Pabstiella klingelfusii N. Gut., E.C.Smidt & Toscano, 2023

Morales, Nicolás Gutiérrez, Brito, A. L. V. Toscano De & Smidt, Eric De Camargo, 2023, Novelties and nomenclatural notes in Pabstiella (Orchidaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest of Bahia and Espírito Santo, Phytotaxa 625 (2), pp. 161-179 : 162-167

Pabstiella klingelfusii N. Gut., E.C.Smidt & Toscano , sp. nov.

( Figures 1–3A )

Type: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Itabuna, flowered in cultivation at Curitiba, Paraná, by Marcos Klingelfus, 12 March 2023, N. Gutiérrez 105 (holotype: UPCB!), spirit .

Similar to P. hileiaensis N. Gut., E.C. Smidt & Toscano (2021: 61) , differing by the spathulate leaves with a petiole to 1.3 cm long (vs. lanceolate leaves with petiole to 5 mm), erect inflorescences, with longer peduncle, to 6.5 cm long (vs. inflorescence suberect to flexuous, peduncle to 4 cm), longer pedicels, to 13 mm (vs. pedicels 3–6 mm), lax flowers, distant ca. 13 mm from each other (vs. flowers distant ca. 3–7 mm), the petals with an external, longitudinal keel (vs. petals without keels), the lip with a pair of calli extending for two-thirds of its length, (vs. lip with the calli in the middle third).

Description:— Plant epiphytic, caespitose, up to 13.5 cm including the inflorescence; roots slender, flexuous, to 0.4 mm in diameter. Ramicauls terete, 10–12 mm long, enclosed by 2–3 membranaceous, ribbed, acuminate sheaths, with oblique apex. Leaves spathulate, coriaceous, subacute, the apex minutely emarginate with a central mucron, 2.1–3.4 × 0.5–0.8 cm, the base narrowly cuneate into a petiole ca. 0.6–1.3 cm long. Inflorescence (1–5) per ramicaul, slender, erect raceme with peduncle ca. 4.1–6.3 cm long, carrying 5–6 successive flowers, emerging ca. 1.0–2.0 mm below the abscission layer, up to 12 cm, with a small bract at the base and three tubular, apically oblique, acute bracts along the filiform peduncle, each ca. 2.0–3.0 mm long, floral bracts oblique, acute, ca. 2.0–3.0 mm long. Pedicel 8–13 mm long. Ovary terete, shallowly sulcate, ca.1.0–2.0 mm long. Flower resupinate, sepals yellow with vinaceous veins, sometimes completely yellow, with dense, minute trichomes in the apical halves. Dorsal sepal oblong to oblanceolate, carinate, the basal half convex, 3-veined, subacute, 5.5–7.0 × 1.6–2.0 mm. Lateral sepals carinate, each 3 veined, connate ca. 3.0–4.0 mm forming a concave synsepal with acute apices, the sides of the apical halves expanded and minutely papillose, 5.5–6.2 × 2.3–2.6 mm unexpanded. Petals yellow, unguiculate-rhomboid, 1-veined, sometimes with a vinaceous stripe along the vein, externally carinate, slightly asymmetrical, acute to acuminate, 3.0 × 1.2–1.4 mm. Lip yellow to vinaceous, 3-lobed, hinged to the column foot, oblong, truncated at the base with a pair of minute lobules at the corners, the lateral lobes in the middle third, oblique, erect, the longitudinal calli emerging from near the base of the lip, extending until the apical third, conspicuous in the middle third, the apical lobe densely verrucose, rounded, 3.0–3.2 × 0.9–1 mm unexpanded. Column yellow, slightly stained with wine in the ventral surface, slightly arcuate, winged, the wings with irregular margins, the apex denticulate, 3.0 × 0.7 mm, the anther and stigma ventral, the rostellum quadrate, the foot ca. 0.5 mm long. Anther cream, hooded, 0.5 × 0.7 mm, pollinarium composed of two, yellow, obovate pollinia united by a caudicle. Fruit capsule, not observed.

Distribution and ecology:— the species has been discovered in humid montane forests of the municipalities of Itabuna and Barro Preto ( Figure 4 ). Photographs from cultivated plants collected in the municipality of Camacã, suggest that the species may have a wider distribution in southern Bahia. The paratype specimen was collected as an epiphyte plant, growing 1.5 m above the ground. The main blooming period takes place during summer and the beginning of the fall, specifically from February to May.

Etymology: —dedicated to Marcos Klingelfus from Curitiba (Paraná state, Brazil), a friend, orchid grower, and collaborator in the study of Brazilian Pleurothallidinae , whose generosity has been essential for the current taxonomic revision of Pabstiella .

Additional material examined (paratype): — BRAZIL. Bahia: Barro Preto , 600–900 m, humid montane forest, 21 May 200,6 Lopes M.M.M. 665, J.L. Paixão, L. Gomes & B. Santos ( MBM!) .

Taxonomic discussion: — Pabstiella klingelfusii is similar to the recently described P. hileiaensis ( Figure 3B ), described from a nearby area in southern Bahia state, both sharing long pedunculate inflorescences carrying nearly the same number of successive, yellow flowers, sepals similar in shape, with dense, short trichomes in the apical halves, petals unguiculate-rhomboid with the apex minutely cucullate, 3-lobed lip, truncate at base with minute lobules at the corners, verrucose in the apical lobe and column with irregular margins and apex denticulate. Pabstiella klingelfusii differs from P. hileiaensis by the longer ramicauls, to 12 mm (vs. ramicauls 6–9 mm), spathulate, long petiolate leaves, petiole to 1.3 cm long (vs. elliptical leaves, petiole to 0.5 cm), inflorescence erect with peduncle up to 6.3 cm long (vs. inflorescences suberect to flexuous with peduncle up to 4 cm), longer pedicels, to 13 mm (vs. pedicels to 6 mm), lax flowers, with distance between pedicels ca. 13 mm (vs. flowers distant ca. 3–7 mm), petals with an external, longitudinal keel (vs. petals without keels), and lip with a pair of calli emerging from near the base of the lip, extending into the apical third (vs. calli emerging exclusively in the middle third).

Pabstiella klingelfusii is also similar to P. isabelae Chiron & Xim.Bols. (2012: 110) ( Figure 3C ), a smaller species from Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, which also possesses ramicauls shorter than the leaves, long pedunculate inflorescences with long pedicellate flowers, petals carinate and lip verrucose, 3-lobed, truncate with small lobules at the corners. Pabstiella klingelfusii is distinguishable due to its longer ramicauls, to 12 mm (vs. ramicauls 4–5 mm), leaves spathulate (vs. elliptical), with petioles to 13 mm (vs. petioles to 3 mm), inflorescences up to 12 cm, erect (inflorescences up to 5 cm, flexuous), peduncle to 5.8 cm long (vs. peduncle to 2.5 cm), pedicel to 13 mm long (vs. pedicel to 4.5 mm), bigger, patent flowers distant ca. 1.3 cm from each other (vs. smaller, descendent flowers, distant c. 0.8 cm), petals with a single, external keel (vs. petals 3-keeled), and lip with a pair of calli emerging from near the base of the lip, extending into the apical third (vs. lip with calli in the middle third). A detailed revision of the lip of Pabstiella isabelae revealed the presence of a pair of verrucose calli in its middle third, which was an important missing piece in the original publication of this small species.

Pabstiella biriricensis Chiron & Xim. Bols. (2010b: 29) , another endemic species from Espírito Santo, shares with the new species the spathulate leaves, long pedunculate inflorescences, long pedicellate yellow flowers and petals with an external keel. However, it differs by the fractiflex inflorescence (vs. erect), smaller flowers, sepals not carinate, minutely pubescent within (vs. sepals carinate, with dense, minute trichomes), and lip obscurely trilobed, without calli (vs. lip trilobed, with a pair of calli).

Examined individuals of the new species exhibit small variations in the size of the leaves, some variations in the wide of petals, as well as considerable variation in the colour of the lip, ranging from yellow to dark purple, and in the intensity of the vinaceous veins, which are sometimes absent.

Based on morphology, we suggest that the new taxon, as well as its most similar species, are part of the Pabstiella section Brevicaules . All mentioned species share the short ramicauls, elliptical to lanceolate leaves, erect, long pedunculate inflorescences with long pedicellate flowers, sepals often papillose within, petals unguiculate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate lip verrucose with a pair of lobules at the corners. The species in this clade are not frequent in herbaria, and mostly occur towards the northern portion of the Atlantic Rainforest, in the states of Espírito Santo, Bahia, and Minas Gerais. This lineage was poorly sampled in the phylogenetical proposal for the genus (Gutierrez Morales et al. 2021a).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Illustration of Pabstiella klingelfusii. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Perianth, with both views of one petal. D. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. E. Lip, three-quarter view. F. Column, ventral view. Illustration by Nicolás Gutiérrez Morales from the holotype.

FIGURE 2. Lankester Composite Dissection Plate of Pabstiella klingelfusii. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Perianth, with both views of one petal. D. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. E. Lip. F. Column, ventral view. G. Anther and pollinia. Photographs by Nicolás Gutiérrez Morales, from the holotype.

FIGURE 3. Pabstiella klingelfusii and similar morphological species. A. P. klingelfusii. B. P. hileiaensis. C. P. isabelae. Photographs by Nicolás Gutiérrez Morales.

FIGURE 4. Distribution map of the three new species of Pabstiella.