Campylocentrum luzmariae Os.Perd., R.B. Singer & E.M. Pessoa

Perdomo, Oscar, Singer, Rodrigo B. & Pessoa, Edlley M., 2024, Campylocentrum luzmariae (Vandeae, Orchidaceae), a new species from the Andean cloud forest of Colombia, Phytotaxa 642 (4), pp. 279-284 : 280-282

Campylocentrum luzmariae Os.Perd., R.B. Singer & E.M. Pessoa , sp. nov. ( Figs 2–3 )

Type:— COLOMBIA. Caquetá: Florencia, Bosque Alto , Finca Las Brisas , Caraño river basin, 1270 m a.s.l., 20 Mar 2021, fl., Perdomo et al. 286 (holotype: CUVC; isotype: HUAZ) .

The new species is similar to C. alvesii Pessoa (2020: 256) and C. asplundii Dodson (1993: 79) . From the former, it differs by the longer lip (≥ 2.0 vs. ≤ 1.4 mm), lateral lobes of the lip obtuse (vs. round), and spur strongly recurved (vs. slightly curved); from the latter it differs by inflorescences shorter than leaves (vs. as long as to longer), distinctly trilobed lip (vs. entire), and spur strongly recurved (vs. slightly curved).

Epiphytic, pendent herbs, up to 49 cm long. Roots 1.24−2.36 mm diam., cylindrical, fibrous, smooth, whitish to dark grey. Stem cylindrical 1.3−1.8 mm diam., 22−49 cm long, branched. Leaves 7−37, 3.02−4.73 × 0.39−0.49 cm, green, linear-oblong, margin entire, the apex minutely 2-lobed. Inflorescences 5.4−25.7 mm long, racemose, flowers distichously arranged; peduncle 3.3−6.9 mm long, up to 0.9 mm diam., glabrous, green; peduncular bracts brown, up to 1.8 × 2.0 mm, deltoid, margin minutely denticulate; rachis green, 7.2−17.3 mm long, up to 1 mm in diam., glabrous; floral bracts brown, 1.1−1.5 × 0.9−1.3 mm, deltoid, margin minutely denticulate, apex acute. Flowers 21−29 per inflorescence, reducing the size to the apex, pale greenish and white, distichous, pedicellate ovary 1−1.6 mm long, 0.22−0.57 diam; dorsal sepal 1.6−2.7 × 0.6−0.9 mm, white, green basally, elliptical, apex obtuse, 1-nerved, externally sparsely pubescent, margin entire; lateral sepals 1.8−2.7 × 0.6−1.2 mm, white, green basally, oblong-lanceolate, apex obtuse, 1-nerved, externally sparsely pubescent, margin entire; petals 1.2−2.8 × 0.4−0.6 mm, white, oblong, apex acute, 1-nerved, glabrous, margin entire; lip 1.5−2.4 × 1.1−1.7 mm, trichomes on the upper surface, trilobed, 1-nerved, margin entire, with a basal spur, lateral lobes 0.4−0.5 × 0.4−0.5 mm, deltoid, apex obtuse, middle lobe 1.0−1.2 × 0.9−1.0 mm, deltoid, apex acute; spur 1.8−2.2 mm long, 0.5−0.7 mm diam., cylindrical-clavate, strongly recurved, apex rounded, pale green, slightly papillate, strongly recurved; column 1 cm long by 0.4 diam., anther cap ca. 0.2−0.3 mm diam, yellow, apex bilobed, pollinia 2, yellow, round, 0.14−0.18 mm diam., stipe 0.1−0.2 mm. Capsules 4.8−7.0 × 1.9−2.3 cm, green, yellow when ripe, fusiform, 6-ribbed, perianth persistent.

Distribution and ecology:—Endemic to Department of Caquetá ( Colombia), where it is known only from the type locality, a tropical montane cloud forest in the eastern slopes of the Andes, 900–1200 m, in the upper basin of the Hacha River. The population of ten plants we observed is in an area protected by the owners of the farm. For this area, the only other species of the genus recorded is C. kuntzei Cogniaux in Kuntze (1898: 298; Arias et al. 2023, Pessoa et al. 2020). The climate is classified as Af, indicating a tropical rainforest or equatorial climate characterized by high average annual temperatures, minimal temperature fluctuations, year-round rainfall, extremely humid conditions, and persistent wetness throughout the year ( Beck et al. 2018). We observed flowers in March.

Etymology:—Honoring Doña Luz Maria Mazo, a social activist working to protect and preserve part of the forests where the species grow; she also takes care of a live orchid collection on her farm and has been personally involved in this project.

Notes:—The new species belongs to C. sect. Campylocentrum , the most widespread and largest section of the genus (Pessoa et al. 2018, Pessoa & Alves 2018, Pessoa 2020). Among these species, the ones most similar morphologically are C. alvesii and C. asplundii , but C. luzmariae is easily distinguished from both by the strongly recurved spur. There is no other species of Campylocentrum from Colombia with this spur morphology ( Pessoa & Alves 2016, Pessoa 2020). Some Brazilian species of C. sect. Laevigatum Pessoa & M.W.Chase (in Pessoa et al. 2018: 171) such as C. brachycarpum Cogniaux (1906: 512) , C. organense ( Reichenbach 1864: 901) Rolfe (1903: 901) and more similarly C. densiflorum Cogniaux (1906: 511) have similar spurs but overall distinct morphology ( Pessoa & Alves 2019).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Campylocentrum luzmariae A1. Habit, A2. Leaf apex, B1. Inflorescences, B2. Bract, C. Flower, D. Dissected perianth, E. Column and lip, and F. Anther cap and pollinarium. LCDP By Eugenio Restrepo.

FIGURE 3. Campylocentrum luzmariae.A. Habit, B. Flower, C. Infructescence