Passiflora quadraticordata Lozada-Pérez, 2016

Lozada-Pérez, Lucio & Gutiérrez, Jorge Fernando Rojas, 2016, A new species of Passiflora L. (Passifloraceae) from Guerrero and Oaxaca, México, Phytotaxa 263 (3), pp. 297-300 : 297-300

Passiflora quadraticordata Lozada-Pérez , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Diagnosis: ― Passiflora quadraticordata is related to P. uncinata , but it differs by having whole stipules with uncinate trichomes, longer petioles and peduncles, square cordate blades at the base, elliptical bracts that are serrated in the upper two-thirds of the plant and uncinate trichomes, a crenated operculum, and whitish limen that are densely spotted in purple.

Type:― Mexico. Guerrero: Municipio de Malinaltepec: Tres Marías, 1.5 km al Sur, 17°07ʼ10ˮN, 98°41ʼ45ˮW, 2400 m elev., 20 June 2014 (fl), L. Lozada, J. Rojas, R. de Santiago & R. Bustamante 3748 (Holotipe FCME!, Isotipes IEB!, MEXU!).

Climbing lianas, hispid to hispidulous with uncinate trichomes, 0.2 × 0.8 (‒1.0) mm in length and bulbous at the base, especially in the stems and peduncles; sparsely at the stipules and bracts, unknown roots, terete stems, green-reddish. Persistent ovate auriculate stipules, 13‒16 × 12‒15 mm; apex acute to acuminate, margins entire, with uncinate trichomes at the margin and dispersed at the abaxial surface. Leaves with cylindrical petioles, 3.5‒9.0 cm, hispid, with 2 stipitate glands, opposite or alternate, arranged 6 mm from the base of the blade, 2.0‒2.5 × 1.0‒ 1.5 mm, in the shape of a wine glass, with a curved shaft with uncinate trichomes, nectariferous surface abaxially bound. Blades 6.0‒14.0 × 6.0‒14.0 cm, 3-lobed, deltate lobes, middle lobe 3.0‒5.5 × 3.0‒ 6.5 cm, lateral lobes 1.5‒3.0 × 2.0‒4.0 cm, divaricate, margin external to the lateral lobes serrated to entire, with 6‒9 teeth, internal margin between the lateral and middle lobes usually entire, acute apex, mucronate, square cordate base, membranaceous, both surfaces very sparsely hispid and ciliated margin with uncinate trichomes, discolored, five main veins originating from the base, the lateral ones are thinner, crosslinked secondary veins, with or without laminar nectaries, or near the apex of the lobes, 0.3‒1.0 mm in diameter, inconspicuous and sessile. Well-developed tendrils, with widely scattered uncinate trichomes. Peduncles geminate, 5.5‒6.5 cm, reddish in color, 3 bracts, opposite, elliptical, 14.0‒18.0 × 14.0‒18.0 mm, concave, inserted near the flower base, acute apex, cuspidate, serrated margin mainly in the upper two-thirds, lower third entire, or with just one evident tooth, ca. 20‒26 teeth per bract, membranaceous, abaxial surface with very dispersed uncinate trichomes. Flowers ovoid in bud, carinate and short corniculate, flowers 4.0‒5.0 cm in diameter, pendent, floral stipe 0.5 mm; hypanthium patelliform, 15‒20 mm in diameter; externally puberulent; triangular ovate sepals, 17.0‒25.0 × 9.0‒12.0 mm, acute and rounded at apex, carinate in the upper half, keel ending in a peak, with asymmetrical membranaceous margins, reflexed, rounded apex, white greenish, with uncinate trichomes scattered on the back; oblong petals, 10.0‒12.0 × 4.0‒ 4.5 mm, membranaceous, reflexed, rounded apex, white. Corona filaments in a single series of 60‒68 filaments, 11.5 mm in length, with 3 purple bands; plicated operculum, 3.0 mm, crenate margin, membranaceous, white-purple; whitish limen, densely spotted in purple; androgynophore 7.0‒8.0 mm in length, green; staminal filaments 5.5 mm each, green; anthers 5.0 mm each; ellipsoid ovary, 6.0‒8.0 × 3.0‒ 3.5 mm, glabrous, smooth, green; styles 7.0‒8.0 mm in length, green; stigmas 1.0 mm in diameter. Fruits berries, 7.0 × 3.5 cm, ellipsoid-obovoid, rounded apex, green with scattered white spots, glabrous. Laterally compressed seeds, narrowly obovate, 4.0‒4.5 × 2.5 mm, not toothed at the apex, with 45‒50 foveae per side, dark brown. Aril, brown-transparent when dry.

Etymology: ―The epithet refers to the base of the leaf and is described as square cordate.

Distribution and habitat: ― Passiflora quadraticordata is known only in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, México, in the southern Sierra Madre, at elevations from 1,300 to 2,400 m. Its habitat is that of temperate vegetation, such as Quercus and cloud forests.

Paratypes: ― Mexico. Guerrero. Municipio de Malinaltepec, Tres Marías, 17°07ʼ57.6ˮN, 98°41ʼ45.5ˮW, 2220 m elev., 24 November 2004 (fr), N. Diego & R. de Santiago 9580 (FCME!). Al W de Tres Marías, 2400 m elev., 25 June 2006 (fl, fr), L. Lozada, J. Rojas & R. de Santiago 3144 (FCME!, MEXU!). Municipio de Xalpatlahuac, km 25 de la carretera Tlapa-Malinaltepec, 17°52ʼ30.7ˮN, 98°31ʼ10ˮW, 1300 m elev., 27 August 1999 (fl, fr), J. Santana 763 (FCME!, MEXU!). Oaxaca. Distrito de Putla. Municipio de Santa Maria Yucuhiti, 4 km before Pueblo Viejo (traveling from Santa Maria Yucuhiti), 17°02’14”N 097°47’52”W, 2052 m elev., 15 August 2010 (fl, fr), K. Porter-Utley, N. Martínez Meléndez & J. Peters 504 (HEM, KESC, MO). Distrito de Juxtlahuaca, Municipio de Santiago Juxtlahuaca, A 4 km de El Manzanal, carretera a Infiernillo, 17°12ʼ59.3ˮN, 98°04ʼ11.4ˮW, 2400 m elev., 22 August 1996 (fl.), I. Calzada 21152 (MEXU!). A 1-2 km de El Manzanal, 17°13ʼ36.6ˮN, 98°03ʼ38.7ˮW, 2200 m elev., 28 August 1997 (fl.), I. Calzada 22061 (MEXU!).

Discussion: ― Passiflora quadraticordata Lozada ‒Pérez is morphologically similar to P.uncinata J.M. MacDougal ( MacDougal 1994: 61), a species described from one known specimen from the southern Sierra Madre of Guerrero on the slope of the Pacific Ocean and to P. pterocarpa J.M. MacDougal (1994: 64) , from the Pacific slope of Guatemala. In the three species, the stipules are almost the same size, but in P. quadraticordata they are wider, with an acuminate apex, with uncinate trichomes in the margin; the stipules are dispersed at the abaxial surface. In this species, the petioles can be three times as long, the base of the blade is square cordate, and the blade is without laminar nectaries. The peduncles are up to five times longer; the bracts are elliptical, 14.0‒18.0 mm in width, and concave with a serrated margin mainly in the upper two-thirds, the whole lower third or with one evident tooth, with 20‒26 teeth per bract, on the abaxial surface with highly dispersed uncinate trichomes. The petals are less wide, 4.0‒ 4.5 mm. The corona filaments are 11.5 mm each in length; have three purple bands, a crenate operculum and whitish limen; and are densely spotted in purple ( Fig. 2 ). Passiflora uncinata and P. pterocarpa have narrower stipules, long caudate or aristate and are without uncinate trichomes; the petioles are shorter, 2.0‒ 3.5 cm in length, and the blade base is narrowly cordate. The lowermost peduncles are very short, 1.2‒1.7 cm in length in P. uncinata and up to 2.5 cm in P. pterocarpa . In both species, the bracts are narrower, ovate to widely ovate, acute and slightly caudate, or three-divided at the apex without uncinate trichomes. Corona filaments are longer, 13–20 mm and with 4‒7 purple bands. Passiflora uncinata has a lacerated operculum, sometimes only half its length, and the limen is whitish and without spots. In P. pterocarpa , the limen is equal to that of P. quadraticordata and is whitish with purple spots; the apex of the 4.0– 4.5 mm long operculum was described by MacDougal (1994).

Key for P. quadraticordata and related species

1. Stipules with serrated margin, sepals not carinate, limen without purple spots................................................................. P. uncinata

-. Stipules entire, sepals carinate, limen with purple spots....................................................................................................................2

2. Blades narrowly cordate at the base, peduncles 2‒2.5 cm ............................................................................................. P. pterocarpa

-. Blades square cordate at the base, peduncles 3.5‒9 cm ......................................................................................... P. quadraticordata

Figures

FIGURE 1. Passiflora quadraticordata. A. Habit and detail of the flowers; B. Detail of the trichomes and their base. C. Detail of the petiole glands. D. Detail of a stipule. E. Detail of a bract.F. Detail of an external sepal, lateral and dorsal view. G. Detail of an internal sepal lateral and dorsal view. H. Fruit. I. Seed. (A―G based on L. Lozada et al. 3748, H―I based on L. Lozada et al. 3144).

FIGURE 2. Passiflora quadraticordata. A. Habit and detail of floral bud and flower. B. Flower detail. Photos by L. Lozada & J. Rojas 3748.