Valeriana eupatoria (Valerianaceae), a New Species from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Valeriana eupatoria, a new species native to Araucaria forests from upland Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is apparently related to V chamaedryfolia, from which it is set apart chiefly by its larger inflorescences and non-lobate, pubescent, and larger leaves. RESUMEN. Se describe e ilustra Valeriana eupatoria, una nueva especie nativa de los bosques montanos de Araucaria de Rio Grande do Sul, en el sur de Brasil. La especie aparentemente estai relacionada con V chamaedryfolia, de la cual se diferencia principalmente por las inflorescencias mais grandes y sus hojas no lobadas, enteras, pubescentes y m-is grandes. The familial status of Valerianaceae is debatable in light of recent studies; Judd et al. (1994) merged it in Caprifoliaceae based mainly on morphological and anatomical similarities. Molecular studies (APG, 1998; Backlund & Pyck, 1998; Pyck et al., 1999) point to the close relationship of both groups, establishing the derivation of Valerianaceae from a caprifolioid ancestor; these authors, in spite of the opinion of Judd et al. (1994), maintain Valerianaceae as a separate family. I have chosen to follow their lead. If maintained as a separate family, the Valerianaceae comprise from 9 (Gunn et al., 1992) to 13 (Cronquist, 1981) genera. Valeriana is the largest genus in the family, with about 300 species (Cronquist, 1981). Valeriana L. in South America attains its highest diversity in the Andes; the Brazilian species are disjunct from this Andean stock and restricted chiefly to montane habitats in southern and eastern regions of the country, from Minas Gerais to Rio Grande do Sul, showing a marked southward increase in number of species. The last thorough taxonomic revision of Valeriana in Brazil listed 15 species (Borsini, 1962). One more species was recently described (Sobral, 1999), and, during a study of the genus in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil, another unnoticed shrubby species was detected; it is herein described as new. Valeriana eupatoria Sobral, sp. nov. TYPE: Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul: Linha Quinze, Gramado, 29020'S, 50053'W, Oct. 1997 (stam. fl), M. Sobral & C. Mird 8604 (holotype, ICN; isotypes, FLOR, MBM, MO, RB, SP, US). Figures 1, 2. Species nova V chamaedryfoliae proxima, a qua foliis non lobatis, pubescentibus, foliis et inflorescentiis longioribus distincta est. Dioecious, erect or occasionally prostrate, sympodially branching undershrubs or shrubs 0.5-1.5 m high. Twigs, leaves, and inflorescence axes pubescent with hyaline hairs 0.1-0.3 mm long. Leaves opposite, simple, lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, discolored when dried, pilose on both faces, more densely so abaxially, 813 cm long and 2.2-3.7 cm wide; apex narrowly acuminate; base cuneate and decurrent along the pseudopetiole; central nerve adaxially plane or sulcate, abaxially salient; secondary nerves 4 to 6 (8) pairs, plane or sulcate above and salient below, the second air stronger than the others, the two first pai s sometimes diverging at a narrower angle than that of the other veins (about 300); margins irregularly serrate, with 16 to 25 teeth 4-6 mm long near the blade midpoint; pseudopetiole 6-10 x 12 mm, the leaf bases connate across stem node. Inflorescences in terminal panicles, the staminate ones 40-50 x ca. 30 cm, the pistillate ones 2030 x 10-18 cm, with 3 orders of branching to the ultimate dichasial units; bracts on the lower two nodes of the inflorescence 4-7 x 1.5-2.0 cm, simlar to the leaves but occasionally with a pair of eviden basal lobes, the other bracts much smaller, up to 20 mm long and 5 mm wide, acropetally diminishing in size. Bracteoles lanceolate, up to 0.4 x 0.2 mm. Flowers of both sexes sessile, pentamerous; calyx obsolete, generally reduced to a warty intumescence with no evident teeth at the base of the flowers, in some flowers hardly visible. Staminate flowers white, campanulate, 0.8-0.9 x 0.71.0 mm, the lobes acute, 0.4-0.5 x 0.4-0.5 mm; stamens 3, 1.0-1.2 mm long, the anthers globose, 0.3 x 0.2-0.3 mm, bithecal. Pistillate flowers NovoN 10: 149-152. 2000. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.120 on Mon, 05 Sep 2016 06:04:39 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms