New Taxa of Sarcopera and Marcgraviastrum (Marcgraviaceae) from the Guayana Shield

Abstract

A new species, Sarcoperaflammifera, and a new subspecies, Sarcopera tepuiensis subsp. coccinea, are described. Three new combinations, Sarcopera aurantiaca, Sarcopera tepuiensis, and Marcgraviastrum pendulum, are validated. The planned treatments of Marcgraviaceae in the Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana and Flora of the Guianas series necessitate publication in advance of some new taxa in the genera Marcgraviastrum and Sarcopera, two genera recently validated by de Roon and Dressier (1997). A number of new combinations and new taxa were proposed by Bedell (1985) in her doctoral thesis, but subsequently only some of them were validly published (Bedell, 1988, 1993; de Roon & Dressier, 1997). Sarcopera Bedell is based on Norantea subg. Pseudostachyum Delpino (Delpino, 1869). The genus is characterized by a spicate inflorescence with the nectariferous bracts inserted at the base of the small flowers. In her thesis Bedell proposed three new species of Sarcopera from the region, S. atrovinosa, and flammifera. A new study of the available collections led us to the conclusion that only flammifera should be recognized as a new species. The proposed S. coccinea is here treated as a subspecies of tepuiensis. Marcgraviastrum (Wittmack ex Szyszylowicz) de Roon & Dressier is based on Norantea subsect. Marcgraviastrum Wittmack ex Szyszylowicz (Szyszylowicz, 1893). The genus is characterized by an umbelliform inflorescence. Two generic transfers proposed by Bedell are herein validated and attributed to her, following an agreement between her and the senior author. Sarcopera aurantiaca (Spruce ex Gilg) de Roon & Dressier, comb. nov. Basionym: Norantea aurantiaca Spruce ex Gilg, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 25, Beibl. 60: 32. 1898. TYPE: Brazil. Amazonas: prope Panur6 ad Rio Vaup6s, Spruce 2719 (holotype, B destroyed, photographs F, GH, MO, MICH, US; lectotype, selected here, K; isolectotypes, BM, BR, C, E, G, GH, GOET, LE, NY, OXF, P, TCD, W). Wittmack (1878) cited Norantea aurantiaca Spruce (Msc. in coll. ad n. 2719), a nomen nudum, as a synonym of Norantea anomala considering the Spruce collection to be a forma juvenilis. Though Wittmack in a note gave a short description of Spruce's collection, it was not his intention to describe or publish a new species. Gilg (1898) was the first to recognize and validly publish Norantea aurantiaca Spruce as a separate species, differing from Norantea anomala in the inflorescence, the shape, the venation, and the hypophyllous glands of the leaves and in particular the presence of two large hypophyllous glands, one on each side, in the apical part of the blade and some scattered very small ones. Thereupon Norantea aurantiaca Spruce became validated, and consequently Norantea aurantiaca Spruce ex Gilg is the correct basionym of Sarcopera aurantiaca. Bedell (1985) attributed Norantea aurantiaca Spruce to Gilg and Werdermann (1925), overlooking the earlier publication of Gilg (1898). Ferreira (1995) was also wrong when she published Norantea aurantiaca Spruce ex Ferreira. She erroneously considered Norantea aurantica Spruce as used by Gilg (1898) and by Gilg and Werdermann (1925) to be a nomen nudum, since no Latin diagnosis was supplied. This, however, was not required at that time (Art. 36.1 ICBN; Greuter et al., 1994). Because of its NovoN 9: 248-252. 1999. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.127 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:15:57 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms