Catasetum telespirense Benelli & Soares-Lopes., 2015

Petini-Benelli, Adarilda & Soares-Lopes, Célia Regina Araújo, 2015, A new species of Catasetum (Cymbidieae, Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae) from the Southern region of the Brazilian Amazon, Phytotaxa 204 (1), pp. 75-79 : 77-78

Catasetum telespirense Benelli & Soares-Lopes. sp. nov.

TYPE: — BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Paranaíta. Left margin of River Teles Pires. Construction site of Teles Pires Power Plant, 9°20’50”S, 56°46’48”W, 203 m, 15 June 2012, C. R. A. Soares-Lopes, A. Petini-Benelli & J. H. Piva 278 (holotype: HERBAM 8636!). Figures 1–2.

C. telespirense is similar to C. mattosianum Bicalho (1973:22) , however it differs in the arched, semi-pendent inflorescence with the flowers distributed in the whole flower stem, resupinated lip, and color predominantly yellow (in C. mattosianum inflorescence is erect with non-resupinated flowers grouped only in the terminal portion of the stem).

Epiphytic herb. Pseudobulbs 10–18 cm, fusiform covered by persistent and short pale and whitish leaf sheaths. Leaves 20–45 cm, oblong-lanceolate, coming from the on the base of the pseudobulb, plicate, narrow, 5–7; usually leaves fall before the emission of inflorescences. Inflorescence basal, 20–45 cm, stem arched or pending, elongated, 2–10 flowers. Flowers 40–45 mm when explanate, intensely fragrant, resupinate, green-yellow to totally yellow. Peduncle delicate, 28–30 × 2 mm, including a short ovary, 10–12 mm. Dorsal sepal ca. 21 × 12 mm, ovate, acute, concave; lateral sepals ca. 22 × 14 mm, ovate, acute, concave, overlapping sepals almost totally covering same; the whole set is yellow, ranging from greenish yellow to bright yellow. Petals ca. 20 × 13 mm, a little more obovate than the sepals. Lip 13 mm long × 10 mm wide × 5 mm deep, slightly trilobed, globular, oblong rounded, indistinctly saccate, coniform; lateral lobes almost totally covering the column, smooth margins by the column and densely denticulate in the whole frontal portion; indented apical lobe, apiculate, somewhat thickened and convex, with smooth and thick edges. From the basis of the column, through the saccate lip up to the frontal lobe apex, a series of careniform calluses are present, 8–11, with the same width as that of the frontal lobe; in this particular portion the color is very bright, golden-yellow to orange, mainly at the edges of the frontal lobe. Column upright ca. 14 × 6 mm. Rostellum 4–5 mm long, apiculated. Antennae, 12 mm long, convergent parallel show up as an extension of the column. Stipe ca. 4 × 3 mm, triangular. Caudicle ca. 1 × 1 mm sub-square cartilaginous. Pollinia 2, yellow.

Distribution:— Found only in a portion of the Southern Brazilian Amazon, in the region of Alta Floresta, Apiacás, Guarantã and Paranaíta (Mato Grosso state) and Jacareacanga (Pará state).

Etymology:— Referring to the place of origin, the River Teles Pires, the location where the first example of the present species was found.

Vernacular name:— Cultivators, local inhabitants and people living in its surroundings call them ‘Brasileirinho’, since the species shows colors linked to those of the Brazilian national flag.

Phenology:— This species was found flowering between May–June.

Additional examined material (Paratypes):— BRAZIL. Pará: Jacareacanga. Right margin of the River Teles Pires. Construction site of the Teles Pires Power Plant. 56°46’16”W, 9°20’39”S, 276 m, 31 May 2012, Soares-Lopes et al. 266 ( HERBAM 8516 ) ;– Jacareacanga. Right margin of the River Teles Pires. Construction site of the Teles Pires Power plant. 56°46’35”W, 9°20’42”S, 203 m, 04 June 2012, Soares-Lopes et al. 148 ( HERBAM 8533 ) ;– Jacareacanga. Right margin of the River Teles Pires. UTM 21 L 09.2018000S ; 56.4620000W, 217 m, 28 June 2012, Soares-Lopes et al. 6762 ( HERBAM 8710 ) ;– Jacareacanga. Right margin of the River Teles Pires. UTM 21 L 09.2040000S ; 56.4728000W, 228 m, 28 June 2012, Soares-Lopes et al. 6763 ( HERBAM 8711 ) .

Conservation Status:— According to IUCN (2009) criteria, C. telespirense falls under the endangered species category (EM), because it is rarely founded in the distribution area referred here.

The low number of mature individuals found in the area of study, related to the time necessary for the reestablishment of a subpopulation, indicates that the species will not be able to get enough mature individuals to escape the risk of extinction due to the rapid pace of vegetation suppression in the region. Many cultivators have their own collection of C. telespirense specimens in the counties mentioned above. However, the majority of the cultivators said that their samples were rescued from deforestation sites near their houses or cities. One of them admitted that he used to go into the woods in order to observe the orchids and, eventually, collect them. It is understood that both actions (suppressing native vegetation and collecting native plants in areas that have yet not been preserved) are fundamental in order to establish the high extinction risk of C. telespirense , especially when these actions are combined.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Catasetum telespirense Benelli & Soares-Lopes A. General view of the plant flowering and without leaves, male flowers. B. Desiccated male flower: a. dorsal sepal. b. petal. c. lateral sepal. d. labellum longitudinally sectioned. C. Column set: a. column without pollinarium. b. cover anther. c. set of stem and pollen masses. D. Male flower with distended parts. Drawn by Alexandre da Silva Medeiros.

FIGURE 2. Male flowers from three specimens of the Catasetum telespirense Benelli & Soares-Lopes showing different colours and lip forms. Photographs by Adarilda Petini-Benelli.