Philcoxia bahiensis

Taxobox
name = "Philcoxia bahiensis"


image_caption =
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Plantaginaceae
tribus = Gratioleae
genus = "Philcoxia"
species = "P. bahiensis"
binomial = "Philcoxia bahiensis"
binomial_authority = V.C.Souza & Harley

"Philcoxia bahiensis" is a rare plant species in the Plantaginaceae that is endemic to the Brazilian state of Bahia. It was first discovered collected by a local resident, Wilson Ganev, in August 1992 from the Serra do Atalho in the Piatã municipality. That collection was sent to Kew Gardens for naming. Because of its placentation, the specimen was determined to be a member of the Scrophulariaceae (later Plantaginaceae "sensu" APG II) despite its appearance close to that of terrestrial "Utricularia". Material of this specimen had been sent to Vinícius Souza, who was working on the Scrophulariaceae of Brazil. It was then formally described in 2000 as a new species.Taylor, P., Souza, V.C., Giulietti, A.M., and Harley, R.M. (2000). "Philcoxia": A new genus of Scrophulariaceae with three new species from Eastern Brazil. "Kew Bulletin", 55(1): 155-163.]

Its habitat consists of deep white sand in the midst of cerrado vegetation at an elevation between 800 and 1450 m. Initial descriptions of the genus included suspicions that the plethora of stalked capitate glands on the upper surfaces of leaves was an indication that these species may be carnivorous.Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Cruz, B.C., and Estes, D. (2007). Rediscovery and phylogenetic placement of "Philcoxia minensis" (Plantaginaceae), with a test of carnivory. "Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences", Fourth Series, 58(21): 447-467.]

References