Commelina vestita Seub.

Commelina vestita Seub. View in CoL

Figs 15 View Fig , 21 View Fig ; Table 2 View Table 2

Commelina vestita Seub. View in CoL (Seubert in Martius 1855: 264). – Commelina monticola var. vestita (Seub.) C.B.Clarke ( Clarke 1881: 162) View in CoL . – Commelina robusta f. vestita (Seub.) Standl. & Steyerm. (Standley & Steyermeyer 1944: 33) View in CoL .

Etymology

The epithet derives from the Latin ʻ vestīo ʼ (meaning ʻcloth, dress, coverʼ) + the suffix ʻ -īta ʼ (indicating the possession of a particular feature), in reference to the dense velutine to hispid indumentum covering most of this species’ organs.

Type material

BRAZIL – São Paulo • Brasilia meridionali; s.dat.; fl., fr.; F. Sellow 5313; B [†] • Brasilia meridionali; s.dat.; fl., fr.; F. Sellow 5313; lectotype: BR [ BR0000035068044 ]!, designated here .

Selected material examined

BRAZIL – Rio de Janeiro • Itatiaia, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia , parte baixa, atrás da casa do pesquisador ; 24 Jan. 2012; fl.; M.O.O. Pellegrini & L.S. Sylvestre 188; RB . – São Paulo • São Paulo, Parque do Estado , grounds of the Instituto de Botânica , 9.8 km south and 0.8 km east of center of São Paulo, Praça de Sé ; 25 Mar. 1961; fl., fr.; G.S. Eiten & L.T. Eiten 2748; MO, NY, SPF .

Description

Herbs 20–50 cm tall, erect, perennial, delicate, rupicolous or terrestrial. Roots fibrous, thin. Rhizome short. Stems monomorphic, suberect to erect throughout, unbranched or branched only at base; internodes 1.2–12.4 cm long, distally shorter, green to dark green, sometimes speckled or longitudinally striated with vinaceous to dark purple, velutine to hispid, hairs acicular, light brown to brown. Leaves distichously-alternate, evenly distributed along the stem to slightly congested at the apex of the stem, pseudopetiolate; sheaths 0.3–1.8 cm long, light green, longitudinally striated with dark green, sometimes speckled or with vinaceous to dark purple, velutine to hispid, hairs acicular, light brown to brown, margin upright, hispid, hairs acicular, light brown to brown; pseudopetiole inconspicuous to up to 4.6 mm long; blades 1.1– 7.8 × 0.8–2.7 cm, lanceolate to ovate, straight, membranous to thinly chartaceous, adaxially dark green, sometimes speckled or longitudinally striated with longitudinal vinaceous to dark purple, abaxially light green speckled with vinaceous to dark purple to completely vinaceous to dark purple, adaxially velutine to densely velutine, abaxially velutine to hispid, base asymmetric, cuneate, margin flat, scabrid, apex obtuse to acute; midvein conspicuous, adaxially impressed, abaxially prominently obtuse, secondary veins 3–4 pairs, adaxially conspicuous, abaxially inconspicuous, becoming conspicuous on both sides when dry. Synflorescence composed of a solitary main florescence or main florescence plus 1–3 co-florescences, restricted to the apex of the stems. Inflorescences terminal or apparently so, peduncle 0.3–0.9 cm long, shorter than ½ length of the spathe, straight, velutine to hispid with a mixture of acicular and hook-hairs, hairs hyaline; spathe 0.9–2.1 × 1.5–3.2 cm, cordate to widely cordate, rarely depressed ovate, patent to the peduncle, concolourous with the leaves, internally conspicuously mucilaginous, base connate up to mid-length, truncate to subcordate, externally velutine to hispid, hairs acicular to setose, hyaline, internally sparsely velutine, hairs acicular, hyaline, margin flat, apex obtuse to acute, straight, veins 4–5 pairs, inconspicuous, becoming conspicuous when dry; upper cincinnus developed, 2–8-flowered, flowers mainly staminate, sometimes bisexual, peduncle 1.5–2.9 cm long, exserted, J-shaped to decurved at pre-anthesis, gently decurved at anthesis, post-anthesis and fruit, densely puberulous with minute hook-hairs, hairs hyaline; lower cincinnus 7–10-flowered, flowers mainly bisexual, sometimes staminate, peduncle 0.6–1.3 cm long, thickened in fruit, puberulous with minute hook-hairs. Flowers chasmogamous, strongly zygomorphic, enantiostylous (style dislocated to the opposite side to the medial stamen); floral buds 2.4–6.5 × 2.1–6.3 mm, obovoid, light green or light blue, glabrous; pedicel 2.6–6.2 mm long, deflexed in bud and at anthesis, reflexed and elongating in fruit, light green, glabrous; sepals hyaline, persistent and accrescent in fruit, dorsal sepal 3.1–5.2 × 2.3–3.6 mm, elliptic to ovate, concave, glabrous, apex acute, lower sepals 3.9–5.8 × 3–4.2 mm, shortly-clawed, connate up to mid-length, oblique-obovate to widely oblique-obovate, concave, glabrous, apex obtuse; paired petals 0.6–1.2 × 0.6–0.9 cm, clawed, claw 2.9–4.9 mm long, sky blue, limb 5.4–8.7 × 5.7–9.2 mm, ovate-reniform to widely ovate-reniform, sky blue, base asymmetric, cordate to sagittate, apex round to slightly emarginate, medial petal 6.3– 8.7 × 0.8–1.3 mm, sessile, oblong to spathulate, entire, apex slightly involute, discolourous with the paired petals, white, hyaline, glabrous on both sides, apex obtuse; staminodes 3, medial staminode equal to the laterals, filaments 3.1–5.7 mm long, straight to arcuate-recurved, white, base tan-coloured, antherodes 0.5–1.2 × 1–1.6 mm, X-shaped, yellow, minute pollen sacs between the upper and lower lobes present, non-polliniferous or producing very few grains, apiculate between the upper lobes, upper lobes conspicuous, spathulate, shorter than the lower, lower lobes spathulate; lateral filaments 6.2–9.6 mm long, almost straight to very gently sigmoid, apex gently recurved, tan-coloured, base white, apex pale brownish-mauve, anthers 1.2–1.5 × 0.6–0.9 mm, held near the stigma, elliptic to ovate, pale orange-yellow to pale apricot connective pale orange-yellow to pale apricot, pollen yellowish-orange to cream-orange, drying orange-yellow to pale apricot; medial filament 3.1–5.7 mm long, straight to arcuate-recurved, apex gently recurved, tan-coloured, base white, apex pale brownish-mauve, anther 1.3–2 × 0.9–1.5 mm, held near the antherodes, widely oblong to widely elliptic, slightly curved, pale orange-yellow to pale apricot, connective shield-shaped, pale orange-yellow to pale apricot, with a vinaceous to atro-vinaceous spot at centre, anther sacs not appressed to each other, pollen yellowish-orange to cream-orange, drying orange-yellow to pale apricot; ovary 1.1–1.7 × 0.7–1.2 mm, 3-carpellate, 5-ovulate, ellipsoid to widely ellipsoid, green, smooth, glabrous, style 5.6–8.5 mm long, equalling or slightly exceeding the stamens, almost straight to very gently sigmoid, apex gently recurved, base cylindric, tan-coloured, base white, apex pale brownish-mauve, deciduous in fruit, stigma trilobate, white to tan-coloured. Capsules 6–9 per spathe, 4.5–6.7 × 2.7–4.5 mm, obovoid, sessile, fruit wall thin, apex truncate, constricted between the seeds, tan-coloured when mature, shiny, smooth, 3-locular, unequally 2-valved, dorsal locule 1-seeded, indehiscent, ventral locules 2-seeded, dehiscent, valves splitting to the base. Seeds dimorphic, brown to dark brown; dorsal locule seed 3.1–4.9 × 1.4–2.4 mm, adnate to the fruit wall, ellipsoid, dorsiventrally compressed, ventrally flattened, slightly cleft towards the embryotega, testa foveolate, non-farinose, embryotega semilateral, inconspicuous, with a prominent apicule, hilum linear, ca ½ the length of the seed, on a weak ridge; ventral locule seeds 2.1–3.3 × 1.3–2.2 mm, free from the fruit wall, ellipsoid to reniform, truncate at one end, ventrally flattened, not cleft towards the embryotega, testa rugose-foveolate, sparsely farinose, farinae white, embryotega semilateral, conspicuous, with a prominent apicule, hilum curved, ca ½ the length of the seed, on a weak ridge.

Distribution

Commelina vestita is endemic to Southeastern Brazil, currently known for the States of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo ( Fig. 15 View Fig ). Seubert (1855) cites the type specimen as having been collected in southern Brazil (i.e., Brasilia meridionali). This led Hassemer (2017a) to incorrectly assume this represented Brazil’s current Southern political region (i.e., States of Parana, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina). However, when Sellow did fieldwork in Brazil (1814–1831), the State of Parana did not exist and used to be included in the State of São Paulo, while the States of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina had different and narrower boundaries when compared to their current delimitation. Thus, it is most likely that the type specimen was collected by Sellow in the area currently representing the State of São Paulo.

Ecology

It grows in the understory of secondary rainforests (Atlantic Forest biome), between 800–1000 m a.s.l.

Phenology

It was found in bloom and fruit from October to December. The flowers open during the morning (around 10:00 AM) and remain open for just a few hours, depending on the temperature and humidity. Floral visitors were not observed in the field and cultivation, but fruits were consistently produced. This suggests C. vestita is self-compatible, which is also supported by its lateral anthers held near or touching the stigma, enabling self-pollination (Pellegrini, pers. obs.). Furthermore, despite no floral visitors having been observed visiting the flowers of C. vestita (both in the wild and in cultivation), fruit production is between 90% and 100% in cultivation (Pellegrini, pers. obs.).

Sexual reproduction seems to be the species’ primary reproductive strategy. This seems to be supported by their erect growth form and short rhizome, which makes them less likely to reproduce clonally. Broken or bent stems are able to root and form new individuals, but this is very uncommon in the wild (Pellegrini pers. obs.). However, fruits and seed sets are very high and seem to ensure populational stability (Pellegrini, pers. obs.).

Vernacular names

Trapoeraba cabeluda ( Brazil), andacá peludo ( Brazil), manobi-ába ( Brazil), andacá-ába ( Brazil), Anda ka’a aba ( Brazil – Guarani).

Uses

Used in traditional medicine in Brazil for its diuretic and emollient properties (Pellegrini, pers. obs.).

Conservation

Commelina vestita presents a wide EOO (53 133 km 2) but a narrow AOO (ca 284 km 2). Its known populations are significantly small, consisting of less than 20 mature individuals. These populations do seem to be surprisingly stable if undisturbed (Pellegrini, pers. obs.). However, C. vestita has been recorded growing exclusively in secondary forests and other environments under intense anthropic pressure. Some of the observed populations were greatly affected or extinct as a result of a steep decline in environmental quality. Thus, following the IUCN (2012) criteria and the IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (2024) recommendations, we suggest C. vestita should be considered Endangered [EN, B2b(ii, iii, iv, v) c(iv)+C2a(i),b].

Nomenclatural remarks

The specimen at B cited by Seubert (1855) has been apparently destroyed during WWII (Robert Vogt, pers. comm.). Nonetheless, we have been able to locate a duplicate at BR, which most likely represents the specimen analysed by Clarke (1881) for his monograph on Commelinaceae . The specimen at BR is in perfect condition, and since it matches the protologue, it is designated here as the lectotype.

Remarks

Hassemer (2017a) stated C. vestita to be a name of dubious application. Nonetheless, the protologue is far from being “not informative enough”, as stated by the author. It describes the vegetative organs and the inflorescence as presenting a very characteristic velutine to hispid pubescence, not found in any other species of Commelina from Brazil. Furthermore, Seubert (1855) compares his new species with C. robusta , stating that both species have very similar flowers and identical fruits and seeds. The only issue in Seubert’s description is where he states that C. vestita has an aborted [sic] upper cincinnus.

After analysing the type at BR, it became clear that this was incorrect. One of the upper cincinni in the type specimen even presents open flowers and floral buds. Furthermore, based on the analysed herbarium specimens and plants kept in cultivation, the upper cincinnus of C. vestita is always many-flowered, much like in C. robusta . Therefore, C. vestita is morphologically most similar to C. robusta due to their gross morphology, involute and entire medial petal, ovary and capsules smooth, dorsal seed with testa rugose-foveolate, and ventral seeds white-farinose. They can be differentiated based on their stature (delicate and up to 50 cm tall in C. vestita vs robust and up to 2 m tall in C. robusta ), stem posture and branching (erect, unbranched to branched at base vs prostrate, ascending or scrambling, sometimes erect, branched throughout or branched in the upper third), indumentum of the vegetative organs and inflorescences (stems velutine to hispid; leaf-sheath margin with light brown to brown hairs spathe externally velutine to hispid, internally sparsely velutine, margin glabrous vs stems scabrid to glabrous, leaf-sheath margin with red to dark red to atro-vinaceous hairs, spathe glabrous on both sides, margin setose near the base), the abaxial colouration of the leaf-blades (completely to only speckled with vinaceous to dark purple vs light green), the shape of the dorsal sepal (elliptic to ovate vs triangular to widely triangular), the shape of the limb of the paired petals (ovate-reniform to widely ovate-reniform vs very widely ovate-reniform to depressed ovate-reniform), the shape, colouration and posture of the medial petal (oblong to oblanceolate, white, apex involute vs spathulate to obovate, light blue to pale lilac, completely involute), antherode morphology (apiculate between the upper lobes, upper lobes shorter than the lower ones vs not apiculate between the upper lobes, upper lobes equal to the lower ones), anther colouration and position (pale orange-yellow to pale apricot, lateral anthers held near the stigma, medial anther held near the antherodes vs orange-yellow to orange, lateral anthers held near the medial anther), and the posture of the style (almost straight to very gently sigmoid vs sigmoid, apex strongly recurved) ( Table 2 View Table 2 ).

Misapplied or dubious Neotropical names