Remijia chelomaphylla (Rubiaceae), a New Species from Peru

Abstract

Remijia chelomaphylla is known from one locality in eastern Peru. Although also distinct from other species of the genus because of vestiture and size and shape of the capsule, the type material is unique because it has lobed or sinuate leaf margins, rarely seen in the Rubiaceae. The wall of the foliar trichomes is sculptured with cuticular micropapillae. This sculpturing is reported to be found in other members of the Cinchoneae. Remijia DC. is a member of the tribe Cincho- neae (Rubiaceae). The genus was first described from Brazil in 1829, but species are now known from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. No species is known to be widespread throughout the entire range of the genus; in fact, most are restricted to relatively limited ranges. Remijia chelomaphylla is known from the val- ley of the Rio Monz6n, a tributary of the Rio Huallaga of eastern Peru. The type was col- lected in 1963, prior to extensive disturbance of this locality. Rapid deforestation along the Rio Huallaga and its tributaries has occurred within the past fifteen years because of a large increase in population (Gentry and Lopez-Pa- rodi 1980). The area is also a source of coca, Erythroxylum coca Lam. var. coca (Bohm et al. 1982), and much of the land has been cleared for its cultivation. Efforts to relocate the plant have been unsuccessful. Jose Schunke Vigo has collected extensively in the vicinity, but this species was not included in his collections. I was unable to locate the species on a recent field trip, and it is probable that the plant is rare or possibly even extinct. Although currently under revisionary study, the genus is estimated to contain about 25 species. Remijia chelomaphylla is unlike other species examined, especially in the apparent lobation of the leaves and the characteristic leaf vestiture.