shrub erect, 0.3–0.6 m tall; branches striate, reddish-brown, glabrous, inferior internodes ca. 5–17 mm long, upper 70–105 mm long. Leaves sessile, decussate, discolor, ascendent, concentrated in the lower part of the stem and sparse near the capitulescence, blade narrowly elliptical to narrowly lanceolate, 5.5–20.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, membranaceous to cartaceous, apex acute to attenuate, base truncate, margin entire, revolute, both surfaces glabrous, venation pinnate, main vein protuberant, glabrous, sulcate. Capitulescence corymbiform, axis glabrous, sulcate; capitula with peduncles ca. 5.5–28 mm long, homogamous, discoid, 10–17 × 9–12 mm; subinvolucral bracteole elliptical to lanceolate, ca. 7–9 × 3 mm, apex cuneate to acute, margin entire, glabrous; involucre campanulate, phyllaries ca. 24, 4- seriate, membranaceous, cream-greenish to cream-brownish, glabrescent, apex and margin pink to lilac, margin entire, serrulate to denticulate or erose, glutinous; outer phyllaries elliptical to oblong-ovate, 4 × 6 mm, apex obtuse, ciliate; intermediate phyllaries elliptical to oblong, 7 × 3.5 mm, apex obtuse, ciliate; inner phyllaries linear to oblanceolate, 9 × 2 mm, apex obtuse to cuneate or rounded, ciliate; receptacle flat, epaleaceous, glabrous, with carpopodium insertion scars. Florets ca. 42, hermaphroditic, corolla actinomorphic, infundibuliform, white to lilac, glabrous, tube ca. 8.5 mm, base attenuate, lobes triangular, 0.9–1.2 × 0.3 mm, erect, externally short-pilose or glabrous; anther glabrous, apical anther appendage obtuse, base obtuse, anther collar cylindrical; style with branches cylindrical, base elongated, glabrous. Cypsela prismatic, base slightly stipitate, ca. 5 mm, 5-costate, glutinous, setose, carpopodium cylindrical, asymmetrical. Pappus barbellate-setose, white, ca. 6.5 mm long, uniseriate, bristles ca. 30, free, deciduous.

Distribution and habitat: — Heterocondylus penninervius occurs on shallow soil patches of granitic rocky outcrops of “campos de altitude” from Serra do Brigadeiro State Park. This species is known only from the locality called “Serra das Três Cabeças”, at an elevation of around 1730 m.

Flowering and fruiting: —It flowers from May to September and fruits in September.

Conservation status: —Following the criteria and categories established by the IUCN (2019), Heterocondylus penninervius should be classified as Critically Endangered (CR) since it has very small or restricted populations, with less than 100 km 2 of distribution and an occupation area of less than 10 km 2 (Criteria B1a; D). In addition, “campos de altitude” have particular ecological processes, with a highly flammable vegetation of restricted and disjunct occurrence (Ribeiro et al. 2007, Mocochinski & Scheer 2008, Aximoff 2011, Assis & Mattos 2016). These characteristics make the “campos de altitude” highly vulnerable to climate change as mountain-top species are more susceptible to extinction (Gottfried et al. 2012, Assis & Mattos 2016).

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the penninerved leaves, which are clearly distinct from those of the similar species.

Discussion: — Heterocondylus penninervius can be easily recognized by its narrowly elliptical to narrowly lanceolate sessile leaves and penninerved leaves, which are concentrated in the lower part of the stem, and a broad capitula with white to pinkish phyllaries. Heterocondylus amphidictyus (DC.) King & Robinson (1972: 390) and H. pumilus (Gardner) King & Robinson (1972: 391) resemble this species by the leaves concentrated in the lower part of the stem, and the principal vein very prominent on the abaxial leaf surface, but they are distinguished by coriaceous and panduliform leaves in the first species, and ovate to obovate leaves with serrated margins in the second one (Table 1). Heterocondylus vitalbae (DC.) King & Robinson (1972: 391) can also be similar regarding the shape of involucre (campanulate in dried specimens), constituted by broad and pinkish phyllaries, and stylopodium elongated and glabrous, but H. vitalbae is a scandent shrub and has ovate leaves arranged along the branches (Table 1).

Additional Specimens Examined (Paratypes): — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Araponga, Serra do Brigadeiro State Park, Serra das 3 Cabeças, Cabeça 3, July 2000, A. N. Caiafa 001 (HUFU, VIC); Serra das 3 Cabeças, Totem Deitado, 11 September 2003, G. E. Valente 1376, 1377 & R. M. S. A. Meira (HUFU, VIC); Totem Deitado, Serra Plateau, 28 July 2003, G. E. Valente 1358, A. A. Azevedo & R. M. S. A. Meira (HUFU, VIC).