Five new species of Ruellia (Acanthaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Five new species of Ruellia from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil are described: Ruellia curupira, R. fulozinha, R. insurrecta, R. jiboia, and R. taboleirana. Ruellia curupira (from the States of Alagoas and Bahia), R. fulozinha (Alagoas and Pernambuco), R. insurrecta (Alagoas), and R. jiboia (Alagoas and Bahia) occur exclusively in forested areas, whereas R. taboleirana is restricted to “Tabuleiros litorâneos” (Tabuleiro savanna) vegetation from Rio Grande do Norte to Alagoas. Due to the restricted distribution, resulting from high fragmented areas and the imminent threats, the five new species here proposed are provisionally considered under some degree of threat in accordance with the IUCN criteria. We provide morphological descriptions, comments on morphological affinities, data on habitat and distribution, as well as illustrations and photographs of living plants.