Doselia epifita (S.Knapp) A.Orejuela & Saerkinen, 2022

Orejuela, Andres, Villanueva, Boris, Orozco, Clara Ines, Knapp, Sandra & Saerkinen, Tiina, 2022, Monograph of Doselia (Solanaceae), a new hemiepiphytic genus endemic to the northern Andes, PhytoKeys 202, pp. 73-96 : 73

1. Doselia epifita (S.Knapp) A.Orejuela & Saerkinen comb. nov.

Figs 1A, B , 3

Markea epifita S.Knapp, Novon 8(2): 155-157, f. 3a, b. 1998. Type. Ecuador. Napo: Canton Archidona, carretera Hollín-Loreto km 25, sector Challua Yacu, faldas al S de Volcán Sumaco, 1°45'S, 77°38'W, 1,200 m, 21 Apr 1989 (fl), C. Cerón & F. Hurtado 6534 (holotype: QCNE; isotypes: MO! [MO-289398, acc. # 5343691], NY! [00214503]).

Type.

Based on Markea epifita S.Knapp

Description.

Hemiepiphytic liana with adventitious roots. Stems sparsely pubescent with simple, uniseriate 2-4-celled hyaline trichomes ca. 0.5 mm long, giving the stems a tuberculate look. Leaves tightly clustered towards the branch tips, 11-25 cm long, 6-12 cm wide, obovate, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate 2-4-celled trichomes ca. 0.5 mm long, the trichomes denser and stiffer abaxially along the veins on both surfaces; major veins 4-5 pairs, not raised abaxially, drying dark brown; base attenuate, symmetric; margins entire; apex acute to acuminate; petiole 1-5 cm long, pubescent with stiff trichomes abaxially like those of the leaves. Inflorescence 18.5-45 cm long, axillary, unbranched, ebracteate, ca. 4-5-flowered, densely pubescent with simple, uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems; peduncle 8.5-35.2 cm long; pedicels 1.2-1.7 cm long, winged. Calyx 3.8-4 cm long, 1.4-1.5 cm wide, green tinged with purple, pubescent with simple uniseriate trichomes 0.5-1 mm long; tube 0.5-0.7 cm long; lobes undulate, 3.0-3.3 cm long, 0.8-1 cm wide, long-triangular, apically acuminate, densely pubescent abaxially with simple uniseriate trichomes 0.5-1 mm long, adaxially similar but also with tiny brownish papillate trichomes. Corolla 9-11 cm long, the inner corolla diameter 3-3.5 cm, infundibuliform, gradually widening from the base, glabrous; tube 7.5-8 cm, cream to green with lines or patches of purple; lobes 3.4-4.2 cm long, 2.5-3.3 cm wide, ovate, purple or violet, reflexed at anthesis, the margins slightly undulate, the apex obtuse to rounded, glabrous or with a few minute trichomes along the veins. Stamens 3.6-7.7 cm long, included within corolla tube; filaments 2-5 cm long, adnate to ca. 1 cm from the base of the corolla tube, white to purple-tinged, glabrous; anthers 1.6-2.7 cm long, 1.7-1.8 mm wide, cream. Ovary 3.3-3.4 mm long, 3.3-3.4 mm wide, colour unknown, glabrous; style 5.5-6 cm long, cream, glabrous except for a few simple uniseriate trichomes ca. 0.5 mm long at the very base; stigma clavate. Fruit not known. Chromosome number not known.

Distribution

(Fig. 2 ). On the eastern slopes of the Andes in central Ecuador (Provinces Morona-Santiago, Napo, and Pastaza) and Colombia (Departments Putumayo and Caquetá).

Ecology.

In premontane forest between 500-1,500 m elevation.

Preliminary conservation status

( IUCN 2022). Our data support the assessment of the species by Knapp et al. (2017) who considered D. epifita as vulnerable (VU) based on the criteria B1ab [iii]. Doselia epifita is known from a few collections in the Cordillera de los Guacamayos, the protected areas of Sumaco-Napo-Galeras and Sangay, areas near the city of Puyo in Ecuador, the Natural Reserve "La isla escondida" in Putumayo, and the surroundings of the Alto Fragua indiwasi National Park in Caquetá, Colombia. The biggest threat to the species is deforestation ( Knapp et al. 2017).

Discussion.

Doselia epifita is the only species of Doselia that reaches Ecuador and has the lowest elevational range within the genus. Doselia epifita is morphologically most similar to D. galilensis , and a detailed comparison is presented under the latter. The inflorescence morphology of D. epifita was unknown until recently because no complete specimens with entire inflorescences were known when the species was first described ( Knapp 1998). Recent collections have revealed that the inflorescences are axillary and long (18.5-45 cm long; Fig. 3B ), as correctly predicted by Knapp (1998). The fruits of this species remain unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the apparent epiphytic habit of the species, though, like other species in the genus, D. epifita is a hemiepiphyte rather than an obligate epiphyte.

Specimens examined.

Colombia. Caquetá: Belén de Los Andaquíes, camino Andaquí, via que comunica Acevedo con Belén de los Andaquíes, vegetación a orilla de quebrada, 12 Mar 2016 (fl), Cárdenas 45979 (COAH). Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: Parque Nacional Sangay , lagunas de Sardinayacu, 2°05'54"S, 78°09'19"W, 1,400-1,500 m, 18 Jan 2015 (fl), Pérez et al. 7875 (QCA). Napo: Canton Archidona, Carretera Hollin-Loreto, km 25, Sector Challua Yacu, Faldas al sur del Volcán Sumaco, 1°27'00"S, 77°22'48"W, 1,200 m, 26 Aug 1980 (fl), Cerón 6534 (MO, NY); Cantón Loreto, Parque Nacional Sumaco, Napo-Galeras, Matorral de Bambu , Bloque 19, línea sísmica 22, Compañía Triton, 0°47'00"S, 77°28'00"W, 500 m, 25 Mar 1996 (fl), Freire & Cerda 271 (MO, QCNE); Cantón El Chaco, Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Coca, Punto ST 3, margen derecha del Rio Quijos , 10 km al S de Reventador, 0°11'00"S, 77°39'00"W, 1,500 m, 3 Oct 1990 (fl), Palacios 5893 (MO). Pastaza: Cantón Mera , Carretera al Rio Ansu , 5 km al NE de Mera, 1°15'36"S, 78°03'36"W, 1,200 m, 16 Mar 1985 (fl), Palacios et al. 123 (MO); Cantón Mera , Colonia Pindo, Mirador en la Reserva Pindo, 1°27'23"S, 78°04'47"W, 12 Nov 2011, Orozco et al. 3876 (COL); Road Veracruz (Indillama) - Canelos, 1°35'00"S, 77°51'00"W, 25 Jun 1968 (fl), Lugo 75 (MO); Cantón Pastaza, Shell, Rio Pindo , 1°29'59"S, 78°03'44"W, 1,050 m, 18 Aug 1992 (fl), Palacios 10380 (MO) .

Figures

Figure 1. Doselia A. Orejuela & Saerkinen A pseudoverticillate leaves in D. epifita B infundibuliform cream-purplish corolla of D. epifita C infundibuliform greenish-white corolla with subtle purple veins of D. galilensis D tubular-campanulate yellowish-green corolla of D. huilensis with strong purple-tinged reticulation along major and minor veins E developing fruit in D. huilensis F hypocrateriform orange corollas in D. lopezii G pendent long flowering branches in D. lopezii with clustered leaves and orange corollas in frontal view H developing fruit in D. lopezii with a nectariferous disc at the base (Vouchers: A Orozco et al. 3876 (COL), B no voucher, C Corrales et al. 917 (JBB, TOLI), D Coral 34 (HEEA), E Orejuela & Velez-Puerta 112 (COL) F Orejuela et al. 727 (JBB) G no voucher H Orejuela & Calderon 170 (COL): photos by Alistair Hay, Andreas Kay, Andres Orejuela, Boris Villanueva, Brayan Coral, and Eduardo Calderon.

Figure 2. Geographic distribution of Doselia, including D. galilensis (green triangles).

Figure 3. Doselia epifita A branch with clustered leaves B floriferous branch C flower at anthesis D dissected corolla showing inserted stamens E detail of gynoecium with a five-lobed nectariferous disc and a clavate stigma (A-E Ceron & Hurtado 6534, Palacios 6893: Drawing by Omar Bernal).