We describe a new species of Hohenbergia (Bromeliaceae) from Brazil, H. ituberaensis, a rare species, so far only known from Ituberá municipality, Bahia State, in an area of the Atlantic Forest. The species is similar to H. stellata, presenting a pinkish inflorescence, congested and non-divided branches, pinkish and large floral bracts hiding the sepals, spatulate petals with a slightly reflexed apex. However, it differs by the white petals, as a diagnostic characteristic. The type specimen was collected in a small forest fragment and here this species is categorized as Vulnerable. Additionally, we compared this new species to Hohenbergia belemii and H. capitata, which are also similar to H. stellata, due to the red/pinkish characteristics of the branches, with large flowers and well-developed floral bracts. An illustration, an occurrence map, taxonomic comments and a table comparing the main characters of these four species are provided.
The eu-bromelioid clade provides a classic example of an exceptionally rapid radiation, in which many closely related species are found in sympatry. In this respect, species cohesion may be due to the rapid evolution of strong reproductive barriers, although interspecific and intergeneric hybridization is observed in the family. The objective of this study was to characterize the breeding systems and post-pollination reproductive barriers in Wittmackia patentissima and Hohenbergia ridleyi. Previously included in Aechmea, they show an almost complete absence of pre-pollination barriers, although their recent divergence may not have allowed time for complete ecological/reproductive isolation to have evolved. In manual pollinations, both species had > 40% fruit set in self and outcross treatments, but seed set from manual self-pollinations was < 50% that of outcrosses, and spontaneous self-pollination produced fewer than three seeds per fruit. Self-pollen and pollen tubes showed no evidence of self-incompatibility, but heterospecific pollen tubes were arrested in the lower part of the style and heterospecific seed set was zero in both species. The combination of self-compatibility and strong post-pollination, pre-fertilization reproductive barriers is consistent with the involvement of breeding system reproductive barriers in allowing closely related bromeliad species to occur in sympatry.
We describe a new species from Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), Hohenbergia densa, that inhabits the dry vegetation of the state. This new species can be recognized by its short and robust habit, differing from other Caatinga-endemic species of the region, that commonly present a broader rosette with a long inflorescence axis. Additionally, we provide illustrations, habit, phenology, a map of occurrence, and a table of morphological comparisons with similar taxa.
We here establish the Hohenbergia capitata complex composed of three species endemic to the Atlantic Forest, in the State of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. When compared with other Hohenbergia species endemic to the Atlantic Forest, the complex is recognized by the small size of the plants (shorter than 1 m tall when flowering), lanceolate leaf blades, inflorescence with main axis short and congested branches, concentrated on the apical portion of the inflorescence (creating a capitulate shape), primary branches short pedunculate (short stipes), basal primary bracts sub-orbicular, large flowers (over 3 cm long) with spatulate petals with a cuspidate apex. Within this complex, we describe H. nidularioides sp. nov., a critically endangered species from the southern coastal region of Bahia, only known from a small fragment of Restinga forest in Una municipality. This species is very similar to H. capitata but differs by the nidular aspect of the inflorescence, which is only short-pedunculate and more or less hidden inside the rosette. In addition to the taxonomic treatment, we provide illustrations, the geographic distribution, taxonomic comments, and anatomical comparison of the species in the H. capitata complex.
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