Adelonema panamense Croat & Mansell

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 : 658-659

Adelonema panamense Croat & Mansell ( Fig. 2B)

Material examined. Cerro Pirre, 17 km S of El Real, along trail from base camp, along Río Perisenico; 08°01′N, 077°44′W; 100 m; 28 Jul. 1994; T. B. Croat 77174 ( MO). Campamento Rancho Frío, cercano a la loma ensucia pecho; 07°59′49″N, 077°42′45″W; 636 m; 2 Aug. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2665 ( MO, PMA).

Identification. Adelonema panamense is easily recognized by having armed petioles, peltate leaves and puberulent, ovate-cordate, glossy blades, and a prominently white midrib on the upper surface. The specimen Croat 77174 ( MO) was previously identified as A. wend- landii; but the latter species differs in having basifixed leaves, matte blades and concolor midrib on the upper surface.

Distribution and ecology. Panama (endemic). In the study area, it generally grows in primary forests, below 700 m, in very humid and shady areas near streams.

Adelonema wendlandii (Schott) S.Y. Wong & Croat ( Fig. 2A)

Material examined. Cerro Pirre, Rancho Frío, cerca de la estación de la antigua ANAM; 08°01′16″N, 077°44′04″W; 103 m; 17 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2598 ( MO, PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by having armed and puberulent petioles, puberulent blades on the lower surface and segmented spadices with naked

unisexual flowers. In the field it can be confused with Adelonema panamensis (see notes on this species) and with Philodendron grandipes K. Krause , but the latter species differs in having glabrous unarmed peti- oles, glabrous blades (on both surfaces) and prominent cataphylls.

Distribution and ecology. Central America and Colombia (Croat unpublished data). On Cerro Pirre, the species ocurrs in semideciduous forests (below 500 m), in open areas exposed to the sun. It is highly abundant on the banks of rivers and streams.