Monstera pittieri Engl.

Ortiz, Orlando Oriel, de Stapf, María Sánchez, Baldini, Riccardo Maria & Croat, Thomas Bernard, 2019, Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama), Check List 15 (4), pp. 651-689 : 675

Monstera pittieri Engl.

Material examined. Vicinity Cerro Pirre, along trail from base camp to Rancho Frío on slopes of Cerro Pirre; 07°58′N, 077°43′W; 200–450 m; 27 Jul. 1994; T. B. Croat 77130 ( MO). Parque Nacional Darién, trocha entre la Estación Pirre y el Cerro Pirre; 08°00′N, 077°45′W; 100– 300 m; 11 Feb. 1991; H. Herrera 933 ( MO, PMA). Ibid., Cerro Pirre, Rancho Frío; 08°01′14″N, 077°43′41″W; 143 m; 13 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2559 ( PMA). Ibid., cascada arriba; 08°00′58″N, 077°43′24″W; 164 m; 14 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2570 ( PMA).

Identification. Monstera pittieri comprises nomadic vines with long internodes, small blades, sometimes perforated, entire margins; inconspicuous primary lateral veins, and short peduncles. On Cerro Pirre, M. pittieri is the only species of the genus that comprises adult plants with usually entire blades with inconspicuous primary lateral veins and short peduncles (up to 4 cm long). This species could be confused with juvenile individuals of M. spruceana (Schott) Engl. , which differs by its appressed habit and juvenile plants with leaves tightly appressed to the substrate.

Distribution and ecology. Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama. This species grows in semideciduous and evergreen forests of Cerro Pirre. It represents an uncommon species, usually found in semi-shaded areas.