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| Microlicia geraizeira Versiane & R.Romero, in Versiane, Rocha et Romero, 2025. |
Abstract
One-third of Brazilian melastomes occur in Minas Gerais, the most floristically diverse state in the country. In this paper, we introduce Microlicia geraizeira, a new species of Melastomataceae exclusively collected in the Serra Nova e Talhado State Park, northern Minas Gerais. The new species has leaves, hypanthia, and sepals densely covered with spherical glands mixed with glandular trichomes, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate leaf blades, urceolate hypanthia, triangular to narrowly triangular sepals, pentamerous flowers, dimorphic and concolor androecium, tetrasporangiate anthers, and five locular ovaries. We compare M. geraizeira to M. gentianoides, M. indurata, M. macrantha, M. mellobarretoi, M. pilosa, and M. septentrionalis. Also, we provide an illustration plate, field images, an occurrence map, and an identification key for closely similar species.
Keywords: campo rupestre, conservation area, endemism, Espinhaço Range, Gerais
Microlicia geraizeira Versiane & R.Romero, sp. nov.
Etymology: the specific epithet honors the geraizeiros, traditional communities (see Decree nº 8.750/2016) inhabiting northern Minas Gerais, where this new species is endemic. the term comes from the region known as Gerais, which is in the transitional zone between the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes (Dayrell 1998). the geraizeiros have long fought to protect the Gerais’ biodiversity, but since the 1970s, it has been severely threatened by Eucalyptus sp. monocultures, mining, and cattle ranching (Dayrell 1998; Nogueira 2009; Magalhães and Amorim 2015).
Ana Flavia Alves Versiane, Maria José Reis da Rocha and Rosana Romero.2025. Microlicia geraizeira (Melastomataceae, Lavoisiereae): A Newly discovered Species from northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Webbia. Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography. 80(1); 43-50. DOI: doi.org/10.36253/jopt-17079 [2025-04-17]
