A New Calcicolous Hyptis (Sect.

Leucocephala, Labiatae) from the Irecê Region of Bahia,

Brazil
Author(s): Raymond M. Harley
Source: Kew Bulletin, Vol. 56, No. 3 (2001), pp. 685-690
Published by: Springer on behalf of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4117695
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KEW BULLETIN 56: 685 - 690 (2001)

A new calcicolous Hyptis (sect. Leucocephala, Labiatae)

from the Irec& region of Bahia, Brazil

RAYMOND M. HARLEY1

Summary. A new species of Hyptis sect. Leucocephala Benth. in DC.: Hyptis sancti-gabrielii Harley, is described.
The species is endemic to a small area of Bambui limestones in Central Bahia. The relationships of the
new species are discussed and a full description, together with a key to species of sect. Leucocephala, is
provided. The urgent need for conservation of natural habitats within the area is discussed.

Resumo. (Nova esp6cie de Hyptis sect. Leucocephala (Labiatae) endemica de area de calcirio em Irece,
Bahia, Brazil). E decrita uma nova especie de Hyptis sect. Leucocephala Benth. in DC.: Hyptis sancti-gabrielii
Harley. E uma esp&cie endemica a uma pequena area de calcario Bambui na regiao central da Bahia,
Brasil. E apresentada uma descriCao completa de uma nova esp6cie e discutido o seu relacionamento com
os outros taixons de Hyptis sect. Leucocephala. E apresentada uma chave para identificaiao dos tixons de
Hyptis sect. Leucocephala. A necessidade urgente de preservaCao dos habitats naturais nessa area 6 discutida.

INTRODUCTION

My attendance at a Workshop on Conservation and Biodiversity within the caatin

biome of North-east Brazil, in Petrolina, Pernambuco in May 2000, resulted in t
discovery of a fourth member of Hyptis sect. Leucocephala while examining the sm
herbarium in CPATSA, Pernambuco, during a break in workshop sessions. Amon
the sites under consideration at the meeting were the extensive areas of Bambu
limestones around IrerC, which are now mostly under intensive cultivation and ha
been botanically neglected. However it was from here that the plant had be
collected. Two days later I was able to visit the area, though the original name of t
locality where the plant was first collected, apparently no longer exists. This is one of
the very few species of Hyptis which is known to be restricted to limestone. The area
is also noted for two endemic and endangered Cactaceae Melocactus azureus Buinin
& Brederoo subsp. azureus and Melocactus pachyacanthus Buining & Brederoo. Th
former is afforded some protection by a locally designated Area of Environmenta
Protection (APA), but the latter has been almost extirpated by habitat destruction
fewer than 50 individuals survive (Taylor 2000). The conservation status of Hypt
sancti-gabrielii has not yet been fully assessed, but there is no doubt that it is in a ver
precarious situation as it prefers the deeper, more fertile soils, which are almos
entirely destroyed by intensive cultivation. There is therefore a strong case for th
conservation of such areas between Sdo Gabriel and Irece, to protect the las
surviving remnants of natural vegetation, which will soon be completely eliminated

Accepted for publication May 2001.

1 Honorary Research Fellow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, U.K. e Depto de Ci~ncia
Biol6gicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Km 03, BR116, Campus, Feira de Santana, 44031-460, Bahi
Brasil, Bolsa de Produtividade Visitante CNPq/ Prog. Nordeste Pesq. P6s-Graduadio.

685

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686 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 56(3)

Hyptis sancti-gabrielii Harley sp. nov. se

a quo et ceteris speciebus sectionis fo
cm), statim distinguenda. Typus: Bra
May 2000, Harley & Giulietti 53920 (h
Paratypes: Bahia: Sao Gabriel, Alto da
afloramento calcaireo. Caatinga arb
(HUEFS!); Alto de Gabriel (formerly
na beira de campo cultivado. 9 May
No. 362).

Much branched, strongly aromatic a

stems weakly quadrangular, usually m
two kinds: non-glandular, short a
multicellular and tipped with a spher
and similar but denser and more glan
spreading, the cauline with lamina
broadly and irregularly ovate with c
broadly acute apex, margin undulate
and sometimes weakly lobed in lower
becoming smaller towards apex of
green, somewhat rugose with imp
glandular hairs mixed with longer, br
with a spherical gland; lower surface
nerves, hairs sparser and finer, most
many flowered capitula 15 - 24 mm
cm long, usually held horizontally an
axils of the upper bract-leaves. In
inconspicuous, filiform or narrowly
tipped hairs, soon reflexing and obsc
long and up to 0.5 mm wide. Flowers
pale green, 7 - 7.5 mm long, zygomo
below and widening above on posteri
slightly incurved and with conspicuo
ones non-glandular, along the margin
long and c. 2 mm diam., becoming st
hairy with slender spreading, often
calyx-lobes 2.5 - 3 mm long; corolla d
long, with tube c. 6 mm, very narro
corolla-lobes directed forward and
rounded, compressed; stamens with
anthers wine-coloured with connecti
blackish, oblong, reticulo-striate
mucilaginous when wetted. Fig. 1.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. Caatin

limestone rocks (Bambui series). BR
Municipio of Irec~). Alt. c. 700 - 750

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NEW HYPTIS FROM BAHIA 687

FIG. 1. Hyptis sancti-gabrielii Harley. A ha

bract; E flower; F calyx at anthesis; G coro
fruit; L nutlet. All drawn from Harley et al

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 688 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 56(3)

LOCAL NAME: cachimbinha, chumbinha.

USES. The macerated leaves are applied locally to clear up infected or maggot-
infested wounds in cattle.

TAXONOMIC DISCUSSION

Hyptis sect. Leucocephala Benth. in DC. is a small section, now of four specie
characteristic of damp places within semi-arid regions. Two species, Hyp
leucocephala Mart. ex Benth. and Hyptis stachydifolia Epling are from North-e
Brazil, while the third, Hyptis elongata Benth. is restricted to the Lima region,
Peru. The section can be recognized by the long-pedunculate, spherical capitula
flowers over 1 cm in diameter, borne in the axils of the leaves, the flowers hav
filiform calyx-lobes, not apically clavate, and a strongly curved calyx-tube in fru
The section appears to be closely related to the much larger sect. Cyanocephalus P
ex Benth., typical of seasonal savannas, especially the cerrado. The main differen
between the two sections, are to be found in the form of the corolla tube, which
finely cylindrical in H. sect. Leucocephala and narrowly infundibuliform in H. s
Cyanocephalus, and in the form of the stigma lobes, distinctly bilobed with spreading
lobes in the former and forming a knob at the end of the style, in the latter (Ep
1949). Also, the calyx-lobes in H. sect. Cyanocephalus are normally clavate as oppo
to subulate in H. sect. Leucocephala.
Hyptis sancti-gabrielii, the new species, shares many characteristics of
stachydifolia, a species restricted to Bahia: Santo Inmcio, near Xique-xique, and in
montane areas near Jacobina, in Bahia. It differs principally in leaf-shape,
lamina being broadly ovate, distinctly broader and with a cordate base and
petioles are distinctly longer. The calyx-tube of H. sancti-gabrielii, at anthesis, is twic
as long as that of Hyptis stachydifolia, (4.0 vs. 2.0 mm), while the fruiting calyx-tube
also longer (7.0 vs. 5.0 mm). However the corolla tube is shorter. Some of
differences between the new taxon and other related species are shown in Table
However, examination of spirit material of the flowers of H. sancti-gabrielii
revealed that the style does not bear the distinctly spreading stigma-lobes typica
sect. Leucocephala, as found in all the other species of the section. Instead, the st
apex presents a knob-like appearance, seen to be weakly bilobed at highe
magnification, similar to that found in sect. Cyanocephalus. A detailed examinat
of material of the three other members of H. sect. Leucocephala confirmed that t
do indeed have the typical stigma morphology. I therefore considered carefully
whether H. sancti-gabrielii could possibly belong to H. sect. Cyanocephalus, wh
contains about 24 species, mostly of rather different aspect and ecologic
preference. I examined in greater detail one species: Hyptis rugosa Benth.,
common and variable cerrado taxon, and the only species occurring widely in t
NE which perhaps shows most similarities with H. sancti-gabrielii.
H. sancti-gabrielii shares with most other members of H. sect. Leucocephala the dar
purplish or vinaceous corolla colour, the very slender, cylindrical corolla-tube
the non-clavate calyx-lobes, as well as the preference for semi-arid habitats. A
known species of H. sect. Cyanocephalus have pink or pale lilac, rarely white flow

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 TABLE 1. Comparison of selected characters between species of sect. Leucocephala

Taxon Lamina Lamina Petiole Capitulum Peduncle Calyx-tube Calyx-lobe

Length Width Length Diameter Length Length (fl.) Lengt
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (mm) (mm

H. leucocephala 1.5 - 2.0 0.3 - 0.7 sessile 0.9 - 1.0 2.0 - 6

H. elongata 3.0 - 5.0 1.0 - 1.5 0.5 - 1.5 2.0 - 2.2 5.0 - 10.0 2.0
H. stachydifolia 2.0 - 3.0 1.0 - 1.5 0.5 - 1.0 1.5 - 1.8 3.0 - 8
H. sancti-gabrielii 2.3- 3.7 1.6 - 3.2 1.0 - 2.0 1.5 - 2.4 2.5 - 9.5
H. rugosa 3.0 - 4.0 1.5 - 2.0 1.5 - 2.0 2.0 3.0 - 12.0 2.0 - 2.5 2.5 -

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 690 KEW BULLETIN VOL. 56(3)

a narrowly infundibuliform corolla-t

new species has an overall appearance
initial study indicates that, after a m
perhaps be united. This is outside the
therefore provisionally including H. san
The following key (adapted partly f
four species of H. sect. Leucocephala.

1. Plants ? erect. Leaves over 10 mm

2. Leaves distinctly cordate at the b
.. ..................................... 1. H . sancti-gabrielii
2. Leaves narrowly cuneate or rounded to truncate, lamina rh
oblong, usually less than 1.6 cm wide.
3. Leaves 1 - 3 cm, lamina rounded to truncate at base. Calyx
mm. NE Brazil .............................. 2. H. stachydifolia
3. Leaves 3 - 5 cm long, lamina narrowly cuneate at base. Calyx-teeth
mm long. Peru ................................. 3. H. elongata
1. Plants prostrate or procumbent. Leaves + sessile, 3 - 9 mm wide. Capi
mm diam ....................................... 4. H. leucocephala

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to acknowledge the grant from CNPq, Brazil, enabling me to take up a

visiting professorship at the Universidade Estadual, Feira de Santana (UEFS) from
December 1999, and the assistance of the University authorities at UEFS for
generously allowing me use of their facilities. The invitation from Asociaio
Plantas do Nordeste, Biodiversitas and Conservation International, with financial
assistance, to attend the Caatinga Workshop, provided me with the opportunity to
discover the new Hyptis. Thanks are also due to the Curator of the CPATSA
herbarium for making the material of this new taxon available to me, to my
colleagues, Nigel Taylor and Daniela Zappi, R.B.G. Kew, for their help over the
Cactaceae mentioned in the text and to my many colleagues and students in the
Departamento de Ciencias Biol6gicas, UEFS, especially the Curator of the
Herbarium, Dr Luciano de Queiroz, and Dra Ana Maria Giulietti, Coordinator of
the Flora of Bahia Programme. The excellent plate has been prepared and drawn
by Ivan Farias Castro.

REFERENCES

Epling, C. (1949). Revisi6n del g nero Hyptis (Labiatae). Revista Mus. La Plata (Bot.)
7: 321 - 325.
Taylor, N. P. (2000). Taxonomy and Phytogeography of the Cactaceae of Eastern
Brazil. Suppl. 1: Formal taxonomic treatment of the Cactaceae of Eastern Brazil.
Ph. D. thesis. Open University. (unpublished).

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