Taxon Details: Physeterostemon jardimii R.Goldenb. & Amorim
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Family:

Melastomataceae (Magnoliophyta)
Scientific Name:

Physeterostemon jardimii R.Goldenb. & Amorim
Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.
Type Specimens:

Specimen 1: Isotype -- W. W. Thomas
Specimen 2: Paratype -- A. M. Amorim
Specimen 3: Paratype -- J. G. Jardim
Description:

Description Author and Date: Renato Goldenberg and André M. Amorim, based on Physeterostemon (Melastomataceae): a new genus and two new species from the Bahian Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Taxon 55 (4) 965-972. 2006

Type: Brazil, Bahia, Mun. Itacaré, Fazenda Capitão, 7.9 km W of junction BA 001 on road to Itacaré to Ubaitaba, 14°20'40''S, 39°05'18''W, 40–100 m, “Southern Bahian Wet Forest along banks of the Riacho do Capitão, forest along stream, herb on slope in forest, corolla white”, 04 Nov 2001, W. W. Thomas, S. Sant’Ana, A. M. Carvalho & G. Pitanga 12767 (holotype, CEPEC; isotype, NY; Fig. 2).

Description: Rhizomatous subshrub 20–40 cm. Young stems terete, densely strigose to hispid, trichomes 0.9–2 mm long, canescent to ochraceous, mixed with short glandular projections 0.1–0.2 mm, trichomes denser at the nodal regions. Leaves opposite, isophyllous in each pair, petiole 5–14 mm long, strigose to hispid, leaf blade 6–13 × 2.2–3.6 cm, elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate to oblanceolate, base acute to narrowly rounded, apex acuminate, margins dentate to serrate, ciliate, 3-nerved to shortly 3-plinerved with a faint additional submarginal pair, adaxially densely strigose and weakly bullate, trichomes 1.2–2.1 mm long, sparsely mixed with short glandular projections 0.1–0.2 mm, abaxially weakly foveolate, with trichomes 0.3–1.2 mm long, smaller and more slender than on adaxial surface, sparse on the surface but dense on the nerves. Inflorescence terminal, corymbose, pauciflorous 1.8–5.8 cm long (larger measurements represent fruiting materials), reddish, with elongated basal secondary branches, with trichomes similar to those on young stems; bracts 1.6–2 × 0.5–1 mm, triangular to narrowly triangular, glabrous, margin ciliate; bracteoles 0.8–1 × 0.3–0.5 mm, triangular, glabrous, margin ciliate. Flowers 6-merous, on true pedicels ca. 1.7–2.8 mm long to 2.8–4 mm long in fruiting material. Hypanthium ca. 2.8 × 2.4 mm, campanulate, outer surface densely strigose and glandular-setose, trichomes 0.5–1.5 mm long, ochraceous, inner surface glabrous like the torus. Calyx persistent, abaxially strigose and glandular-setose, adaxial surface with sparse short glandular projections ca. 0.2 mm long; tube 0.2–0.3 mm; inner lobes 1.2–1.3 mm, triangular, margin short-ciliate; outer lobes 2.9–4.1 mm long (larger measurements represent fruiting material), subulate, setose-tipped. Petals ca. 7 × 4 mm, white, glabrous on both surfaces, obovate, apex truncate toemarginate, margin entire. Stamens 12, yellow, slightly unequal in size, all grouped in a cluster at one side of the flower, with the thecae facing upwards; filaments 3–3.8 mm long; connective unappendaged or minutely bituberculate ventro-basally, dorsally thickened, the thickened portion broader (ca. 0.2 mm wide) towards the apex and acute in lateral view; smaller anthers 1.3–1.4 mm, larger anthers 1.5–1.6 mm, both oblong and with a rounded apex in ventral view, slightly projecting backwards over the connective in lateral view, but with a single ventral pore, anthers ventro-basally provided with two short lobes below the filament insertion. Ovary ca. 1.7 mm long, ca. 4/5 inferior, 4-locular, apex setulose; ovules many, on large, globose, axial placentae; style curved, stigma punctiform. Capsules ca. 2.4 × 3.5 mm, rupturing longitudinally, with pericarp and adnate hypanthium persistent, except for faint hypanthial vascular bundles, placentae clubbed, perpendicular to the ovary axis, persistent. Seeds 0.3 × 0.3 mm, cuneate, testa smooth.

Taxonomy and Systematics: This species grows in primary and advanced secondary moist forests, of southern Bahia usually along rivers or streams, in shaded areas. The collections from Camamu (Jardim & al. 2757, Paixão & al. 296) have smaller petioles and leaf blades, and more rounded bases than the collections from Itacaré. The epithet honors Jomar G. Jardim who has contributed admirably to our knowledge of the Bahian flora.