A new remarkable Vanilla Mill. (Orchidaceae) species endemic to the Espinhaço Range, Brazil: its phylogenetic position and evolutionary relationships among Neotropical congeners

Abstract

During surveys conducted on Neotropical Vanilla, a new endemic species was found in the Brazilian campos rupestres of the Espinhaço Range. Here, this new remarkable Vanilla species, namely V. rupicola Pansarin & E.L.F. Menezes, is described and illustrated. A phylogeny for Vanilla is presented and the relationships between Neotropical species are discussed. The position of V. rupicola among Neotropical Vanilla is discussed within an evolutionary context. Vanilla rupicola is recognized by its rupicolous habit, its reptant stems, and its sessile and rounded leaves. This remarkable new taxon emerges in a clade that includes V. appendiculata Rolfe and V. hartii Rolfe. Vegetative and floral features support a close relationship between V. rupicola and sister taxa, mainly regarding the apical inflorescence (V. appendiculata), the type of appendages of the central crest of the labellum, and the labellar color pattern. Phylogenetic inference suggests that the circumscription of Neotropical Vanilla groups needs revision.

Figure 2 from: Pansarin ER, Miranda MR (2024) Clarifying the dubious identity of Vanilla dubia Hoehne (Orchidaceae) and its relatives. Plant Ecology and Evolution 157(2): 236-243. https://doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.121915

“…emerge as sisters to a large clade including mainly nomadic vines (Pansarin and Ferreira 2022;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024). With more than 40 species, Brazil is the centre of diversity for Vanilla, with a number of endemic and obscure species (Pansarin and Miranda 2016;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024). This is the case for V. dubia, described by Hoehne (1944) on the basis on a single specimen collected in Brazil by Carl August Wilhelm Schwacke (Schwacke 11107) and deposited in the Damasio Herbarium.…”

“…Vanilla Mill. encompasses more than 100 species distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Africa (Cameron 2003;Pansarin and Menezes 2023). The genus is monophyletic with three main lineages, two of which are distributed throughout the Neotropics (Bouetard et al 2010;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024).…”

“…encompasses more than 100 species distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Africa (Cameron 2003;Pansarin and Menezes 2023). The genus is monophyletic with three main lineages, two of which are distributed throughout the Neotropics (Bouetard et al 2010;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024). Among Vanilla, a Neotropical clade with thin and membranaceous leaves emerges as sister to a clade that includes two subclades, a predominantly African/Asian/Caribbean clade and a second, strictly Neotropical one.…”

“…and V. bicolor Lindl.) emerge as sisters to a large clade including mainly nomadic vines (Pansarin and Ferreira 2022;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024). With more than 40 species, Brazil is the centre of diversity for Vanilla, with a number of endemic and obscure species (Pansarin and Miranda 2016;Pansarin and Menezes 2023;Pansarin 2024).…”

The first epiphytic species of Valeriana in the world: Valeriana rudychazaroi (Caprifoliaceae)

“…Current botanical research has discovered striking and remarkable new species with evolutionary innovations for the genus to which they belong, like Pinanga subterranea Randi & W.J.Baker, the first known palm species flowering and fruiting underground ( Randi et al 2023 ; Kuhnhäuser et al 2023 ) or V. rupicola Pansarin & E.L.F.Menezes, the first Neotropical rupicolous species of Vanilla ( Pansarin and Fernandes-Menezes 2023 ). This paper describes the first epiphytic member of the genus Valeriana ( Caprifoliaceae ) in the world found in Mexico.…”