Forzzaea bahiana (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae): a new species from the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil

Engels, Mathias Erich, Smidt, Eric De Camargo, Leme, Elton M. C. (2023): Forzzaea bahiana (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae): a new species from the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. Phytotaxa 618 (2): 202-208, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.618.2.10, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.618.2.1

Early diverging and core Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) reveal contrasting patterns of genome size evolution and polyploidy

The subfamily Bromelioideae is one of the most diverse groups among the neotropical Bromeliaceae. Previously, key innovations have been identified which account for the extraordinary radiation and species richness of this subfamily, especially in the so-called core Bromelioideae. However, in order to extend our understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms, the genomic mechanisms (e.g. polyploidy, dysploidy) that potentially underlie this accelerated speciation also need to be tested. Here, using PI and DAPI staining and flow cytometry we estimated genome size and GC content of 231 plants covering 30 genera and 165 species and combined it with published data. The evolutionary and ecological significance of all three genomic characters was tested within a previously generated dated phylogenetic framework using ancestral state reconstructions, comparative phylogenetic methods, and multiple regressions with climatic variables. The absolute genome size (2C) of Bromelioideae varied between 0.59 and 4.11 pg, and the GC content ranged between 36.73 and 41.43%. The monoploid genome sizes (Cx) differed significantly between core and early diverging lineages. The occurrence of dysploidy and polyploidy was, with few exceptions, limited to the phylogenetically isolated early diverging tank-less lineages. For Cx and GC content Ornstein–Uhlenbeck models outperformed the Brownian motion models suggesting adaptive potential linked to the temperature conditions. 2C-values revealed different rates of evolution in core and early diverging lineages also related to climatic conditions. Our results suggest that polyploidy is not associated with higher net diversification and fast radiation in core bromelioids. On the other hand, although coupled with higher extinction rates, dysploidy, polyploidy, and resulting genomic reorganizations might have played a role in the survival of the early diverging bromelioids in hot and arid environments

Krenakanthus ribeiranus Leme, Gonella & D. R. Couto 2023, sp. nov.

Krenakanthus ribeiranus Leme, Gonella & D.R. Couto, sp. nov. (figs. 1–11) Diagnosis:—This new species is morphologically related to K. roseolilacinus, but distinctly differs by stemless habit (vs. long caulescent), leaf blades subdensely to densely covered by spreading, hair-like trichomes (vs. glabrescent or glabrous), margins straight (vs. undulate mainly toward the base), inconspicuously spinulose and appearing entire (vs. distinctly spinulose), inflorescence shortly pedunculate to subsessile (vs. sessile), simple (vs. sparsely branched only at the base), flowers distinctly smaller (ca. 30 mm vs. 42–55 mm long), sepals smaller (11–11.5 × 2.5 mm vs. 20–27 × 4–5 mm), petals smaller (25–26 × 8 mm vs. 35–44 × 15–20 mm), and exappendiculate (vs. bearing distinct cupuliform appendages). Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alvarenga, Serra de Santa Maria, maciço quartzítico a leste da sede do município, [precise locality withheld for conservation purposes], 650 m elevation, 1 March 2023, P.M. Gonella 3760, J.C.S. Ribeiro, D.P. Cordeiro, L.D. Martins & J. Martins (holotype RB!, isotypes BHCB!, CESJ!, MBML!). Description:— Plants saxicolous, stemless, flowering 2.5–3 cm heigh, propagating by short basal shoots. Leaves 7–12 in number, very thin in texture, spreading, prostrate, forming a lax rosette without water impounding capacity; sheaths inconspicuous, ca. 9 × 7 mm, remotely spinulose, nerved, with sparse, long hair-like trichomes; blades narrowly lanceolate, narrowed toward the base, apex acuminate-caudate, 7–25 × 0.8–1.8 cm, green, concolorous, opaque, finely nerved, subdensely to densely covered by spreading, uniseriate hair-like trichomes mainly abaxially, margins straight, with dense long hair-like trichomes, inconspicuously spinulose and appearing entire; spine s whitish, narrowly triangular, 0.1–0.2 mm long, 1–2 mm apart, spreading (upper ones) to slightly antrorse (basal ones). Inflorescence shortly pedunculate to subessile, 2–2.5 cm long (not including the petals), ca. 1.5 cm in diameter (not including the petals), simple, corymbose; peduncle 5–8 mm long, ca. 2 mm in diameter, greenish-white, with spreading uniseriate hair-like trichomes; peduncle bracts foliaceous; floral bracts the basal ones foliaceous, distinctly exceeding the flowers, the upper ones lanceolate, acuminate-caudate, very thin in texture, green, spreading-recurved, shorter than the sepals, with spreading uniseriate hair-like trichomes, finely nerved, ecarinate, 5–10 × 2–3.5 mm, margins entire. Flowers 5–10 in number, all perfect, sessile, ca. 30 mm long (with the petals extended), fragrance not detected; sepals 11–11.5 × 2.5 mm, lanceolate, acuminate, entire, connate at the base for 4–4.5 mm, green but drying dark castaneous soon after anthesis, with sparse spreading hair-like trichomes, thin in texture, the adaxial ones carinate with the keels continuing on the ovary, the abaxial one obtusely if at all carinate; petals broadly spathulate from a very narrow base, 25–26 × 8 mm, 3.1–3.2 times longer than wide, free, green at the base and lilac toward the apex, the blades broadly elliptic to broadly obovate, acute, spreading at anthesis and forming a fan blade-like corolla, flaccidescent afterwards, at the base with 2 longitudinal callosities equaling the antepetalous filaments, with sparse and inconspicuous glandular trichomes, exappendiculate; stamens deeply included and not visible; filaments distinctly unequal in length, the antepetalous ones ca. 3.5 mm long, adnate to the petals for ca. 0.5 mm, the antesepalous ones ca. 5 mm long, free, slightly complanate, greenish-white toward the distal end; anthers 1.2–2 mm long, oblong, dorsifixed at ca. 1/4 from the base, base bilobed, apex distinctly apiculate; pollen oblate, 25–35 μm in diameter, sulcate, sulcus narrow, with exine elements, margins weakly defined to indistinct, exine reticulate, reticulum broadly meshed proximally and meshes decreasing in size towards the sulcus margins; style about equaling the antepetalous stamens and shorter than the antesepalous ones, white; stigma conduplicate-spiral, whitish, blades elongate, papillose, erect; ovary 3–4 mm long, ca. 3 mm in diameter distally, trigonous, white, with sparse hair-like trichomes; epigynous tube lacking; ovules numerous, obtuse; placentation axial, median to apical. Fruits subglobose, greenish becoming pale yellowish castaneous to castaneous, 4 × 3.5–5 mm, with persistent sepals, 2.7–2.9 times longer than the fruit length; seeds at least 90 in number, obovoid to subtrapeziform, 0.8–1.2 × 0.6 mm, yellow, distinctly longitudinally sulcate. Distribution and habitat:— Krenakanthus ribeiranus is a sciadophytic, saxicolous species known from two small subpopulations located in the type region, the Serra de Santa Maria, Alvarenga county, Minas Gerais state (figs. 1–2). The species habitat is a riparian forest in a matrix of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest and Campos Rupestres in the Atlantic Forest domain, where it is found in a small fragment of an advanced regeneration of secondary forest. The only known two subpopulations of the species are located very close to the forest edges, which directly adjoins pasture areas. The first subpopulation, located near a waterfall, contains approximately 200 mature individuals and a large number of juveniles. The species appears to have a high recruitment rate, with many germinating seeds and young plants taking root (fig. 5 F). Seed germination occurs in close proximity with mother plants, and occasionally within the fruit, indicating limited dispersal capacity, which may explain the restricted range of the species. The second subpopulation contains approximately 100 mature individuals, located on a rock wall by the river about 10–15 m from a pasture. This subpopulation is particularly vulnerable to fire events that could seriously impact the species, not only directly but also by altering the deeply shaded environment that is critical for its survival, given its high shade demand. Both subpopulations are located at about 550–650 m elevation and are composed of scattered individuals growing on organic-rich, shallow soils accumulated on sandstone rock surfaces among mosses, in shaded rocky spots alongside creeks (fig. 3). The Serra de Santa Maria range is situated on the boundary of Alvarenga, Inhapim, and Tarumirim counties. Despite sharing a similar geomorphological history with other ranges in the area, such as Pico da Aliança in Alvarenga county, it is geographically isolated and predominantly composed of quartzitic Campos Rupestres and semideciduous forest remnants. The range is inadequately protected by any designated protected area and has been poorly sampled botanically. Human activities have resulted in severe habitat conversion, exacerbating the range’s biota vulnerability. The applied overlay analyses (Jord„o et al. 2022) showed that the massif is suffering from intense human-induced disturbances and that only a small fraction of the range is suitable for the species (fig. 2). Although 48.7% of the total massif area is still forested, and 13.81% is rocky outcrops, we have only located K. ribeiranus near small creeks under gallery forests, with a much smaller actually occupied area than the total AOO and the area of the range. This makes it highly vulnerable to the direct and indirect effects of agriculture and pasture expansion, which comprise nearly 26% of the total massif area. Additionally, 10.71% of the massif is utilized for temporary crops, which uses fire to clear the land and eventually promote intense fire events. Even in this scenario, however, the massif is a strong candidate for the creation of a private or public conservation unit, as the region’s deficit in terms of in situ conservation strategies suggests. Etymology:—The epithet of this new species honors its discoverer, the young naturalist Júlio Cesar dos Santos Ribeiro, that lives at the foothills of Serra do Padre Ângelo, Conselheiro Pena, Minas Gerais State. With his sharp eye, escalating skills, and great curiosity for the natural world, Mr. Ribeiro has dedicated himself intensively to the field survey of the species that make up the extremely rich flora of his homeland, having participated in the discovery of many of the novelties from the region, such as K. ribeiranus. Conservation status:—Critically Endangered—CR B1ab (ii,iii,v) + B2ab (ii,iii,v). Several threats affect both subpopulations, such as agriculture (coffee plantations and other temporary crops), deforestation due to cattle ranching and grazing, fires, which already affected one subpopulation, invasion by alien grasses (Urochloa sp., used in the surrounding grazing areas), which can synergistically intensify fire events. Although targeted surveys in other areas of similar habitat may potentially reveal unrecorded subpopulations, so far, the species can be considered a narrow endemic bromeliad from the last significantly continuously forested massif of this region. Since the species is currently known only from two nearby collection points or subpopulations, it does not have an associated EOO polygon and has an estimated AOO of 4 km ². Land use and land cover data retrieved from Mapbiomas (2022a, b) applied for the overlay analyses (Jord„o et al. 2022) indicates that over 31% of its AOO was converted to pastures, and that 17.9% is currently designated as a mosaic of agriculture and pastureland formations (fig 1, 2). Considering the intensity of the described stress vectors, one single location is considered, as these threats may extirpate the whole population if one single intense stress event occurs within its narrow and fragile habitat. Although we have an indication of the putative number of mature individuals for each known subpopulation, no data on generation length and the population trend is known, so the species could not be assessed based on its (a priori small) population size and reduction rate. All known subpopulations are outside protected areas, which might increase the vulnerability of the species in face of severe anthropogenic events. Therefore, based on the minimum values of EOO and AOO, combined with one single location and an estimated continuing decline in its AOO, extent and quality of habitat, and possibly in the number of mature individuals, the species is here declared as Critically Endangered under the aforementioned IUCN (2012) criteria. Additional specimens examined(paraypes):— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alvarenga, Serra de Santa Maria, Sobreiro de Cima, maciço quartizítico a leste da sede do Município, [precise locality withheld for conservation purposes], 595 m elevation, 27 November 2022, J.C.S. Ribeiro 001, cult. E. Leme 10220 (RB!); ibidem, 615 m elevation, 1 March 2023, P.M. Gonella 3800, J.C.S. Ribeiro & D.P. Cordeiro (RB!). Distinctive characters:—The set of morphological features of this new species makes its circumscription in Krenakanthus apparently challenging. This is true due to the several morphological differences when compared to the single known species of the genus, K. roseolilacinus. These differences are: (a) stemless habit (figs. 3 C–D, 5 B–C, E; vs. long caulescent) and much fewer leaves (7–12 vs. 20–27 in number); (b) leaf blades subdensely to densely covered by spreading, hair-like trichomes (figs. 4 C–D, 7 A; vs. glabrescent, with minute glandular trichomes, or glabrous, fig. 4 A–B), smaller (7–25 × 0.8–1.8 cm vs. 17–27 × 1.8–2.4 cm), thinner in texture, margins straight (fig. 5 A–B; vs. undulate mainly toward the base), inconspicuously spinulose and appearing entire (fig. 4 C, 7 B; vs. distinctly spinulose, fig. 4 A–B), spines inconspicuous [0.1–0.2 mm vs. 0.3 (apical ones)– 3 mm (basal ones) long]; (c) inflorescence shortly pedunculate to subsessile (fig. 7 C–D; vs. sessile), simple (vs. sparsely branched only at the base and simples toward the apex); (d) flowers distinctly smaller (ca. 30 mm vs. 42–55 mm long); sepals smaller (11–11.5 × 2.5 mm vs. 20–27 × 4–5 mm), shorter connate at the base for 4–4.5 mm (fig. 6 G; vs. 3–7 mm, fig. 6 H); (e) petals smaller (25–26 × 8 mm vs. 35–44 × 15–20 mm), apex acute (figs. 5 D, 6 A, C; vs. acute to rounded, fig. 6 B, E), and exappendiculate (vs. bearing distinct cupuliform appendages); (f) fruits smaller, 4 × 3.5–5 mm (vs. 8–10 × 7–12 mm); (g) seeds smaller, 0.8–1.2 × 0.6 mm (vs. 2–3 × 0.7–1 mm), costal bands 8–12 cells wide, intercostal bands 1–3 cells wide (vs. costal bands 15–20 cells wide, intercostal bands 4–6 cells wide). Despite the relevant differences that distinguish these two species of Krenakanthus from each other, the similarities that unite K. ribeiranus and K. roseolilacinus are: (a) leaves thin to very thin in texture; (b) peduncle inconspicuous to absent); (c) sepals distinctly connate at the base; (d) petals similarly free, broadly spathulate from a very narrow blade (fig. 6 C), blades spreading at anthesis and forming a fan blade-like corolla, and flaccidescent afterwards (fig. 6 A); (e) stamens deeply included and not visible at anthesis (fig. 6 A–B); (f) filaments distinctly unequal in length (fig. 6 C–D); (g) stigma conduplicate-spiral (fig. 6 M–N), being the only two representatives of the “Cryptanthoid complex” with such a stigma type; (h) epigynous tube lacking; and (i) fruits with persistent sepals 2.5–2.9 times longer than the fruit length (fig. 6 I–J). In addition, both species present similar habitats, occurring in the understory of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in the region of Alvarenga and Conselheiro Pena (fig. 1).Published as part of Leme, Elton M. C., Gonella, Paulo M., Couto, Dayvid R., Fernandez, Eduardo P., De Carvalho, Jordano D. T., De Almeida, Pedro S. & Mariath, Jorge E. A., 2023, A " hairy situation " in Minas Gerais, Brazil: a striking new species of Krenakanthus (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) covered with uniseriate trichomes, pp. 39-62 in Phytotaxa 619 (1) on pages 55-57, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.619.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/842568

A "hairy situation" in Minas Gerais, Brazil: a striking new species of Krenakanthus (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) covered with uniseriate trichomes

Leme, Elton M. C., Gonella, Paulo M., Couto, Dayvid R., Fernandez, Eduardo P., De Carvalho, Jordano D. T., De Almeida, Pedro S., Mariath, Jorge E. A. (2023): A "hairy situation" in Minas Gerais, Brazil: a striking new species of Krenakanthus (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) covered with uniseriate trichomes. Phytotaxa 619 (1): 39-62, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.619.1.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.619.1.

Miscellaneous new species in the Brazilian Bromeliaceae

From 1990 to 2006, 2,875 new angiosperm species were described in Brazil, including 280 newBromeliaceae species. This publication rate is considered to be a useful indicator of floristic richness andalso reveals the huge gaps in our knowledge of species that make up Brazilian biomes and the importanceof taxonomy as a basic tool to assess biodiversity and conservation. The goal of modern taxonomists is ina race against time ordained by an unprecedented rate of global biodiversity loss, and therefore collaborationis vital to successfully close these gaps. This paper is the result of a broad cooperative research effortundertaken specifically to provide basic data on the identity of new components of Brazilian biologicaldiversity. The authors describe and illustrate 22 new Bromeliaceae species from three subfamilies: Bromelioideae - Aechmea guaratingensis, A. paratiensis, A. rubroaristata, Cryptanthus capitellatus, C. venecianus, C. viridovinosus, Hohenbergia aechmeoides, H. arcuata, H. barbarespina, H. reconcavensis, Nidularium alegrense, Orthophytum teofilo-otonense, O. cearence; Pitcairnioideae - Dyckia espiritosantensis, D. nana, Pitcairnia capixaba; Tillandsioideae - Tillandsia castelensis, Vriesea euclidiana, V. fontanae, V. multifoliata, V. sanctateresensis and V. teresopolitana.No Brasil, entre 1990 e 2006, foram descritas 2.875 novas espécies de angiospermas, incluindo 280 novosmembros para a família Bromeliaceae. Esses números constituem um indicador tanto da riqueza florística do país,como também da grande lacuna de conhecimento das espécies que compõem os biomas brasileiros, ao mesmotempo em que destacam a importância da taxonomia como uma ferramenta de base no âmbito da catalogação dabiodiversidade e da conservação. A tarefa dos taxonomistas modernos é hoje ditada por uma verdadeira corridacontra o tempo em razão da perda global da biodiversidade sem precedentes. Nesse processo, a colaboração évital para suprir as lacunas do conhecimento. Este trabalho é o resultado de um amplo esforço cooperativo depesquisa que tem o propósito de fornecer dados básicos sobre a identidade de novas espécies que compõem abiodiversidade brasileira. São aqui descritas e ilustradas 22 espécies novas de Bromeliaceae, pertencentes a trêssubfamílias e nove gêneros: Bromelioideae - Aechmea guaratingensis,A. paratiensis, A. rubroaristata, Cryptanthuscapitellatus, C. venecianus, C. viridovinosus, Hohenbergia aechmeoides, H. arcuata, H. barbarespina, H. reconcavensis, Nidularium alegrense, Orthophytum teofilo-otonense, O. cearence; Pitcairnioideae - Dyckiaespiritosantensis, D. nana, Pitcairnia capixaba; Tillandsioideae - Tillandsia castelensis, Vriesea euclidiana, V. fontanae, V. multifoliata, V. sanctateresensis e V. teresopolitana

The low-copy nuclear gene Agt1 as a novel DNA barcoding marker for Bromeliaceae

Background: The angiosperm family Bromeliaceae comprises over 3.500 species characterized by exceptionally high morphological and ecological diversity, but a very low genetic variation. In many genera, plants are vegetatively very similar which makes determination of non flowering bromeliads difficult. This is particularly problematic with living collections where plants are often cultivated over decades without flowering. DNA barcoding is therefore a very promising approach to provide reliable and convenient assistance in species determination. However, the observed low genetic variation of canonical barcoding markers in bromeliads causes problems. Result. In this study the low-copy nuclear gene Agt1 is identified as a novel DNA barcoding marker suitable for molecular identification of closely related bromeliad species. Combining a comparatively slowly evolving exon sequence with an adjacent, genetically highly variable intron, correctly matching MegaBLAST based species identification rate was found to be approximately double the highest rate yet reported for bromeliads using other barcode markers. Conclusion. In the present work, we characterize Agt1 as a novel plant DNA barcoding marker to be used for barcoding of bromeliads, a plant group with low genetic variation. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive marker sequence dataset for further use in the bromeliad research community

Correction to: The low-copy nuclear gene Agt1 as a novel DNA barcoding marker for Bromeliaceae

Correction to: BMC Plant Biol 20, 111 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-2326-5 In the original publication [1] an incorrect version of Additional file 1 was used during typesetting. The incorrect and correct versions of Additional file 1 are available in this correction article. The original article has been updated. The publisher apologizes to the authors and readers for the inconvenience

Miscellaneous new species in the Brazilian Bromeliaceae.

From 1990 to 2006, 2,875 new angiosperm species were described in Brazil, including 280 new Bromeliaceae species. This publication rate is considered to be a useful indicator of floristic richness and also reveals the huge gaps in our knowledge of species that make up Brazilian biomes and the importance of taxonomy as a basic tool to assess biodiversity and conservation. The goal of modern taxonomists is in a race against time ordained by an unprecedented rate of global biodiversity loss, and therefore collaboration is vital to successfully close these gaps. This paper is the result of a broad cooperative research effort undertaken specifically to provide basic data on the identity of new components of Brazilian biological diversity. The authors describe and illustrate 22 new Bromeliaceae species from three subfamilies: Bromelioideae – Aechmea guaratingensis, A. paratiensis, A. rubroaristata, Cryptanthus capitellatus, C. venecianus, C. viridovinosus, Hohenbergia aechmeoides, H. arcuata, H. barbarespina, H. reconcavensis, Nidularium alegrense, Orthophytum teofilo-otonense, O. cearence; Pitcairnioideae – Dyckia espiritosantensis, D. nana, Pitcairnia capixaba; Tillandsioideae – Tillandsia castelensis, Vriesea euclidiana, V. fontanae, V. multifoliata, V. sanctateresensis and V. teresopolitana