Couepia

Identification key for Couepia View in CoL from the state of Espírito Santo

1. Leaves oblong, base obtuse to subcordate. 2. Floral receptacle tubular, stamens 26–29, with shorter filaments (ca. 6 mm long) .............................. ......................................................................................................................................... 2.1. Couepia belemii View in CoL 2’. Floral receptacle subcampanulate, stamens 16–25, with longer filaments ( 0.9–1.7 cm long). 3. Petiole 3–5 mm long, flowers ca. 1.2 cm long, stamens ca. 16.................... 2.4. Couepia ovalifolia View in CoL 3’. Petiole 7–15 mm long, flowers 1.6–1.9 cm long, stamens 24–25 ...................2.5. Couepia schottii View in CoL 1’. Leaves elliptic, base cuneate. 4. Leaves coriaceous, primary veins 14–16 pairs ....................................................... 2.2. Couepia carautae View in CoL 4’. Leaves chartaceous, primary veins 10–11 pairs ...........................................2.3. Couepia monteclarensis View in CoL

2.1. Couepia belemii Prance, Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. View in CoL

no. 9: 228. 1972. Fig. 3

Tree, up to 30 m tall, DBH 40 cm, young branches glabrous to slightly pubescent, becoming glabrous with age, lenticellate. Leaves oblong, 8–11.9 × 3.5–5.8 cm, coriaceous, discolorous, base obtuse, apex acuminate, acumen 3–8 mm long, adaxially glabrous, abaxially tomentose, midrib prominent in both surfaces, glabrous, primary veins 15–18 pairs; petiole 5–11 mm, glabrous to pubescent, canaliculate, eglandular, rarely with discoid glands; stipules caducous (not seen). Inflorescence terminal to subterminal, paniculate, sericeous; bracts 1, triangular, up to 1.6 cm long, sericeous, eglandular, caducous; bracteoles 2, triangular, 4–7 mm long, sericeous. Flowers 1.1–1.4 cm long, sericeous, pedicel ca. 3 mm; receptacle tubular, ca. 6 mm, glabrous, except at throat; sepals with acute apex, 4–5 mm long, pubescent, not reflexed; petals with acute apex, glabrous, margin ciliate; stamens 26–29, in a semi circle, filaments ca. 6 mm long, glabrous, free, with short staminodes opposite to them; ovary 3 mm, tomentulose, style 9 mm long, tomentulose at lower half. Drupe ellipsoid, sessile, 3.6–3.7 × 2.5–2.9 cm, epicarp rugose, glabrous.

Selected material examined: Conceição da Barra, Flona do Rio Preto , estrada principal, 18.VI.2018, fr., B.G. Sossai 207 ( VIES) . Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale, Estrada MacanaÍba Pele de Sapo Ant. 161, km 3568, lado direito, 23.XII.1981, fl., I.A. Silva 283 ( CVRD, MO, NY, RB) ; trecho de Muçununga próximo ao nativo do contorno do Roxinho , 17.IV.2011, fr., D.F. Lima 209 ( CVRD, ESA,

HUEFS, RB). Couepia belemii View in CoL can be confused with C.

ovalifolia and C. schottii View in CoL because of its oblong coriaceous leaves, with obtuse base and similar number of prominent primary veins. C. belemii View in CoL can be distinguished by the abaxially tomentose leaves, tubular receptacle and shorter stamens in higher number. In I.A. Silva 283 it is possible to observe characters similar to Couepia bracteosa View in CoL , an amazonian species reported as close to C. belemii View in CoL by Prance (1972), as they belong to “ Couepia bracteosa View in CoL species group”. However, the characters that differentiate them (leaf size and base, inflorescence striation and stamens disposition) are not well defined, as they overlap in the exsiccatae. Flowers collected in October and December and fruits in June.

Couepia belemii View in CoL is endemic to Atlantic Forest, recorded in Bahia and EspÍrito Santo states. In the latter, it occurs in Mussununga and Mata de Tabuleiro, in Conceição da Barra and Linhares municipality, in two protected areas: Floresta Nacional do Rio Preto and Reserva Natural Vale. For Brazil the taxon is assessed as “Endangered” (EN), and for the state it is classified as “Vulnerable” ( Fraga et al. 2019, Brasil 2022).

The common name for this species is taquipé ( I.A. Silva 283).