Anthurium viridiflavum Sierra-Giraldo

Sierra-Giraldo, Julio Andrés, Orozco-A, Jairo Andrés, Trujillo-Trujillo, Edwin & Castaño-Rubiano, Natalia, 2022, New species of Anthurium sect. Calomystrium (Araceae) from Colombia, Phytotaxa 560 (1), pp. 119-127 : 124-125

Anthurium viridiflavum Sierra-Giraldo , Orozco-A, Edwin Trujillo & Castaño-Rubiano, sp. nov.

Anthurium viridiflavum is characterized by its nomadic vine habit, long stems, persisting and intact cataphylls, elongated internodes 2.97−9.03 cm, deltoid, lanceolate or trullate leaf blades of 11.06−15.07 cm long, cuneate, subcordate or truncate at base, inflorecences with a decurrent stipe, erect spathes of 2.06−3.23 cm wide, and white spadices with 4−6 flowers visible in the principal spiral and flowers 6−8 in the alternate spiral.

Type:— COLOMBIA. Caldas: Municipio de Samaná, path toward Parque Nacional Natural Selva de Florencia, San Lucas locality, 5°31.209’N, 75°03,172’W, 1700 m, 15 February 2021, (fl.), N. Castaño−Rubiano 2298 (holotype FAUC!−30452, isotypes HUA!). Figures 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 .

Nomadic vine. Internodes 2.97–9.03 cm long, 0.30–0.68 cm diam. Cataphylls 1.2–4.9 cm long, with two ribs, green when young, brownish when mature, thick and persistent, intact, lanceolate, cuspidate at apex. Petioles 8.2–18.7 cm long, 0.16–0.38 cm diam., subterete, sulcate adaxially; geniculum light green, 0.85–1.23 cm long, 0.10–0.23 cm diam. Blades 11.06–15.07 × 4.39–7.55 cm, deltoid, lanceolate or trullate, subcordate or truncated at base, acuminate, caudate or cuspidate at apex, coriaceous, glossy above, somewhat glossy below, drying olive-green to brown above and below; upper surface densely cover with pale lineations; lower surface densely punctate by druses; midrib thicker than broad above, slightly angular below, clearer and matte above and below; basal veins 2–3 pairs, free; primary lateral veins 6–12 pairs, arising at a 45–46° angle; concave above, narrowly convex below; secondary veins sunken below, slightly raised below; tertiary veins inconspicuous above and below; collective veins arising from the first pair of basal veins, extending along the margin at 0.15–0.45 mm distance. Inflorescences erect. Peduncles 3.8–8.7 cm long, 0.09–0.22 diam., cylindrical, light green. Spathe s 4.35−6.78 cm long × 2.06–3.23 cm diam., coriaceous, ovate or ovate-elliptic, green at base, light green-yellowish to creamy-colored, cuspidate at apex, smooth surface with 6–8 conspicuous longitudinal veins at 75–90° angle of insertion. Stipe 0.73–1.71 cm long in the naked part, 0.12−0.26 cm diam., decurrent half or 1/3 of its length, light green. Spadix 1.80–2.79 cm long, 0.46−0.50 cm diam., cylindrical, creamy-white. Flowers 0.20–0.29 cm long × 0.28–0.34 cm wide, 4–6 visible in the principal spiral and 6−8 in the alternate spiral, rhomboid, longer in the perpendicular direction of the inflorescence. Berries 4.8 mm long, 3.4 mm diam., ovoid, pale green; seeds 3.2 mm long, 1.6 mm diam., ellipsoid, flattened towards the raphe.

Distribution and habitat: —This species is endemic to Colombia, and is only known from the Central Andes in the Department of Caldas, in the town of Florencia (Samaná). The elevational range of the species is between 1300– 1700 m., in clearings and forest edges.

Phenology: —Flowering in February and July, fruiting in February.

Conservation status:— Anthurium viridiflavum is only known from two localities in the Central Andes, one at Parque Nacional Natural Selva de Florencia (Samaná, Caldas) and the other in roadside forests between Florencia and El Congal (Samaná, Caldas). Due to the lack of demographic and habitat information of the species, we propose A. viridiflavum to be listed as “Data Deficient’’ (DD) ( IUCN 2019).

Etymology: —The epithet viridiflavum comes from the Latin “ viridis ” (green) and “ flavus ” (yellow) referring to the green−yellow color of the spathe.

Additional specimen examined (paratypes): — COLOMBIA. Caldas: Municipio de Samaná: road between Florencia and El Congal, 05° 36’11.3’ N, 75° 00’ 59.4 W, 1300 m, 7 July 2020 (fl.), J. A. Sierra−Giraldo & J.A. Orozco−A 1563 (FAUC!, HUAZ!); Path toward Parque Nacional Natural Selva de Florencia , San Lucas locality, 5°31.505’ N, 75°02.504 W, 1700 m, 15 February 2021 (fl., fr.), N. Castaño-Rubiano 2297 (FAUC!) .

Discussion:— Anthurium viridiflavum belongs to the Calomystrium section, due to the presence of intact, persistent cataphylls along the stem, bright spadix or flowers and thick spathes. Additionally, it does not present glandular punctations and has notorious raphidia (pale lineations) on the leaf blades ( Croat & Sheffer 1983).

This species comprises a combination of unique characters which are not present in any other species of section Calomystrium , such as long stems, elongated internodes and non-cordate leaf blades. Considering the shape of the leaf blade, A. viridiflavum could be morphologically related to A. mariae Croat & Lingán (2005a: 49) from Peru. Anthurium viridiflavum differs from A. mariae in having longer internodes (2.97–9.03 cm vs. 1.6 cm long in A. mariae ), shorter petioles (8.2–18.7 cm vs. 46.6–75.4 cm long), smaller leaf blades (11.06–15.07 cm vs. 21.6–32.5 cm long), deltoid, lanceolate or trullate blades which are cuneate, subcordate or truncate at base (vs narrow lanceolate blades which are subcordate at base), shorter peduncles (3.8–8.7 cm vs. 41.1–64.2 cm long), decurrent stipe (vs. non-decurrent), wider spathes (2.06–3.23 cm vs 0.6–0.8 cm wide), and spadices with 4–6 flowers visible in the principal spiral (vs. 10–11 flowers) and 6–8 flowers in the alternate spiral (vs. 14–15 flowers). A. viridiflavum could be morphologically related to A. palacioanum Croat (2007: 32) from Ecuador but A. viridiflavum differs from A. palacioanum by nomadic vine habit (vs. rupicola), cataphylls 1.2–4.9 cm long persistent, intact (vs. 1 cm intact with pale fibers at base, apparently deciduous), deltoid, lanceolate or trullate blades which are cuneate, subcordate or truncate at base (vs. ovate-rhombic blades which obtuse to almost truncate at base), shorter peduncles (3.8–8.7 cm vs. 31 cm long), wider spathes (2.06–3.23 cm vs. 1 cm wide), ovate or ovate-elliptic, erect (vs. spathe green, oblong-lanceolate, erect-spreading to reflexed).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Anthurium viridiflavum Sierra-Giraldo, Orozco-A, Edwin Trujillo & Castaño-Rubiano:A. Habit. B. Detail of the base of the blade. C. Leaf blade. D. Inflorescence. E. Portion of the spadix showing flowers disposition. F. Upper view of the flower. G. Lateral view of the flower. H. Stamen. I. Fruit. J. Longitudinal section of the fruit. K. Seed. Illustration by Eileen Muñoz, based on N. Castaño-Rubiano 2298.

FIGURE 2. Anthurium viridiflavum Sierra-Giraldo, Orozco-A, Edwin Trujillo & Castaño-Rubiano: A. Habitat. B. Habit. C. Cataphylls and prophylls. D. Leaf blade. E. Base of the blade. F. Inflorescence. G. Stipe and spadix. Photographs A-C y F: Julio Andrés Sierra- Giraldo, D–E, G: Benjamín González.

FIGURE 3. Anthurium viridiflavum Sierra-Giraldo, Orozco-A, Edwin Trujillo & Castaño-Rubiano: Holotype specimen, N. Castaño−Rubiano 2298. Photography: Benjamín González.

FIGURE4.AnthuriumviridiflavumSierra-Giraldo,Orozco-A,EdwinTrujillo&Castaño-Rubiano:Paratypespecimen,N.Castaño−Rubiano 2297. Photography: Benjamín González.