Satyria pterocalyx Pedraza, 2015

Pedraza-Penalosa, Paola, 2015, New blueberry and mortino relatives (Ericaceae) from northwestern Colombia, PhytoKeys 49, pp. 33-58 : 44-46

Satyria pterocalyx Pedraza sp. nov. Figures 12, 13

Diagnosis.

Satyria pterocalyx can be easily differentiated among all other species in the genus by the following combination of characters. Its leaves are elliptic, often slightly asymmetric with the apex slanted to one side, large (14-18 cm long) and apically long acuminate (acumen 1.8-2.8 cm long). Its calyces are light green, 5-winged, with each of the facets of the calyx demarked by the wings containing two basal lobes that together look like an inverted m. In dry specimens, the pedicels have inconspicuous warts. Its corollas are very characteristic, terete, obconic and noticeably constricted at the throat, which is then elongated into a tube ca. 8 mm long; the corolla is red-orange with the tube and lobes green-whitish.

Type.

COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Municipio Urrao, Vereda La Magdalena, camino de herradura desde La Magdalena al Río Ocaidó, pasando por el Alto del Caballo, cuencas ríos Orougo, Orougito y Ocaidó, 6°14'05"-6°16'55"N; 76°13'24"-76°15'14"W, 1730-2150 m, 13 Dec 2007 (fl), P. Pedraza-Peñalosa, J. Betancur, F. Gómez & O. Laverde 1755 (holotype: COL!; isotypes: HUA!, MO!, NY!).

Description.

Epiphytic shrub, lianoid; stems brown-grey, terete, glabrous, bark smooth; twigs subterete, smooth, glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous (<0.1 mm long), unicellular and eglandular (all indumentum composed of this type of hairs except when indicated). Axillary buds compressed; prophylls 2, valvate, lanceolate, conspicuous, 3.6-4.1 mm long, margin eciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous. Leaves alternate; petiole terete, not pulvinate, 6-8 mm long, glabrescent; lamina coriaceous, elliptic, often slightly asymmetric with the apex slanted to one side, 14-18 × 5.8-7.3 cm, base obtuse or cuneate, margin entire and eciliate, apex long acuminate (acumen 1.8-2.8 cm long), adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous, (<0.1 mm long), multicellular and eglandular; laminar glands absent; venation plinerved (acrodromous), suprabasal, with 3-4 visible orders in dry specimens, prominent lateral veins 2(-3) per side, subopposite, concentrated in the basal third, ascending, brochidodromous, midvein and secondaries adaxially impressed and abaxially raised. Inflorescence a axillary, solitary, raceme with at least 2 flowers, cauliflorus; inflorescence bracts, floral bract, and bracteoles alike, persistent, chartaceous, ovate, 1-1.6 × 0.5-1 mm, margin entire and ciliolate, the hairs inconspicuous, caducous and eglandular, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous on both sides, venation obscure; rachis green, 5-12 mm long, glabrous; pedicel orange, articulate with calyx, 2.6-3 cm long, basally less than half the diameter of apex (in vivo 1.5 mm vs. 4.5 mm, respectively), glabrescent, with inconspicuous warts basally (not evident in vivo); bracteoles 2, basal, supopposite to alternate. Flowers 5-merous, actinomorphic, diplostemonous. Calyx light green, oblate (more or less campanulate when dry), 3.8-5.6(-7.7) mm long (6.2-6.5 mm in vivo), 5-winged, the wings alternating with lobes, minutely puberulous; tube oblate, 3-3.2(-5.2) mm long (3.5-4.1 mm in vivo), the base conspicuously lobed, each facet of the calyx demarked by the wings contains two basal lobes that together look like an inverted m; limb more or less erect, 1.6-2(-2.5) mm long (2.4-3.3 mm in vivo); lobes deltate, 0.8-1 × 3-3.5 mm long (0.5-1.2 × 4-6 mm in vivo), margin entire, eglandular, and eciliate, apex obtuse; sinuses obtuse (U-shaped) to almost flat; aestivation unknown. Corolla red-orange with the tube and lobes green-whitish, fleshy, bistratose, obconic and noticeably constricted at the throat which is elongated into a tube (ca. 8 mm long), terete, 2.8-3(-4) cm long, 1.2-1.3 cm diam., 2.7-3 mm wide at throat (4 mm in vivo), inconspicuously puberulous without with a combination of hairs minute (<0.5 mm long), eglandular and unicellular, along with a few hairs eglandular and multicellular, glabrous within; lobes deltate, 1.1 × 1.2-1.5 mm (lanceolate, 4.3 × 2 mm in vivo), apex acute, not strongly reflexed at maturity; aestivation unknown. Stamens 10 (all measurements in vivo), dimorphic, staminal cycles with different anther lengths and dehiscence orientation, included, not adherent to corolla. Long stamens 9.8-10.8 mm long; filaments connate at base, straight, 3-4 mm long, glabrate, the hairs inconspicuous and eglandular, the marginal ones unicellular, the abaxial ones multicellular, very scarce and distally concentrated, adaxial side glabrous; anthers 8.6-10.1 mm long, narrowing at base and widening at apex, without a clear distinction between tubules and thecae; thecae 5.9-7.1 mm long, without basal appendage, papillate at base, smooth at apex; tubules 2, free, pointing upwards, 2.5-3 mm long, smooth, dehiscing by latrorse elliptical slits 2.2-2.5 mm long, abaxial side and margin ornamented with irregular epidermal projections. Short stamens 8.3-9.5 mm long, same shapes, indumentum and features as long stamens except when indicated; filaments 3-3.5 mm long; anthers 7.5-9.4 mm long; thecae 5.2-6.4 mm long; tubules 2.3-3 mm long, dehiscing by introrse elliptical slits 2.2-2.5 mm long. Nectary pulvinate, not too prominent, glabrous; style 2.8-3.2 cm long, included; stigma discoid. Berry unknown.

Distribution and ecology.

Satyria pterocalyx is restricted to the biologically rich montane forests of Western Colombia (Antioquia, Choco). It is known to flower in December and January.

Etymology.

Species named after the rare winged calyces.

Preliminary conservation status.

Satyria pterocalyx is known from two localities far apart (from adjacent departamentos) that confer it a not so small geographic range. However, after botanizing for several years in Antioquia, this species remains only known by two individuals. Although collected a few miles from Las Orquídeas National Park, Satyria pterocalyx has not been found within the protected area. Currently, Colombian montane forest suffer from degradation product of human activities (agriculture, selective logging, livestock, mining, etc.), therefore I consider this species vulnerable due to its perceived scarcity and current habitat threats.

Discussion.

The morphological differences and similarities between Satyria pterocalyx and Satyria orquidiensis are discussed under the latter.

Specimens examined.

COLOMBIA. Choco: Alto del Buey, 1200-1800 m, 8 Jan 1973 (fl), A. Gentry & E. Forero 7311 (NY!).