Orthophytum cristaliense Leme, 2020

6.1. Orthophytum cristaliense Leme View in CoL , sp. nov. ( Fig. 16 A–G View FIGURE 16 )

Diagnosis:— This new species is morphologically closely related to O. piranianum , but can be distinguished from it by the shorter stature when in bloom ( 9–13 cm vs. ca. 19 cm tall), peduncle shorter ( 4–6 cm vs. ca. 9 cm), floral bracts reddish-rose toward the apex ( vs. apple green), erect ( vs. distinctly recurved) and with smaller marginal spines ( ca. 0.5 mm vs. 1–1.2 mm), and sepals reddish-rose to coral ( vs. pale green) and glabrous ( vs. subdensely to densely and coarsely white lepidote abaxially).

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Cristália, Morro do Chapéu, 1297 m elevation, 16°43’14.41” S, 42°55’24.33” W, June 2018, A. Ilha s.n., fl. cult. E. Leme 9424 ( holotype RB!).

Description:— Plants stemless, flowering 9–13 cm tall, propagating by rhizomes 6–7 × 0.6–0.9 cm. Leaves ca. 17 in number before anthesis or 8–10 at anthesis, strongly coriaceous, spreading-recurved, forming a dense rosette; sheath subreniform, ca. 2.5 × 5.5 cm, covered on both sides by a dense layer of coarse, white trichomes; blade narrowly subtriangular-lanceolate, attenuate, ending in a caudate apex, 12–20 × 3–4 cm, thick near the base, canaliculate toward the apex, completely covered on both faces by a densely layer of coarse, white trichomes, sometimes with narrow, transversal, dark green, glabrous, irregular bands near the base, margins subdensely to densely spinose; spines 2–3 mm long, 2–7 mm apart, narrowly subtriangular, straight or the basal ones slightly retrorse. Inflorescence (fertile part) compound, compact-glomerulate, 4–5 cm long, 3.5–4 cm in diameter (not including the primary bracts); peduncle 4–6 × 1.5 cm, erect, completely covered by a dense layer of coarse, white trichomes; peduncle bracts 2–3 in number, resembling the leaves, spreading-recurved, exposing the peduncle; primary bracts resembling the upper peduncle bracts, completely obscured on both sides by a dense layer of coarse white trichomes, distinctly longer than the flower fascicles, the distal ones reduced in size; flower fascicles 7–9 in number, densely arranged, subflabellate-pulvinate, excluding the petals 28 × 15–21 mm, 3–5-flowered (the basal ones); floral bracts narrowly triangular or triangular-ovate, acuminate, glabrous, greenish-white and membranaceous toward the base and margins, reddish-rose toward the apex, finely nerved, erect, slightly to distinctly exceeded by the sepals, strongly carinate, 19–22 × 12–18 mm, margins spinulose toward the apex, spines ca. 0.5 mm long. Flowers sessile, ca. 32 mm long, odorless; sepals narrowly triangular, long acuminate, 20–21 × 4–5 mm, free, greenish-white toward the base, reddish-rose to coral colored near the apex, glabrous, the adaxial ones alate-carinate with the keel decurrent on the ovary, the abaxial one obtusely carinate; petals sublinear, obtuse-cucullate, free, greenish except for the white apex, 23–24 × 4–4.5 mm, erect and forming a tubular clavate corolla, bearing 2 appendages; petal appendages scutelliform with tendency to sacciform, irregularly and broadly bladed, subreniform, margins recurved, irregularly denticulate; stamens not exposed; filaments distinctly unequal, the antesepalous ones free, ca. 22 mm long, the antepetalous ones shorter than the antesepalous ones, ca. 19 mm long, adnate to the petals for 10–12 mm; anthers oblong, 3–3.5 mm long at anthesis ( ca. 5 mm long before anthesis), dorsifixed slightly below the middle, base obtuse, apex obtuse and inconspicuously apiculate, laterally complanate; ovary 6 × 4.5–6 mm, trigonous, subquadrate, white, glabrous; epigynous tube inconspicuous; ovules numerous, obtuse; placentation apical; style equalling the antesepalous stamens; stigma simple-dilated, white, densely papillate. Fruits unknown.

Distribution, habitat and conservation:— Orthophytum cristaliense is known from the type locality only, at a place known as Morro do Chapéu ( Fig. 16 A View FIGURE 16 ) in the county of Cristália. It grows as a saxicolous species in sun exposed to partially shady spots in the Campos Rupestres ( Fig. 16 B View FIGURE 16 ), about 1200 to 1312 m elevation, forming small groups of individuals ( Fig. 16 C–D View FIGURE 16 ). Neverthless, its known population is rather small and occupie a geographically limited area. Based on the current knowledge on the species, it can be considered critically endangered (CR) on the basis of the “A.1. c + d” and “B. 2. a. + b. i to iv” criteria adopted by IUCN (2012).

Etymology:—The name of this new species is a reference to the county of Cristália, in Minas Gerais state, where it was found.

Additional specimens examined ( paratypes):–– BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Cristália ; Morro do Chapéu, entre Mombucas e Boa Vista do Bananal , 1200 m elevation, 22 July 1985, G. Martinelli 11305 et al. (NY, RB!) ; Morro da Antena de Televisão , 1200 m elevation, 16°43’28.5” S, 42°55’42” W, 12 July 2001, V.C. Souza, J.P. Souza, G.O. Romão, A.O. Araújo & S.I. elias 25807 ( ESA!, RB!) GoogleMaps ; Pico do Chapéu , 1312 m elevation, 16º43’ S, 42º 55’ W, 11 September 2003, A. Rapini 1096, A.S. Conceição, M.J.G. Andrade & Vasconcelos & M.I Andrade ( CEPEC!, UEFS!) GoogleMaps ; Morro do Chapéu , 1298 m elevation, 16°43’18” S, 42°55’25” W, 25 June 2014, M. Verdi 7228, N. Pougy, G. Martinelli, D. Maurenza & E. Martins ( HUFU!, RB!) GoogleMaps ; Morro do Chapéu , 1291 m elevation, 16°43’18” S, 42°55’25” W, 10 February 2015, C.N. Fraga 3668, D.R. Gonzaga, R.C.C. Reis & T.E.C. Meneguzzo (RB!) GoogleMaps ; Morro do Chapéu , 1257 m elevation, 16°43’20” S, 42°55’23” W, 3 August 2018, R. Vasconcelos s.n. (RB!) GoogleMaps .

Observations:— Orthophytum cristaliense has been improperly identified in Brazilian herbaria as O. piranianum Leme & C.C. Paula (2008: 112) , its close morphological relative. However, O. cristaliense differs from it by its shorter stature when in bloom ( 9–13 cm vs. ca. 19 cm tall), leaves densely arranged ( vs. more laxly arranged), shorter peduncle ( 4–6 cm vs. ca. 9 cm), more numerous flower fascicles (7–9 vs. ca. 4), floral bracts reddish-rose toward the apex ( vs. apple green) which are erect ( vs. discintly recurved) and have smaller marginal spines ( ca. 0.5 mm vs. 1–1.2 mm), reddish-rose to coral ( vs. pale green) and glabrous sepals ( vs. subdensely to densely and coarsely white lepidote abaxially), and petal appendages scutelliform with tendency to sacciform ( vs. typically scutelliform).