Alatococcus, a new genus of Sapindaceae from Espirito Santo, Brazil

Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.10.2718

Abstract

The new genus Alatococcus (Sapindaceae) is described from Espirito Santo, Brazil. Alatococcus seems to be closely related to Scyphonychium of northeastern Brazil, as they both share similar vegetative morphology, flowers with zygomorphic calyx, fruits with indehiscent mericarps, and isopolar, tricolporate pollen grains. They however differ by the shape of the nectary disc, petal appendages, mericarps, and pollen shape and ornamentation. The new species Alatococcus siqueirae is described and illustrated.

Highlights

The genus Alatococcus is described to accommodate a species that similar to Scyphonychium by its zygomorphic calyx and indehiscent mericarps, differs by key floral, fruit, and pollen characters
Alatococcus siqueirae is distinguished by its fruits which consist of a single, woody, subglobose, mericarp with a wing that surrounds the entire longitudinal circumference of the locule
The epithet honors Geovani Siqueira, curator of the CVRD herbarium, who collected flowering material of the new species, allowing the determination to the generic level

Summary

Launched to accelerate biodiversity research

Schaefer | Received 19 January 2012 | Accepted 2 March 2012 | Published 9 March 2012 Citation: Acevedo-Rodríguez P (2012) Alatococcus, a new genus of Sapindaceae from Espirito Santo, Brazil.

Introduction

Taxonomic treatment