Miconia lucenae (Melastomataceae), a new species from montane Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo, Brazil

Abstract

We describe Miconia lucenae R.Goldenb. & Michelang., a new species from the montane Atlantic Forest in Santa Teresa in the state of Espírito Santo. Our analysis, based on three plastid spacers (atpF-atpH, psbK-psbl and trnS-trnG), one plastid gene (ndhF, not available for M. lucenae), and two nuclear ribosomal loci (nrITS and nrETS), showed that it belongs to a small clade with Miconia paradoxa (Mart. ex DC.) Triana (Minas Gerais) and M. michelangeliana R.Goldenb. & L.Kollmann (Espírito Santo). The three species in the “Paradoxa clade” can be recognized by the plants with glabrous or glabrescent branches and leaves, white petals and yellow stamens, these with the connectives not prolonged below the thecae, ventrally unappendaged, dorsally unappendaged or with a minute tooth, the latter bilobed or not, glabrous ovary, and the fruits with a persistent calyx. Miconia lucenae can be recognized, among the species in this clade, by the shrubby plants with terete young branches, short inflorescences, usually with red axes, and the 2-bracteolate, sessile, 4-merous flowers, with a ciliolate inner portion of the sepals, lanceolate petals, and 4-celled ovaries. This species can be considered as endangered according to IUCN criteria.