Passiflora pitalensis Arrigui-Torres, Ocampo & Rosero-Toro

Arrigui-Torres, Edwin, Ocampo, John A. & Rosero-Toro, Jeison Herley, 2024, A new species of Passiflora (Passifloraceae, subgenus Passiflora) in the flora of Colombia discovered in uncharted Andean territory, Phytotaxa 642 (2), pp. 156-168 : 159-162

Passiflora pitalensis Arrigui-Torres, Ocampo & Rosero-Toro , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2–3 ).

Type:— COLOMBIA. Huila: El Pital , vereda los Olivos, Parque Natural el Pital , 2.29150°N, 75.86784°W, 1,804 m, 2 December 2021, E. Arrigui-Torres, A. Patiño and J.H. Rosero-Toro 221 (holotype: SURCO!; isotype: COL!) .

Diagnosis: Passiflora pitalensis can be recognized mainly by its stipule length (3–4 cm), petiole green, gland petiole alternate, leaf with central lobe size (8.5–16.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm), leaf sinus width (2.5–3 cm), peduncle green (7.5–9 cm length), bract lanceolate, subopposite (0.2–0.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm), sepal awn length (0.3–0.4 cm), corona filaments in 5 series and outer filaments in 2 series, ovary ovoid (0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.5 cm), fruit ovoid (4–4.5 × 2.7–3.5 cm), mature fruit greenish-yellow, seed margin dentate, and ornamentation reticulate-foveate.

Description:—Climbing plant or woody liana. Stem slender subterete, glabrous, purple branches, older woody stems 0.8‒1 cm in diam. Stipule semi-ovate, 3–4 × 2–3 cm, glabrous, green to purple. Tendril slender, glabrous, green, purple (young). Petiole 3‒5.5 cm long, glabrous, 2–4 alternate gland, stipitate (0.1–0.15 cm long), green. Leaf 3-lobed, 8.5–16.5 (central lobe) × 1.5–2.5 cm, margin entire, subcoriaceous, glabrous, subpeltate at the base, 4–5 pairs of minute glands at the base, apex obtuse, green, abaxial surface pale green, sinus 2.5–3 cm long towards the base, 3–4 pairs of glands in the sinus of leaf lobes. Peduncle solitaire, 7.5–9 × 0.1–0.15 cm in diam., glabrous, green; pedicel glabrous, 0.3–0.9 cm long. Bract lanceolate, subopposite, 3–4, permanent, 0.2–0.5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, margin serrate, acute, glabrous, light green. Flower semierect to pendulum, 1.1–1.2 cm (from the base of the nectary chamber to the ovary apex) × 5–6 cm. Nectary chamber ribbed, 0.3–0.4 cm high, 0.1–0.15 cm in diam., glabrous, greenish-white. Hypanthium campanulate, 0.2‒0.3 × 0.15–0.2 cm in diam. (at the base of the sepal), glabrous, greenish-white. Sepal linear-lanceolate, reflexed, 2.9‒3.2 cm × 0.8–1.1 cm, acute, white on the adaxial surface, light green on the abaxial surface, keeled dorsally just below the apex, the keel terminating in a light-green awn, 0.3–0.4 cm long. Petal linear-oblong, reflexed, subequal to sepals, membranous, white. Corona filaments in 5 series, 2 major outer series (radii) filamentous spreading outward, white at the base, violet in the upper third part, white, slightly curved to the apex, the second outer series of filaments longer (2.5–3.2 cm long) than the outermost series, filaments of the inner series (padii) 0.3–0.5 cm long, minute, slightly reflexed, purple. Operculum membranous, erect, plicate, 0.2 cm high, filamentous at the margin, 0.4–0.5 cm long, arising just below the androgynophore, purple, purplish-white at the apex. Limen short, tubular, ca. 0.1 cm high, light green. Androgynophore 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.5 cm in diam. at the base, light green, finely speckled with dark purple at the apex, glabrous. Gynophore light green, ca. 0.1 cm long. Staminal filament 0.7–0.9 × 0.15–0.2 cm, olive green, dotted with dark purple, glabrous; anther greenish-white, 0.6–0.7 cm long; pollen yellow. Ovary ovoid, 0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.5 cm in diam., glabrous, green. Style 0.6–0.8 cm long, light green, scattered purple dotted. Fruit ovoid, 2.9–4.5 cm × 2–3.5 cm in diam., glabrous, pericarp 0.1–0.2 cm thick, mature greenish-yellow; pulp percentage 59–61%, pleasant scent and flavor, slightly sweet; total soluble solids content in fruit juice 12.9–13.1 (°Brix), edible. Seed ovoid, 0.61–0.7 × 0.31–0.35 cm, dark brown, ornamentation reticulate-foveate, margin dentate, prominent central horn at the apex, acute at the base, 43–146 seeds per fruit, surrounded by a translucent white-grayish aril.

Distribution and habit:—This species is rare and endemic to Colombia, found in the eastern flank of the Cordillera Central in the Andean region in the departments of Huila and Cauca ( Fig. 1 ), in the municipalities of El Pital (1,783 to 1,929 m), La Argentina (1,950 m), San Agustin (1,749 m), and Puracé (2,027 m). Passiflora pitalensis was observed on hillsides, along roadsides, and secondary cloud forest margins, climbing onto trees at elevations from 1,749 –2,027 m). This species grows in areas with moist soil of a sandy clay loam texture, with an annual mean temperature of 16.3–18.1 ° C, 4–5 sunshine hours per day, and an annual rainfall of 1,747 –1,917 mm ( Fick & Hijmans 2017, IDEAM, 2022).

Phenology:—This new species has been observed flowering in the months of May–June and November–December, with fruiting in July and December.

Conservation status:— Passiflora pitalensis is an endemic species to the departments of Huila and Cauca (Macizo Colombiano), and only ca. 90 individuals are known, found along rural roadsides, the borders of El Obispo River, and secondary cloud forest margins near fragmented livestock areas (pasturing), and in lulo ( Solanum quitoense Lamarck (1794: 639)) , coffee ( Coffea arabica Linnaeus (1753: 172)) , and banana ( Musa × paradisiaca Linnaeus (1753: 1043)) plantations. Although 75% of the individuals observed are found in a protected municipal area (Parque Natural Municipal El Pital and Reserva Natural de la Sociedad Civil Nasayuwe), it should be considered Endangered ( EN) based on IUCN (2019) evaluation criteria B and D. Within category B, the new species would probably qualify as B 2a since its area of occupancy ( AOO) is estimated to be less than 500 km 2 (i.e., 20 km 2), the number of locations where it is found is less than or equal to 5 (i.e., 4 locations), and its habitat is fragmented due to deforestation to expand the agricultural frontier. Regarding criterion D, the population size is small (90 individuals) and estimated at less than 250 mature individuals, with only 15 flowering plants observed during the collection trips.

Etymology:—The specific epithet is in honor of the municipality El Pital where the new species was observed for the first time. El Pital is located in the southwest of the department of Huila, on the upper valley plain of the Magdalena River in the foothills of the central mountain range of Colombia (Cordillera Central) in the region known as Macizo Colombiano.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): COLOMBIA. Cauca: Puracé, Santa Leticia, Moscopán , río La Plata , 2.244282°N, 76.17536°W, 2,000 m, 6 October 1985, A. Negret 152, 153 ( AFP!; CAUP!). Huila: La Argentina, Vereda El Progreso , finca Buenavista, 2.211944°N, 75.93972°W, 1,950 m, 9 March 2005, G. Silva et al. 52,1649 ( FMB!; COL!) ; San Agustín, Parque Arqueológico , 1.88475°N, 76.293204°W, 1,700 m, 7 December 1957, R. Romero 6690 ( COL!) .

Selected specimens examined (closest relatives):— Passiflora lehmannii . COLOMBIA. Cundinamarca: Fusagasugá, iconography, montes de Fusagasugá, 1798, F. J. Matís 2,042 ( MA) ; Fusagasugá, Plantae Expeditionis Botanicae Mutisii, Vice-Regmi Novae-Granatae, 1783-1808, 705 ( MA) ; Quebrada de La Aguadita, near Fusagasugá , 2,000 m, 3 January 1883, F.C. Lehmann 2,524 (holotypus K!; syntypus G!) ; Boquerón de La Aguadita , orillas de la quebrada, 1,900–2,000 m, 25 May 1954, J.M. Idrobo and J. Hernández 1,648 ( COL!) ; Quebrada de La Aguadita , 1,900 m, 12 June 1954, L. Uribe 2,588 ( COL!) ; Tena, Laguna Pedro Palo , 2,000 m, 31 July 1983, J.M. Idrobo 11,522 ( COL!) ; Alban, vereda Santana , finca San Pablo, 1,850 m, 16 December 1986, U. Schmidt and L. Velásquez 499 ( HUA!) ; San Antonio de Tequendama, borde de carretera, 4.5815089°N, 74.3328728°W, 1,949 m, 13 February 2018, L. Rodríguez-Martínez et al. 446 ( JBB!). Passiflora smithii . Santander: Mesa de los Santos , northern slope of Mesa de los Santos, 1,000–1,500 m, 11 December 1926, E.P. Killip & A.C, Smith 15,015 (holotypus NY; isotypus S) ; Cundinamarca: Guaduas , camino de Paramillo , 1,000 m, 23 September 1953, L. Uribe–Uribe 2,508 ( COL) ; Sasaima , 1 January 1933, E. Pérez–Arbeláez 2023 ( COL) ; La Mesa, al sur de la Mesa , hacienda Las Laguas , 1,100 m, 12 October 1953, J.M. Idrobo 1,496 ( COL) ; Magdalena: alrededores de San Andrés , 1,300 m, 15 January 1959, R. Romero–Castañeda 6,901 ( COL) ; Tolima: Mariquita , cerca de Mariquita , 600 m, 7 February 1954, E. Pérez–Arbeláez 10,312 ( COL). Passiflora trisulca . Antioquia: Santa Barbara , 5 September 1887, F.C. Lehmann VIII (holotypus G; isotypus G) ; Jardín , road between Jardín and Los Andes, 1,650 m, 30 January 1989, J.M. Dougal and F. J. Roldán 3,619 ( HUA!) ; Andes, camino de la meseta al río Docató , 1,700 m, 9 July 1985, O. Marulanda 91 ( HUA!) ; Betulia , road between Bolombolo and Urrao, 11.5 km NW of centro de Concordia, 1,860 m, 26 February 1986, J.M. Dougal et al. 4,225 ( HUA!) ; Caldas: Manizales, Cenicafé , Plan Alto , 1480 m, 17 July 2004, A.N. Castaño 466 ( FAUC!) ; Quindío: Quimbaya , La Carmelita, bosque de guadua a orilla de carretera que va hacia la vereda Trocaderos, 1,430 m, 1 January 1999, Arbeláez et al. 2,210 ( COL!) ; Calarcá, Jardín Botánico del Quindío , 1,490 m, 2 June 1998, G. Matallana 135 ( COL!) .

The following observations of Passiflora lehmannii from iNaturalist were consider: Tena, 4.666858°N, - 74.374810°W, 1,677 m, 7 November 2019, J. A. Leyva (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37359144); Cascada El Tambo, 4.665129°N, - 74.371044°W, 1,795 m, 16 July 2022, D. Amaya (https://www.inaturalist.org/ observations/126954376); 4.685614°N, - 74.408870°W, 1,607 m, 4, September 2022, L. C. Portela López (https:// www.inaturalist.org/observations/144194966); 4.669363°N, - 74.365913°W, 1,797 m, 9 October 2022, A. Ramírez-Barrera (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/134807862); Zipacón, 4.717616°N, - 74.41697619°W, 1,635 m, 19 November 2017, C. Acosta (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9168639).

Figures

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

FIGURE 2. Mature plant of Passiflora pitalensis Arrigui-Torres, Ocampo & Rosero-Toro. Drawn by Benjamin Cardenas from holotype (E. Arrigui-Torres, J. Ocampo & J.H. Rosero-Toro 13315; SURCO!).

FIGURE 3. Lankester composite dissection plant style sheet from holotype (E. Arrigui-Torres, J. Ocampo & J.H. Rosero-Toro 221; SURCO!). A mature plant of Passiflora pitalensis. A. Lateral view of the flower. B. Alternate view of the flower. C. Flower bud. D. Front view of the flower. E. Cross section of the flower. F. View of the leaf with stipule. G. Detail of marginal petiolar stipitate glands. H. Abaxial surface of the leaf. I. Detail of ocelli on the abaxial surface of the leaf. J. Ripe fruit. K. Cross section of mature fruit. L. Detail of dry seed. Photographs by Edwin Arrigui-Torres.