Ficus nebulosilvana N. Medina, 2014

Medina, Nicolás, 2014, Three new species of Ficus (Moraceae) from Central and northern-South America, Phytotaxa 188 (1), pp. 21-30 : 22-24

Ficus nebulosilvana N. Medina , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 4A–D )

Type:— COLOMBIA. Nariño: Piedra Ancha, corregimiento Chucunez , Reserva Natural La Planada , 1650–1800 m, 1°10’N 77°58’W, 18 May 1991, Betancur et al. 2575 (holotype COL!, isotypes MO!, NY!, PSO!) .

Ficus nebulosilvana is most similar to F. cuatrecasana from which it is easily distinguished by its reduced number of secondary veins, lack of intersecondary parallel veins and the smaller size of the leaves.

Trees or stranglers (vines?), up to ca. 25 m tall. Leafy twigs 5–6 mm diameter, glabrous to brown-tomentose; periderm persistent. Laminae coriaceous, bullate, ovate (sometimes elliptic), 8–15 × 5–8 cm, apex acuminate to cuneate, base truncate to subcordate (lobes up to 5 mm), margin entire; upper surface glabrous to puberulous; lower surface pubescent to occasionally glabrous and tomentose on the veins, hairs up to 3 mm in length, brown to yellow, erect; midrib and lateral veins prominent above, lateral veins 4–7 pairs, the basal pair up to 1/5–1/10 the length of the lamina, tertiary venation reticulate; waxy gland at the base of the midrib beneath; petiole 22–30 mm, 3–4 mm in diameter, glabrous to hirsute; stipules 10–15 mm long, sericeous, caducous. Figs axillary, born in pairs, sessile; basal bracts 2–3 mm long, persistent, sericeous to glabrous; receptacle globose, 8–13 mm in diameter when dry, glabrous to pubescent; ostiole ca. 3 mm in diameter, slightly prominent. Staminate flowers 1–1.5 mm pedicellate, tepals 3, 1– 1.4 mm long, stamens 1, anthers ca. 1 mm long. Pistillate flowers 0–2.5 mm pedicellate, tepals 3, 1.5–1.9 mm long; style 0–20 mm long; stigma ca. 0.2 mm long, bifid; ovary 0.9–1.1 mm long, asymmetrically reniform; interfloral bracts 1.8–2 mm.

Distribution and Habitat: — Ficus nebulosilvana is known only from the slopes of the western Andes in Colombia and Ecuador ( Fig. 6 ), in Cloud Forests at 1300–2200 m elevation.

Vernacular Name: —Matapalo.

Conservation assessment:— Applying IUCN Red list categories ( IUCN, 2001), Ficus nebulosilvana is categorized as Least Concern (LC), because of its wide extent of occurrence in western Colombia and its presence at several localities protected for conservation.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the cloud forests habitat of the species.

Additional specimens examined: — COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Frontino, corregimiento Nutibara , región Murí , carretera hacia La Blanquita , 1700 m, 13 July 1986, Acevedo et al. 1340 ( HUA!, US!) ; Frontino , corregimiento Nutibara , región Murí , 1780 m, 11 July 1986, Acevedo et al. 1279 (HUA!, NY!, US!) ; Frontino , 2000 m, 06°40’N 76°20’W, 9 Dec 1988, McPherson 13394 (COL!, HUA!, MO!) ; Urrao, vereda Calles, PNN Las Orquídeas , Alto de Palmitas , 1700–1750 m, 06°32’N 76°19’W, 4 Dec 1993, Pipoly et al. 17613 (MO!) ; Frontino, corregimiento Nutibara, cuenca alta del Río Cuevas , 1980 m, 17 Nov 1986, Sánchez et al. 491 ( COL!) ; Frontino, corregimiento Nutibara, cuenca alta del Río Cuevas , 1900 m, 06°47’N 76°3W, 17 Apr 1987, Sánchez et al. 1272 ( MEDEL!, MO!). Chocó: San José del Palmar , cerro del Torrá, 1620–1900 m, 04°46’N 76°29’W, 26 Aug 1988, Ramos et al. 1607 (MO!). Nariño: Ricaurte , Reserva Natural La Planada , 7 km al S de Ricaurte , 1800–2100 m, 01°10’N 77°59’W, 16–24 July 1995, Barreto et al. 148 (MO!) ; Ricaurte , Hacienda La Planada , 25 Nov 1982, Benavides 3433 ( PSO!) ; Ricaurte , Reserva Natural La Planada , 7 km de Chucunés, 1800 m, 01°10’N 77°58’W, 2 Nov 1987, Benavides 8765 ( MO!, PSO!) ; 15 Nov 1987, Benavides 8913 ( MO!, PSO!) ; 27 Aug 1988, Benavides 10210 ( MO!, PSO!) ; 26 Sep 1989, Benavides 10841 ( PSO!) ; 2 Nov 1987, Benavides 11173 ( PSO!) ; Ricaurte , Finca La Planada , near Chucunes, 1950 m, 13 Jan 1981, Gentry et al. 30586 (MO!) ; Ricaurte , La Planada Reserve , 7 km from Chucunes , 01°5’N 78°1’W, 7 Jan 1988, Gentry et al. 60528 ( MO!, PSO!) ; Ricaurte , 7 km de Chucunés, Reserva Natural La Planada , 1800 m, 01°10’N 77°58’W, 5 Nov 1991, Giraldo 46 ( PSO!) ; 21 May 1992, Giraldo 136 ( HUA!) ; Ricaurte , Reserva Natural La Planada , 1800 m, 15 Nov 1987, Restrepo & Mondragon 405 ( CUVC!, PSO!) ; Ricaurte , corregimiento de Chucunés, Reserva Natural La Planada , 1800 m, 4 Aug 1992, Paz 375 ( CUVC!, PSO!) ; Ricaurte , Reserva Natural La Planada , 1800 m, 10 Oct 1994, Tupac 424 ( PSO!) ; Valle del Cauca : Cali, km 18 carretera Cali–Buenaventura , km 4 vía a Dapa , corregimiento La Elvira , 1900 m, 03°30’N 76°34’W, 9 Oct 1994, Giraldo-Gensini & Agredo 481 (MO!) . ECUADOR. Carchi: Tulcán, Reserva Indígena Awá, Comunidad Guapi Alto , parroquia Chical , 1800 m, 01°2’N 78°14’W, 15–28 June 1991, Rubio et al. 1689 (MO!). Esmeraldas: Pichincha: km 72 carretera Quito a la Concordia vía Nono, San José de las Minas y Puerto Quito, 1460 m, 7 Aug 1984, Dodson et al. 15207 (MO!) ; Canton San Lorenzo, Lita to El Cristal road, on finca of Dr. La Lama , 13.5 km S of Lita , 1220–1350 m, 00°49’N 78°26’W, 2 Nov 1992, Luteyn et al. 14724 ( NY!) ; Río Lita , sector El Cristal, 1450 m, 00.49N 78.26W, 20 Aug 1989, Palacios 4357 (MO!) ; Reserva Ecológica Río Guajalito , 1800–2200 m, 00°13’S 78°48’W, 18 Sep 1986, Zak 1225 ( JAUM!) .

Discussion: — Ficus nebulosilvana closely resembles F. cuatrecasana Dugand (1942: 36) . Both F. nebulosilvana and F. cuatrecasana present indumentum on the stipules, young branches, figs and leaves, but F. nebulosilvana is easily distinguished by its reduced number of secondary veins, lake of intersecondary parallel veins, and smaller leaves. Most of the specimens examined of F. nebulosilvana had been formerly determined as F. brevibracteata Burger (1973: 423) by C.C. Berg, however F. nebulosilvana differs from F. brevibracteata in leaf shape and habitat (see Table 1). The Ecuadorian specimens Silverstone-Sopkin et al. 9528, 9975 (CUVC!, MO!, BG, QCNE) are close to F. nebulosilvana in their leaf shape and habitat, but differ by their flattened venation and subpersistent stipules. Although the specimens McPherson 13394 (COL!, HUA!, MO!) and Barreto et al. 148 (MO!) are reported as vines, it is most likely that they are young stranglers rather than having a climbing habit. F. nebulosilvana may be distinguished from F. cuatrecasana and F. brevibracteata based on the characters listed in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Illustration of F. nebulosilvana showing the prominent venation beneath the leaves. Based on Benavides 10975 (PSO), drawn by N. Medina.

FIGURE 4.A–D F.nebulosilvana fig (Gentry 2575). A.Apical view.B. Basal view.C. Lateral view.D.Longitudinal section.E–H F.palmarensis fig (Forero et al.2857). E.Apical view F. Basal view.G. Lateral view.H. Longitudinal section.I–L F.plectonervata fig (García et al. 78). I.Apical view. J. Basal view. K. Lateral view. L. Longitudinal section. (o- Ostiole, p- Peduncle, bb- Basal Bracts, ob- Ostiole Bracts, ff- Female Flowers). Note the different lengths of the flower peduncles on the figs sections, only female flowers are observed (Photos Orlando Rivera-Diaz).

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of F. nebulosilvana, F. palmarensis and F. plectonervata.