A new species of fruit tree was found in the area of the Pedra de Itaocaia Municipal Natural Monument, in the municipality of Maricá, metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. The discovery of the Siphoneugena carolynaea “close relative” of the jabuticaba trees, was made by researchers from the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (JBRJ) Thiago Fernandes and João Marcelo Braga.
“Close relative” of the jabuticaba tree, Siphoneugena Carolynae is 7 m tall – Thiago Fernandes/JB Disclosure
The study indicates that the 7-meter-tall tree is unique in the world. According to researcher Thiago Fernandes, only one individual of the species is known to date.
“It is the 13th species of the genus Siphoneugena known to this day. We collected the fruits while they were still green. We do not know the ripe fruits, but we can predict that they are similar to jabuticabas (genus Plinia), since they are close relatives”, he said in a text published by JBRJ.
Thiago Fernandes added that since the 19th century, the region has attracted the interest of naturalists, including Charles Darwin. The British naturalist, geologist and biologist visited the area in 1832 and stayed at the historic Itaocaia Farm, where the species was discovered.
For the researcher, this is a breakthrough for science. “This new discovery is a step forward in fully understanding the flora of the Atlantic Forest, which is still home to many species unknown to science. Furthermore, it demonstrates the importance of protected areas for the conservation of this and other rare species with restricted distribution,” he added.
Fruits of Siphoneugena Carolynae were picked while still green – Thiago Fernandes/JB Disclosure
Field expeditions to Morro Itaocaia took place between 2018 and 2023 and, throughout the reproductive development phases, the species was periodically monitored.
Thiago Fernandes highlighted that, since graduation, he has been carrying out studies with his advisor and other collaborators and this was not the first rare discovery.
“We have already made other discoveries in the area. There was a fruit species that was only known from a single collection made in the 19th century, which is now in cultivation at the Botanical Garden, and two other new species occurring in Itaocaia and Niterói,” he said.
According to the JBRJ, the scientific name given to the new tree was proposed by the researchers in honor of University of Brasília researcher Carolyn EB Proença, a senior specialist in Myrtaceae. The choice was to mark the researcher’s long career of contributions to the taxonomy and reproductive biology of species in this family. Carolyn EB Proença also contributed to the discussion on the new species.
“The results of the research were published last July in the scientific journal Brittoniaa publication of the New York Botanical Garden, one of the most respected in the world”, reported the JBRJ.
