Euplassa cantareirae Sleumer

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T., et al. 2007. Proteaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 100: 1-218. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Proteaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Euplassa cantareirae Sleumer

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. São Paulo: Serra da Cantareira, N. Andrade 18 (holotype, R).

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree, to 15 m. Young stems dull reddish-brown becoming black, the indumentum densely ferruginous-to rufous-tomentose, lost with maturity; striations narrow, multiple; older branches light gray to dark brown often with a grayish cuticle, glabrous or glabrescent, the striations less notable. Lenticels moderately numerous, conspicuous in young glabrescent branches, less obvious in older branches, minute to 1.5 mm, suborbicular to linear, the latter caused by small fissures on either side; moderately prominent, orange to beige, contrasting strongly against dark bark, sometimes producing fissures. Petiole (1.5-)2.4-4 cm long, laterally compressed, 1.5-2.5 mm diam, at the base, short ferruginous-tomentose. Leaf rhachis 10-15 cm long, the terminal appendix commonly 2-4 mm long, 0.5-1 mm broad, less frequently to 11 mm in length and producing a small terminal leaflet; leaflets subsessile to short-petiolulate, the petiolules 3-6 mm long, 1.75-2 mm at the base where they meet the rhachis. Leaflets 3-4(-5) pairs, opposite to strongly subopposite, not overlapping or weakly so, drying bicolorous, light green to black above in dried leaves, ferruginous beneath, subcoriaceous, matte to shiny, glabrous to sparsely white- to ferruginous-pilosulose on the base and venation, very densely bright ferruginous-tomentose to ferruginous-velutinous beneath, the indumentum obscuring lamina, graying and somewhat deciduous with age; young leaves densely short ferruginous-tomentose on both surfaces of lamina, commonly asymmetrical, narrowly obovate to oblong-elliptic to broadly obovate; basal pair suborbicular to oblong ovate, 3.2-6.2 × 2.4-4 cm; other leaflets (3.1-)4.1-9.5 × (1.6-)2.2-4.5 cm; base equal to weakly oblique, decurrent to acute; apex obtuse to rounded, minutely mucronulate in older leaves, in basal leaflets commonly truncate, occasionally retuse; margin broadly serrulate to less frequently serrate, rarely denticulate, undulate, generally strongly recurved; venation cladodromous, 4-6 lateral veins, midvein prominent throughout, reaching apex, secondaries prominent, higher order venation faint to conspicuous, especially in older leaflets. Inflorescence moderately congested to lax, rarely branched, axillary, occasionally two per leaf axil, 2-3.3 cm diam.; peduncle 1.7-6 cm long, 1-1.5 mm diam, immediately below inflorescence; floral rhachis 3.8-8.5 cm long, ferruginous-puberulent to ferruginous-pubescent, the hairs frequently curly; bracteoles strongly heteromorphic, the basal ones 3-4 mm long and ca. 0.4 mm broad, rarely present, usually broken off, linear, the superior bracteoles 2-3 mm long, linear, all short ferruginous-tomentose to ferruginous-crispate, not reflexed; flower-pair axis absent to 3.5 mm long, 0.75-1 mm across, ferruginous-tomentose; pedicels 1.5-4 mm long. Buds 2.5-3 mm broad at apex, frequently with a short beak, 1-1.5 mm broad at midlength, erect to ascending, short ferruginous-tomentose. Rowers 1-1.4 cm long, one tepal remaining erect at anthesis; tepals 0.75-1 mm at midlength, strongly keeled. Anthers subsessile, ca. 1.5 mm long. Hypogynous nectaries distinct, closely juxtaposed or well separated, trigonous, the abaxial ones slightly larger and positioned slightly higher, an abaxial gap present or absent. Ovary 1-2.5 mm long, pyriform to ovate, sparsely short light ferruginous-hirsute, rarely villous and dense. Infructescence 8.4-9.2cm long; fruit peduncle 1-1.25 mm thick. Fruit subglobose to broadly obovoid, occasionally slightly compressed, 1.2-1.6 cm × 0.8-1.2 cm, drying dark brown, minutely pustulate, rough to the touch. Mesocarp 0.5 mm thick, black; pericarp 1-1.25 mm thick, porous, light in color.

  • Discussion

    This species is most distinctive and almost impossible to confuse with any other, except perhaps Euplassa rufa, but E. rufa has entire leaflet margins and crispate indumentum. For differences between these two species see under E. rufa.

    The specimens Hatschbach 7586, 13145, and 35687, could possibly merit specific rank, but have been included with Euplassa cantareirae mainly because they share the overall shape and form of the leaves and inflorescences. They do, however, show discrepancies in the indumentum. Unlike in E. cantareirae, the leaflets of the Hatschbach specimens are densely light ferruginous-crispate beneath, and the inflorescence indumentum is also crispate, very reminiscent of E. semicostata a species from Rio de Janeiro. In the past these specimens have been identified as E. legalis, in which neither are placed in this revision. These specimens from Bocaiuva do Sul, Parana, fit within the distribution range of E. cantareirae and are most similar to collections from Serra da Cantareira, Sao Paulo. These specimens of E. cantareirae from Sao Paulo press flat, which is unusual within the species, and the bud indumentum is fairly crispate. The Hatschbach collections share both of these characteristics with the E. cantareirae collections from Sao Paulo. The specimens from Sao Paulo are undoubtedly E. cantareirae judging by the shape of the leaflets and leaf indumentum. The ovary indumentum in E. cantareirae, even in those collected in Sao Paulo, is densely ferruginous-villous or ferruginous-pilose, and the margins are not undulate and so press flat. In contrast, Hatschbach’s collections only have a few hairs extending from the base. The degree to which indumentum covers the ovary can vary within a species. In species like E. incana, and less commonly in E. inaequalis, there seems to be a negative correlation between ovary and leaf pubescence. In Euplassa incana, for example, the specimens that have more densely pubescent leaves have an ovary which is pubescent only at the base, or the bottom half. Something similar may exist in E. cantareirae, as in the Hatschbach collections where the leaves are densely indumented and the ovary is sparsely indumented or glabrescent. I am inclined to place Hatschbach’s collection with E. cantareirae and to regard it as an extreme in a range of variation. However, its taxonomic position remains uncertain and could be clarified with the study of more material.

    The relationships of this species are difficult to determine, although the dense underleaf surface indumentum suggests that it is a taxonomically isolated species with weak links to other southeastern Brazilian species with distinct hypogynous nectaries, such as Euplassa nebularis, E. organensis, E. semicostata, and E. rufa.

    The buds of this species sometimes develop a beak at the apex, reminiscent of Euplassa pinnata. However, the bud indumentum of E. cantareirae is densely tomentose as opposed to the puberulent indumentum of E. pinnata.

    Phenology. Flowering from Dec-Jan; fruiting in Feb. The bicolorous leaflets which are commonly bright ferruginous beneath and green above with variously serrate to denticulate margins are characteristic of this species. Flowers yellow, cream, to greenish-cream; leaf undersurface brightly ferruginous. Immature fruits bright green.

  • Common Names

    carvalho brasileiro, courneleo

  • Distribution

    In wet premontane forest (mata pluvial) along the Atlantic coastal range of Serra do Mar, from Santa Catarina to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Occuring between 900 and 1100 m alt.

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