New blueberry and mortino relatives (Ericaceae) from northwestern Colombia
Author
Pedraza-Penalosa, Paola
Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10458
text
PhytoKeys
2015
2015-04-22
49
33
58
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.49.8383
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.49.8383
1314-2003-49-33
5D3B5F37691CEB6EEB4BFFC1FFADD024
576299
Satyria pterocalyx Pedraza
sp. nov.
Figures 12
, 13
Diagnosis.
Satyria
pterocalyx
can be easily differentiated among all other species in the genus by the following combination of characters. Its leaves are elliptic, often slightly asymmetric with the apex slanted to one side, large (14-18 cm long) and apically long acuminate (acumen 1.8-2.8 cm long). Its calyces are light green, 5-winged, with each of the facets of the calyx demarked by the wings containing two basal lobes that together look like an inverted m. In dry specimens, the pedicels have inconspicuous warts. Its corollas are very characteristic, terete, obconic and noticeably constricted at the throat, which is then elongated into a tube ca. 8 mm long; the corolla is red-orange with the tube and lobes green-whitish.
Type.
COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Municipio Urrao, Vereda La Magdalena, camino de herradura desde La Magdalena al
Rio
Ocaido
, pasando por el Alto del Caballo, cuencas
rios
Orougo, Orougito y
Ocaido
, 6°14'05"-6°16'55"N; 76°13'24"-76°15'14"W, 1730-2150 m, 13 Dec 2007 (fl),
P.
Pedraza-Penalosa
, J. Betancur, F.
Gomez
& O. Laverde 1755
(holotype: COL!; isotypes: HUA!, MO!, NY!).
Description.
Epiphytic
shrub
, lianoid; stems brown-grey, terete, glabrous, bark smooth; twigs subterete, smooth, glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous (<0.1 mm long), unicellular and eglandular (all indumentum composed of this type of hairs except when indicated). Axillary buds compressed; prophylls 2, valvate, lanceolate, conspicuous, 3.6-4.1 mm long, margin eciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous.
Leaves
alternate; petiole terete, not pulvinate, 6-8 mm long, glabrescent; lamina coriaceous, elliptic, often slightly asymmetric with the apex slanted to one side, 14-18
x
5.8-7.3 cm, base obtuse or cuneate, margin entire and eciliate, apex long acuminate (acumen 1.8-2.8 cm long), adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous, (<0.1 mm long), multicellular and eglandular; laminar glands absent; venation plinerved (acrodromous), suprabasal, with 3-4 visible orders in dry specimens, prominent lateral veins 2(-3) per side, subopposite, concentrated in the basal third, ascending, brochidodromous, midvein and secondaries adaxially impressed and abaxially raised.
Inflorescence
a axillary, solitary, raceme with at least 2 flowers, cauliflorus; inflorescence bracts, floral bract, and bracteoles alike, persistent, chartaceous, ovate, 1-1.6
x
0.5-1 mm, margin entire and ciliolate, the hairs inconspicuous, caducous and eglandular, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous on both sides, venation obscure; rachis green, 5-12 mm long, glabrous; pedicel orange, articulate with calyx, 2.6-3 cm long, basally less than half the diameter of apex (
in vivo
1.5 mm vs. 4.5 mm, respectively), glabrescent, with inconspicuous warts basally (not evident
in vivo
); bracteoles 2, basal, supopposite to alternate.
Flowers
5-merous, actinomorphic, diplostemonous. Calyx light green, oblate (more or less campanulate when dry), 3.8-5.6(-7.7) mm long (6.2-6.5 mm
in vivo
), 5-winged, the wings alternating with lobes, minutely puberulous; tube oblate, 3-3.2(-5.2) mm long (3.5-4.1 mm
in vivo
), the base conspicuously lobed, each facet of the calyx demarked by the wings contains two basal lobes that together look like an inverted m; limb more or less erect, 1.6-2(-2.5) mm long (2.4-3.3 mm
in vivo
); lobes deltate, 0.8-1
x
3-3.5 mm long (0.5-1.2
x
4-6 mm
in vivo
), margin entire, eglandular, and eciliate, apex obtuse; sinuses obtuse (U-shaped) to almost flat; aestivation unknown. Corolla red-orange with the tube and lobes green-whitish, fleshy, bistratose, obconic and noticeably constricted at the throat which is elongated into a tube (ca. 8 mm long), terete, 2.8-3(-4) cm long, 1.2-1.3 cm diam., 2.7-3 mm wide at throat (4 mm
in vivo
), inconspicuously puberulous without with a combination of hairs minute (<0.5 mm long), eglandular and unicellular, along with a few hairs eglandular and multicellular, glabrous within; lobes deltate, 1.1
x
1.2-1.5 mm (lanceolate, 4.3
x
2 mm
in vivo
), apex acute, not strongly reflexed at maturity; aestivation unknown.
Stamens
10 (all measurements
in vivo
), dimorphic, staminal cycles with different anther lengths and dehiscence orientation, included, not adherent to corolla. Long stamens 9.8-10.8 mm long; filaments connate at base, straight, 3-4 mm long, glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous and eglandular, the marginal ones unicellular, the abaxial ones multicellular, very scarce and distally concentrated, adaxial side glabrous; anthers 8.6-10.1 mm long, narrowing at base and widening at apex, without a clear distinction between tubules and thecae; thecae 5.9-7.1 mm long, without basal appendage, papillate at base, smooth at apex; tubules 2, free, pointing upwards, 2.5-3 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by latrorse elliptical slits 2.2-2.5 mm long, abaxial side and margin ornamented with irregular epidermal projections. Short stamens 8.3-9.5 mm long, same shapes, indumentum and features as long stamens except when indicated; filaments 3-3.5 mm long; anthers 7.5-9.4 mm long; thecae 5.2-6.4 mm long; tubules 2.3-3 mm long, dehiscing by introrse elliptical slits 2.2-2.5 mm long. Nectary pulvinate, not too prominent, glabrous; style 2.8-3.2 cm long, included; stigma discoid.
Berry
unknown.
Figure 12.
Illustration of
Satyria pterocalyx
.
A
Branch with leaves
B
Branch with flowers
C
Flower with pedicel
D
Flower with the corolla removed to show the stamens arranged around the style; detail of the nectary from above and of the stigma
E
Stamens in abaxial, adaxial, and lateral views. [Drawn from the type.]
Figure 13.
Satyria pterocalyx
.
A
Branch with leaves and flowers
B
Flowers at anthesis. [Photos by P.
Pedraza-Penalosa
.]
Distribution and ecology.
Satyria pterocalyx
is restricted to the biologically rich montane forests of Western Colombia (Antioquia, Choco). It is known to flower in December and January.
Etymology.
Species named after the rare winged calyces.
Preliminary conservation status.
Satyria pterocalyx
is known from two localities far apart (from adjacent departamentos) that confer it a not so small geographic range. However, after botanizing for several years in Antioquia, this species remains only known by two individuals. Although collected a few miles from Las
Orquideas
National Park,
Satyria pterocalyx
has not been found within the protected area. Currently, Colombian montane forest suffer from degradation product of human activities (agriculture, selective logging, livestock, mining, etc.), therefore I consider this species vulnerable due to its perceived scarcity and current habitat threats.
Discussion.
The morphological differences and similarities between
Satyria pterocalyx
and
Satyria orquidiensis
are discussed under the latter.
Specimens examined.
COLOMBIA. Choco:
Alto del Buey, 1200-1800 m, 8 Jan 1973 (fl),
A. Gentry & E. Forero 7311
(NY!).