Clinanthus inflatus Meerow & A.Cano, 2019

Meerow, Alan W. & Cano, Asuncion, 2019, Taxonomic novelties in Amaryllidaceae from the Department of Ancash, Peru, and a new combination in Clinanthus, PhytoKeys 131, pp. 115-126 : 116-118

Clinanthus inflatus Meerow & A.Cano sp. nov. Figs 1 A–C , 2

Diagnosis.

This species differs from all known species of Clinanthus by the uniquely inflated perigone, the shape and coloration of which is reminiscent of the genus Urceolina Rchb. ( Eucharideae ) or superficially certain species of Andean vaccinioid Ericaceae .

Type.

PERU. Ancash: Prov. Recuay, Dist. Cotaparaco, Sector Santa Cruz, 2450 m, 6 Mar 2007. M. Morales & E. Jara 767 (holotype: USM!).

Description.

Small terrestrial geophytic herb ( Fig. 1A ); bulb small, globose-ellipsoidal, ca. 2 cm diam., prolonged into neck 7.5-8 × 60-70 mm. Leaves 2-3, sessile, narrowly lorate, 4-6 × 90-110 mm, slightly canaliculate, obtuse at apex, with conspicuous midrib, glabrous, green, synanthous. Inflorescence pseudo-umbellate, borne at apex of naked scape; scape cylindrical, solid, 150-200 mm long (as observed), terminated by 2 spathe bracts, bracts green, ovate lanceolate. Flowers 2-3, pendulous, 35-40 mm long; pedicels slender, 15-20 mm long at anthesis; perigone consisting of 6 tepals in 2 whorls, fused into a tube that is narrowly cylindrical in proximal 15-17 mm and arcuate proximally, abruptly dilated distally to ca. 8 mm at throat; limb urceolate, abruptly inflated to ca. 33 mm in diam., then slightly constricted in distal 10 mm; tepals 6, bright orange-red proximally, concrescent, green in distal 10 mm with yellowish green margins, glabrous; outer tepals elliptical, 5-6 × 13-14 mm, apiculate; inner tepals elliptical, 5.5-6.5 × 12-13 mm, minutely apiculate. Stamens 6, basally connate into cylindrical staminal cup or corona, 7.4-7.6 × 11.0-11.5 mm, reaching to ca. 2 mm from the apex of the limb, salmon proximally, prominently 6-lobed, the lobes white distally and coarsely dentate along their edge, ca. 2 × 3 mm; free filaments short, inserted at sinus between the lobes; anthers grouped in the center of the flower (but not connivent), ca. 3 mm long, linear, dorsifixed, versatile, longitudinally dehiscent; pollen yellow. Style ca. 45 mm long, exerted ca. 5 mm past apex of the limb, white; stigma capitate, papillate, white, 2-2.3 mm wide. Ovary inferior, green, oblong, ca. 5 × 10 mm, 3-loculed, placentation axile, ovules oblong, flattened, ca. 20 per locule, superposed. Capsule and seed not seen.

Distribution and ecology.

Clinanthus inflatus is known only from the type locality ( Fig. 3 ), in seasonally dry vegetation.

Phenology.

Plants were collected in flower in March.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is from Latin and refers to the abruptly inflated perigone.

Preliminary conservation status.

Since nothing is known of the distribution of this species beyond the type locality, it is best to place it in the category Data Deficient ( IUCN 2012, 2017). The type specimen label indicates that it was abundant at the collection site.

Notes.

The urceolate perigone of C. inflatus is yet another example of the convergent evolution that characterizes the tetraploid Andean lineages ( Meerow 2010). It seems to have affinity with the subclade of Clinanthus ( Meerow et al. 2000) that includes C. campodensis (Ravenna) Meerow, C. humilis , C. recurvatus (Ruiz & Pav.) Meerow, and C. ruber (Herb.) Meerow & A. Cano, all with leaves <1 cm wide, and relatively small flowers.

Figures

Figure 1. A-C Clinanthus inflatus. Photos by anonymous source, used with permission. A Inflorescence in habitat B bouquet of cut inflorescences C habit in nature D-F Ismene parviflora, photos by Asuncion Cano D-E flowers F habit in cultivation.

Figure 2. Clinanthus inflatus. A Habit B whole flower C whole flower cut open to show staminal corona and ovule number. Drawing by Klei Sousa.

Figure 3. Map of northern Peru showing type localities of Clinanthus inflatus (white circle) and Ismene parviflora (black square). Inset: map of South America with Peru filled in black.