Satyria orquidiensis Pedraza, 2015

Pedraza-Penalosa, Paola, 2015, New blueberry and mortino relatives (Ericaceae) from northwestern Colombia, PhytoKeys 49, pp. 33-58 : 41-44

Satyria orquidiensis Pedraza sp. nov. Figures 9, 10, 11

Diagnosis.

Satyria orquidiensis has many distinctive characters and it differs from other species in the genus because its leaves, which are clustered (up to 8 leaves) and seemingly verticillate (the only one in the genus), oblanceolate, large, and basally subcordate. The abundant and large flowers of this new species also stand out because of the big ribs on the calyx tube and the sharp transversal constriction between the limb and tube, which gives the entire calyx a broad campanulate shape. The long obconic corolla (up to 4.4 cm long) is orange and green at the tip. Both calyx and corolla are covered with a fine glabrate indumentum.

Type.

COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Municipio Urrao. Corregimiento La Encarnación, vereda Calles, Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquídeas, finca de Alfonso Pino, en la divisoria de aguas entre las quebradas La Virola y El Bosque, al noroccidente de la cabaña de Calles, 6°31'35"N; 76°15'50"W, 1450-1470 m, 27 Jan 2011 (fl, fr), Paola Pedraza-Peñalosa et al. 2016 (holotype: COL!; isotypes, CAS!, CUVC, E!, HUA, MO!, NY! [NY02058404], PSO).

Description.

Epiphytic shrub, lianoid; stems brown-grey, terete, glabrous, bark smooth; twigs terete, smooth, glabrous. Axillary buds compressed; prophylls 2, valvate, lanceolate, inconspicuous, 2.5-4.5 mm long, margin eciliate, apex acuminate, abaxially puberulous, the hairs inconspicuous, ca. <0.2 mm long, eglandular and unicellular (all indumentum composed of this type of hairs except when indicated). Leaves alternate but apparently pseudoverticillate, originating in clusters of (2-)5-8 leaves separated by leafless sections 11.5-17.5 cm long; petiole terete, pulvinate, 3-6 mm long, glabrate; lamina coriaceous, elliptic, sometimes oblanceolate, (14-)18.7-28 × (3-)5-8 cm, base subcordate, margin entire and eciliate, apex acuminate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrate (but appearing glabrous), the hairs inconspicuous, (<0.2 mm long), caducous but with persistent bases that are red and swollen, apparently multicellular and glandular; laminar glands inconspicuous, basal, rounded; venation plinerved (acrodromous), suprabasal, with 3-4 visible orders (consistently well-marked up to 3th order) in dry specimens, prominent lateral veins 2(-3) per side, subopposite or alternate, concentrated in the basal third, ascending, brochidodromous, midvein and secondaries adaxially impressed and abaxially raised. Inflorescence a 4-6-flowered raceme, more than one raceme arising from an axillary pad (pincushion like), often cauliflorous; inflorescence and floral bracts alike, persistent, chartaceous, ovate, 0.5-2.6 × 0.8-1.2 mm, margin entire and ciliolate, the hairs inconspicuous and eglandular, apex acute to acuminate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrate, venation obscure; rachis orange, 4-8.5 mm long, glabrate, warts abundant and minute; pedicel dark or lightly orange, articulate with calyx, 1.9-2.3 cm long (3 cm when fruiting), basally (1-1.2 mm diam.) less than half the diameter of apex (3-4.5 mm) (in vivo 2 mm basally, 5-7 mm apically), with the apex becoming discoid and almost as wide as the calyx tube, glabrate, minute warts present at very base both in vivo and when dry; bracteoles 2, basal, supopposite to opposite, chartaceous, ovate, 2-2.4 × 0.6-0.8 mm, margin entire and ciliolate, the hairs inconspicuous, caducous and eglandular, apex acuminate, glabrous on both sides, venation obscure. Flowers 5-merous (some calyces 6-merous), actinomorphic, diplostemonous. Calyx dark or light orange, campanulate, with a marked transversal constriction between limb and tube, inconspicuously 5-angled, the angles alternating with lobes, conspicuously ribbed in the tube and with softer ribs in the limb, 4.1-5.8 mm long (6-7.2 mm in vivo), glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous, <0.1 mm long; tube oblate, 2-2.2 mm long (2.5-3 mm in vivo); limb slightly flaring, 2.1-3.6 mm long (3.5-4.7 mm in vivo); lobes deltate, 1-2 × 3.5-4.5 mm long (1.6-2 × 5 mm in vivo), margin entire, eglandular, and eciliate, apex acute; sinuses practically flat (broadly U-shaped in vivo); aestivation valvate. Corolla basal two thirds orange, apical third green, fleshy, not bistratose, obconic, 3.2-4 cm long (3.4-4.4 cm in vivo), 1-1.2 cm diam. (1-1.1 cm in vivo), 3 mm wide at throat (4.7-5.5 mm in vivo), inconspicuously 5-angled, glabrate without, the hairs inconspicuous, <0.1 mm long, glabrous within; lobes ovate, 1.5-2 × 1-2 mm, but sinuses often further tearing toward end of anthesis and the lobes then oblong and 4.8-7 × 1-2 mm, apex acute, not strongly reflexed at maturity; aestivation valvate. Stamens 10, dimorphic, staminal cycles with different anther lengths and dehiscence orientation, included, not adherent to corolla. Long stamens 10-11.2 mm long; filaments connate into a tube, straight, 3.5-4 mm long, glabrous or distally glabrate on the abaxial side, the hairs a handful, inconspicuous, multicellular and apparently eglandular; anthers 9-9.5 mm long, slightly prognathous, narrowing at base and widening at apex, without a clear distinction between tubules and thecae; thecae 6-6.5 mm long, without basal appendage, minutely papillate at least basally; tubules 2, free, turned inwards like bull’s horns, 3 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by latrorse elliptical slits 3 mm long, distal margin ornamented with small and irregular lobes. Short stamens 9-10 mm long, same shape, indumentum and features as long stamens except when indicated; filaments 3.5-4 mm long; anthers 8-8.5 mm long; thecae 5.5 mm long; tubules pointing upwards and without space between them, 2.5-3 mm long, dehiscing by introrse elliptical slits 2.5-3 mm long. Nectary not pulvinate, slightly concave to flat, glabrous; style white, 2.6-3.7 cm long, included; stigma punctiform. Berry cream-colored and ribbed when immature, turning purple at maturity.

Distribution and ecology.

Satyria orquidiensis is endemic to Antioquia (Colombia) and it only known from collections from Las Orquídeas National Park. It is known to flower in January and fruit in January and July. This species grows in the canopy of humid premontane and montane forests at 880-1470 m, but it is possible that it could be found at lower altitudes as well.

Etymology.

Named after Las Orquídeas National Park (Colombia), where the species is endemic to.

Preliminary conservation status.

Satyria orquidiensis it is only known by specimens collected in Las Orquídeas National Park. It is commonly observed in conserved premontane and montane forests, but because it is a liana normally found high in the canopy, only a few collections exits. Because the observed abundance within the protected area I consider this species of least concern.

Discussion.

Morphologically, Satyria orquidiensis and Satyria pterocalyx stand out within the genus and have more similarities among themselves than with other species; these are the only species in the genus with conspicuous wings and/or ribs on their calyces. Although their large corollas share similar colors and obconic shape, they can be easily differentiated because Satyria orquidiensis has corollas inconspicuously 5-angled (vs. terete in Satyria pterocalyx ), orange with green lobes (vs. red-orange with the tube and lobes green-whitish) that gradually decrease in diameter toward the lobes (vs. dramatically constricted at the throat which is elongated into a tube ca. 8 mm long). Also, the dark or light orange (vs. light green) calyces of Satyria orquidiensis are conspicuously ribbed on the tube and sharply constricted between the limb and tube (vs. calyces 5-winged, tube with two basal lobes in each of the facets demarked by the wings, not transversally constricted). Vegetetatively, these two new species are even more distinct as Satyria orquidiensis has leaves that are clustered and seemingly verticillate (vs. not clustered in Satyria pterocalyx ), larger [(14-)18.7-28 cm long vs. 14-18 cm], basally subcordate (vs. obtuse or cuneate), apically acute to acuminate (long acuminate, acumen 1.8-2.8 cm long), and with inconspicuous basal laminar glands (vs. absent).

Specimens examined.

COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Municipio Frontino, Vereda Venados Abajo, Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquídeas, sector Venados, sitio La Miquera, 6°32'28.1"N; 76°18'05.3"W, 1000-1030 m, 27 Jul 2011 (fr), P. Pedraza-Peñalosa et al. 2436 [COL!, NY! (2 sheets)]; Municipio Frontino, Vereda Venados Abajo, Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquídeas, sector Venados, sitio La Esperanza, cuenca de la quebrada Arenales, 6°42'06.8"N; 76°18'46.03"W, 880-920 m, 29 Jul 2011 (fl), P. Pedraza-Peñalosa et al. 2447 (COL!, MO!, NY!).