Brittonia, 39(2), 1987,pp. 298-301. 9 1987,by the New York BotanicalGarden, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 S T U D I E S I N X Y R I D A C E A E II. T W O N E W S P E C I E S O F XYRIS F R O M BRAZIL MARIA DAS GRA~AS L. WANDERLEY AND TANIA MARIA CERATI Wanderley, Maria das Gra~as L. and Tania Maria Cerati (Instituto de Bolgnica, C.P. 4005, 01000, S5o Paulo, SP, Brazil). Studies in Xyridaceae II. Two new species of Xyris from Brazil. Brittonia 39:298-301. 1987.--Two new species of Xyridaceae, Xyris jolyi and X. coutensis, from Minas Gerais, Brazil, are distinguished from close relatives on the basis of morphological features including bracts, sepals, and leaves. Continuing the studies in the family Xyridaceae initiated by Smith and D o w n s (1968) and contributing to an understanding o f the flora o f the Brazilian " c a m p o s rupestres," the present work describes two new species in the genus X y r i s which occur in the state o f Minas Gerais, Brazil. Xyris jolyi Wanderley & Cerati, sp. nov. (Fig. 1) Planta perennis, caespitosa, rhizomatoza; radices filiformes; caules breves; laminae foliorum 1.52.5 cm longae, 0.25 cm latae; spicae pauciflorae, elliptico-obovatae, 0.7-11 cm longae, 0.4 cm latae; bracteae steriles atro-castaneae, opacae, margine laceratae, membranaceae, patentes; bracteae basilares 2, triangulares, acutae, carinatae, concolores, 0.5 cm longae, 0.4 cm latae; bracteae medianae ovatae, ca 0.5 cm longae, rt/gulosae, castaneae, margine laceratae, clarae, bracteae fertiles cochleatae ad apicem carinatae, acutae, membranaceae, ad basin lutescente; sepala castaneo-rubescentia; antherae profunde partitae. Perennial, caespitose, rhizomatous; roots filiform; stem short; leaves distichous, flabelliform, ensiform, 3-6.5 cm long; leaf blade flat, 1.5-2.5 long, 0.25 cm wide, nerves prominent, marginal vein thick, apex asymmetric-acute; sheath paleaceus, carinate, pilose, base abruptly dilated and darker, margin delicate and distinct, ciliate; sheath o f the scape 3.5-6.5 c m long, short-laminate, blade acuminate, ca 1.5 cm long; scape cylindrical, erect or slightly twisted, bicostate, glabrous, ca 6 27 cm long, 0.5 c m wide; spike with ca 6 flowers, elliptic-obovate, 0.7-11 c m long, 0.4 cm wide; sterile bracts dark brown, opaque, margins lacerate, m e m b r a nous, patent; basal bracts 2, triangular, acute, carinate, concolorus, ca 0.5 c m long, 0.25 c m wide; m e d i a n bracts ovate, rugulose, brown, margins lacerate a n d paler, ca 0.5 c m long, 0.4 cm wide; fertile bracts cochleate, carinate at the apex, acute, m e m b r a n o u s , yellow basally; lateral sepals free, subequilateral, carinate, acute, patent, reddish-brown, ca 0.6 c m long; petals obovate, ca 0.5 c m long, 0.25 cm wide; staminodes bifurcate, 0.25 c m long, branches long-penicillate with m o niliform hairs; anthers deeply bipartite; style tripartite; stigma slightly prolonged; placentation basal, ovules numerous; funiculus elongate; seeds elliptic, dark brown, apiculate, striate, ca 0.7 m m long. TYPE: B R A Z I L . MINAS GERAIS. Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cip6, K m 126 along the Belo Horizonte-Conceiq~o do Mato Dentro road, 7 Jul 1970, A . B. J o l y , J. S e m i r , Y. U g a d i m , C F S C ~ 2 2 1 (HOLOTYPE: SP-200,000; ISOTYPES: COL, NY, RB, SPF). Other specimens examined: BRAZIL. MINASGERAIS:All Serra do Cip6 along the Belo HorizonteConceiq~o do Mato Dentro road: Santana do Riacho, Km 132, 7 Jul 1970, A. B. Joly et al. CFSC ~ 278 (SP); Km 132, 28 May 1972, J. Semir et al. CFSC ~ 2380 (SP); Km 138, 14 Aug 1979, M. G. L. Wa,,~4erley CFSC ~ 5543 (SP); Km 126, 15 May 1982, M. G. L. Wanderley et al. 545 (SP). CFSC = Cole~o Flora da Serra do Cip6. 1987] WANDERLEY & CERATI: XYRIS li:!_ 0,,I 299 I E E c5 h Fig1. FIG. 1. Xyris jolyi. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. External sterile bract. D. Median sterile bract. E. Floral bract. F. Flower detail. G. Petal, stamen, and staminode. H. Gynoeeium. I. Sepals and capsule. J. Arrangement of seeds. K. Seeds. This new species resembles Xyris blanchetiana Malme, differing essentially by its flabelliform leaves with broader blades, and by its anthers with the thecae free above the connective. Vegetatively X. jolyi closely resembles X. hilariana Malme and X. fusca Alb. Nilsson; however, these are evidently distinct in the morphology of the bracts. 300 BRITTONIA [VOL. 3 9 1 bi Fig. 2 FIG. 2. Xyris coutensis. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. External sterile bract. D. Median sterile bract. E. Floral bract. F. Flower detail. G. Petal, stamen, and staminode. H. Sepals and capsule. I. Open capsule. J. Arrangement of seeds. Xyris coutensis Wanderley & C e r a t i , sp. n o v . (Fig. 2) Planta perennis, rhizomatoza; radices crassae; caules breves; folia rubro-punctata; spicae capituliformes ultra 10-florae, 1.5-2 cm longae, 1.5-2.5 cm latae; braeteae numerosae, atro-castaneae, rugulosae, acutae vel acuminatae, dissitae; bracteae basilares 2, medianas superantes ca 1.0 cm longae, 0.5-0.6 cm latae, castaneae, margine basique lutescentes, ad apicem carinatae; bracteae medianae 1.22 cm longae, 0.5-0.6 cm latae; bracteae fertiles subaequilongae, 0.9-1.5 cm longae, 0.5-0.6 cm latae; 1987] WANDERLEY& CERATI: XYRIS 301 sepala lateralia libera, inaequilateralia,carinata, carina ad apicemdilatata, serrulata; ovariumangusturn, ellipticum;ovula numerosa; funiculielongati. Perennial, rhizomatous; roots thick; stem short; leaves distichous, flabelliform, ensiform, 15-32 cm long, exceeding the sheath of the scape, leaf blade flat or twisted, striate, red-punctate, 15-25 cm long, 0.7 cm wide, margins hispid, apex subacute, curved; sheath with mucilage, paleaceus, strongly carinate, keel hispidulous, base abruptly expanded, dark brown, margin narrow membranous for more than half the total length of the leaf, 15-18 cm long; sheath of the scape 20-47 cm long; spike capituliform, many-flowered (more than 10), 1.5-2 cm long, 1.52.5 cm wide; bracts numerous, dark brown, rugulose, acute to acuminate, margins lacerate, membranous, yellow, patent; sterile bracts many, departing from various levels, basal bracts 2, brown, margin and base yellow at the apex, carinate, smaller than median bracts, ca 1 cm long, 0.5-0.6 cm wide; median bracts 1.2-2 cm long, 0.5-0.6 cm wide; fertile bracts reaching approximately the same level, 0.9-1.5 cm long, 0.5-0.6 cm wide; lateral sepals free, delicate, inequilateral, carinate, keel expanded and serrulate at the apex, 0.9 cm long, 0.1 cm wide; petal elliptic, intensely yellow, margin lightly erose, ca 0.7 cm long, 0.25 cm wide; staminodes bifurcate, densely pilose, with moniliform hairs; anthers sagittate, ca 0.2 cm long; ovary narrowly elliptic, ca 0.3 cm long; placentation basal, ovules numerous, funiculus elongate, style tripartite, stigma slightly expanded; capsule obovate; seeds lightly striate. TYPE: BRAZIL. MINAS GERAIS. Couto de Magalh~es, Chapada do Couto, 17 Jul 1984, M. G. L. Wanderley, A. M. Giulietti, E. M. Varanda, R. Harley & A. Furlan 707 (HOLOTYPE: SP-200,004; ISOTYPES: K, NY, SPF). ~yris coutensis belongs to section Nematopus because of its basal placentation. It is characterized by numerous sterile bracts which form an ornamental involucre. In its vegetative aspect and in the morphology of the bracts this species resembles X. cipoensis Smith & Downs, X. hystrix Seubert, and especially X. nigricans Alb. Nilsson. However, it can be observed that in X. coutensis the external bracts are shorter than the internal ones, and the sepals are espatulate with the canna widened toward the apex, while in X. cipoensis, X. hystrix, and X. nigricans the external bracts are longer and twisted relative to the internal bracts, and the sepals are lanceolate. Because of its ornamental value, this species is exported together with other species of Xyris and with species of Eriocaulaceae under the name "sempre-vivas." Acknowledgments I thank Enrique Forero, Universidad Nacional de Bogot~i, for his criticisms and valuable suggestions; S~rgio Correa, Universidade de S~o Paulo, for revising the Latin; Carmen Silvia Zocchio Fidalgo, Instituto de Bot~nica de S~o Paulo, for the illustrations; and Douglas C. Daly, New York Botanical Garden, for his translation from Portuguese to English. Literature Cited Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1968. Xyridaceae.In: A. R. Teixeira, editor. FI. Brasilica9: 1-125.