A new shrubby species of Pavonia (Malvaceae) from Puebla, Mexico is described and placed in taxonomic context within the genus. Its nearest ally is P. chlorantha from the states of Guerrero and Mexico.
In the course of studies toward a monograph of the more than 200 neotropical species of Pavonia (Fryxell, 1998), the following new species has unexpectedly come to light.
Pavonia paneroi Fryxell, sp. nov. Fig. 1.
Type: MEXICO. Puebla: Izúcar de Matamoros, Carretera Izúcar-Huajuapan de León, desviacion a Microondas Raboso, 18° 31′ 33.4″ N, 98° 25′ 5.6″ W; selva baja caducifolia; arbusto de 1.5–2 m de alto; corolas naranja pardo; 1300 m; 30 Oct 1994, Paneroy Manrique & Calzada 5311 (holotype: TEX; isotypes: CTES, IEB, MEXU, NY, TEX).
Frutices usque 2 m alto caulibus scab-ridulis; laminis foliorum ovato-ellipticis ad basem truncatis, pilis asperis stellatisque; floribus solitariis vel racemum terminalem facienti, pedicellis 2 cm longis usque; bracteis involucellorum ca. 8 liguliformibus 2 mm latis hirsutis; calycibus hirsutis quam involucellis parum longioribus; petalis 2.5 cm longis aurantiacis sordidis erectis corollam tubiformem facientibus; genitaliis corollam subaequantibus; fructibus ligneis, oblatis, glabris.
Shrubs to 2 m tall, the stems scabridulous, with stiff stellate hairs 0.5–1 mm in diameter and with an understory of very minute stellate hairs. Leaf blades ovateelliptic, to 12 × 6 cm, progressively reduced upward, basally truncate, serrate, gradually acuminate, roughly stellate-pubescent above and beneath (subscabrid), the hairs up to 1 mm in diameter (commonly smaller), palmately or subpedately 5-nerved from the base; petioles up to 2 cm long (shorter upwards) with pubescence like that of the stem; stipules 5–8 mm long, subulate or linear. Flowers axillary or forming a terminal raceme by reduction of the terminal leaves, the lowermost pedicels 1.5–2 cm long, these shorter upwards (to leaves subsessile); involucel of ca. 8 ligulate bracts, these 10-13 × 2 mm, acute, marginally ciliate distally, densely hirsute at base, the hairs 1–2 mm long, connate below forming a cup; calyx ca. 15 mm long, about half-divided, the 5 lobes externally hirsute like involucel, internally whitishpuberulent; corolla rust-colored (yellowish in sicco), ca. 2.5 cm long, minutely glandular-puberulent externally, the 5 petals glabrous internally including on margins of claw, erect forming a tubular corolla; staminal column 22–23 mm long (slightly shorter than to equaling the corolla), glabrous, antheriferous in distal third, the filaments 2–3 mm long, the anthers and pollen yellow, the column with a crown of five distal triangular teeth; styles and stigmas 10, slightly exserted from the staminal column, the stigmas capitate. Fruits woody, oblate, glabrous, ca. 12 mm in diameter, 7–8 mm high, more or less rugulose, the 5 individual mericarps carinate.
Distribution: Pavonia paneroi is presently known only from the type locality, where only a very few plants were observed (J. L. Panero, pers. comm.).
The new species is named to honor José L. Panero (1959-x), knowledgeable specialist in the Asteraceae, collector of the type specimen, assiduous collector of neotropical plants, and Assistant Director of the TEX-LL herbarium.
The nearest ally of the new species is Pavonia chlorantha (Kunth) Fryxell of sect. Malache (Fryxell, 1988), which occurs in the states of Guerrero and México. It may be added to a group of four other species of western Mexico that together will be recognized as constituting a distinct subsection in a monograph of Pavonia now in preparation (Fryxell, 1998). A key to these five species follows.
Fig. 1.
Pavonia paneroi. Flowering and fruiting branch (center); fruit (center left); enlargement of apex of flower, showing slightly exserted stigmas (center right); enlargement of stem segment and node, showing pubescence (lower right).
Key to Mexican species of Pavonia related to P. paneroi
1. Corolla 6–8 cm long, white; genitalia notably exserted; fruits glabrous, 16–20 mm in diameter. P. Candida (DC.) Fryxell
1. Corolla 1–3.5 cm long, of various colors; genitalia included (or if exserted, then corolla less than 2 cm long); fruits glabrous or pubescent.
2. Flowers solitary in the leaf axils; corolla yellowish, 3–3.5 cm long, the genitalia included; fruits 16–19 mm in diameter, retrorsely scabrid. P. firmiflora Schery
2. Flowers in terminal, leafless racemes; corolla of various colors; genitalia included or exserted.
3. Fruits 16–19 mm in diameter, retrorsely scabrid; corolla 3–3.5 cm long, yellowish, the genitalia included. P. firmiflora Schery
3. Fruits 8–13 mm in diameter, glabrous, puberulent or scabrid; corolla 1–3 cm long, the genitalia exserted or subequal to corolla.
4. Corolla 1–1.2 cm long, yellowish; genitalia exserted; fruits 8–9 mm in diameter; involucel stellate-pubescent at base; leaves often lobed. P. pleuranthera (DC.) Fryxell
4. Corolla 2.5–3 cm long, dark-colored but drying yellowish; genitalia subequal to corolla; fruits 12–13 mm in diameter; involucel often hirsute at base; leaves ovate, usually unlobed.
5. Leaf blades basally truncate; stems scabridulous; lowermost pedicels up to 2 cm long; corolla rust-colored (drying yellowish); fruits glabrous. P. paneroi Fryxell
5. Leaf blades basally cordate; stems softly pubescent; lowermost pedicels up to 4 cm long; corolla purplish (drying yellowish); fruits minutely puberulent. P. chlorantha (Kunth) Fryxell
