Abstract

Lantana caudata, a new species of Verbenaceae, endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is described and illustrated. It is a tall shrub, characterized by the presence of pedicellate glandular trichomes on all parts of the plant; branches conspicuously prickly; lanceolate to elliptical leaves, with obtuse to cuneate base and caudate apex; peduncle long; and yellow, red or orange corolla. This species occurs in the transition between dense rainforest and inselbergs in Espírito Santo and between the same type of forest and campos de altitude in Minas Gerais. We discuss the diagnostic characters, morphological affinities and conservation status, and present a distribution map and illustration.