Abstract
Myrtaceae includes the genus Eugenia with ca. 1100 species mostly distributed in South and Central America. Molecular phylogenies currently support a broad and monophyletic Eugenia including species with bud closed by the fused calyx but splitting at anthesis, style length twice as the stamens, and ovary internally hairy. These characters have been consistently associated to infrageneric groups; however, Eugenia lasiothecia, a new exceptional species that retains an unusual combination of fused calyx in the bud, bracteoles fused forming a ring, and ovary internally hairy prevent a reliable placement into one of the infrageneric sections of Eugenia based on current morphological knowledge. This new species is described, illustrated and a distribution map is provided. Additionally, its conservation status is discussed.