Themistoclesia david-smithii E.M. Ortiz, Luteyn, & Pedraza, 2024

Luteyn, James L., Ortiz, Edgardo M. & Pedraza-Peñalosa, Paola, 2024, Two new Themistoclesia (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from Peru, Phytotaxa 671 (3), pp. 284-292 : 285-289

Themistoclesia david-smithii E.M. Ortiz, Luteyn, & Pedraza , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 3A )

Type: — PERU. Pasco: Provincia Oxapampa, Distrito Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén , vicinity of the Caserío de Santa Bárbara , 10º21’– 10º22’S, 75º39’– 75º40’W, 3450 m, 9–13 June 2006 (fl), J.L. Luteyn, P. Pedraza, E.M. Ortiz V., & N. Salinas 15658 (holotype: NY![NY03231111]) ; isotypes: COL!, CUZ! [x2], HUSA!, K!, MO!, USM !).

Diagnosis.— Themistoclesia david-smithii differs from other Themistoclesia by the following combination: plants often scrambling and lianoid; leaves with a short and fragile mucro, and one or two pairs of round laminar glands abaxially; inflorescences short-racemose, bearing 3–12 flowers, sometimes cauliflorous; peduncle 0–3 mm long; rachis 3.5–7 mm long; pedicels 15–60 mm long, continuous with the calyx; calyx strongly 5-angled; corollas urceolate, large, 18.5–23.5 mm long, 11–18 mm diam., bluntly and broadly 5- angled, red to dark rose, the lobes whitish; stamens 14.5–20 mm long.

Terrestrial or epiphytic s hrubs, sometimes scrambling, 1–4 m tall; mature stems terete or subterete, bark light browngrayish, striate, glabrate or glabrescent, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular; twigs terete or subterete, some slightly ribbed, puberulous, the hairs simple, unicellular and eglandular. Axillary buds compressed; prophylls 2, conspicuous, opposite, valvate, lanceolate, 2.5–5 × 0.5 mm, apex acuminate, abaxially glabrate, the hairs, simple, unicellular and eglandular. Leaves alternate; petiole subterete, 3–5 mm long, puberulous, the hairs simple, unicellular, and eglandular; lamina coriaceous, lanceolate or elliptic, rarely ovate, 2–7 × 0.8–2 cm, basally acute to rounded, marginally entire, eciliate, often drying slightly revolute and concave at base, apically acute or acuminate, terminating in a short mucro (easily broken off), the lamina itself bearing one or two pairs of round glands abaxially immediately above the petiole, these drying black, not clearly vascularized (Pedraza et al. 2013), adaxially glabrescent and abaxially puberulous, in both cases with a mixture of simple, unicellular, eglandular, white hairs, as well as simple, multicellular, glandular, reddish hairs, the latter type much more abundant abaxially (ca. 0.5 mm long); venation acrodromous, supra basal, midrib impressed adaxially and raised abaxially, 4–5 secondary veins per side, but only 1–2 pairs visible in dried specimens, secondaries concentrated in basal fourth, the basal ones pointing toward apex, the apical secondaries pointing toward margin, brochidodromous (Pedraza et al. 2013). Inflorescence a single, axillary, 3–12-flowered raceme, sometimes cauliflorous; inflorescence bracts persistent, membranaceous, ovate, 1.5–2 × 1 mm, reddish, the margin sometimes erose, the apex acute; peduncle 0–3 mm long, puberulous, the hairs simple, mostly unicellular and eglandular, a few multicellular and glandular; rachis 3.5–7 mm long, puberulous, the hairs simple, mostly unicellular and eglandular, a few multicellular and glandular; floral bracts caducous, chartaceous, oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–3 × 1 mm, reddish, the margin sometimes erose, the apex acute, glabrous on both sides, the venation obscure; pedicels brown-reddish, continuous with the calyx, 15–60 mm long, puberulous, the hairs simple, mostly unicellular and eglandular, a few multicellular and glandular; bracteoles 2, caducous, free, opposite, chartaceous, inserted in basal half, lanceolate, 2.5 × 0.5 mm, yellowish, the margin apically ciliate with unicellular and multicellular hairs, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both surfaces, the venation obscure. Flowers 5-merous, actinomorphic, obdiplostemonous, aestivation valvate. Calyx green to brown-reddish, obconic, 7–10 mm long, 4–6 mm diam. at the ovary, 6–8 mm diam. at the limb, strongly 5-angled, the angles alternating with the lobes, apically glabrescent, the base with a few simple hairs both unicellular and eglandular, and multicellular and glandular; calyx tube obconic, 5.5–7.5 mm long; calyx limb spreading to almost horizontal, 1.5–2.5 mm long; calyx lobes reduced, apiculate, 0.5–1.2 × 3.5–5 mm, the margin entire, eciliate and eglandular, the sinuses rounded (U-shaped) to almost flat. Corolla thick/fleshy, bistratose, urceolate, bluntly and broadly 5-angled, 18.5–23.5 mm long, 11–18 mm diam., red to dark rose, glabrous, the lobes ovate, 5–8 × 5–6.3 mm, whitish, reflexed at maturity, apically acute. Stamens 10, isomorphic, included, 14.5–20 mm long; filaments free, long-triangular, straight, 3.5–6 mm long, adaxially glabrate, abaxially pilosulose, the hairs simple, unicellular, eglandular; anthers 12–17 mm long, basally prognathous, connective not expanded, spurs absent; thecae oblong, 6–7.5 mm long, inconspicuously papillate; tubules 2, straight, free, 8–10 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by introrse apical slits, 4–6 mm long. Ovary inferior, 5-locular; nectary pulvinate, greenish-yellow, glabrous; style included, filiform, ca. 20 mm long, green; stigma punctiform. Berry immature, brown-reddish or green-reddish, obconic, slightly 5-angled, ca. 13 mm long, 11 mm diam., glabrous.

Paratypes: — PERU. Pasco: Provincia Oxapampa. Distrito Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén : alrededores del caserío de Sta. Bárbara, 10º20’10”S, 75º40’20.3”W, 3400–3500 m, 18 August 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V. et al. 832 (AMAZ!, HOXA!, HUSA!, HUT!, MO!, MOL!, NY!, USM!) ; comunidad Campesina Sta. Bárbara (entre las quebradas Shuiba y Huaylas ), 3400–3500 m, 18 August 2005 (fl), C. Arias et al. 484 (AMAZ, HOXA!, HUSA, HUT, MO, MOL, NY!, URP, USM) ; naciente de la Quebrada Cueva Blanca, 10º21’23”S, 75º39’20”W, 3420–3510 m, 16 August 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V. et al. 795 (HOXA!, HUSA!, MO!, NY!, USM!) ; 10º20’10”S, 75º40’20.3”W, 3400–3500 m, 18 August 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V. et al. 831 (AMAZ!, F!, HOXA!, HUSA!, HUT!, MO!, MOL!, NY![NY03231110], USM!), 10º21’– 10º22’S, 75º39’– 75º40’W, ca. 3450 m, 9–13 June 2006 (fl), J.L. Luteyn et al. 15653 (AAU!, COL!, CUZ!, HUSA!, NY!, USM!), 15655 (NY! [wood sample]), 15656 (CUZ!, HUSA!, MO!, NY!) ; localidad de Lanturachi, 10º21’S, 75º39’W, 3800 m, 10 October 2003 (fl), J. Perea et al. 529 (HOXA!, MO!, USM) ; 2 km al NE de la Escuela, 10º20’45.6”S, 75º38’57.5”W, 3380–3420 m, 27 January 2005 (fl), E. Ortiz V. et al. 226 ( USM!) ; 10º22’S, 75º39’W, 3300 m, 2 August 1984 (fl, fr), D.N. Smith 8124 (MO, NY!, USM) ; 10º29’44”S, 75º40’5”W, 3410 m, 11 March 2004 (bud, fl), R. Vásquez et al. 29933 (HOXA!, HUT, MO, NY!, USM) .

Distribution, habitat, and phenology: — Themistoclesia david-smithii has been collected in the upper boundary of montane forests, in the shrubbery and remnant forest that alternates with the Puna grasslands between 3300 m to 3600 m elevation. It is known only from the general region of Santa Bárbara, in the National Park Yanachaga-Chemillén, in central Peru. Flowering: January, March, June, August, and October; fruiting: August.

Etymology: —The specific epithet honors botanist David N. Smith (1945–1991) whose efforts and dedication contributed greatly to the knowledge of the Andean floras of Peru and Bolivia.

Themistoclesia gigantiflora E.M. Ortiz, Luteyn, & Pedraza , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 , 3B ) Type: — PERU. Pasco: Provincia Oxapampa. Distrito Huancabamba, 1 km al E de la Escuela de Santa Bárbara, zona de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, 10º21’48.2”S, 75º39’41.9”W, 3390–3420 m, 29 January 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V., F.

Mellado N., A. Monteagudo M., & R. Francis J. 253 (holotype: HUSA!; isotype: MO!, NY![NY 03231112], USM!). Diagnosis: — Themistoclesia gigantiflora differs from other species of Themistoclesia in the following combination of characters: leaves grouped distally along the branches, the lamina slightly bullate; inflorescence a 1–2-flowered fascicle, sometimes cauliflorous; peduncle conspicuous, 3.5–5 mm long; pedicels 40–67 mm long; corolla urceolate, bluntly and broadly 5-angled, large, 25–27 mm long, 31–33 mm diam., white and distally white-greenish; stamens 17–19.5 mm long.

Terrestrial or epiphytic s hrubs, branches scrambling or pendant, 1.5–7 m long; mature stems terete or subterete, bark gray to whitish, striate, glabrous; twigs terete or subterete, some slightly ribbed, puberulous, the hairs simple, unicellular, eglandular. Axillary buds compressed; prophylls 2, conspicuous, opposite, valvate, lanceolate, ca. 2 × 0.5 mm, the apex acuminate, abaxially glabrous. Leaves alternate, grouped distally in the branches; petiole subterete, 4.5–10.8 mm long, glabrescent, the hairs simple, unicellular, eglandular; lamina coriaceous and somewhat brittle when fresh, becoming chartaceous when dry, slightly bullate, elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 3.5–10.7 × (1–) 1.3–4.1 cm, basally short-attenuate, marginally entire, eciliate, slightly revolute, apically acuminate, adaxially glabrous and abaxially puberulous, especially over the midrib, the hairs multicellular, glandular, reddish; venation acrodromous, suprabasal, midrib and secondaries impressed adaxially and raised abaxially, 1–3 secondary veins per side, but only 1–2 pairs visible in dried specimens, brochidodromous. Inflorescence a single, axillary, 1–2-flowered fascicle, often cauliflorous; inflorescence bracts persistent, chartaceous, ovate and cuculate, 1.6–2 × 1 mm, brown-reddish, the margin entire, the apex acute, glabrous on both sides; peduncle 3.5–5 mm long, brown-reddish, glabrous; floral bracts persistent, chartaceous, ovate and cuculate, 1–3.8 mm long, brown-reddish, the margin entire, the apex acute, glabrous on both sides, the venation obscure; pedicels continuous with calyx, 40–67 mm long, ca. 1 mm diam. at base, gradually widening to ca. 5 mm diam. distally, brown-reddish or green-reddish, glabrous; bracteoles 2, persistent, chartaceous, free, opposite, located at base, ovate, 1.5–2.3 × 0.5 mm, the margin entire or scarious, the apex acuminate, glabrous on both sides, the venation obscure. Flowers 5-merous, actinomorphic, obdiplostemonous. Calyx campanulate with the limb flaring as to be completely perpendicular, 6.8–9 mm long, ca. 8.5 mm diam. at the ovary, 12.5(– 17.5 in fresh) mm diam. at the limb, light green with brown-reddish tints, distally glabrescent with a few sparse hairs that are simple, multicellular, glandular; calyx tube obconic, broadly 5-angulate, 5.2–7 mm long, basally attenuate; calyx limb rotate and orbicular, 4–5.2 mm long; calyx lobes reduced to a short apicule, to 1 mm long, the margin entire, eglandular and eciliate, the sinuses flat. Corolla urceolate, bluntly and broadly 5-angled, thick-fleshy, bistratose, 25– 27 mm long, 31–33 mm diam., white and distally white-greenish, glabrous, the lobes ovate, 3 × 5 mm, reflexed at maturity, apically acute. Stamens 10, isomorphic, included, 17–19.5 mm long; filaments free, long-triangular, slightly curved inwards, 7.5–9.5 mm long, adaxially glabrous, abaxially pilosulose, the hairs simple, unicellular, eglandular; anthers 12–16.5 mm long, basally prognathous, connective not expanded, spurs absent; thecae oblong, 7–10 mm long, inconspicuously papillate; tubules 2, straight, free, 5–7 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by introrse apical slits, 2–3 mm long. Ovary inferior, 5-locular; nectary pulvinate, green-yellowish, glabrate, the hairs simple, unicellular, eglandular; style included, filiform, ca. 23.7 mm long, green; stigma punctiform. Berry greenish to brown-reddish when mature, obconic, slightly 5-angled, 17 mm diam., glabrous.

Paratypes: — PERU. Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa. Dist. Huancabamba, naciente de la Quebrada Amistad, Sector Sta. Bárbara , PNYCh, 10º20’19.9”S, 75º38’35.5”W, 3350–3450 m, 14 August 2005 (est), E. Ortiz V. et al. 768 (HOXA!, HUSA!, MO!, NY!, USM!) ; alrededores del Caserío de Sta. Bárbara , ZA del PNYCh, 10º20’10”S, 75º40’20.3”W, 3400-3500 m, 18 August 2005 (b), E. Ortiz V. et al. 830 (HOXA!, HUSA!, MO!, NY!, USM!) ; PNYCh, vicinity of the Caserío de Santa Bárbara , 10º21’S, 75º39’W, ca. 3450 m, 9–13 June 2006 (bud, fl), J.L. Luteyn et al. 15652 (HUSA!, NY! [NY03231113]), 15663 (HUSA!, NY!) ; Sta. Bárbara, 1 km al E de la Escuela , ZA del PNYCh, 10º21’48.2”S, 75º39’41.9”W, 3390-3420 m, 29 January 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V. et al. 253 (HUSA!, MO!, NY!, USM!) ; Sta. Bárbara, 2 km al NE de la Escuela , ZA del PNYCh, 10º20’45.6”S, 75º38’57.5”W, 3380-3420 m, 27 January 2005 (fl, fr), E. Ortiz V. et al. 240 (MO!, USM!) ; Sta. Bárbara , 10º29’ 44”S, 75º40’5”W, 3410 m, 11 March 2004 (fl), R. Vásquez et al. 29911 (HOXA!, HUT, MO, NY!, USM) ; Sta. Bárbara, above Lanturachi , 10º20’S, 75º40’O, 3300-3500 m, 2 July 1985 (fr), R.B. Foster et al. 10435 (F, USM). Prov. Pasco. Dist. Huachón, 15.5 km SE of Huaguruncho mountain, 10º36’32.7”S, 75º49’0.012”W, 3450 m, 5 July 2011 (fr), E. Ortiz et al. 2522 ( HSP!) .

Distribution, habitat, and phenology: — Themistoclesia gigantiflora has been collected only in the region of Santa Bárbara, in the Zona de Amortiguamiento (buffer zone) of the National Park Yanachaga-Chemillén, in central Peru, in the upper boundary of humid montane forests and the mossy rich transitional shrubbery that alternates with the Puna grasslands between 3380 m to 3500 m elevation. Flowering: January, March, and June; fruiting: January, March, and June to August.

Etymology: —Named after the unusually large corollas.

Common name: —“uchu-uchu hembra” (Spanish).

Discussion: —The two new species of Themistoclesia herein described stand out within the genus by their large corollas (over 18 mm long, 31–33 mm diam.), with T. gigantiflora having the largest of all, as well as by their long pedicels (15–60 mm long in T. david-smithii and 40–67 mm long in T. gigantiflora ). Both species grow in the same general area and thus far are known only from the specimens cited. They are easily differentiated by corolla color (red to dark rose with lobes whitish in T. david-smithii vs. whitish-green with lobes white-greenish in T. gigantiflora ), corolla size (18.5–23.5 mm long, 11–18 mm diam. in T. david-smithii vs. 25–27 mm long, 31–33 mm diam. in T. gigantiflora ), and by inflorescence type and number of flowers (3–12-flowered raceme in T. david-smithii vs. 1–2-flowered fascicle in T. gigantiflora ). Furthermore, the leaves of T. david-smithii have one or two pairs of round laminar glands abaxially immediately above the petiole and its lamina is flat, whereas the leaves of T. gigantiflora lack glands and are slightly bullate. They are distinct from but morphologically most similar to the Bolivian T. unduavensis Luteyn (2002b: 15) with which they have in common a high-elevation habit (3000–3600 m), cauliflorous inflorescences (although both axillary and cauliflorous in T. unduavensis ), elongated pedicels (15–67 mm long vs. ca. 14–18 mm in T. unduavensis ), and corollas that are bluntly 5-angled.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Themistoclesia david-smithii. A, leaves and cauliflorous inflorescences. B, leaves and flower fascicle. C, habit. Photos by Edgardo M. Ortiz from collection Ortiz et al. 832.

FIGURE 2. Themistoclesia gigantiflora. A, habit showing leaf arrangement. B, fasciculate infructescence with immature fruits. C, inflorescence of a solitary flower; note the continuous pedicel/calyx attachment, angled calyx tube, and rotate calyx limb. D, longitudinal section of corolla, showing nectariferous disc (pale yellow) at bottom. E, corolla from above. F, fasciculate inflorescence with flower buds. Photos by Edgardo M. Ortiz from collections Ortiz et al. 2522 (A-B), Ortiz et al. 240 (C-E), and Ortiz et al. 830 (F).

FIGURE 3. Herbarium specimens. A, NY holotype (NY03231111) of Themistoclesia david-smithii (Luteyn et al. 15658). B, NY isotype (NY03231112) of Themistoclesia gigantiflora (Ortiz et al. 253).