A new species of Tontelea from Amazonian Peru and Ecuador, and notes on the Tontelea attenuata species group (Celastraceae, Hippocrateoideae)

Tontelea fuliginea differs from other species whose stamens alternate with undivided stigma-lobes by its profusely ramified, many flowered, and densely dirty-brown puberulous inflorescences. This paper also provides a synopsis and key of the group of species with alternate stamens and 3-lobed stiomas with undivided lobes (T. attenuata group). Four lectotypes are designated for previously published names: Tontelea longifolia, Tontelea micrantha, Tontelea corrugulata, and Salacia micrantha var. lancifolia.

Leaf anatomy as a contribution to the taxonomy of Salacioideae N.Hall, ex Thorne & Reveal (Celastraceae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A noteworthy new species of Peritassa (Celastraceae, Hippocrateoideae) from Amazonian Brazil

The new species Peritassa Manaoara, Lombardi differs from other species in Peritassa Miers by its unique 3-lobed stigma. The inclusion of this new taxon in Peritassa was based on the characteristics of non-confluent anther locules and the disc free from the ovary wall, which distinguishes this species from Tontelea Aublet, the Only other genus of Neotropical Hippoerateoideae species with a 3-lobed stigma and tubular nectariferous disc.

Anatomy of the floral nectaries of some neotropical Salacioideae (Celastraceae)

Floral nectaries have contributed to the systematics of different taxonomic groups. Since those of the neotropical genera included in subfamily Salacioideae-Cheiloclinium Miers, Peritassa Miers, Salacia L. and Tontelea Aubl.-have different forms and positions, we explored their anatomy to delimit more precisely the genera of subfamily Salacioideae. Buds and open flowers of six species were treated following the usual techniques in plant anatomy. The obtained data were helpful in characterizing the floral nectary anatomy of the studied species. Furthermore, some features such as form, position and surface of nectaries; form of their epidermal cells; presence and distribution of stomata; occurrence of idioblasts containing druses in the nectariferous parenchyma; and absence of nectary vascularization can contribute to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Salacioideae studied. In most of the studied species the nectar is probably released by both the stomata and the nectary epidermal surface. In Cheiloclinium cognatum, the structure acknowledged as nectary is actually a vestigial tissue and the functions of attracting and rewarding pollinators has phylogenetically migrated to the stigmatic region. The druses and phenolic substances observed in the nectariferous parenchyma probably help defend flowers against herbivore attacks. The minute size of the nectaries of Salacioideae may explain the absence of vascularization. The floral nectaries of Salacia elliptica are epithelial while those of the other species are mesenchymal. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Wien.