Specklinia tirimbina Karremans, Salguero & M.Cedeño, 2020

Karremans, Adam, Salguero, Grettel, Bogarín, Diego, Oses, Lizbeth & Cedeño-Fonseca, Marco, 2020, Illustrations and studies in Neotropical Orchidaceae: the Specklinia brighamii group (Pleurothallidinae) in Costa Rica, Phytotaxa 447 (1), pp. 16-30 : 27-29

6. Specklinia tirimbina Karremans, Salguero & M.Cedeño , sp. nov. ( Fig. 6 )

Type:— COSTA RICA. Heredia: Sarapiquí, La Virgen, Reserva Biológica La Tirimbina, 10°24’57’’ N, 84°07’19’’ W, 150 m, 16 Apr 2016, Cedeño & Ley 997 (holotype: JBL).

Specklinia tirimbina resembles S. acrisepala but differs in pedicels shorter than sepals (vs. longer than), predominantly yellowish orange flowers (vs. predominantly purple), shorter sepals (dorsal sepal 6 mm vs. 9 mm), narrowly obovate petals (vs. sub-rhombic) and lip subequal to the column (vs. exceeding column).

Epiphytic, caespitose, erect herbs, to 14 cm tall including the inflorescence. Roots flexuous. Rhizome extremely abbreviated; ramicauls erect, terete, 4–5 mm tall, enclosed by papery sheaths, 1 cm long. Leaves spatulate to oblanceolate, conduplicate, with a short apicule, 4.5–6.5 × 0.5–0.7 cm, cuneate, the base narrowing into a conspicuous petiole. Inflorescence subracemose, erect, glabrous, successively single-flowered, to 13.4 cm tall, born by a filiform peduncle to 11.8 cm long. Peduncle bracts tubular, to 3 mm long, rachis congested appearing fasciculate, to 0.5 mm long. Floral bracts apiculate, imbricating, 4 mm long. Pedicel 5–8 mm long, persistent, green, turning papery with age. Ovary to 1.5–2.0 mm long, glabrous, green flushed with reddish. Flowers yellowish orange, sepals and petals with reddish purple spots, the lip yellowish, stained with purple along the margin of the lateral lobules and the apex, the column yellowish orange with purple spots. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, acute, reflexed in the apical half, concave, dorsally keeled, margins minutely glandular, 6.0 × 2.0 mm. Lateral sepals oblanceolate to obovate, acute, margins minutely glandular, connate for 3 mm, then connivent, elliptical, acute, basally concave, bifid, dorsally keeled, 5.5 × 1.5 mm. Petals oblique, narrowly obovate, shortly acuminate, 2.0 × 1.0 mm. Lip oblong to narrowly ovate, basally unguiculate, hinged to the column foot, cellular-glandular, apex denticulate with a pair of small, acute marginal angles at the basal third and a pair of denticulate-spiculate calli on the apical third, disc transversely cellular-rugose, base truncate with a pair of minute lobules, 2.5 × 1.0 mm. Column cylindrical, 3 mm long, longitudinally winged with the margins minutely denticulate, dentate apex, with a 1.5 mm long column foot at the base.Anther cap whitish yellow, incumbent, cucullate, stigma ventral. Pollinia two, ovoid, flattened and basally hooked, lacking accessory structures.

Distribution:— Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

Habitat and ecology:— Epiphytic in tropical wet forest, secondary and primary vegetation, 40–150 m elevation.

Phenology:— Flowering April–December.

Etymology:— Honoring Reserva Biológica La Tirimbina, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the rich flora and fauna of the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica through its research, education and ecotourism programs.

Material examined:— COSTA RICA. Heredia: Sarapiquí, Horquetas , 10°18’52”N 83°58’48”W, 140 m, collected by Gerson Villalobos in April 2019, Karremans 8210 (JBL-spirit) ; Sarapiquí, Puerto Viejo, Estación Biológica La Selva , a orillas del Río Sarapiquí , 10°26’29”N 84°00’53”W, 40 m, bosque muy húmedo tropical, epífitas sobre troncos y ramas caídas en bosque secundario, 7 Jun 2003, Bogarín 204 (JBL-spirit). Limón: Pococí , La Primavera de Cariari , Estación Biológica La Suerte , 50 m, 10°28’30”N 83°46’15”W, bosque tropical lluvioso, 6 Jul 2003, Blanco & Muñoz 2374 ( USJ) .

Notes:— Specklinia tirimbina has been confused with S. acrisepala , with which it shares an inflorescence exceeding the leaf and an oblong lip with a denticulate apex. However, S. tirimbina differs in having pedicels shorter than sepals (vs. longer), predominantly yellowish orange flowers (vs. predominantly purple), shorter sepals (dorsal 6 vs. 9 mm), narrowly obovate petals (vs. sub-rhombic) and lip subequal to column (vs. exceeding). In Costa Rica, S. acrisepala is found only in the Pacific watershed of the Talamanca Mountains, whereas S. alexii , S. baberlifera , S. simmleriana and S. tirimbina are found only in the Caribbean lowlands. The sympatric S. barbelifera is morphologically similar but has a shorter inflorescence (less than 10 cm long vs. more than 10 cm long) and conspicuously stripped flowers suffused with dark purple (vs. yellowish with purple spots).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Specklinia tirimbina Karremans, Salguero & M.Cedeño. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Dissected perianth. D. Column and lip, lateral view. E. Lip. F. Column lateral and ventral views. G. Anther cap and pollinarium. Lankester Composite Dissection Plate (LCDP) by A.P. Karremans & G. Salguero based on Cedeño 997.