A new species of Allophylus exappendiculatus (Sapindaceae), a new species from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The new species Allophylus exappendiculatus (Sapindaceae) from a remnant fragment of seasonal semideciduous forest in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is here described and illustrated. Allophylus exappendiculatus can be distinguished from other known species of Allophylus by the simple axillary thyrses closely arranged at the base on young shoots and by the petals without appendages or rare vestigial. The new species is here compared to its putative closest relatives A. edulis and A. puberulus. In addition, the micromorphological characters of the pollen grains are described. Allophylus exappendiculatus is a narrow endemic currently known from six collections from the municipalities of Engenheiro Paulo de Frontin, Itaguaí and Santa Maria Madalena.