Eugenia salacifolia Bünger & Mazine

de Oliveira Bünger, M., Mazine, F.F. & Stehmann, J.R. Kew Bull (2018) 73: 38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-018-9760-7

Type

Type: Brazil, Minas Gerais, Itamarandiba, 18°13'51""S, 42°51'54""W, 13 Jan. 1998, (fl.), J. R. Pirani et al. 3954 (holotype BHCB 027616!, isotype SPF!).

Morphology General Habit

Treelets to 3 m tall; young twigs rusty, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petioles 7.7 – 13.1 × 2.1 – 2.3 mm, canaliculate, glabrous; blades elliptic, 105.2 – 154 × 42.1 – 61.4 mm, coriaceous, discolorous, glabrous, glandular dots scarcely visible on both sides, apex acute; base acute; margin revolute; midvein sulcate adaxially, raised abaxially; lateral veins 14 – 23 on each side, visible on either side, sometimes faintly raised adaxially; marginal vein 2.0 – 2.61 mm from the margin

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences auxotelic, terminal, pedicels 10.5 – 20.3 mm long, rusty-pubescent; deltate bracteoles concealing the ovary, 3.4 – 11.9 × 2.9 – 10 mm, apex rounded, rusty-pubescent, not ciliate, persistent at anthesis

Morphology General Buds

Buds not seen; calyx lobes 4, of equal size, ovate, apex acute, 10.6 – 14.4 × 9.7 – 12.8 mm, rusty-pubescent, not ciliate; petals not seen; ovary c- 4 × 7.8 mm, rusty-tomentose; style c- 7.4 mm long, staminal ring subquadrate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits globose, 15.6 – 23.5 mm diam., rusty pubescent, 1 seed c- 11.1 mm diam.; embryo with two fused cotyledons and no visible hypocotyl.

Note

Eugenia salacifolia is related to E. macrantha O. Berg (E. sect. Umbellatae O. Berg), however the new species has auxotelic (vs fasciculate) inflorescences, larger (3.4 – 11.9 mm long vs c. 2 – 4 mm long), persistent bracteoles (vs caducous) and larger calyx lobes (10.6 – 14.4 mm long vs 4 – 8 mm long).

Eugenia salacifolia belongs to Eugenia sect. Phyllocalyx which is characterised by showy calyx lobes and bracteoles and fruits with persistent bracteoles. This section has auxotelic inflorescences in which the axis of the inflorescence continues growth beyond the flowering region. Eugenia sect. Phyllocalyx is also distinct in the degree of branching and/or number of internodes or their inflorescence elongation. In young branches, species have 2 – 4 or even more flowers united in lateral or terminal “inflorescences”. But, when the shoots are well developed, these appear as solitary flowers along the branch. This inflorescence arrangement is particularly important to distinguish E. salacifolia from E. macrantha which belongs to Eugenia sect. Umbellatae. The latter species has flowers arranged in determinate inflorescences: fascicles, glomerules or racemes. Besides the morphology of the inflorescence, E. salacifolia differs from E. macrantha in having larger bracteoles (3.4 – 11.9 mm long vs c. 2 – 4 mm long) and larger calyx lobes (10.6 – 14.4 mm long vs 4 – 8 mm long).

Eugenia salacifolia is so named in recognition of its leaves that are similar in shape and size, to the leaves of species of Salacia (Celastraceae).

Distribution

Eugenia salacifolia occurs in the municipality of Itamarandiba, Minas Gerais, Brazil (Map 1).

Ecology

Between 1000 – 1135 m a.s.l. in the north-centre of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This region is tropical with two rainy periods during the year (IBGE 2016). The municipality of Itamarandiba forms part of the central portion of the Espinhaço Range and is heavily influenced by the Cerrado biome.

Conservation

Specimens of Eugenia salacifolia, collected as E. magnisepala, were found outside a protected area surrounded by Eucalyptus plantations. Eugenia salacifolia is considered Endangered (EN) under the IUCN (2016) conservation status criteria B1ab(iii). Criterion B1 recognises an extent of occurrence of less than 5,000 km2, criterion “a”, occurrence in less than five localities and “b(iii)”, a continuing decline in the area and quality of the habitat.

Phenology

Eugenia salacifolia is known to flower in January and fruit in August.