Passiflora nebulosae J. Restrepo & Ocampo, 2019

Restrepo, Jorge Julián, Ocampo, John & Giraldo, Wilmer, 2019, Passiflora nebulosae (Passifloraceae, subgenus Tryphostemmatoides) a distinctive new critically endangered species discovered in the Colombian Andes, Phytotaxa 400 (4), pp. 237-245 : 239-241

Passiflora nebulosae J. Restrepo & Ocampo sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 ‒ 3 ).

Type: — COLOMBIA. Antioquia: municipality Carmen de Viboral, vereda San Vicente, Cerro el Picacho, along a rural trail in a cloud forest area, near the border of the municipality of Cocorná (75°13’10.25”W, 6°1’25.16”N), 2293 m, 4 March 2016, J. J Restrepo, W. Giraldo & J. Ocampo 852 (holotype: MEDEL!).

Diagnosis: — Passiflora nebulosae is a climbing vine similar to P. pacifica ( Escobar 1988) and P. discophora ( Jorgensen et al. 1987) . Both species sharing features such as tendrils trifid, leaf shape ovate-oblong, peduncle cauliflorous (occasionally axillary) and corona filaments in three series. P. nebulosae differs from these species by the presence of glands on its leaf margins, coriaceous leaves (vs. membranous or subcoriaceous), peduncle bifurcate (vs. simple), outer series of filaments yellow at base, purple in the upper middle part, and apex white (vs. white or white, orange-yellow at base), operculum margin crenate (vs. denticulate or filamentous), limen high 8 ‒ 10 mm (vs. 1 ‒ 2 mm or absent), limen closely appressed to the androgynophore (vs. free or absent), and limen margin lacerate (vs. denticulate or absent).

Description: —Plant woody vine or liana. Stem slender subterete, glabrous, older woody stems 10 ‒ 15 mm in diameter, green. Stipules narrowly setaceous, glabrous, 1.5 ‒ 2 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, pale green. Tendrils slender, glabrous, bi or trifurcate in young branches with a small ligule between each bifurcation, occasionally ending in adhering disks, pale green. Petioles 7 ‒ 8 mm long, glabrous, one pair of round minute sessile glands at junction to blade (about 1 mm long), green. Leaves entire ovate-oblong, coriaceous, glabrous, 55 ‒ 66 mm long, 24 ‒ 31 mm wide, margin entire, 3 to 5 minute glands on each margin, dark green above and pale green beneath when young, apex obtuse. Peduncles cauliflorous (occasionally axillary), bifurcate, 3 ‒ 4 mm long, 1.5 mm diameter, green, glabrous; pedicels glabrous, 12 ‒ 13 mm long, 1.5 mm diameter, green; bracts setaceous, 2 to 3, caducous, 1 mm long, 0.6 mm diameter, green, glabrous. Flowers 33 ‒ 35 mm long (from the base of the nectary chamber to the ovary apex), 40–45 mm wide; hypanthium campanulate, 7 ‒ 8 mm long, 10–11 mm diameter (at the base of the sepals), glabrous, green outside; sepals linear-lanceolate, 20 ‒ 22 × 5 ‒ 6 mm, light green beneath and above, awn at the apex (0.5 mm) glabrous;

petals 20 ‒ 21 × 3 ‒ 4 mm, light green beneath and above, glabrous; corona filaments in three series, two major outer series spreading outward, yellow at base, purple in the upper middle part, apex white, the second outer series of filaments shorter (5 ‒ 6 mm long) than the outermost series (10 ‒ 11 mm long), filaments of inner series 3 ‒ 4 mm long, capillary, slightly reflexed, white; operculum membranous, 4 ‒ 6 mm high, nonplicate, crenate at the margin, white; limen cupuliform closely appressed to the androgynophore, 8 ‒ 10 mm high, 2 ‒ 2.1 mm wide, lacerate at the margin, white; androgynophore 26–28 mm long, 2 mm wide, light green, glabrous; ovary ovoid, 8.2 × 5.1 mm, 6-ribbed, green, glabrous; styles 10–11 mm long, light green; staminal filaments 4.8–5.0 mm long, light green. Fruit fusiform 25 × 6 mm, immature, angled, green, glabrous. Seeds not seen.

Distribution and habit:—This species is rare and endemic to Colombia, found in the Central and Western Cordillera of the Andean region in the department of Antioquia ( Fig. 1 ), in the municipalities of Cocorná (El Tesoro; 1926–2310 m), Carmen de Viboral ( San Vicente; 2352 m) and Frontino (La Blanquita-Nutibara; 1750–1977 m). Passiflora nebulosae was observed on hillsides, along roadsides, and along secondary cloud forest margins, climbing onto trees in thickets surrounded by mosses. This species grows in areas with moist soil of a sandy clay loam texture, with an annual mean temperature of 17.6 °C, and an annual rainfall of 3963 mm ( Ideam 2018).

Phenology: —This new species has been observed flowering in the months of November–December.

Conservation status: — Passiflora nebulosae is known only from 17 individuals along rural roadsides, and along secondary cloud forest margins near pastures outside a Colombian protected area. Hence, it should be considered Critically Endangered (CR) based on two assessment criteria, B and D ( IUCN 2014). Within category B, the new species would probably qualify as B2a, as its area of occupancy is estimated in less than 10 km 2 (i.e. 6.0 km 2) and its habitat is severely fragmented due to deforestation. Regarding criterion D, the population size is very small and estimated at less than 50 mature individuals, with just 17 plants observed during our collecting trips.

Etymology: —The specific epithet derives from the Latin word nebula which means fog. This makes reference to the climatic phenomenon of fog or mist that predominates in the cloud forest where the species was found.

Additional specimens examined: — Passiflora nebulosae . COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Frontino, Parque Nacional de las Orquídeas, camino de la Finca Guadulala al Alto de Carauta , 1750 m, 6°43’16.95”N, 76°8’54.81”W, 2 December 1986, R. Callejas et al. 2989 ( HUA) ; Km 13.8 of road Nutibara-La Blanquita, región de Murrí, Alto de Cuevas , 1930 m, 6°44’57.60”N, 76°16’45.03”W, 5 November 1988, J. Zarucchi et al. 7149 ( HUA) .

Selected specimens of morphologically similar species examined: — Passiflora arbelaezii . COLOMBIA. Valle del Cauca: Buenaventura, vertiente occidental, lado derecho del rio Sabaletas, junto a la carretera, cerca al puente entre matorrales, 100 m, 10 February 1957, E. Pérez Arbeláez 10335, (holotype COL!). Passiflora gracillima . Caldas: Pinares, above Salento (Cordillera Central), 2900–3200 m, 3 August 1922, Pennell, F.W. 9393 (isotype NY!). Passiflora discophora . ECUADOR. Los Ríos: Santo Domingo, km 45 Sto. Domingo to Quevedo, 600 m, 23 May 1981, Dodson et al. 11077 (holotype MO!). Passiflora pacifica . COLOMBIA. Valle del Cauca: Buenaventura, río Calima, granja de la Secretaría de Agricultura, Bajo Calima, 50 m, 1 May 1983, Folsom, J. 10900 (holotype HUA!). Passiflora tryphostemmatoides . COLOMBIA. Cauca: Popayán, Central Andes, 1500–1800 m, Lehmann 5662 (isotype K!).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geographical distribution of Passiflora nebulosae (red circles) in the department of Antioquia, Andean region of Colombia.

FIGURE 2. Mature plant of Passiflora nebulosae Restrepo & Ocampo. A. Detail of a flowering branch with tendrils. B. Cauliflorous floral bud. C. Node with detail of setaceous stipule, petiole glands, and glands in leaf margin. D. Detail of petiole with round minute sessile glands at the apex. E. Schematic detail of a longitudinal section of the flower. F. Immature fruit. Drawn by Benjamin Cardenas from holotype (J.J. Restrepo, W. Giraldo & J. Ocampo 852; MEDEL!).

FIGURE 3. Mature plant of Passiflora nebulosae Restrepo & Ocampo. A. Branch with leaves, flowers, and young tendrils. B. Glands in leaf margin. C. Node with detail of setaceous stipule. D. Detail of petiole with the round minute sessile glands at the apex. E. Tendril ending in adhering disc. F. Terminal branch. G. Cauliflorous floral bud. H. Closed flower in post-anthesis. I. Open flower. J. Schematic detail of a longitudinal section of the flower. K. Immature fruit. Photographs of the type specimen by Jorge Restrepo, John Ocampo and Andrés F.Atehortúa (J.J Restrepo, W. Giraldo & J. Ocampo 852; MEDEL!).