Lepanthes hwangiae J.S.Moreno & S.Vieira-Uribe, 2022

Vieira-Uribe, Sebastián, Moreno, Juan Sebastián & Espinosa, Felipe, 2022, Two new species of Lepanthes (Pleurothallidinae, Orchidaceae) from the Alto de Ventanas, Colombia, Phytotaxa 567 (2), pp. 149-161 : 156-159

Lepanthes hwangiae J.S.Moreno & S.Vieira-Uribe , sp. nov. ( Figures 4 , 5 , 7 )

Type: — COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Municipio de Valdivia, Reserva Natural La Esperanza, Cloud forest , epiphyte in thin branches next to the entrance to the reserve, 2160 m, 31 january 2022, S.Vieira 30 (holotype: JAUM-Spirit!) .

Lepanthes hwangiae is most similar to L. cyclochila Luer & R.Escobar ex Viveros & W.E. Higgins (2007: 34) , but it can be distinguished by its transversally bilobed petals with the upper lobe bifurcate in unequal lobes, with the external lobe triangular, obtuse and the internal lobe oblong, obtuse (vs. the upper lobe obliquely truncate) and the lower lobe oblong and rounded (vs. lower lobe oblong, shallowly bifurcate into 2 triangular, narrowly rounded lobes) and the lip sub-circular, slightly emarginate, with the oblong and rounded basal lobes erect, embracing the column and touching each other well above the column (vs. sub-quadrate, markedly emarginate, with the shortly triangular and obtuse basal lobes of the lip erect on each side of the column without touching each other). (Figures 6,7).

Description:— Plant, epiphytic, caespitose, up to 3 cm tall. Roots slender, flexuous, filiform, 0.6 mm in diameter. Ramicauls slender, suberect, 1.2–2.4 cm long, enclosed by 7–9 acuminate, ribbed, microscopically ciliate along the ribs lepanthiform sheaths, with ciliate dilated ostia. Leaves abaxially purple, elliptical, the apex acute, incised and tri-apiculate, 1.2–1.7 × 0.5–0.6 cm, the cuneate base contracted into a ca. 1 mm long petiole. Inflorescence a congested, distichous raceme successively many-flowered, up to 1/2 the length of the leaf, 0.6–0.9 cm long including the peduncle, held on the abaxial surface of the leaf by a filiform, terete peduncle up to 5 mm long borne near the apex of the ramicaul. Floral bracts conical, ciliate, acuminate, up to 0.7 mm long; pedicels terete, verrucose, up to 1.5 mm long. Ovary terete, costate, verrucose along the ribs, ca. 1.1 mm long. Flowers with the sepals translucent saffron; petals saffron with the base suffused with crimson; the lip magenta with fulvous-saffron margins, the column pale gray with the apex magenta. Dorsal sepal elliptic, with papillose margins towards the apex, acuminate, 3-veined, 2.3 × 1.4 mm, connate at the base to the lateral sepals for ca. 0.25 mm. Lateral sepals ovate-elliptic, oblique, with papillose margins towards the apex, the apex acute, sub-acuminate, 2-veined, 1.9–2.0 × 1.2–1.3 mm, connate at the base for ca. 0.25 mm. Petals transversally bilobed, microscopically pubescent, 0.8 × 3.8 mm, 1 veined; the upper lobe oblong bifurcate in unequal lobes, the external lobe triangular, obtuse, the internal lobe oblong, obtuse, 1.7 mm long; the lower lobe oblong, rounded, 2.0 mm long. Lip microscopically pubescent, sub-circular, bilobed, with the oblong and rounded basal lobes erect, embracing the column and touching each other well above the column, the apex rounded, emarginate, with a small apiculum in the sinus, 3-veined, 2.1 × 2.0 mm expanded, the base adnate to the base of the column. Column conical, terete, ca. 1.2 mm long including the rostellum, the anther dorsal, the stigma ventral. Anther cap purple, cordate, cucullate, 0.5 mm long. Pollinia 2, yellow, narrowly obovoid, ca. 0.6 mm long, attached to a drop like viscidium. Capsule not seen.

Distribution and ecology:— Lepanthes hwangiae is known from two localities in the Alto de Ventanas region in the north of the central Andes of Colombia, just a few kilometers apart and with the same elevation. It grows as an epiphyte in thin, moss-covered branches no more than 1 meter from the ground, in partially shaded and humid areas inside primary and secondary cloud forests.

Etymology:—Named to honor Joanne Hwang Pemberton, wife of Robert W. Pemberton, generous donor to the expansion of the natural reserve that protects the habitat of the new species.

Taxonomic Discussion:— Lepanthes hwangiae is also similar to L. petalopteryx ( Figure 3C ), but this latter species could be recognized by the petals with both lobes similar, obliquely subquadrate or oblong, oblique, with the inner angles shortly acuminate-obtuse, the outer angles subacute, the outer angles obtusely angled at the center (vs. the upper lobe oblong bifurcate in unequal lobes, the external lobe triangular, obtuse, the internal lobe oblong, obtuse and the lower lobe oblong, rounded). Finally, the lip in L. petalopteryx is reniform with the lobes surrounding the column without touching each other (vs. sub-circular, embracing the column and touching each other well above the column) ( Figure 3C ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Comparison of the flower of Lepanthes pembertonii with similar species. A. L. anchicayae. B. L. pembertonii. C. L. petalopteryx. D. L. viahoensis. Photographs by J.S. Moreno (A) and S. Vieira-Uribe (B,C,D).

FIGURE 4. Drawing of Lepanthes hwangiae. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Dissected perianth. D. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view.E. Ovary and column, dorsal and lateral views. F. Anther cap and pollinarium. Drawn by J.S.Moreno from the plant that served as type.

FIGURE 5. Lankester composite dissection plate (LCDP) of Lepanthes hwangiae. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Dissected perianth, lip in expanded and natural position. D. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. E. Ovary and column, dorsal and lateral views. F. Anther cap and pollinarium. Photographed by S.Vieira-Uribe and assembled by J.S.Moreno from the plant that served as type.

FIGURE 7. Side by side comparison of Lepanthes cyclochila and L.hwangiae. A. Flowers, 1. L. hwangiae, 2. L.cyclochila. B. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. 1. L. hwangiae, 2. L.cyclochila. C. Expanded lip. 1. L. hwangiae, 2. L.cyclochila. D. Petal. 1. L. hwangiae, 2. L.cyclochila. Photographed by S.Vieira-Uribe and assembled by J.S.Moreno.