Phyllanthus longipetiolatus (Phyllanthaceae), a new species from São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract

During a taxonomic revision of Phyllanthus sect. Phyllanthus subsect. Phyllanthus, a new species was found and is being described and illustrated here. Phyllanthus longipetiolatus, known from the state of São Paulo (Brazil), belongs to the previously mentioned section and is morphologically similar to P. niruri. However, the new species differs from the latter by its leaves with long petioles (1.4–1.9 mm long), staminate inflorescences in cincinni, staminate and pistillate flowers with long pedicels (3.8–4 mm long and 6.7–8 mm long, respectively), staminate disk and smooth seeds. Its distribution, habitat, phenology, and informal conservation status are presented.

Novelties in Phyllanthus sect. Phyllanthus subsect. Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae): two new species, two new synonyms, and a lectotype

“…Phyllanthus encompasses ca 215 species distributed mainly in the Americas (Bouman et al 2022), of which approximately 95 species (71 of them endemic), can be found in different vegetation types of Brazil, a country that emerges as one of the main centers of diversity of the genus (Torres and Silva 2023a). This genus comprises five subgenera, 24 sections and seven subsections, and includes species generally recognized by having herbaceous or shrubby habit, with phyllanthoid or non‐phyllanthoid branching, monochlamydeous flowers, without pistillodes and with segmented nectariferous disk in staminate flowers and entire in pistillate flowers and differently ornamented seeds (Bouman et al 2022).…”

“…Clausseniani G.L.Webster and P. subsect. Phyllanthus , the latter being one of the most taxonomically intriguing for harbouring P. niruri , one of the polymorphic species of the genus, in addition to others with problematic delimitations (Bouman et al 2022, Torres and Silva 2023a).…”

“…Phyllanthus subsect. Phyllanthus (vide Torres and Silva 2022, 2023a, b2023b) which increased the number of species to ten, seven of them endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.…”