Philcoxia goiasensis

Philcoxia goiasensis is a plant from the family of plantain plants, which occurs exclusively in Brazil. It was first described only in 2000 by Peter Taylor using a Aufsammlung of 1966. Recent works consider that they might be carnivorous.

Description

Philcoxia goiasensis is an annual herbaceous plant and reaches a height 10-15 centimeters. The rhizome is leafless, the roots are approximately 0.2 millimeters thick, the stem axis is unbranched and 0.4 to 0.6 mm thick.

At the shoot axis are six to twenty sheets. The petioles have a length of 2 to 7 millimeters, are smooth and thready. The leaf blades are broad - elliptic to narrow - kidney-shaped and measure 1.3 to 2.6 mm in diameter.

The upright, filamentous and spiral inflorescence is simple or branched, 9-15 cm is high and is occupied in the upper section with glands. The bracts are ovate to triangular, 0.2 to 0.5 millimeters long.

The flower stalks are nearly erect, 12 to 27 millimeters long and filled out the top with about 0.2 millimeters long glandular hairs that secrete a sticky secretion. These glands are also found on the narrow - ovate and pointed ending sepals, which are about 0.7 millimeters long and about 0.3 mm wide. The pale blue, dark nervierte crown has an approximately 4 millimeters long, 0.5 millimeters wide at the base yellow flower tube, which widens towards the throat. The lips of the crown are bilobed, the upper one is about 2 mm long, the lower 1.5 to 1.8 millimeters long.

The stamen is partly covered, a total of 0.25 millimeters long and curved, the deformed part is covered with fine hair, the anthers 0.4 mm long and elliptical. The ovary is slightly flattened elliptical, about 0.5 mm long, the style abruptly enlarged towards the tip. The nearly round fruit capsule has a diameter of 1.5 millimeters, the seeds are broadly elliptic, about 0.3 mm long, its surface is shiny and granular to reticulate.

Dissemination

The species is endemic in the Brazilian state of Goias, where it grows on open sites with pure quartz sand soils in the Cerrado.

Botanical history

First specimens of the species were collected in 1966 and were preliminary to the water hose plants ( Lentibulariaceae ) have been received. However, Peter Taylor from Kew Gardens, they determined in collaboration with David Philcox early 1970s than previously undescribed genus of the figwort family ( Scrophulariaceae ). A description of genus and species Taylor started, but not completed it for over two decades; the material remained untouched in his hand. Only in the context of an independently started first description of the genus on the basis of Philcoxia bahiensis and Philcoxia minensis later found the species was first described then 2000.

Evidence

• Peter Taylor, Vinicius Castro Souza, Ana Maria Giulietti and Raymond Mervin Harley: Philcoxia: a new genus of Scrophulariaceae with three new species from eastern Brazil. In: Kew Bulletin. 55, 2000, pp. 153-163
• Peter W. Fritsch, Frank Almeda, Angela B. Martins, Boni C. Cruz, D. Estes: Rediscovery and Phylogenetic Placement of Philcoxia minensis ( Plantaginaceae ), with a test of Carnivory. In: Proceedings of the Californian Academy of Sciences. 58 (21 ), 2007, pp. 447-467, PDF Online

• Plantain Family
• Plantaginaceae