Faramea tinguana Müll. Arg.

1. Faramea tinguana Müll. Arg. View in CoL ( Müller 1875: 471, 478; Müller 1881: 129, fig. 17)

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3

Faramea megalophylla Müll. Arg. ( Müller 1881: 129) – Type: BRAZIL – Rio de Janeiro • Belém; s. d. [3 Dec. 1868]; Glaziou 4822; lectotype (designated here): G [ G 00392556]; isolectotypes: P [ P 00836841], R [ R 10376]. View in CoL

Type

BRAZIL – Rio de Janeiro • Serra do Tinguá ; 1831; fl.; Schott 5339 (Diary No. 867); lectotype (designated here): W [ W 0013200 ]; isolectotypes: F [No. 870292] one leaf, G [ G 00418062 ], K [ K 000265088 , K 000432768 ], NY [00131383], W [ W 0013198 , W 0013199 ] .

Description

Single-stemmed woody plant, 30–100 cm tall, erect or decumbent (Fig. 2 A – B View Figure 2 ); stem woody, terete or laterally compressed, sometimes with a central longitudinal groove, glabrous. Stipules free or shallowly connate at base, persistent, long-aristate, 19–49 mm long, glabrous, base broadly triangular to deltoid, 5–7 × 5–6 mm, margins thickened-cartilaginous, arista 14–40 mm long. Leaves subsessile to short-petiolate; petioles 2–4 mm long, basally thickened, glabrous; blades narrowly long-obovate, oblong-obovate to spatulate, often narrow-oblong at basal portion, 18.5–29 × 7–11 cm, cordate at base, acuminate at apex, acumen 1–1.1 cm long, dark green above, pale green below, drying olive-green, subcoriaceous, glabrous throughout; secondary veins 13–17 on each side; domatia absent. Inflorescences axillary, pedunculate, cymose, 3 - flowered dichasia; peduncles 6–8 mm long (Fig. 2 D – E View Figure 2 ). Bracts subtending base of pedicels broadly ovate, narrowly ovate to oblong, 1.5–3.5 × 0.7–1.5 mm, round to acute at apex, fringed, often with 2–3 apical lobes 0.3–0.5 mm long. Flower buds purplish-white, acute at tip. Flowers 4 - merous, with pedicels 2–4.5 mm long. Hypanthium turbinate, 1.3–1.5 × 0.8–0.9 mm, glabrous. Calyx cupular-cylindrical, 2.8–3 mm long, margin truncate or shallowly undulate, sometimes denticulate, glabrous. Corollas hypocrateriform, 27–29.5 mm long, glabrous throughout, pale blue during anthesis, turning white after anthesis; tube 16–17 mm long, cylindrical, gradually wider towards the mouth, 1.2–1.4 mm wide at base, 2.3–2.7 mm wide at mouth; lobes lanceolate, 11–12.5 × 3.5–4 mm, acute at apex, glabrous. Long-styled flowers stamens included, subsessile, inserted 7 mm below corolla mouth; anthers oblong, 4.5 × 0.5 mm, round at base, acute at apex; style included, 2.5 mm shorter than corolla tube, bilobed, lobes oblong, 1.5 mm long, round at apex. Short-styled flowers not seen (illustrated in Müller 1881: plate 17, fig. 1; reproduced in Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ). Immature fruits with pedicels 3–5 mm long, globose to subglobose, green when fresh, purple when ripe; ca 9 mm diam., dark brown when dry.

Distribution

Endemic to the Tinguá Biological Reserve, municipality of Nova Iguaçu, and to the nearby Curió Municipal Park, municipality of Paracambi, which is within the buffer zone of the Tinguá Biological Reserve, state of Rio de Janeiro, southern Brazil (Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ).

Ecology

It grows on mountain slopes, in dense ombrophilous forest with significant accumulation of leaf litter, at 150–180 m altitude.

Notes on the habit

Two populations of Faramea tinguana (Delprete et al. 12964, 12965) were personally observed in the Tinguá Biological Reserve in December 2023. Most individuals were erect, single-stemmed woody plants, 30–100 cm tall, with a terminal rosette of large, litter-gathering leaves. Several individuals were observed to have the basal portion of the stem, 50–100 cm long, reptant on the ground, below the leaf litter (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ). At close examination, the reptant portions of the stems had sparse adventitious roots, and a few young stems originating from axillary buds, showing vegetative reproduction (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ).

Phenology

Specimens with flowers and immature fruits were collected in November and December, and with mature fruits in March.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the Serra do Tinguá, Rio de Janeiro, where the original material was collected. In Tupi-Guarani, the word Tinguá means nose, acute beak, or mountaintop.

Preliminary IUCN conservation assessment

Critically Endangered: CR B 1 ab (i, ii, iii, iv). This species is known from two main areas, on low altitudes on the Serra do Mar, state of Rio de Janeiro. It has an Extent of Occurrence ( EOO) of 12 km 2 and an Area of Occupancy ( AOO) of 12 km 2. Based on the EOO, the species can be classified as CR, but based on the AOO, it is EN. Considering that in almost two centuries (191 years) have passed since the first collection, the species has been found in only one additional location. Due to the history of deforestation of the Atlantic Forest, we consider it to be Critically Endangered. Additionally, the two areas of occurrence, although within conservation units, are close to urban areas. It is known by a few collection localities that are currently within the Tinguá Biological Reserve, and one collection from the nearby Municipal Park of Curió. The Tinguá Biological Reserve is within the Atlantic Forest domain, and extends between the Serra do Mar Range and contiguous low altitudes. It is mostly within the municipality of Nova Iguaçu. The reserve was established in 1989, with an area of about 26,260 ha, and is administrated by the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) – a government institution subordinate to the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. It ranges from low altitudes to mountainous areas, with the highest pick, Pico do Tinguá, reaching 1600 m. The reserve is mostly covered by dense ombrophilous forest and is traversed by numerous water courses, representing an important source of water for several nearby inhabited centres. For this main reason, in 1833, Emperor Pedro II declared the area a Protected Forest, making it the oldest protected area in Brazil ( Travassos et al. 2018). The reserve is crossed by the Royal Commercial Road (Estrada Real do Comércio), a stone-paved road that was initiated in 1811 and completed in 1822, to connect the town of Nossa Senhora da Piedade do Iguaçu (now the city of Nova Iguaçu), at the margin of the Iguaçu River, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, to the interior of Brazil. The road, approximately 66 km long, was built mainly for commercial purposes, traversed the Serra do Tinguá, and connected Rio de Janeiro, at that time the capital of Empire of Brazil, with the state of Minas Gerais. Many portions of its tract are no longer extant, but in the Tinguá Biological Reserve it is still well preserved. Within the reserve, along the Royal Commercial Road, there are also underground oil and gas pipelines of a national oil company. Travassos et al. (2018) produced a mammal inventory of the reserve and listed 85 species, including several rare species, making it the second most diverse reserve in mammal diversity in the Atlantic Forest of the state of Rio de Janeiro, only after the Itatiaia National Park. The Tinguá Biological Reserve is also a centre of high plant diversity and endemism. Iguatemy et al. (2017) published a tree inventory of the reserve and listed 563 species in 77 families, including 47 species of arboreal Rubiaceae . Bochorny et al. (2023) produced an inventory of all plants occurring in the reserve, listing 1310 species, comprising 1140 angiosperms, including 74 species of Rubiaceae , 169 ferns and lycophytes, and one gymnosperm.

Although the Tinguá Biological Reserve is classified by the IUCN as a strict nature reserve, category Ia, it is under constant threat by illegal human activities. In spite of the fact that its visitation is officially restricted to research and education purposes, it is frequently invaded by hunters, who illegally kill local wildlife, or capture rare animals to sell them illegally ( Travassos et al. 2018). Nearby industries contribute to the pollution of water courses and ground water present at lower elevations within the reserve.

The Municipal Park of Curió, within the municipality of Paracambi, was established in 2002, has an area of about 913 ha, and is administrated by the municipality of Paracambi. Within the park, the altitude ranges from 30 m to 305 m at its highest point. The vegetation type is ombrophilous forest on mountain slopes, and is within the Atlantic Forest domain. The area is fairly well protected, and is open for visitation by the general public.

Taking into account the ecological threats discussed above, and its small extent of occurrence ( EOO) of 12 km 2, Faramea tinguana is classified as Critically Endangered ( CR) following IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2012; IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019).

Additional specimens examined

BRAZIL – Rio de Janeiro • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Tinguá Biological Reserve, Represa do Macuco , picada para a Pedra da Onça ; 22 ° 34 ’ 37 ” S, 43 ° 26 ’ 06 ” W; 180 m; 4 Nov. 2016; fl.; Braga et al. 16-052; RB GoogleMaps • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Tinguá Biological Reserve, trilha da Macumba do Miro , entre Represa do Barrelão e Represa da Serra Velha , foresta submotana e montana; 22 ° 35 ’ S, 43 ° 25 ’ W; 30 Mar. 2012; fr.; Bruniera & da Silva 748; CEPEC, RB, SPFR GoogleMaps • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Tinguá Biological Reserve, near the trail to Pedra da Onça , close to Macuco Reservoir ; 22 ° 34 ’ 43 ” S, 43 ° 26 ’ 05 ” W; 157 m; 7 Dec. 2023; fl. buds, fr.; Delprete et al. 12964; CAY, CEPEC, NY, P, RB, UB GoogleMaps • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Tinguá Biological Reserve, near the trail to Pedra da Onça , close to Macuco Reservoir ; 22 ° 34 ’ 40 ” S, 43 ° 26 ’ 06 ” W; 172 m; 7 Dec. 2023; fl. buds, fr.; Delprete et al. 12965; CAY (2 sheets), CEPEC, NY, P, RB GoogleMaps • “ Brasil ”; s. d.; Sellow s. n.; K [ K 001137958 ] • “ Palmeiras , dans les bois vierges ”; 13 Jan. 1877; st.; Glaziou 8735; B †, F [No. 606560] one leaf, K, P [ P 03814541 ] one leaf, photo-B in F [ F 0 BN 000827 ] • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Serra do Tinguá, Região da Baixada ; [ca 22 ° 35 ’ S, 43 ° 25 ’ W]; 5 Dec. 1987; fl., imm. fr.; Gomes 277; CEPEC, HUEFS, RB GoogleMaps • Mun. Nova Iguaçu, Adrianópolis, Mata do Haras , com limite na Mata do Tinguá , floresta estacional semidecidual, terras baixas degradadas; 22 ° 39 ’ 00 ” S, 43 ° 28 ’ 17 ” W; 22 Nov. 2010; fl., imm. fr.; Marquete et al. 4264; RB, SP GoogleMaps • Mun. Paracambi, Parque Municipal do Curió, estrada de Paracambi para Vassouras , ca 5 km de Parcambi, Trilha das Taquaras, floresta ombrófila densa de encosta; 22 ° 36 ’ 39 ” S, 43 ° 42 ’ 32 ” W; 10 Dec. 2022; fl.; Fiaschi et al. 5534; FLOR GoogleMaps .