Abstract
A new species of Muscarella from Costa Rica, is described and illustrated. Muscarella tapantiensis most resembles M. coeloglossa but differs in the longer pedicels (3-5 vs. 1-2 mm), the shorter (2.5-2.8 vs. 3.75 mm), connate (vs. free) lateral sepals, and the lip with triangular (vs. broadly rounded) lower lateral lobes. Muscarella xanthella also resembles M. tapantiensis; however, it differs in the successively flowered raceme with alternate pedicels, the deeply fimbriate petals and the thick, rounded lip with densely verrucose lateral lobes. We provide illustrations, etymology, notes on ecology, pictures of the plants and habitat, and a distribution map of the new species. We discuss the inclusion of this species in the genus Muscarella.
Highlights
A fundamental principle of any study aimed at understanding the specific relationships among different organisms is to identify them correctly
In 2015, a long-term research project led by Dr Jyotsna Sharma from Texas Tech University was initiated to understand if mycorrhizal fungi distribution and specificity influence the distribution of epiphytic orchid species in a community
As part of required taxonomic identification of the epiphytic orchid species subjected to fungal analyses in the study site, a species of Muscarella Luer proved impossible to match with any previously described taxon
Summary
A fundamental principle of any study aimed at understanding the specific relationships among different organisms is to identify them correctly. Pridgeon et al (2001) proposed a broad concept of Specklinia, sister to the Platystele-Scaphosepalum clade, for small plants with an abbreviated stem with an annulus, flowers with sepals connate to different degrees, a lip hinged to the column foot, and a column provided with a toothed apex and ventral anther and stigma. They based their findings on initial molecular phylogenies of the subtribe.
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