Telipogon heinrichsii O.Pérez & C.Martel, 2017

Pérez-Escobar, Oscar Alejandro, Rodriguez, Lizeth Katherine & Martel, Carlos, 2017, A New Species Of Telipogon (Oncidiinae; Orchidaceae) From The Paramos Of Colombia, Phytotaxa 305 (4), pp. 262-268 : 263-265

Telipogon heinrichsii O.Pérez & C.Martel , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 2 )

Type: — COLOMBIA. Valle del Cauca: Municipio de El Cerrito , corregimiento de Tenerife ; Páramo Pan de Azúcar , 3,600 m alt., 6 January 2011. O. Pérez & C. Minnig 875 (holotype: VALLE!) .

Similar to Telipogon puruantensis Dodson & Escobar (1998: 56–57) and Telipogon vollesii Dodson & Escobar (1993: 258–259) , but differing by the triquetrous peduncle of the inflorescence (vs. terete and flattened, respectively), the widely ovate labellum (vs. elliptic and obovate-elliptic), and the uniformly setose column (vs. dorsally setose only).

Plant epiphytic, sympodial, subcaulescent to 20 cm tall including the inflorescence. Roots 2–3 mm in diameter, white, filiform, slightly fleshy, produced from the base and sides of the stem. Stem to ca 2 cm long, flattened. Leaves 23–34 × 6.2–9.5 mm, subcoriaceous, distichous, from oblong to sub-oblanceolate, margins revolute, apex acute, base decurrent, leaf sheath conduplicate, up to 3.2 × 9 mm. Inflorescence apical, up to 4 by plant, successively 2–3 flowered, up to 7.6 cm long, pedunculate; peduncle triquetrous, winged, 14–25 mm long. Floral bracts ovate, conduplicate, acute, 8–9 × 6 mm. Ovary triquetrous, winged, pedicelate, ca 2.3 cm long. Flowers non-resupinate, ca 3.8 cm in diameter. Sepals 15 mm × 6 mm, pale yellowish-green, ovate, acuminate, 3-veined, dorsally 1-carinate. Petals 2.4 cm × 2.1 cm, yellow, pale purple at the base, suborbicular, apex acute, 9-veined; veins reticulated, with wide pale brown spots persistent towards the apex, narrowed at the base, widened at the middle. Labellum 2.2 × 2.4 cm, bright yellow, base deep purple, cordate, U-shaped, densely pubescent, the trichomes purple, the basal shorter than the apical ones, up to 1 mm long, widely ovate, apex acute, 11-veined, veins similar to those of the petals, ecallose; callus-like structure U-shaped, densely pubescent, the trichomes purple, the basal shorter than the apical ones, up to 1 mm long. Column ca 5 mm long, 4 mm in diameter, dark red, subterete, sessile, densely setose; setae up to 1.75 mm long, thin, the apical and lateral ones incurved. Rostellum rostrate, abruptly incurved towards the apex. Stigma apical, rounded. Pollinarium not seen. Fruit not seen.

Phenology:— Flowering in January.

Distribution, habitat and ecology:— Telipogon heinrichsii is only known from the Department of Valle del Cauca, western slope of Central Cordillera of Colombia ( Fig. 3 ). Plants of T. heinrichsii were recorded growing in dwarf forests dominated by Hesperomeles Lindley (1837: 23) and Polylepis Ruiz & Pavón (1794: 80) between 3,200 and 3,600 m elevation. Several individuals were observed growing on tree branches densely covered by cushions of mosses and liverworts.

Conservation Status:— Although scattered populations were observed around the type locality between 3,300 and 3,600 m elevation, T. heinrichsii is classified as DD (data deficient) according to the IUCN criteria ( IUCN, 2014) because explicit information about population size is unavailable.

Eponymy:— Named after Prof. Dr. Jochen Heinrichs (Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany) an expert on systematics, biogeography and evolution of liverworts, who has an outstanding passion for orchids.

Comments:— Telipogon heinrichsii is most similar to T. puruantensis and T. vollesii , sharing with them a subcaulescent epiphytic habit, small plant size with flowers of around 2 cm in diameter, a corolla with reticulated, broad red-brown veins, and an ecallose labellum. However, T. heinrichsii is clearly different by the triquetrous peduncle of the inflorescence, widely ovate labellum, and the uniformly setose column. Telipogon puruantensis and T. vollesii occur from northern Ecuador to southern Colombia ( Dodson & Escobar 1993, 1998; Fig. 3 ) and share a similar habitat, growing between 3,300 and 3,600 m in high-montane cloud forests and paramos. Plants of Telipogon heinrichsii might share a similar geographical distribution range with other Telipogon species such as T. andicola Reichenbach (1855: 239) , as several reports of populations growing in western Cordillera in Colombia (Cundinamarca department) and in Ecuadorian Andes are available at several Herbaria (e.g. COL, K; Fig. 3 ). However, T. heinrichsii is easily recognized by a column completely surrounded by uniformly-sized setae (vs. long setae at the dorsal and lateral sides of the column, and smooth or setulose at the ventral column area).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Illustration of Telipogon heinrichsii. A. Habit. B. Flower (frontal view, rotated 180°). C. Dissected perianth. D–E. Lateral and frontal view of the column, respectively. F. Cross section of the ovary. Drawing by Oscar Alejandro Pérez-Escobar, based on Pérez & Minnig 875 (VALLE!).

FIGURE 2. Telipogon heinrichsii. A. Plant in situ. B. Flower, frontal view. C–D. Side and frontal view of the column, respectively. Photographs by Marta Kolanowska (A–B) and Oscar Alejandro Pérez-Escobar (C–D).

FIGURE 3. Known distribution of T. andicola, T. heinrichsii, T. puruantensis and T. vollesii.