New Species of Ardisia (Myrsinaceae) from the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia and Ecuador

Abstract

Studies of the vegetation of Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquideas and surrounding areas, located at the junction of Antioquia and Choc6 departments, on the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental, have revealed two new species of Ardisia Swartz. These species, 4rdisia mcphersonii and A. cardenasii, are described and illustrated, and their phylogenetic relationships are discussed. Another new species, 4. pllurialis, from the Choc6 Floristic Province of northwestern Ecuador at the foothills of the western slope of the Cordillera Occidental, is also described and illustrated, and a key to distinguish it from its two most closely related congeners is provided. The Cordillera Occidental of the Andes, and the adjacent Choc6 Floristic Province of Colombia and Ecuador, are the home of some of the richest tropical forests on earth (Cuatrecasas, 1958; Forero, 1982, 1988, 1989; Gentry, 1982, 1987). Under the auspices of a grant from the National Geographic Society, the Fundaci6n Jardin Botanico, Joaquin Antonio Uribe, and the Missouri Botanical Garden are documenting the plant diversity of Parque Nacional Natural Las Orquideas, comprising 32,000 hectares on the western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental, along the border of Antioquia and Choc6 departments. Determination of specimens from that project, along with other Ardisia specimens from the Choc6 of Ecuador, has resulted in the discovery of three new species, described herein. Ardisia mcphersonii Pipoly, sp. nov. TYPE: Colombia. Antioquia: Mcpio. de Frontino, Murri, W-Central part of Antioquia, 15 km from Nutibarra, 6?40'N, 76?20'W, 1,875 m, 3 Nov. 1988 (fl), G. VMcPherson et al. 1295.1 (holotype, HUA; isotypes, MO, US). Figure 1. Propter laminas oblongas vel anguste ellipticas ad apices basesque acuminatas, inflorescentiam terminalam tripinnatipanniculatamque, margines sepalinos hyalinos erosos ciliatosque, antheras lanceoloideas, ovulos numerosos pluriseriatosque A. gentryi Lundell valde arcte affinis, sed ab ea inflorescentiae rhachidi recta (non geniculata), trichomatibus stellatis (nec furfuraceo-lepidotis) induta, pedicellis teretibus (nec obconicis), denique laminis desuper NOVON 4: 38-44. 1994. m nifeste atro-(non inconspicue pellucido-) punctatis statim distinguitur. Tree to 6 m tall; branchlets subterete, 5-7 mm diam., densely rufous stellate-tomentose, the tomentum persistent. Leaves chartaceous, the blades oblong to narrowly elliptic, 18-33 cm long, 5.88.5 cm wide, apex abruptly acuminate, the acumen 1.2-1.5 cm long, base acute, decurrent on the petiole, costa impressed and sparsely tomentose above, prominently raised and densely stellate tomentose below, secondary veins 30-38 pairs, slightly raised above and below, densely and prominently black punctate and minutely scrobiculate above, fufuraceous lepidote and stellate tomentose below, the margin revolute; petioles canaliculate, 1.2-1.5 cm long, sparsely tomentose above, densely tomentose below, the tomentum persistent. Inflorescence terminal, tripinnately pyramidal-paniculate, 21-30 cm long, 20-30 cm wide, the lower branches subtended by leaves, the rachis and pedicels densely rufous stellate-tomentose, primary and secondary axes straight; inflorescence bract and secondary branch bracts unknown; floral bracts chartaceous, lanceolate, 1-1.4 mm long, 0.3-0.4 mm wide, apex attenuate, densely rufous glandular-papillate above and below, the margin entire, early caducous; pedicels terete, 1.2-1.8 mm long, densely rufous glandularpapillate. Flowers corymbose, 5-merous, cream; calyx chartaceous, the sepals essentially free, chartaceous, ovate, 1.4-1.8 mm long, 1.7-1.9 mm wide, apex rounded to acutish, asymmetric, auriculate on one side, densely and minutely red glandular-papillate without, glabrous within, densely and prominently black punctate, the margin hyaline, erose, ciliate; corolla coriaceous, the petals free, oblong, 4.2-4.4 mm long, 1-1.2 mm wide, apex acuminate, asymmetric, glabrous, densely and prominently black punctate, the margin hyaline, irregular, entire, glabrous; stamens 2.8-3 mm long, the filaments flat, 1-1.2 mm long, inserted at the bases of the petals, basally widened, glabrous, the anthers subversatile, lanceoloid, 2.4-2.6 mm long, 1-1.2 mm wide, apex apiculate, base sagittate, dehiscent by wide longitudinal slits, the connective epunctate; pistil 3.53.9 mm long, the ovary subglobose, 1.4-1.6 mm This content downloaded from 207.46.13.111 on Tue, 09 Aug 2016 06:14:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Volume 4, Number 1 1994 Pipoly Ardisia 39