Diplusodon vittatus T. B. Cavalc. 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Cavalcanti, Taciana B.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Myrtales
Lythraceae
Diplusodon
Diplusodon vittatus

description: 5. Diplusodon vittatus T.B. Cavalc., sp. nov.   
 Type:— BRAZIL. Goiás, Alto Paraíso de Goiás, povoado de São Jorge, na beira da estrada, 4 January 2003 (fl.), Pastore et al. 234, (holotype CEN!). Figure 6.   
Species characterized by its xylopodium, ascending branches covered by white, sparse trichomes, narrow leaves with two prominent vein on each side of the midvein, epicalyx segments longer than the sepals and flowers with 18 stamens.  
Subshrubs with a xylopodium. Upper branches subquadrangular, congested, unwinged, hirtellous to rarely pubescent, covered by white, sparse trichomes, internodes 0.7–1.1 cm long. Leaves decussate, not imbricate, suberect, coriaceous, petiolate, not discolorous, eucamptodromous; petiole ca. 1 mm long; blades 15–35 × 1.5–6) mm, narrow-lanceolate to narrow-elliptic, base acute, apex acute, margin revolute, adaxial surface sericeous to hirtellous with by white, fine trichomes; abaxial surface hirtellous to villous, with white trichomes; veins 2 on each side along the midvein, almost parallel, prominent on the abaxial surface; domatia present. Synflorescence frondose, diplobotryum spiciform type, lax; accessory branches absent, principal florescence 10–12 mm long, botryum spiciform type, paraclades 5–7 mm long; bracts similar to the vegetative leaves, except diminishing in size toward the apex of the branch, 15–25 × 1.5–3 mm wide, linear, margin revolute; flowers subsessile, hypopodium absent, epipodium ca. 0.5 mm long; prophylls ca. 5.5 × 1.5 mm, slightly surpassing the apex of the floral tube ca. 0.5 mm, narrow-oblong, with 2 inconspicuous veins on each side of the midvein, base acute, apex acute, margin plane; floral tube ca. 5 mm long, funnel-shaped, sparsely covered with white, fine trichomes; sepals 2.8–3 mm long, triangular, not deflexed, not caudate, ciliate, covered by sparse, short, white, sparse trichomes, spreading; epicalyx segments 3–3.5 mm long, cylindrical, spreading, covered by sparse, short, white, sparse trichomes, spread; corolla ca. 4 cm in diam, lilac, petals ca. 21 × 6 cm; stamens 18, free portion of the filaments ca. 8 mm long, exserted ca. 1 mm; ovary ca. 2 × 2.5 mm, obovate, glabrous, style ca. 13.5 mm long, ovules ca. 21. Fruits not seen.  
 Distribution and ecology:— Diplusodon vittatus occurs in vegetation of campo limpo. Flowers in January.   
Etimology:—Specific epithet related to the longitudinally striped adaxial leaf surface.  
 Comments:— Diplusodon vittatus is characterized by its habit with xylopodium and ascending branches covered by white, sparse trichomes, narrow leaves with one vein quite prominent on each side of the midvein, epicalyx segments 3 mm long and flowers with 18 stamens. Because of its narrow-lanceolate to narrow-elliptic with base and apex acute, it resembles D. macrodon Koehne (1877: 338). However, that species differs from it mainly by the presence of short stellate trichomes covering all the vegetative and floral parts and epicalyx segments much longer than the sepals (4–5 mm long).
description: Published as part of Cavalcanti, Taciana B., 2015, New species in Diplusodon (Lythraceae) from Brazil, pp. 144-156 in Phytotaxa 226 (2) on pages 152-155, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.226.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/13636314