Taxonomic notes on Chiococca and Salzmannia (Rubiaceae, Chiococceae) in northeastern Brazil, with a new combination and a new species

Abstract

Chiococca and Salzmannia are similar and related, but have not been well studied. A review of their morphology clarified their separation and found that some variation documented in Chiococca has been overlooked, and the corolla lobes of Salzmannia are narrowly imbricated, not valvate in bud, and its flowers are protandrous and homostylous, with the style markedly elongated after anthesis. Chiococca is represented in northeastern Brazil by four species, and their distinctions are clarified. The problematic species Erithalis insularis, of Fernando de Noronha Island, better agrees morphologically and biogeographically with Chiococca, and is here transferred to this genus with the new combination Chiococca insularis; Erithalis is therefore restricted to the Caribbean basin. Salzmannia is endemic to coastal eastern and northeastern Brazil, and comprises two species; S. arborea, described here, is found along the coast of Bahia and notable in its tree habit and dimorphic vegetative and reproductive stems.