Sarcoglottis caudata (Orchidaceae) and Vellozia kolbekii (Velloziaceae), Two New Species from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

During a vegetation survey of the Sao Jose mountain range in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the species Sarcoglottis caudata (Orchidaceae) and Vellozia kolbekii (Velloziaceae) were discovered; they are here described as new to science. Sarcoglottis caudata R. J. V. Alves, sp. nov. TYPE: Brazil. Minas Gerais: Tiradentes, Serra de Sao Jose D'El Rei, summits of quartzite tabular mountains, 1,200 m, Oct. 1989, R. J. V. Alves 959 (holotype, RB). Figure 1. Planta S. rupestri Barb. Rodr. var. parviforae Cogn. aliquanto proxima sed apice labelli caudato, sepalo intermedio ad apicem inciso, petalis basi ad sepalum intermedium connatis differt. Geophyte, 6-8 cm tall, green herb with 1 to 3 flowers, leafless when flowering (September). Leaves unknown. Bracts linearly lanceolate, 1 cm long, 3 mm wide at base, only at base of flowers. Flowers erect, 2 cm long, externally sparsely hairy, green. Lateral sepals 10 mm long, connate to about /4 of basal length, basally continuous with the ovary, asymmetrically linear. Dorsal sepal 9 mm long, 3 mm wide, lanceolate, caudate with incise apex, basally adnate to petals; petals 6 mm long, 1 mm wide, linearly asymmetric, apex rounded; labellum white, base widely sagittate, apex long-caudate. Labellum basally rhombic, apically caudate, 7 mm long, 3 mm wide, with undivided venation consisting of 3 main veins, 2 pairs of thinner, lateral veins that form a loop with the lamina (apically connected, Fig. 1). Column ca. 2 mm long, sulcate. Anther cap membranous. Rostellum rhombic, 1 mm long. Habitat. Grows in white quartzitic sand deposits on slopes and summits of tabular mountains, in areas where the accumulated rainwater upwells from a shallow layer of sand lying directly on the bedrock or hardpan. The substrate is alternately wet (summer) and dry (winter). Distribution. Known only from the Sao Jose D'E1 Rei range, Tiradentes, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The unique labellum shape indicates that Sarcoglottis caudata forms a new subgroup in the genus. It is similar to S. rupestris var. parviflora in habit and habitat. Pabst & Dungs (1975, 1977) r cognized 29 species of Sarcoglottis K. B. Presl from Brazil, of which S. aphylla (Ridley) Schltr., S. cogniauxiana (Barb. Rodr.) Schltr., S. neuroptera (Reichb. f. & Warming) Schltr. and S. rupestris Barb. Rodr. are from Minas Gerais. Somewhat earlier, Hoehne (1945) stated that the above species are so closely allied that they should be joined into one. According to the present data, S. caudata is known only from the Sao Jose range, while the type of S. rupestris var. parvifora was found in the vicinity of Sao Joao D'E1 Rei. More new species of Sarcoglottis can be expected from the isolated campo rupestre ranges of Minas Gerais. Most of the described species are endemic to small ranges, and some are only known from type collections. Vellozia kolbekii R. J. V. Alves, sp. nov. TYPE: Brazil. Minas Gerais: Tiradentes, Serra de Sao Jose D'El Rei, 1,200 m, 22 Oct. 1989, R. J. V. Alves 852 (holotype, SPF; phototype, NHB). Figures 2, 3. Velloziae brachypodae Lyman B. Smith & Ayensu proxima sed caudice multo longiore, tepalis longioribus, ovario obscure trigonaliter que tereti, staminibus paucioribus, foliis capsulaque glabris differt. Heliophyllous phanerophyte. Caudex sparingly branched, usually 150 cm tall (rarely over 300 cm), erect, 5-15 cm diam. including the golden-yellow, persistent leaf sheaths. Leaves ca. 8 to 10 produced in each season, ca. 12 live and 65 dry in each rosette, 33 cm long (without the sheaths), base 14 mm wide, blades parchmentlike, narrowly triangular, attenuate, glabrous except for the finely setoseserrulate margins; venation of lamina consists of median vein with 27 congruent secondary veins on either side; scapes subterminal, 3-8 per rosette, pedicel ca. 9 cm long, 3 mm diam., cylindric, curved so that the flowers are naturally in horizontal position, reaching about /4 length of the leaves, glabrous at the base, slightly verrucose under the ovary (i.e., subapically). Ovary smooth, glabrous, in fresh flowers 7 mm diam., 12 mm long, cylindric to fusiform; NOVON 2: 299-301. 1992. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.105 on Fri, 13 Jan 2017 18:14:22 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms