Diamantina lombardii - an odd Brazilian member of the Podostemaceae

This paper complements the diagnosis of the recently described genus Diamantina and its only species Diamantina lombardii Novelo, Philbrick and Irgang from Minas Gerais (Brazil). Four new features not known from other Podostemaceae-Podostemoideae are documented by microtome sections and SEM graphs: (i) The digitate foliage leaves lack vascular tissue completely. (ii) Leafy shoots produce one or two flowers in terminal and subterminal position. The spathella subtending the subterminal flower is scale-like and positionally homologous to a digitate bract (leaf), whereas the spathella covering the terminal flower bud is tubular (as usual for Podostemoideae). (iii) The usually rudimentary androecium consists of two stamens which form a complete whorl together with three inconspicuous tepals around the gynophore. (iv) The bilocular ovary has an apical cleft. Each carpel tip (hollow inside) is topped by a prominent horn-like stigma. Additional peculiar features of D. lombardii (already mentioned in Philbrick et al., 2004. Syst. Bot. 29, 109-117) are shown: presence of a prominent gynophore (mainly known from African Podostemoideae), and digitate leaves (as found in Cladopus from Eastern Asia to NE Australia).