Microlicia geraizeira (Melastomataceae, Lavoisiereae): A newly discovered species from northern Minas Gerais, Brazil

One-third of Brazilian melastomes occur in Minas Gerais, the most floristically diverse state in the country. In this paper, we introduce Microlicia geraizeira, a new species of Melastomataceae exclusively collected in the Serra Nova e Talhado State Park, northern Minas Gerais. The new species has leaves, hypanthia, and sepals densely covered with spherical glands mixed with glandular trichomes, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate leaf blades, urceolate hypanthia, triangular to narrowly triangular sepals, pentamerous flowers, dimorphic and concolor androecium, tetrasporangiate anthers, and five locular ovaries. We compare M. geraizeira to M. gentianoides, M. indurata, M. macrantha, M. mellobarretoi, M. pilosa, and M. septentrionalis. Also, we provide an illustration plate, field images, an occurrence map, and an identification key for closely similar species.