New Series and Species of Lepanthes (Orchidaceae) from Ecuador

Abstract

Three new series in Lepanthes sect. Lepanthes are described, and sixteen new species of Lepanthes are described from Ecuador. Prior to 1983, 30 species of Lepanthes Swartz had been attributed to Ecuador, mostly by Lindley, Reichenbach, and Schlechter from collections mostly by Jameson and Sodiro. Other better known collectors never bothered to collect a Lepanthes. Today, 295 species are known from Ecuador, but many of these have not yet been published. In order to handle this large number of basically similar species, series based on key-characters are employed. Some individuals of a few species fall between series. Therefore, a few species may be listed in more than one series. The following 16 previously undescribed species are all members of section Lepanthes. Fourteen are in Lepanthes subsect. Elongatae (Luer, 1987) and two are in Lepanthes subsect. Lepanthes. Four series, two in each subsection, are recognized. Lepanthes subsect. Lepanthes ser. Lepanthes is characterized by a congested inflorescence that remains shorter than the leaf. It contains by far the greatest number of species in the genus. Lepanthes subsect. Lepanthes ser. Filamentosae is characterized by a densely flowered inflorescence that is borne beyond the leaf by an elongated peduncle. Lepanthes subsect. Elongatae ser. Elongatae is characterized by a lax or (distantly flowered) inflorescence that is longer, or becomes longer than the leaf. Lepanthes subsect. Elongatae ser. Breves is characterized by a loose inflorescence that remains shorter than the leaf. In the Pleurothallidinae a distantly flowered inflorescence is characterized by the exposed portion of the rachis between floral bracts being longer than the pedicels. Lepanthes ser. Lepanthes. TYPE: Epidendrum ovale Swartz, Prodr. 125, 1788 = Lepanthes ovalis (Swartz) Fawcett & Rendle. Lepanthes ser. Filamentosae Luer, series nov. TYPE: Lepanthes filamentosa Luer & Hirtz, Novon 3: ???, 1993. Racemus congestus quam folio longiore. NOVON 3: 442-454. 1993. Lepanthes ser. Elongatae Luer, series nov. TYPE: Lepanthes elongata Luer & Hirtz, Lindleyana 2: 99, 1987. Racemus laxus quam folio longiore. Lepanthes ser. Breves Luer, series nov. TYPE: Lepanthes monoptera Lindley, J. Bot. 1: 10, 1834. Racemus laxus quam folio breviore. The vast majority of the species of Lepanthes from Ecuador that have come to my attention since 1978 have been discovered by Alexander C. Hirtz, a mining engineer in Quito, Ecuador. Not only does he have the enthusiasm to hunt them and an uncanny ability to find them, but he knows them by name, habitat, and locality, far better than I. He has also had the perseverance to photograph nearly every one. For these reasons I do not consider him merely the collector. I am pleased to include his name with mine in the following new descriptions. Lepanthes andreettae Luer, sp. nov. TYPE: Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: without locality, collected by A. Andreetta, probably in the vicinity E of Paute, ca. 1,800 m, flowered in cultivation at Paute by A. Andreetta, C. Luer 13855 (holotype, MO). Figure 1. Planta parva; inflorescentia racemosa laxa folio elliptico multilongiore; floris sepalis purpureis late luteomarginatis, sepalo dorsali synsepaloque anguste ovatis acuminatis, synsepalo supra medium inciso, petalis transverse bilobis, lobis triangularibus, superiore ter majore, labelli laminis duabus anguste ovatis acuminatis, corpore angusto, appendice digitiformi pubescenti. Plant small, epiphytic, caespitose; roots slender. Ramicauls slender, erect, 5-8 mm long, enclosed by 2-3 loose, microscopically ciliate, lepanthiform sheaths. Leaf erect, coriaceous, elliptical, obtuse, 12-16 mm long, 6-8 mm wide, the base cuneate into a petiole 2-3 mm long. Inflorescence a loose, distichous, successively several-to many-flowered raceme up to 9 cm long, borne by a slender peduncle 15-20 mm long; floral bract 2 mm long; pedicel 1.5-2 mm long; ovary 1 mm long; sepals purple This content downloaded from 157.55.39.30 on Thu, 26 May 2016 04:34:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Volume 3, Number 4 1993 Luer Lepanthes from Ecuador