Paspalum niquelandiae (Poaceae: Paniceae), a New Species from the Serpentine Outcrops of Central Brazil

Abstract

Paspalum niquelandiae Filgueiras, a new species of Poaceae from the serpentine outcrops of Niquelindia, a municipality in the Brazilian state of Goils, is described, illustrated, and compared with Paspalum soboliferum Chase, P. humboldtianum Flugge, and P. inconstans Chase. The conservational importance of a serpentine endemic grass flora in central Brazil is briefly discussed. Recent fieldwork carried out in the municipality of Niquelandia, in the Brazilian state of Goias, where serpentine soils have been reported (Brooks et al., 1990), resulted in the description of several new taxa in the Poaceae (Davidse & Filgueiras, 1993; Filgueiras et al., 1993; Filgueiras & Davidse, 1994). A new species of Paspalum L. from the same area is herein described, illustrated, and compared to similar species. Paspalum niquelandiae Filgueiras, sp. nov. TYPE: Brazil. Goils: Municipio de Niquelindia, ca. 14?18'S-48023'W, morro pedregoso, ca. 2 km Leste da localidade de Macedo, planta crescendo entre pedras, pr6ximo a pequena floresta de galeria, ocasional na Area, 19 maio 1993, T. S. Filgueiras & F. C. de A. Oliveira 2461 (holotype, IBGE; isotypes, F, G, ICN, K, MEXU, MG, MO, R, SI, SP, US). Figure 1. Paspalo sobolifero Chase spiculis ellipticis subtiliter pilosis, gluma superiore marginibus ciliatis simile, sed culmis non ramosis, ligula 0.2-0.3 mm longa, laminis 2045 cm longis et 8-22 mm latis, communi rhachidi 9-15 cm longa, gluma superiore ciliis densis, numerosis, coroniformibus abunde differt. Coarse, caespitose perennial. Rhizomes well developed, knotty, covered with cataphylls. Culms 120185 cm tall, erect, unbranched in the vegetative portion, with 5-8 elongated internodes; internodes hollow, stramineous, glabrous; nodes dark, glabrous. Prophyll not seen. Leaves mostly cauline; sheaths strongly striate, glabrescent to pilose in the lower half, becoming papillose-hispid upward, the margins free, both ciliate or one glabrous toward the base; auricles absent; ligule a minute, brown, glabrous membrane, v-shaped, 0.2-0.3 mm long; cilia at the ligular area 5-8 mm long, colorless; blades 20-45 cm long, 8-22 mm wide, flat, lanceolate, glabrescent to papillose-hispid, acuminate apically, the midrib projecting abaxially, the margins serrate-denticulate to ciliate; uppermost blade reduced, minute. Inflorescence of unilateral, ascending racemes, divergent in maturity; peduncle well exserted, 12-22 cm long, glabrous; common rachis 9-15 cm long, glabrous, cylindrical at the base, becoming 3-4-angulate upward, the margins denticulate, the internode at the base of each raceme with a tuft of colorless hairs 2-2.5 mm long; racemes 8-30, 2.5-8.5 cm long; rachis 1-1.5 mm wide, zig-zag, flat abaxially, with a central ridge adaxially, arcuate in maturity, bearing spikelets to the tip, the margins ciliate or denticulate, or both. Pedicels of unequal length, 0.10.3 mm long, scabrid, the apex discoid. Spikelets paired, each pair alternate on each side of the rachis, pedicelled, 2.3-3.3 mm long, 1-1.2 mm wide, broadly elliptic-lanceolate in outline, pale to purplish, dorsally compressed, abaxial, awnless, with 2 florets, disarticulating below the glume and falling as a unit; lower glume absent; upper glume slightly to strongly convex on the back, 2.3-3.3 mm long, 3-nerved, glabrous to finely appressed pubescent, the margins densely ciliate-pectinate; the cilia colorless, 0.3-0.7 mm long, with bulbous bases, the apex apiculate; lower floret sterile, consisting only of a lower lemma; lower lemma 2.2-2.9 mm long, narrower than the upper glume, 3-nerved, navicular, hyaline, with a depressed area at the base, the surface glabrous to short-pubescent, the apex glabrous to slightly ciliate; lower palea absent; upper floret 2.2-2.7 mm long, bisexual, slightly chartaceous, pale; upper lemma obscurely 5-nerved, navicular, glabrous, the surface finely papillose-striate, the apex acute; germination flap evident; upper palea 2.1-2.2 mm long, acuminate, glabrous, slightly chartaceous, the surface finely papillose-striate; lodicules 2, fleshy, conduplicate, 0.1-0.2 mm long; stamens 3; anthers 1.22 mm long, laterally exserted; ovary 0.5-0.8 mm long, glabrous; styles 2, separate, 1.5-1.8 mm long; stigmas 2, plumose, yellow or purplish. Caryopsis 1.8-1.9 mm long, 0.9-1 mm wide, light-colored, NovoN 5: 30-33. 1995. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.58 on Fri, 24 Jun 2016 06:19:47 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Volume 5, Number 1 Filgueiras 31 1995 Paspalum niquelandiae