Paepalanthus trichophyllus Korn.

Paepalanthus trichophyllus (Bong.) Körn. in Martius & Eichler Figs 4–5 Paepalanthus trichophyllus (Bong.) Körn. in Martius & Eichler (Martius & Eichler 1863). – Eriocaulon trichophyllum Bong. (Bongard 1831). – Dupatya trichophylla (Bong.) Kuntze (Kuntze 1891). – Floralia trichophylla (Bong.) Andrino (Andrino 2023). Paepalanthus canescens f. angustifolia Ruhland (Ruhland 1903). – Type: BRAZIL − Minas Gerais • an schattigen Stellen der Serra do Lenheiro; May 1896; Álvaro da Silveira 1036; holotype: B [B 10 0247833]; isotype: LL [LL 00374678]). Syn. nov. Etymology The term ʻ trichophyllus ' originates from the Greek, with ʻ tricho ' meaning ʻhair' and ʻ phyllus ' meaning ʻleaf', a reference to the species characteristic of leaves covered by trichomes. Type material examined BRAZIL − Minas Gerais • “ Brasilia, In siccis arenosis mont. St. Juno d’ El Ray” [São João del-Rei]; Jun. 1824; fl.; Riedel 292 (first-step lectotype designated by Moldenke 1977: 252); second-step lectotype: LE [LE 00002858], designated here; isolectotypes: LE [LE 00002857], B [B 10 0247642]. Other material examined BRAZIL − Minas Gerais • Baependi; 20 Jun. 1962; fl.; J. Mattos & H. Bicalho 10346; SP, SPF • Carrancas; 28 Nov. 2002; fl.; A.A.M. de Barros 1772; RFFP • Delfinópolis; 11 Mar. 2003; fl.; R. Romero et al. 6724; HUFU, UB • Ingaí; s.d.; M.L. Gavilanes 831; ESAL • Itumirim; 24 Jul. 1987; fl.; D.A. Carvalho s.n.; SPF [SPF61218] • Itumirim; 20 May 2010; fl.; M.E. Mansanares et al. 1448; ESAL • Itumirim; 17 Jun. 2012; fl.; M.E. Mansanares et al. 2711; ESAL • Itumirim; 22 Mar. 2016; fl.; C.P.V. Martins et al. 379; ESAL • Itumirim; 22 Mar. 2016; fl.; C.P.V. Martins et al. 381; ESAL • Itumirim; s.d.; fl.; Alunos da terceira turma da pós-graduação em botânica 265; ESAL • Itumirim; s.d.; fl.; E.A. Andrade s.n.; ESAL [ESAL27042] • Itumirim; s.d.; fl.; D.A. Carvalho s.n.; ESAL [ESAL6456, ESAL8305] • Itumirim; s.d.; fl.; M.L. Gavilanes 366; ESAL • Itutinga; 7 Mar. 1995; fl.; V.C. Souza et al. 7843; ESA • Itutinga; 20 May 2010; fl.; M.E. Mansanares et al. 1415; ESAL • Itutinga; 16 Feb. 2012; fl.; M. Sobral & D.G. Castro 14755; HUFSJ, RB • Itutinga; 26 Apr. 2016; fl.; I.AC. Arruda & C.P.V. Martins 669; ESAL • Itutinga; 13 Feb. 2017; fl.; D.Q. Domingos et al. 838; ESAL • Itutinga; 3 Mar. 2021; fl.; L.E.F. Silva & I.M. Rollim 178; R • Lavras; 29 Jun. 1987; fl.; H.F. Leitão Filho et al. 19296; UEC • Lavras; 10 Apr. 2001; fl.; J. Chaddad Jr. 46; ESA • Lavras; 25 Mar. 2011; fl.; M.E. Mansanares et al. 2131; ESAL • Lavras; s.d.; fl.; D.A. Carvalho s.n.; ESAL [ESAL6738] • Lavras; s.d.; fl.; M.L. Gavilanes 558; ESAL • Minduri; 31 Mar. 2011; fl.; M.E. Mansanares et al. 2158; ESAL • Ouro Preto; 19 Sep. 2018; fl.; J.A.M. Paiva et al. 1876; BHCB, OUPR • São João del-Rei; 4 Jan. 2006; fl.; A. Rapini 1284; HUEFS • São João del-Rei; 25 Jan. 2018; fl.; M.T.R. Costa et al. 1336; HUFSJ, R • São João del-Rei; 4 Mar. 2021; fl.; L.E.F. Silva & I.M. Rollim 180; R • São João del-Rei; s.d.; fl.; A. Silveira s. n.; BHCB [BHCB63188] • São Roque de Minas; 7 Dec. 1994; fl.; J.N. Nakajima & R. Romero 652; HUFU, SPF • São Roque de Minas; 10 Jan. 1995; fl.; R. Romero et al. 1682; HUFU, SPF • São Roque de Minas; 10 Jan. 1995; fl.; R. Romero et al. 1698; HUFU, SPF [SPF106131] • São Roque de Minas; 17 Mar. 1995; fl.; R. Romero et al. 1983; HUFU, SPF • São Roque de Minas; 17 Mar. 1995; fl.; R. Romero et al. 1986; HUFU • São Roque de Minas; 20 Mar. 1995; fl.; J.N. Nakajima et al. 938; HUFU • São Roque de Minas; 21 Nov. 1995; fl.; J.N. Nakajima et al. 1533; HUFU, SPF [SPF109764, SPF227046] • São Roque de Minas; 23 Nov. 1995; fl.; J.N. Nakajima et al. 1614; HUFU, SPF [SPF109761] • São Roque de Minas; 10 Dec. 1996; fl.; J.N. Nakajima & E.F. André 2475; UEC • São Roque de Minas; 10 Dec. 1996; fl.; J.N. Nakajima & E.F. André 2477; UEC • São Roque de Minas; 11 Jan. 1998; fl.; R. Romero et al. 5021; HUFU, SPF. • São Roque de Minas; 31 May 2014; fl.; L. Echternacht et al. 2496; HUFU • São Roque de Minas; 31 May 2014; fl.; M.S. Freitas et al. 34; HUFU • São Thomé das Letras; 30 Oct. 1984; fl.; Cordeiro s.n.; SPF [SPF35521] • São Thomé das Letras; 20 Apr. 1986; fl.; C.R.A. de Moraes & L.R. Ávila s.n.; HRCB [HRCB6497] • São Thomé das Letras; 28 Oct. 1989; fl.; C.L.M. Rocha s.n.; BHCB [BHCB27983], SPF [SPF100035]. – Goiás • Cristalina; 23 Jun. 1983; fl.; G. Hatschbach & R. Kummrow 46601; FLOR, INPA, MBM, US • Cristalina; 17 Jul. 2007; fl.; M.M. Saavedra 403; HUEFS, RB, SPF • Cristalina; 30 Jul. 2011; fl.; J.E.Q. Faria et al. 1488; HUEFS, UB • Cristalina; 19 Mar. 2013; fl.; R.G. Chacon et al. 1019; HEPH • Cristalina; 15 May 2015; fl.; R.G. Chacon et al. 1290; HEPH • Cristalina; 12 Jun. 2024; fl.; T.M. de Lima 12; OUPR Description Perennial herbs, usually solitary or forming clumps, with an erect habit and self-supporting individuals, 10.35–56.5 cm tall; rhizome present, usually conspicuous, aerial stem 0.8–32.6 cm long, sparsely pilose, solitary or branched, internodes 0.5–3.5 mm long. Leaves persistent, arranged in a rosette or along the stem, chartaceous, flexible, lanceolate, light green to brownish when old, patent when the stem is short and restricted to the rosette or usually recurved when the stem is elongated and not restricted to the rosette, sessile when the stem is short and restricted to the rosette or usually amplexicaul when the stem is elongated and not restricted to the rosette, 0.7–2.3 × 0.1–0.32 cm, pilose or sparsely pilose, margin straight when the stem is short and restricted to the rosette or involute when the stem is elongated and not restricted to the rosette, margin hirsute at the base and pilose distally, apex acute. Spathes ca 2 × as long as the leaves, pilose or glabrous, apex pilose or glabrous and acute or lacerated. Scapes 1−10 per branch, arranged in a terminal umbelliform inflorescence or solitary scapes, 9.1–28.6 cm long, densely pilose or glabrous. Capitula hemispherical to globose, white-villous, 4–9 mm in diam.; involucral bracts in 3−5 series, obovate or wide-elliptic, castaneous, concave-convex, 2–2.5 mm long, pilose to glabrescent distally, margin ciliate, apex obtuse to rounded; receptacle hemispherical, pilose. Flowers dimerous; floral bracts linear, castaneous, concave-convex, 1.5–2 mm long, pilose distally, margin ciliate, apex obtuse or rounded. Staminate flowers 2–2.5 mm long; sessile or with pedicel 0.2–1 mm long, pilose; sepals 2, free, obovate, castaneous, 1.5–2 mm long, pilose to glabrescent distally, ciliate to glabrescent toward the obtuse apex; anthophore fleshy, elongate; corolla fused into a tube, hyaline, membranaceous, 1.5–2 mm long, glabrous; stamens 2–2.5 mm long; anthers 2, exerted, ca 0.5 mm long. Pistillate flowers 2–3 mm long, sessile or with pedicel 0.5 mm long; sepals 2, fused at the base, oblong-obovate, castaneous, 2–3 mm long, pilose to glabrescent distally, margin ciliate to glabrescent toward the obtuse or rounded apex; petals 2, free, elliptic or obovate, hyaline-castaneous, hyaline or cream to golden, 1.5–2.5 mm long, pilose distally on the abaxial surface, margin ciliate toward the obtuse or rounded apex; gynoecium 1.5–3 mm long, stigmatic branches 2, bifid at the apex, slightly or 0.5–1 mm longer than the nectariferous branches, staminodes 2, scale-like. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds not seen. Distribution, habitat and ecology The species is distributed in the states of Minas Gerais and Goiás (Fig. 3), occurring in both protected areas and isolated remnants of native vegetation. In Minas Gerais, it has been recorded in several municipalities, including Baependi, Carrancas, Delfinópolis, Itumirim, Itutinga, Lavras, Minduri, Ouro Preto, as well as in the Serra do Campestre in Ingaí, and the Serra de São Thomé das Letras, within the municipality of São Thomé das Letras. In Goiás, the species is also found in native vegetation remnants within the Serra dos Cristais in Cristalina. It typically inhabits rupestrian grasslands, usually in sandy soils that are often waterlogged in areas with full sunlight exposure. Flowering specimens have been recorded in every month of the year, except in August. Preliminary conservation assessment The species occurs within the Quedas do Rio Bonito Ecological Park, the Capanema Private Natural Heritage Reserve, the Serra do Lenheiro Municipal Ecological Park, and the Serra da Canastra National Park, all located in Minas Gerais. With an EOO of 98 828.131 km 2 and an AOO of 52 000 km 2, the species should be treated as Least Concern (LC). Its wide distribution, occurrence in multiple protected areas, and numerous populations of mature individuals support its assessment in this category. Taxonomic remarks Paepalanthus trichophyllus was described by Bongard (1831), who provided only a brief description and did not specify the holotype nor the locality. Most of the species described by Bongard (1831) were based on collections by Riedel, deposited at the LE herbarium. During this study, we identified four specimens of particular interest: two under Riedel 292, deposited at the LE herbarium with a duplicate at the B herbarium, and Riedel s. n. also at LE. Although Trovó & Sano (2010) indicated the Riedel s. n. specimen as the holotype of the species, there is no clear indication, which material was used by Bongard in the original description. Moldenke (1977) cited that the species was described based on the specimens at LE, with isotypes at B, which may be considered a first-step lectotype according to the current ICN (Turland 2025: Art. 9.17.). Therefore, we designate the specimen Riedel 292 [LE 00002858] at the LE herbarium as the second-step lectotype and the duplicate specimens at LE [LE 00002858] and B herbarium [B 10 0247642] are regarded as isolectotypes. Those specimens at LE bear an original label with Bongard’s handwriting and are similar to the description protologue of the species. Ruhland (1903) described Paepalanthus canescens f. angustifolia as differing from P. canescens Körnicke by