Pleroma penduliflora Fraga & P. J. F. Guim., 2014

2. Pleroma penduliflora Fraga & P. J. F. Guim. View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 , 4 View FIGURE 4 ).

Tibouchina formosa Cogniaux affinis, foliis indumento stellatis similis, sed connectivo sub anthera glabra differt; Tibouchina bahiensis Wurdack aeque affinis, foliis subtus pilis stellatis et connectivo sub anthera glandulosa similis, sed foliis supra pilis barbellato-ciliolatis et inflorescentia erecta differt; Pleroma heteromalla affinis , foliis supra indumento sericeis et subtus velutinis, pilis simplex differt.

Type: — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Mun. Pancas, Serra do Mutum Preto , 750 m, 7 March 1999, C.N. Fraga, H.Q. B. Fernandes & R.R. Vervloet 965 (holotype: MBML! ; isotypes: NY! , RB! , UPCB! ).

Shrub ca. 1 m, stems, branches, petioles, leaf surfaces, inflorescences, hypanthium, calyx lobes and ovary apex densely covered by short stellate trichomes; stems and young branches 4-angled, occasionally winged, arching apically when flowering. Leaves opposite; petioles 0.4–1 cm, cylindrical, reddish in fresh material and dark green in dry material; blades 5–10 × 2–5.5 cm, ovate-oblong, base rounded, margins entire, apex acute, chartaceous, 5- nerved, with a pair of marginal nerves, venation prominent and reddish in fresh material on abaxial surface, impressed on adaxial surface, stellate trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface, evenly distributed on abaxial surface. Thyrses 6.5–8 cm long, terminal, pendulous on the top of the apically arching stems; bracteoles 3.5–4.5 × 1.8–2.3 mm, reddish, symmetrical, concave, lanceolate, apex acute, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface covered with small stellate trichomes, sometimes caducous. Flowers 5-merous, pedicellate, pedicels 1–2 mm long; hypanthium 2.5–3.3 × 1.7–2.3 mm, green-vinaceous with reddish stellate trichomes in fresh material; calyx lobes 2.7–4 × 1.5– 2.3 mm, lanceolate, asymmetric, apex acute, margin ciliate, caducous in fruit; petals 5.8–7.2 × 4.8–5.5 mm, purple in fresh material, spatulate to obovate, apex truncate, margins shortly ciliate; stamens 10, dimorphic, filaments light-violet, glabrous, antesepalous 2.7–3.6 mm long and antepetalous 2.5–3.2 mm long, connective prolonged 0.6 mm long, with small ventral appendages covered with long-stalked glands, anthers subulate, apex attenuate with apical pore ventrally inclined, glabrous, antesepalous 2.2–2.8 mm, cream, and antepetalous 2.7–3.2 mm long, lightviolet; ovary 5-celled, half inferior, style curved at apex with trichomes at the base, stigma truncate. Capsule 3.5–5 × 2.7–5 mm, globose; seeds ca. 5 × 3 mm, brown, numerous, cochleate, testa tuberculate.

Etymology: —The species epithet alludes to the most visible character, the pendulous inflorescences on the top of the apically arching stems.

Distribution and habitat: — Pleroma penduliflora is known from 170-785 m elevation, inhabiting vegetation patches on inselbergs in the Tropical Semideciduous Forest, in the municipalities of Pancas and Águia Branca, Espírito Santo, Brazil ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). The habitat of this species is very similar to Pleroma marinana ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ).

Conservation: — The new species is endemic, with populations represented by scattered individuals, and with EOO estimated as 222.74 km 2, and AOO estimated as 20 km 2. All populations were found outside protected areas, in an area prone to the effects of human activity (livestock raising, agriculture, and commercial granite exploitation). Due to the apparent restricted distribution and potential impacts on their populations, this species may be considered as endangered [EN B1b(i,ii,iii)c(i,ii)].

Paratypes:— Brazil. Espírito Santo: Municipality of Águia Branca, Córrego Taquaral, “propriedade do Sr. José Rocha” , 18°59’12.2” S, 40°41’49.7” W, 211 m, 11 May 2008, R. Goldenberg, A.P. Fontana, C.N. Fraga & C. Esgario 1150 ( CEPEC, HUEFS, K, MBML, NY, RB, SPF, UPCB). GoogleMaps Idem, Santa Luzia, “property of Ciro Ferreira” , 18°58’28” S, 40°39’43” W, 250–450 m, 18 May 2007, V. Demuner, T. Cruz, R.R. Vervloet & E. Bausen 3983 ( MBML). GoogleMaps Idem, 18°58’40.5” S, 40°39’56.1” W, 170-600 m, 27 April 2006, V. Demuner, L.F.S. Magnago, T. Cruz & E. Bausen 2290 ( MBML, NY, RB, UPCB). GoogleMaps Idem, Pedra da Bandeira , 26 April 2008, L. Kollmann, A.P. Fontana, E. Leme & M. Zanoni 10933 ( MBML, RB). GoogleMaps Idem, 26 April 2008, L. Kollmann, A.P. Fontana, E. Leme & M. Zanoni 10924 ( MBML, UPCB, RB). GoogleMaps Idem, Rochedo, “property of Arlindo Breda” , 18°56’42” S, 40°48’01” W, 450–550 m, 7 June 2006, V. Demuner, L.F.S. Magnago, T. Cruz & E. Bausen 2441 ( K, MBML, NY, RB, UPCB). GoogleMaps Municipality of Pancas, Serra do Mutum Preto 750 m, 7 March 1999, C. N. Fraga, H. Q. B. Fernandes & R.R. Vervloet 959 ( CEPEC, K, MBML, NY, RB, UPCB); GoogleMaps Serra do Mutum Preto , 785 m, 30 October 2003, C.N. Fraga, B. R. Silva, A.P. Fontana & R.R. Vervloet 1082 ( MBML, RB). GoogleMaps Idem, Pedra da Colina, “caminho para a rampa de vôo livre” , 19°13’51” S, 40°52’35” W, 12 March 2010, D.P. Saraiva, J. Silva, K.V. Hmeljeviski & R.C. Forzza 40 ( MBML, UPCB). GoogleMaps Ibidem, 19°13’51” S, 40°52’35” W, 765 m, 13 April 2013, C.N. Fraga, H.C. Lima, R. Gribel & M. Lemes 3505 ( CEPEC, HUEFS, K, MBML, NY, RB, SPF) GoogleMaps .

Comments: — Pleroma penduliflora is easily recognizable by its stamens dimorphic in size and with connective appendages covered with long-stalked glands, adaxial leaf surfaces with stellate trichomes and by the pendulous inflorescences. The new species is similar to Tibouchina formosa Cogniaux (1885: 348) , Tibouchina bahiensis Wurdack (1980: 321) and Pleroma heteromalla (D. Don) D. Don (1823: 295) .

Tibouchina bahiensis Wurdack (1980: 321) is similar to P. penduliflora due to the shape and indumentum of the stamens and the stellate trichomes on the abaxial surface. However, the trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface in T. bahiensis are strigose, bulla-based, roughened, and branched (vs. stellate trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface, evenly distributed on abaxial surface). Tibouchina formosa Cogniaux (1885: 348) has the base of the stellate trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface as in P. penduliflora . However, its leaves are smaller, ca. 5 cm long (vs. 5–10 cm in P. penduliflora ), and the stamens have long and glabrous appendages on the connective (vs. stamens with glands on the connective appendages). While P. heteromalla is similar to P. penduliflora due to the dimorphic stamens with glandular trichomes in the filaments and connective appendages, and the short style and curved at the apex. However, its leaves have strigose-sericeous, bulla-based trichomes on its adaxial leaf surface, and velutinous, not stellate trichomes on its abaxial leaf surface (vs. stellate trichomes on the adaxial leaf surface, evenly distributed on abaxial surface).