Doselia galilensis A.Orejuela & Villanueva, 2022

Orejuela, Andres, Villanueva, Boris, Orozco, Clara Ines, Knapp, Sandra & Saerkinen, Tiina, 2022, Monograph of Doselia (Solanaceae), a new hemiepiphytic genus endemic to the northern Andes, PhytoKeys 202, pp. 73-96 : 73

2. Doselia galilensis A.Orejuela & Villanueva sp. nov.

Figs 1C , 4 , 5

Diagnosis.

Differing from all other members of Doselia in its mature leaves with sparse pubescence of trichomes on the midvein and along margins only (vs. on entire lamina). Like D. epifita (S.Knapp) A.Orejuela & Särkinen but differing in the pale green to purplish-green calyces with flat lobes (vs. calyces green with purple patches with undulate lobes) and larger corolla 12-15 cm long (vs. 9-11 cm long).

Type.

Colombia. Tolima: Municipio Villarrica, Vereda Galilea, Bosque de Galilea , zona Campo Hermoso , junto a parcela permanente de Monitoreo de 1 ha, 03°46'21"N, 74°39'56"W, 1,543 m, 11 Jun 2018 (fl, fr), L. Corrales, B. Villanueva, K. Sánchez & H. Díaz 917 (holotype: JBB! [ JBB34413 ]; isotype: TOLI [TOLI26800]) .

Description.

Hemiepiphytic liana with adventitious roots. Stems sparsely pubescent with simple, uniseriate 4-7-celled, hyaline trichomes 0.4-1.3 mm long, becoming glabrescent with age. Leaves tightly clustered towards the branch tips, 9.2-17.5 cm long, 6.4-8.4 cm wide, ovate to elliptic, sparsely pubescent with a few simple trichomes like those on the stems distributed along the margins and veins on both surfaces, especially on the young growth, glabrescent with age; major veins 3-4 pairs, slightly raised abaxially; base cuneate or obtuse, symmetric or rarely asymmetric; margins entire; apex acuminate to mucronate; petiole 0.8-1.8 cm long, sparsely pubescent with a few simple trichomes like those on the stems, glabrescent with age. Inflorescence axillary, simple, ebracteate, 11.5-17.2(-44) cm long, 1(-3)-flowered, sparsely pubescent with a few simple trichomes like those on the stems; peduncle 1.2-5.7(-32.5) cm long; pedicels 0.5-1.8 cm long, distally winged and thickened. Calyx 3.7-3.8 cm long, 1.7-1.8 cm wide, pale green with purple margins and reticulation along the veins, sparsely pubescent with simple, uniseriate trichomes like those on the stems; tube 0.5-0.7 cm long; lobes flat, 2.4-3.0 cm long, 1.0-1.2 cm wide, short-lanceolate, apically acute. Corolla 12-15 cm long, the inner corolla diameter 3.5-4.0 cm, infundibuliform; tube 8.3-9.5 cm long, with a narrow base 1.4-1.9 cm long, 0.8-0.9 cm wide and a wide distal portion 7.6-7.7 cm long, 3.6-3.8 cm wide, greenish-white with subtle purple veins, glabrous or sparsely pubescent with a few simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the rest of the plant on the tube externally; lobes 3.2-3.8 cm wide, 2.8-3.1 cm long, ovate, greenish-white with bright purple patches within, reflexed at anthesis, the margins revolute, the apex obtuse, glabrous. Stamens 4.1-4.2 cm long, included inside the corolla tube; filaments 3.1-3.4 cm long, adnate at ca. 1.4-1.8 cm from the base of the corolla, white, densely pubescent with simple, uniseriate 4-7(-12)-celled, hyaline trichomes at the insertion point; anthers 1.6-2.1 cm long, 1.4-1.5 mm wide. Ovary 3.7(-5.4) mm long, 6.2-6.3 mm wide, light brown, glabrous; style 5.9-6.5 cm long, cream, sparsely pubescent with simple short 2-4-celled uniseriate trichomes ca. 0.3 mm long; stigma clavate. Fruit ca. 4.4 cm long, ca. 2.9 cm wide, light green, the exocarp 2.1-2.4 mm thick, coriaceous and light yellow when dry; fruiting calyx persistent, accrescent and covering the fruit, enveloping the berry loosely, the lobes to 4-4.5 cm long, 1.3 cm wide. Seeds numerous, 3.3-3.6 mm long, 1.5-1.7 mm wide, ochre yellow when dry, the testa reticulate, the testal cells rectangular in outline, the embryo slightly curved, the cotyledons accumbent, slightly longer than embryo rest, endosperm rather scanty. Chromosome number not known.

Distribution

(Fig. 2 ). Doselia galilensis occurs in the western slopes of the eastern cordillera of the Colombian Andes and is only known from three localities in the municipality of Arcabuco (Department of Boyacá), the natural reserve "Reinita Cielo Azul" (Department of Santander) and the Parque Natural Regional Bosque de Galilea (Department of Tolima).

Ecology.

Grows in Andean tropical cloud forest from 1,500 to 2,300 m elevation.

Preliminary conservation status

( IUCN 2022). Doselia galilensis is considered Data Deficient (DD) due to the small number of known populations. Based on our field observations, the biggest threat to the species is habitat loss due to agricultural expansion near the known localities. The situation has been alarming in the Galilea Forest during the last few years, with several direct threats to forest conservation such as agricultural expansion, unsustainable logging, and oil exploitation activities. Fortunately, the Galilea Forest has been recently declared as a protected area through the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Tolima ( “CORTOLIMA” resolution 31 adopted on December 16, 2019). The Arcabuco oak forests in Boyacá do not, however, have any legal protection. It is unclear whether the new species remains in the area based on our unsuccessful attempt to collect D. galilensis in Arcabuco in 2019. The third population recently discovered in Santander is under the protection of the Proaves NGO in the natural reserve "Reinita Cielo Azul".

Phenology.

Doselia galilensis has been collected in flower in May, June and October and with fruits in June.

Etymology.

The epithet " galilensis " is in honour of the recently created "Parque Natural Regional Bosque de Galilea", where the type specimen was collected. The Galilea Forest is located between 3°53'36"N, 74°31'51"W and 3°40'32"N, 74°44'20"W in the municipalities of Villarrica and Dolores. We hope that the description of this new Colombian endemic species highlights the importance of the Galilea Forest and stimulates more researchers to explore this beautiful reserve. The Galilea Forest covers more than 26,000 hectares and occupies an elevational range from 1,480 to 3,080 m. It represents a mid-elevation Andean montane forest sandwiched between the lowland tropical rain forest and treeline. Besides the typical Andean cloud forest, the Galilea Forest comprises cushion mire wetlands known as “turberas” and white-sand forests with species adapted to grow in these highly specialised soil conditions (e.g., Utricularia L., Lentibulariaceae). The Galilea Forest is considered a strategic ecosystem for water regulation in the watershed area of the Negro River and the Aco and Lusitania ravines that feed the Hidroprado Dam ( Quimbayo-Cardona et al. 2019).

Discussion.

In the area of Arcabuco, Boyacá, D. galilensis is sympatric with Merinthopodium vogelii (Cuatrec.) Castillo & R.E.Schult., a vegetatively similar species of Solandreae. Merinthopodium vogelii differs in having green campanulate corollas with strongly reflexed lobes at anthesis and partially exserted anthers, while D. galilensis has included anthers and to greenish-white, infundibuliform corollas with slightly reflexed lobes that are purple-tinged at anthesis.

Doselia galilensis can be easily differentiated from other species of Doselia in its glabrescent mature leaf blades where pubescence is sparse and restricted to midveins and margins (Fig. 1 ; Table 2 ). Doselia galilensis is morphologically most similar to D. epifita ; both species share several characters that are not present in other species of Doselia , such as infundibuliform corollas and included stamens with very short filaments (Fig. 1 ; Table 2 ). Unlike D. epifita , D. galilensis is sparsely pubescent, with only a few trichomes along the main veins of the leaves and very few trichomes in other parts of the plant. In contrast, D. epifita has a dense and persistent pubescence covering the entire plant with persistent trichomes on both sides of the leaves. The calyx lobes in D. galilensis are flat and lanceolate compared to the long-triangular undulate calyx lobes in D. epifita . Doselia galilensis has slightly larger corollas with greenish-white tubes and purple-tinged lobes on the abaxial side (Fig. 5C-F ) compared to D. epifita with white to purplish corolla tubes with purple lobes on both surfaces (Fig. 1B ). Styles are consistently pubescent in D. galilensis along their entire length, while D. epifita has glabrous styles except for a few simple uniseriate trichomes at the very base.

Specimens examined.

Colombia. Boyacá: Municipio de Arcabuco, La Cumbre, 2300 m, 22 May 1980 (fl), Pérez 01 (COL). Santander: Municipio de San Vicente de Chucuri , vereda Centro, sector Germania, parte alta, serranía de Los Yariguíes, camino de Lengerke entre Zapatoca y San Vicente de Chucurí, sector Reserva Proaves "Reinita Cielo Azul", 6°50'46"N, 73°22'38W, 1672 m, 20 Oct 2021 (fl), D. Díaz-Rueda et al. 2272 (JBB). Tolima: Municipio Dolores, Vereda El Carmen, Bosque de Galilea, zona Riachón, cerca de parcela permanente de monitoreo de 1 Ha No 5, 03°40'53.10"N, 74°41'6.56"W, 2122 m, 08 Aug 2019 (fl) Rivera et al. 26 (JBB); Municipio Villarrica, La Colonia, vereda La Colonia, Bosque de Galilea 03°52'20.61"N, 74°33'12.12"W, 2000 m, 10 Jan 2020 (fl), M. F. Valencia & M. Rincón 308 (TOLI) .

Figures

Figure 1. Doselia A. Orejuela & Saerkinen A pseudoverticillate leaves in D. epifita B infundibuliform cream-purplish corolla of D. epifita C infundibuliform greenish-white corolla with subtle purple veins of D. galilensis D tubular-campanulate yellowish-green corolla of D. huilensis with strong purple-tinged reticulation along major and minor veins E developing fruit in D. huilensis F hypocrateriform orange corollas in D. lopezii G pendent long flowering branches in D. lopezii with clustered leaves and orange corollas in frontal view H developing fruit in D. lopezii with a nectariferous disc at the base (Vouchers: A Orozco et al. 3876 (COL), B no voucher, C Corrales et al. 917 (JBB, TOLI), D Coral 34 (HEEA), E Orejuela & Velez-Puerta 112 (COL) F Orejuela et al. 727 (JBB) G no voucher H Orejuela & Calderon 170 (COL): photos by Alistair Hay, Andreas Kay, Andres Orejuela, Boris Villanueva, Brayan Coral, and Eduardo Calderon.

Figure 2. Geographic distribution of Doselia, including D. galilensis (green triangles).

Figure 4. Doselia galilensis A floriferous branch B branch with clustered and circular foliar scars C flower at anthesis D dissected corolla showing inserted stamens E detail of a stamen F gynoecium with a five-lobed nectariferous disc G fruit with an accrescent calyx H dissected fruit showing placentation (cross-section) I seed (A-I Corrales et al. 917: Drawing by Marcela Morales).

Figure 5. Doselia galilensis A habitat in type locality in Galilea forest, Villarrica, Tolima B mid-elevation moist forest habitat in Galilea forest C floriferous branch with a flower D floriferous branch with a dissected and opened corolla showing corolla colouration inside and the inserted stamens E female Euglossa bee visiting the flower F front view of the corolla showing the purple-tinged lobes and the inserted stamens G developing fruit covered by an accrescent calyx (A-G Corrales et al. 917: Photographs by Boris Villanueva).