Adelobotrys latifolius Schulman, 2015

Schulman, Leif & Ruokolainen, Kalle, 2015, Adelobotrys tessmannii (Merianieae, Melastomataceae) and allies: a refined circumscription and description of two new Amazonian species with notes on their ecology, Phytotaxa 234 (2), pp. 101-120 : 108-113

Adelobotrys latifolius Schulman , sp. nov. ( Figs. 4 and 5 )

Type: — COLOMBIA. Comisaría del Putumayo: Umbría , forest, 0° 54’ N — 76° 10’ W, 325 m, January–February 1931 (fl., fr.), G. Klug 1953 (holotype S!; isotypes BM!, F!, HUH!, K!, NY!, US!).

Diagnosis: — Adelobotrys tessmannii Markgr. affinis sed foliis fere glabris laminis ovatis latioribus in sicco viridibus venis luteolis (nec griseis venis fuscis), partibus ultimis inflorescentiae cincinnis duplicatis ramis perelongatis, dentibus exterioribus calycis brevibus, et hypanthiis in fructu globosis differt.

Allied to Adelobotrys tessmannii Markgr. but differs by having almost glabrous leaves, broader ovate laminae that dry green with yellowish veins (not grey with dark brown veins), ultimate branching of the inflorescence in the form of double cincinni with strongly elongated branches, short outer calyx teeth, and globose fruiting hypanthia.

Full description: — Liana adhering to support by adventitious roots produced in comb-like rows on internodes, reported height of fertile plants (2–)8–12(–15) m (occasional herbarium label descriptions as ‘tree’ or ‘shrub’ interpreted as confusions). Stem slender, diameter in fertile branches to 0.7 cm (maximum reported diameter 3.3 cm), terete to somewhat flattened or slightly fluted, when very young densely pubescent with rusty-brown, appressed, short (ca. 0.5–0.8 mm long) malpighian hairs, soon largely glabrescent and only very sparsely pubescent when mature; stem surface between hairs smooth, greenish to dull straw-coloured or greyish-brown; internodes in vegetative parts of fertile stems 4.5–11 cm long; nodes not or only slightly swollen, hardly more pubescent than the internodes (apart from densely pubescent axillary buds). Leaves opposite, isomorphic. Petiole (3.3–)3.5–5.5(–6.3) cm long (ratio of lamina length to petiole length 2.8–5.2), 1–2 mm in diameter; terete to flattened, grooved above; sparsely to fairly densely covered with brown malpighian hairs at first, glabrescent with age especially below. Lamina ovate to wide elliptic (or suborbiculate), (9.9–)13.5–19.5(–28) × (6.3–)9–14(–20.4) cm (ratio of length to width 1.3–1.9), base cuneate to rounded or cordulate, apex short-acuminate to acute, margin serrulate (to subentire), sometimes revolute (in herbarium specimens); chartaceous to subcoriaceous; in living plant glossy and typically vivid pure green, in herbarium specimens green to olive-green or brownish with straw-coloured to brown veins below. Both surfaces of lamina pubescent with rusty-brown malpighian hairs at first but very soon glabrescent, mature leaves glabrous above (or with a few hairs along main veins), below scattered hairs remain along main veins, hardly any between them, the hairs being appressed, 0.4– 0.7 mm long, laterally flattened but not dilated (apparently 1 cell layer thick, 2 layers wide), symmetrical to somewhat asymmetrical, (sub)sessile and (sub)straight to slightly sigmoid especially on main vein; lamina proper on abaxial side with scattered but fairly abundant minute, elongate-club-shaped glands (ca. 0.1 mm long); epidermis of adaxial surface usually with rather dense greyish hemispherical protuberances ca. 0.07 mm across. Margin of lamina mostly without malpighian ciliolation but with persistent, obliquely spreading, pale, multiseriate, terete, unbranched, 1–2 mm long setulae tipping marginal teeth 1.2–2 mm apart. Venation basally acrodromous with midrib plus six distal main veins the outermost of which are weak but mostly well discernible, central pair of acrodromal veins only somewhat closer to lamina margin than to midrib (distances 1:1–1:1.5), pinnate secondary veins clearly visible below, 0.4–0.8 cm apart; reticulate tertiary veins typically partly visible below; veins prominent below, flat (to somewhat impressed) above. Axils of main veins on abaxial side usually with a few to many multiseriate, terete, unbranched setulae 0.6–1.2 mm long, tipped by a multicellular gland. Inflorescence a terminal, broadly conical, lax double thyrsoid with up to hundreds of flowers; at anthesis (13–)22–28 × (9–) 16–22 cm including (3.5–) 5–8 cm long peduncle; rachis with 4 or 5 elongated internodes, nodes with two main branches consisting of 3 elongated internodes and with two or sometimes four shorter branches (of 1–2 internodes) produced from accessory buds subtending the main branches, internodes of rachis, and branches, progressively shorter towards apex; partial inflorescence a double cincinnus with branches bearing up to 10 flowers each, characteristically elongated in fruit and reminiscent of arms of an octopus when only scars of fallen fruits remain. Peduncle subtended by leaves similar to ordinary vegetative leaves; lowermost node of rachis with bracts similar to but smaller than vegetative leaves, upper nodes with progressively smaller and narrower bracts, bracts at lowermost node persistent but those at upper nodes mostly absent already at anthesis; cincinni subtended by caducous sessile elliptic bracteoles 3–5 × 3–4 mm. Pedicel at anthesis 4–6 mm, slender. Flower reportedly slightly fragrant, perigynous, hypanthium coriaceous, cylindrical to ellipsoid, smooth, rather abruptly widening from pedicel, (3.3–) 3.6–4.2 mm long and (1.3–) 1.6–2.2 mm wide at torus; calyx spreading-cup-like, shallowly 5-lobed, 1.3–1.6 mm long; outer calyx teeth vestigial to ca. 0.6 mm long including caducous apical setula, not exserted beyond inner lobes; pedicel with rather dense, hypanthium and calyx with sparse cover of brown malpighian hairs, hypanthium glabrescent in fruit, calyx sparsely pubescent also on inner side and with rim often ciliolate; hypanthium and calyx reportedly green to pale or yellowish green in living plant. Petals 5, colour in living plant reportedly (white to) white with lilac base or pink to deep-purplish pink or even blue-violet, when dry dull brownish-yellow, glabrous; obovate, 8–10 mm long; venation actinodromous and flabellate. Stamens 10, anisomorphic, bent and crowded to one side of flower, glabrous; filaments 6–9 mm, laterally dilated, strap-like, ca. 0.5 mm wide; geniculate at junction between filament and anther, anther bent introrsely (i.e., with ventral side down). Anthers subulate, dorsal-arcuate, base rounded; single apical pore ca. 0.3 mm across; connective hardly prolonged between filament and thecae, basally extended into an erect triangular spur, dorsally into a gradually ascending, apically deeply cleft appendage. Larger (epipetalous) stamens: thecae clearly arcuate, 6.2–7 mm long and 0.4–0.5 mm thick at base, apical pore dorsally inclined; basal connective appendage ca. 0.8–1 mm long, subulate and variously slightly lobulate, dorsal appendage 3.6–4 mm long, cleft by ca. 1.5–1.7 mm. Smaller (episepalous) stamens: thecae only slightly arcuate, 3.9–4.9 mm long and 0.4–0.5 mm thick at base, apical pore subterminal; basal connective appendage ca. 0.7 mm long, irregularly lobulate, dorsal appendage 3.2–3.9 mm long, cleft by ca. 1.3–1.6 mm. Ovary 5-locular, roughly cylindrical, somewhat fluted, truncate at apex, 3–4 × 1.4–1.6 mm, glabrous; style 7.2–9 mm long, somewhat sigmoid, glabrous; stigma punctate. Pedicel in fruit 5–8 mm. Fruiting hypanthium globose to ovoid, clearly constricted at torus, 5–6 × 4.5–5 mm; thin, sparsely pubescent, 10-costate, disintegrating at maturity revealing costae that are not apically connected by a circular vascular strand. Calyx persistent in fruit, horizontally spreading to broadly cup-shaped, as wide as hypanthium, ca. 2 mm long. Fruit a 5-locular loculicidal capsule completely enveloped by the hypanthium but free from it; globose, somewhat 5-angled, rounded-truncate at apex. Placenta central, sessile and hardly extended from the central column. Seeds numerous, narrowly wedge-shaped, ca. 1.5–1.7 × 0.4 mm; surface smooth to slightly rugose; embryo occupying central third, testa elongated at both ends possibly forming air-filled sacs; testa light brown, embryo somewhat to clearly darker brown (in herbarium specimen).

Notes: —This species was marked as Adelobotrys tessmannii morphotype 1 in the phylogenetic analysis by Schulman & Hyvönen (2003).

Habitat: —Primary to secondary lowland to montane rainforest, mostly in undulating terrain on lateritic clayey mineral soil often close to creeks or small streams, occasionally at edges of Mauritia flexuosa swamps and in periodically inundated terrain or on roadsides. Elevation from 100 to 1,800 m a.s.l.

Distribution: —Western Amazonia between 69°37’ and 78°14’ W, from 0°54’ N in Putumayo, Colombia, through Ecuador and Western Brazil to 13°25’ S in Cuzco, Peru ( Fig. 3 ). Possible hybrids with A. tessmannii have been collected in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Etymology: —The epithet stems from the large leaves of the species, which generally are the broadest in the genus.

Phenology: —Collected with flowers in September–October, December–April, and June; with fruits in September, December–April, and June.

Conservation: —Least concern (LC), i.e., not threatened. The extent of occurrence clearly exceeds the threshold value of 20,000 km 2. The available data are too scanty to accurately estimate the true area of occupancy and, especially, population size or trends in it, but there is no plausible reason to estimate that these would approach levels warranting placement in or near threatened categories.

Paratypes: — BRAZIL. Amazonas: ca. 1.5 km west from the village of Barro Vermelho, Río Juruá , 6°27’ S 68°45’ W, 120–140 m, April 16 2012, Ruokolainen, K. with H. Tuomisto, T. Emilio, F. Figueiredo & G. Moulatlet 16256 ( TUR!) ; Amazonas: ca. 3.5 km east from the village of Inácio, Río Tarauacá , 6°57’ S 69°43’ W, 130 m, May 14 2012, Ruokolainen, K. with H. Tuomisto, D. Castro & G. Moulatlet 16478 ( TUR!) ; Amazonas : ca. 2 km north-west from the village of Diamantina, Río Tarauacá , 7°7’ S 69°51’ W, 140–170 m, May 16 2012, Ruokolainen, K. with H. Tuomisto, D. Castro & G. Moulatlet 16491 ( TUR!) ; Amazonas: Basin of Rio Jurua, Near mouth of Rio Embira (tributary of Rio Tarauaca ), 7°30’ S 70°15’ W, 30 June 1933, Krukoff, B.A. 5145 (BM!, F!, G!, HUH!, K!, M!, MICH!, MO!, NY!, S!, U!, UC!, US!). COLOMBIA. Amazonas : Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu. Centro Administrativo INDERENA, a la orilla del Río Amacayacu , 100 m, 3°47’ S 70°15’ W, 14 April 1991, Pipoly, J. 15400 ( MO!) ; Comisaría del Caquetá: Morelia , 150 m, 14 September 1941, von Sneidern s.n. (S!) ; Comisaría del Putumayo: entre Achipayaco y Mocoa , 450–500 m, 25 December 1940, Cuatrecasas 11274 (COL!, F!, US!) ; Putumayo: Mocoa y los alrededores al norte, 750–850 m, 3–7 December 1942, Schultes & Smith 2041 (HUH!, US!) ; Hantanita ad fl. Orteguaza, terr. de Caqueta. 2 August 1926, Woronow & Juzepczuk 6375 ( NY!). ECUADOR. Napo: La Joya de los Sanchas , Parque Nacional Yasuní , carretera y oleoducto de Maxus, en construcción, km 10–13, 250 m, 0°25’ S 76°37’ W, 19 February 1993, Gudiño, Grefa & Andi 2212 (US!, QCNE, MO) ; Napo: Parque Nacional Yasuní, plot #10. Km 32.4, 0°36’18” S 76°27’29” W, 18 March 1998, Macias, M. 2922 ( TUR!) ; Napo: Parque Nacional Yasuní, plot #24. Km. 92.5, 0°53’22” S 76°13’31” W, 12 May 1997, Macias, M. 330 ( TUR!) ; Napo: Parque Nacional Yasuní, plot #9. Km 32.4, 0°41’0” S 73°25’54” W, 4 May 1998, Macias, M. 3678 ( TUR!) ; Napo: Vía de los Aucas , 18 km al sur de Coca, 22 September 1985, Palacios, W., Neill, Gómez, Cerón & Marles 822 (AAU!, NY!, QCA!, QAME) ; Napo: km 97.9 along the road traversing Yasuní National Park , 200–300 m, 0°55’ S 76°13’ W, 27 February 1998, Ruokolainen, K. & Tuomisto, H. 11552 ( TUR!) ; Napo: km 87 of the road traversing Yasuní National Park , 200–300 m, 0°51’ S 76°16’ W, 9 April 1997, Ruokolainen, K. 10420 ( TUR!) ; Napo: Yasuní National Park , 0–2 km NNE from the oil road at km 38, 200–300 m, 0°38’ S 76°27’ W, 25 March 1998, Ruokolainen, K., Markkanen, S. & Tuomisto, H. 11834 ( TUR!) ; Napo: km 49 along the road traversing Yasuní national park. Flood plain of quebrada Bogi , 200–300 m, 0°43’ S 76°29’ W, 14 April 1996, Ruokolainen, K., Tuomisto, H., Poulsen, A., Moran, R., Quintana, C., Cañas, G. & Celi, J. 10332 ( TUR!) ; Napo: Yasuní national park , close to the end of a side road branching at km 43, 200–300 m, 0°39’ S 76°21’ W, 19 April 1996, Ruokolainen, K., Tuomisto, H., Poulsen, A., Moran, R., Quintana, C., Cañas, G. & Celi, J. 10370 ( TUR!) ; Orellana: Vía de acceso Chiruisal-Río Tiputini , colecciones en los alrededores del km 4+230— Puente de dosel Chichico , 200– 220 m, 0°37’49’’ S 75°54’8’’ W, 12 September 2005, Pérez, A.J., Yandún, S., Endara, M.J., Cuadros, F. & Santillán, W. 5240 (W!, QCA) ; Tungurahua: colecciones a lo largo de la vía Río Negro— La Estancia (4.8 km), y sendero al Río Encanto (500 m), 1,600–1,800 m, 1°27’4’’ S 78°13’37’’ W, 25 February 2012, Pérez, A.J. & Vallejo, M. 5240 (W!, QCA). PERU. Cuzco: Quispicanchis, Punkiri, 470 m, 2 March 1965, Vargas 16089 (US!) ; Huánuco: vicinity of Tingo María, Pucayacu , Río Monzón , 882 m, 29 February 1964, Mathias & Taylor 6367 (CAS!, F!, US!) ; Huánuco: Cachicoto , 800 m, 8 April 1963, Woytkowski 7850 (F!, HUH!, K!, US!, MO) ; Loreto: Alto Amazonas , Pastaza (?), Andoas ; Carretera Andoas-Huayurí km 22 ; transect direction 170° (TR 2, Sub 16). 2°44’28” S 76°23’49” W, Llerena, N. 438 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Alto Amazonas, Capahuari Sur ( Campamento Petrolero ), 200 m, 2°51’ S 76°20’ W, 25 March 1982, Vásquez, Smith & Jaramillo 3043 (NY!, US!, MO) ; Loreto: Loreto, close to the village of San Antonio , 150–200 m, 4°32’ S 73°38’ W, 16 January 1996, Ruokolainen, K., Tuomisto, H., Koivunen, H., Lusa, E., Bardales, C., Fachín, L. & Torres, G. 8215 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Mariscal Ramon Castilla, ca. 3, 5 km NNW from the village of Puerto Izango , río Yaguasyacu , 100–150 m, 3°16’ S 72°0’ W, 16 May 1997, Ruokolainen, K., Tuomisto, H., Vargas, V. & Vormisto, J. 10778 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Maynas, Sargento Lores , Constancia Norte , 116 m, 4°7’4” S 72°55’17” W, 17 April 1997, Vásquez, R., Phillips, O., Rojas, R. & Peña, A. 23381 ( MO!) ; Loreto: Maynas, Negro Urco , Río Napo , 160 m, 3°0’ S 73°28’ W, 21 January 1983, Gentry, A. & Emmons, L. 39646 ( MO!) ; Loreto: Maynas, SW from the village of Carbajal, terrace of Macambo creek , tributary of río Itaya , 150–200 m, 4°19’ S 73°44’ W, 11 March 1996, Ruokolainen, K., Criollo, G., Sarmiento, A., Tuomisto, H. & Vormisto, J. 10241 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Maynas, Asociación de Productores Libertad Agraria km 8, 100–150 m, 4°9’ S 73°5’ W, 11 February 1996, Ruokolainen, K., Criollo, G., Sarmiento, A., Tuomisto, H. & Vormisto, J. 9257 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Maynas, Quebrada Blanco. ca. 2 km NW from the village of 7 de Julio, 100–150 m, 4°23’ S 73°7’ W, 9 May 1997, Ruokolainen, K., Tuomisto, H., Vargas, V. & Vormisto, J. 10739 ( TUR!) ; Loreto: Altura Tuta Pishco on Río Napo , 16 September 1972, Croat, T. B. 20288 ( MO!) ; Madre de Díos : Tambopata ; a 1 hora con 30 minutos del albergue Tambopata Research Center; transect direction 0° (TR 416, Sub 9), 13°7’24” S 69°37’15” W, Llerena, N. 879 ( TUR!) ; San Martin: San Roque , 1350–1500 m, 8 January 1930, Williams 7108 (F!, NY!) ; San Martín: Mariscal Caceres, Tocache Nuevo , Quebrada Yshichimi , cerca al fundo del Sr. Luis Ludeña, 400 m, 17 October 1980, Schunke V., J. 12376 (F!, NY!, US!) ; San Martín: Mariscal Caceres, Tocache Nuevo , Carretera al Río Tocache , 14 April 1970, Schunke V., J. 3906 (F!, G!, HUH!, K!, NY!) ; San Martín: Mariscal Cáceres, Tocache Nuevo , Fundo San Pablo , propiedad del Sr. Paterno Horna ( Quebrada de Mote ), 450 m, 4 June 1980, Schunke V., J. 11775 ( CAS!) .

Specimens interpreted as hybrids between A. latifolius and A. tessmannii : —see under the latter. Specimen of uncertain status determined as A. cf. latifolius : — COLOMBIA. Comisaría del Putumayo: Río

Putumayo en las márgenes del afluente izquierda La Concepción, 225 m, 27 November 1940, Cuatrecasas 10821

(F!)—lamina margins not prominently ciliate, somewhat protruding K teeth.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Collecting localities of specimens of the species treated here. A. Adelobotrys tessmannii (solid triangles), A. cf. tessmannii (open triangles), and possible hybrids between A. tessmannii and A. adscendens (crosses). B. A. latifolius (solid triangles) and possible hybrids between A. latifolius and A. tessmannii (crosses). C. A. microcarpus (solid triangles) and A. cf. microcarpus (open triangles). D. The location in South America of the map section shown inA–C. Elevation is depicted in A–C as follows: 0–1000 m as white; 1001–2000 m, 2001–3000 m, 3001–4000 m, and>4000 m as progressively darker shades of grey.

FIGURE 4. Adelobotrys latifolius Schulman, sp. nov. A habit with inflorescence; B malpighian hairs from lamina abaxial side (lower two from lamina proper, upper four from vein) with point of attachment marked on two hairs; C section of lamina abaxial side showing visibility of veins and partly serrulate margins; D tip of shoot showing adventitious climbing roots; E bud showing cylindrical hypanthium, shallowly 5-lobed calyx, and vestigial calyx teeth; F fruiting hypanthium with persistent calyx and clear constriction at torus, also shown is the strongly elongated branch of the partial inflorescence with scars of fallen-off flowers; G smaller (episepalous) stamen; H larger (epipetalous) stamen. Drawn by R. Ilmanen from Woytkowski 7850 and K. Ruokolainen et al. 10332 (A, C, D), G. Klug 1953 (B), Cuatrecasas 11274 (E, G, H), and J. Schunke 3906 (F). Scalebars: for A and C–D 5 cm, B 0.5 mm, E–F and G–H 5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Adelobotrys latifolius Schulman, sp. nov. A inflorescence; B semi-opened flower, bud, and young fruiting hypanthia; C abaxial side of lamina showing acrodromous venation and ciliolate margin. Photos by K. Ruokolainen of K. Ruokolainen et al. 16491 (A, B) and 16256 (C).