Aechmea maranguapensis Leme & Scharf[as Aechmea maranguapensis Leme & Scharf]

Diagnose: —Species nova a A. pernambucentris J.A. Siqueira & Leme, cui affinis, a qua laminis foliorum latioribus, marginibus spinis longioribus, ramis minus numerosis latioribusque, floribus longioribus, sepalis majoribus apicem versus albolilacinis vel purpureis et petalis majoribus differt. Braga 3914 (holo RB).

Observations: —Discussion. According to the identification key of the species of the A. lingulata complex provided by Leme & Siqueira- Filho (2006b), A. maranguapensis is closely related to A. pernambucentris. However, this new species differs by the broader leaf blades (7.3–8 cm vs. 4–5.5 cm wide), with longer marginal teeth (teeth 1–1.5 mm vs. ca. 0.5 mm long), the inflorescence with less numerous number of branches (ca. 8 vs. 28–40 in number), broader branches (ca. 2.5 cm vs. 1.5–2 cm in diameter), longer flowers (17– 19 mm vs. ca. 12 mm long), larger sepals (7–7.5 x 5 mm vs. ca. 4 x 3 mm), lilac-white except for the purplish apex (vs. pale greenish-yellow), and by the larger petals (ca. 12 x 3 mm vs. ca. 7 x 2.5 mm). Despite the stigma of A. pernambucentris is indicated in its protologue as being “green”, a specimen from the region the county of Murici, state of Alagoas, which recently flowered in cultivation showed a dark purple stigma. This fact indicated the inconsistency of this specific data provided in the protologue of A. pernambucentris, which was described on the basis of dried specimens and fixed flowers. So the dark purple stigma of A. pernambucentris represents another character of distinction when compared to the green stigma of A. maranguapensis. This new species can be also compared with A. sulbahianensis Leme, Amorim & J.A. Siqueira, an endemic species of the south region of the state of Bahia, with a single collection at the state of Espirito Santo (Leme & Siqueira-Filho 2006b). Aechmea maranguapensis is easily distinguished from it by its distinctly broader leaf blades (7.3–8 cm vs. 2.4–3.8 cm wide), the almost twice longer flowers (17–19 mm vs. 10–11 mm long), the distinctly larger sepals (7–7.5 x 5 mm vs. 3 x 1.8–2.5 mm), which are lilac-white to purple at apex (vs. pale yellowish-green), and by the much longer (ca. 12 mm vs. 6–6.5 mm long), purple (vs. white) petals with a long acuminate apex (vs. broadly acute and slenderly apiculate apex). Aechmea maranguapensis was found as an epiphyte in a secondary Atlantic forest in Serra de Maranguape, which shelter in the higher elevated and well preserved areas some endemic species, like Guzmania sanguinea (Andre) Andre ex Mez, Pepinia limae (L.B. Sm.) G.S. Varadarajan & Gilmartin and Vriesea cearensis L.B. Sm.

Edited from : Leme & Scharf 2011. (protologue) Two new species from the Atlantic forest of Northeastern Brazil .