Tovomita leptostemon L. Marinho & Demarchi, 2025

32. Tovomita leptostemon L. Marinho & Demarchi , sp. nov. – Fig. 54.

Holotype: Brazil, Amazonas , Presidente Figueiredo, Rebio Uatumã, 01°00'S, 59°00'W, 29 Sep 2008, S. Sakagawa & J. R. M. Ferreira 514 ( INPA [ INPA0108520 View Materials ]!; isotype: UEC [ UEC106452 About UEC ]!). GoogleMaps

Suggested vernacular name — sapateiro-do-uatumã ( Brazil).

Diagnosis — Tovomita leptostemon is vegetatively similar to T. umbellata , but its flowers resemble those from T. vismiifolia . Tovomita leptostemon can be differentiated from T. umbellata by oblong floral bud (vs ovoid) and filiform-terete stamens ( Fig. 8U vs terete, Fig. 8W); and from T. vismiifolia by number of secondary veins (c. 13 pairs vs 6–7 pairs in T. vismiifolia ) and absence of papillae (vs presence in T. vismiifolia ).

Description — Trees 22 m tall, prop roots conspicuous; exudate not seen. Petioles 11.4–17 mm long, slightly canaliculate, lenticels absent. Leaf blades 4.4–12.5 × 2.1– 5.4 cm, greenish adaxially and brown-brownish abaxially in sicco, fungal black dots absent, subcoriaceous, oblong to obovate, base attenuated, apex acute, slightly apiculate, margin entire, slightly revolute, exudate canals inconspicuous. Venation brochidodromous, midvein prominent on both surfaces, more so abaxially, secondary veins c. 13 pairs, 2.5–4 mm apart, forming an angle 75–80° to midvein, slightly prominent adaxially, prominent abaxially; intersecondary veins present, one or rarely two per intercostal area, similar to secondary veins, parallel to major secondaries and reticulating near margin, visible only abaxially in sicco; tertiary veins inconspicuous; intramarginal vein present. Inflorescences: ♂ lax cyme with 5 basal branches and up to 15 flowers, terminal flower not identified, ♀ not seen. Pedicel 8.4–10.1 mm long, brownish in sicco, proximally articulated in lateral flowers of dichasia, calyptrae absent. Floral buds 6.4–8.6 × 3.3– 4.7 mm, oblong, apex rounded, lenticels absent. Sepals 2, 8.4–8.6 × 4–4.2 mm, oblong, apex rounded, green; petals 4, 8.2–8.4 × 3.5–3.8 mm, oblong, reflexed, apex obtuse to acute. Staminate flowers: stamens c. 80, 5–7 mm long, slightly heterodynamous; filaments filiform-terete, white; anthers 0.3–0.4 mm long, slightly wider than filaments, connective not exceeding thecae; pistillode not seen. Pistillate flowers and capsules not seen.

Distribution — Brazil (Amazonas), Colombia (Vaupés). Fig. 52.

Suggested conservation status — Tovomita leptostemon occurs in conservation unit areas in both localities from which it is known. Nevertheless, we assessed the conservation status of the species as Data Deficient ( DD), since we do not know the real distribution and threats of the species.

Etymology — The specific epithet refers to the stamens with filiform-terete filaments. It is a noun in apposition, derived from the Greek λεπτός (leptos), thin, and στήμων (stemon), thread.

Recognition and discussion — The leaves of Tovomita leptostemon are similar to those of T. umbellata due to the coloration in sicco (i.e. brown-brownish abaxially) and number of secondary veins (10–16 in T. umbellata ). They can be easily differentiated by the shape of the floral bud (oblong [ Fig. 54C] vs ovoid in T. umbellata ) and stamens (filiform-terete [ Fig. 54D, E] vs terete in T. umbellata ). The combination of oblong floral buds with rounded apex and filiform-terete stamens is only present in T. vismiifolia , from which it can be differentiated by the number of secondary veins (c. 13 pairs [ Fig. 13K] vs 6–7 pairs in T. vismiifolia [ Fig. 14R]) and absence of papillae (vs presence in T. vismiifolia [ Fig. 14R]).

Additional specimens examined — COLOMBIA: VAUPÉS: Estación Biológica Caparú, sur oriente del departamento del Vaupés, limites com el departamento Amazonas y la República de Brasil , 01°05'S, 69°32'W, 200 m, Dec 1996, fl. ♂, E GoogleMaps . Palacios & A . Rodríguez 286 ( COAH!); Taraira, Reserva Natural Mosiro-Itajura Caparú , 00°04'39"S, 68°30'37"W, 99 m, 17 Nov 2010, bud, M. N GoogleMaps . Uamña & A. B . Hurtado 79 ( COAH!) .