Philodendron albisuccus Croat

Ortiz, Orlando Oriel, de Stapf, María Sánchez, Baldini, Riccardo Maria & Croat, Thomas Bernard, 2019, Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama), Check List 15 (4), pp. 651-689 : 675

Philodendron albisuccus Croat ( Fig. 7B)

Material examined. Serranía de Pirre, along steep narrow ridge from Alturas de Nique to Cerro Pirre, ca 9–10 km due N of Alturas de Nique, ca 8 km W of Cana gold mine, virgin cloud forest, lower montane rain forest (Holdrige Life Zone System); 07°44′N, 077°43′W; 1430–1480 m; 27 Jul. 1976; T. B. Croat 37851 ( MO). Middle slopes on W side of Cerro Pirre; 07°56′N, 077°45′W; 800–1050 m; 29 Jun. 1988; T. B. Croat 68940 ( MO, PMA). Parque Nacional Darién, Serranía de Pirre, Ran- cho Plástico; 07°59′13″ N, 077°42′28″ W; 1127 m; 30 Jul. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2633 ( MO, PMA). Ibid.; 07°58′54″ N, 077°42′30″ W; 1128 m; 31 Jul. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2658 ( PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by its short internodes, fibrous persistent cataphylls, subterete peti- oles (almost as long as the blade), and narrowly ovate blades, which are moderately cordate at base with a hippocrepiform sinus and naked posterior ribs. Philodendron albisuccus is the only species of Cerro Pirre that has whitish sap when cutting its vegetative parts.

Distribution and ecology. Colombia and Panama. On Cerro Pirre, P. albisuccus ocurrs only in submontane and montane forests, generally above 800 m. This species grows frequently on trunks and branches located between 2 to 5 m high.