Pseudotrimezia speciosa (Iridaceae, Trimezieae), new combination of Pseudotrimezia from the rocky fields of Minas Gerais (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The Iridaceae family has 66 genera and about 2030 species, with a cosmopolitan distribution and center of diversity in South Africa, followed by South America (Goldblatt et al. 2008a). The genus Pseudotrimezia belongs to the Neotropical tribe Trimezieae Ravenna and had its circumscription expanded by Lovo et. al. (2018), as it includes part of the species previously recognized as Trimezia sect. Juncella (Chukr & Giulietti, 2001; 2008). Pseudotrimezia is characterized by having spiraled cataphylls, elongated corms, cylindrical leaves, aphyllous scape or bearing two bracts imbricated with each other, patent or strongly revolute tepals, yellow, orange, lilac or purple flowers. Pseudotrimezia speciosa (Ravenna) Chukr was first described as Trimezia juncifolia (Klatt) Benth. & Hook. subsp. speciosa by Ravenna (1988). In previous works Chukr (1992) and Chukr & Giulietti (2008) synonymized the subspecies under the basionym Trimezia juncifolia, ( =Pseudotrimezia juncifolia) without considering subspecies. Examples of Trimezia ( =Pseudotrimezia) with cylindrical leaves and red flowers were found in two locations in the Campos rupestres of Minas Gerais, in the municipalities of Passos and São José do Barreiro, in the foothills of Serra do Canastra, where it is locally endemic. As the character is of paramount importance, the hierarchical level of the taxon was changed, moving from subspecies to species and effecting the change of genus. This work presents the diagnosis of the taxon, its anatomical characteristics, comments and relationships with other taxa, geographic distribution as well as its phenology.