Cyrtandra spectabilis R.Bone & H.J.Atkins

Atkins, H. J. & Kartonegoro, A., 2021, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF CYRTANDRA (GESNERIACEAE) IN SULAWESI, INDONESIA, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (364), pp. 1-122 : 105-107

35. Cyrtandra spectabilis R.Bone & H.J.Atkins , Edinburgh J. Bot. 70(3): 463 (2013)

– Type: Indonesia, Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Subdivision Enrekang District , Latimojong Mountains , 1 xi 1969, Sands 331 (holotype E; isotypes BO, K). Figure 54 .

Erect, spreading shrub to 2.5 m in height. Stems terete, glabrescent or sparsely hairy. Leaves opposite; one leaf of a pair markedly reduced or appearing alternate; petiole 4–10 mm long, hairy; blades of larger leaves 8–11 × 2–3.2 cm, narrow elliptic, narrow oblong or oblanceolate, base acute, margin serrate, serrations irregularly and distantly spaced (c. 5–24 mm apart), with small tufts of hair at apex, apex acute; 5–7 pairs of secondary veins, upper surface glabrous, lower surface hairy on midrib and veins, juvenile leaves more densely hairy. Reduced leaves (where present) elliptic, c.10 × 4 mm. Inflorescences axillary, 1- or 2-flowered, or cauliflorous fascicles of up to 7 pendulous flowers; peduncles short, 2–4 mm long, hairy; bracts c. 2–3 mm long, linear to oblanceolate, hairy, leafy (with midrib); pedicels 30–40 mm long, slender, glabrescent to sparsely hairy. Calyx maroon, 20–25 mm long, split on ventral side c.1/4 to 1/2 the length of the calyx, upper lobes c. 4–7 mm long (in immature flowers the calyx is not so deeply divided on the lower side and the calyx is more obscurely bilabiate), hairy externally. Corolla very pale yellow to cream, 30–40 mm long, funnelform, tube narrow at base, gradually widening to mouth, lobes c.7 × 6 mm, glabrous internally, eglandular hairy externally. Stamens with filaments c. 11 mm long, cream, glabrous, attached c. 24 mm from base of corolla; anthers c. 1.5 mm long, cohering at apices before anthesis; staminodes 3, lateral staminodes c. 1 mm long, central less than 1 mm long. Gynoecium c. 30 mm long; disc cupular, undulate with lobed margin, c. 1.2 mm long, glabrous; ovary densely eglandular hairy; style white, sparsely glandular hairy; stigma peltate, c. 0.8 mm across. Fruits not seen.

Distribution. South Sulawesi: Latimojong Range (see Figure 55 ).

Habitat and ecology. Montane forest at an altitude of 1900 m.

Etymology. This striking species with large, yellow flowers and a maroon calyx was given the epithet spectabilis , meaning ‘attractive’ ( Bone & Atkins, 2013).

Proposed IUCN conservation category. Cyrtandra spectabilis is known only from the type material. The AOO of this species is 4 km 2, based on a 2 × 2 km grid cell size, under the B criteria ( Bachman et al., 2011). It was collected in 1969 from a relatively high altitude, and although Cannon et al. (2007) rank the threats to montane forests in Sulawesi as low, ‘moderate to strong anthropogenic disturbance’ has been reported in primary forest in the Latimojong Mountains between 1300 and 2200 m a.s.l. ( Thomas et al., 2011) and there is no formal protection for this area (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN, 2019). This species is considered as Critically Endangered (CR), B2ab(iii) to reflect its restricted distribution and our current understanding of continuous threat. Protection of the habitat and ex situ conservation are recommended.

Cyrtandra spectabilis is a very distinctive species, with its pendulous yellow flowers and maroon, membranaceous calyx. It is unlike any other species in Sulawesi.

Figures

Figure 54. Cyrtandra spectabilis. a, Habit; b, opened calyx, showing inner surface; c, opened corolla, showing position of stamens and staminodes; d, gynoecium and disc. Drawn by Claire Banks from Sands 331. Reproduced from Bone & Atkins (2013) with the permission of the Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Figure 55. Distribution of Cyrtandra serratifolia (red diamonds), C. spectabilis (black circle) and C. spicata (black triangles).