Saranthe rufopilosa F.Fraga & J.M.A.Braga, 2025

Saranthe rufopilosa F.Fraga & J.M.A.Braga , sp. nov.

( Figs 4–5 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 )

Type:— BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Linhares, Reserva Natural da Vale do Rio Doce , Jureirana, Aceiro Caliman , ca. km 0.3, 19º06’48.4”S, 40º00’09.9”W, 3 December 2003 (fl.), J.M.A. Braga 7309 et al. ( holotype RB392693 !; GoogleMaps isotype CVRD8514 !) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis:— Saranthe rufopilosa is most similar to S. leptostachya (Regel & Körnicke in Regel 1857: 32) Eichler (1884: 86), but differs in its 2-nodated synflorescences ( vs. 1-nodated in S. leptostachya ), 8–14 overlapped inflorescence component ( vs. 18–22 not overlapping inflorescence component), entirely sericeous component bract with an acute apex ( vs. component bract sericeous only at the base and elsewhere glabrous with an emarginate apex,), flowers with oblong and sparsely sericeous sepal ( vs. flowers with narrowly lanceolate and glabrous sepal) and indument of long stiff reddish trichomes disposed on inflorescence peduncles, rachis, internodes, cymule peduncles, pedicels, sepals and ovary ( vs. indument of short coarse stramineous to brown trichomes, disposed on petiole, synflorescence peduncle, pedicels and ovary in S. leptostachya ).

Herb ca. 80 cm tall, erect. Rhizome ca. 5 cm long, not thickened; cataphyll 3–14(<28.5) × 0.8–2 cm, lanceolate, apex acute, sparsely sericeous to sericeous, brown, papyraceous. Aerial stem unbranched. Leaf sheath 12.5–28.5 × 1.5–1.7 cm, narrow, not auriculated, margins entire, glabrous, green; petiole (8>) 12.5–42 cm long, green, sparsely sericeous to sericeous; pulvine 1.5–2.5 cm long, tortuous, dark-brown; blade 22–36 × 7.2–12.8 cm, elliptic, base attenuate or obtuse, apex acuminate, mucronulate, margins entire, glabrous, midrib glabrous, adaxial surface green, abaxial surface concolour, papyraceous. Synflorescence arising from basal leaves, 2-nodated; peduncle 5.5–10 cm long, stramineous, sparsely sericeous to sericeous; main bract deciduous; node bract 2–7 × 0.5–1.5 cm, lanceolate, apex acute or apiculate, sparsely sericeous, stramineous, fibrous. Inflorescence 2–4 per node, unbranched; prophyll 1–3 × 0.2–0.5 cm, lanceolate, glabrous, hyaline, membranous; peduncle 2–6.5 cm long, sparsely sericeous; rachis with internodes ca. 0.3cm long, compressed; inflorescence component 8–14, overlapped, persistent. Cymule 1–2 per component; peduncle subbrachiblastic, densely sericeous; component bract 10–12 × 5–6 mm, lanceolate, apex acute, entirely sericeous, deciduous; prophyll ca. 10 × 2 mm, lanceolate, apex acute, glabrous. Flower 8.5−9 mm long, white, inner staminodes yellowish; pedicel ca. 1 mm long, brown, densely sericeous; sepal ca. 6 × 1.5−2 mm, oblong, apex acute, margins involute, sparsely sericeous; corolla tube ca. 2 mm long; corolla lobe 4.5−5 × 1.5−2 mm, oblong, apex acuminate; outer staminodes 2, subequal, 4−4.5 × ca. 2 mm, spatulate, apex rolled up; callose staminode ca. 6.5 × 2.5 mm; cucullate staminode ca. 3 × 1 mm, appendage prominent, deflected; stamen ca. 2.5 mm long, anther ca. 1 mm long, appendage ca. 2 mm long, taller than the anther, linear; style 4.5–5 mm long, recurved, stigma apically positioned; ovary 1.5−2 × ca. 1 mm, densely sericeous.

Additional specimens ( paratypes): — BRAZIL. Espírito Santo: Linhares, Reserva Natural Vale , Estrada da Gávea , km ca. 7.9, localização RFL-01/80-D-3, 29 December 1999 (fl.), D.A. Folli 3544 ( RB854509 !, SAMES03272 !) ; Estrada do Flamengo , km 8, 29 November 2001 (fl.), D.A. Folli 4132 ( RB854507 !, SAMES03273 !) .

Etymology:— The specific epithet “ rufopilosa ” means “ of reddish trichomes ” in Latin. It refers to the reddish, densely sericeous indument, which covers the ovary, pedicels, inflorescences rachis and peduncles.

Vernacular names:— caeté-vermelho, cotovelo-preto.

Notes:— Saranthe rufopilosa is circumscribed as a rosulate herb with a 2-nodated synflorescence, each node with 2–4 inflorescences, deciduous component bracts, persistent cymules, and sericeous indument made of reddish, long and stiff trichomes, covering inflorescence peduncles and rachis, cymule peduncles, sepals and ovary. The species is closely related to S. leptostachya , because both species have elliptic leaf blades with an attenuate base and acute apex, deciduous component bracts and flowers with densely sericeous ovary and spathulate outer staminodes. Their differences are indicated in the diagnosis part.

Phenology:— It flowers in November and December.

Distribution and habitat:— Saranthe rufopilosa is only known from Espírito Santo state, southeastern Brazil. The species occurs within the private protected area Reserva Natural Vale ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ), a lowland area of Tableland Forest. The habitat is plane and with an open understory, where the species can be seen in open and shaded spots.