Three new endemic species of Lepanthes (Orchidaceae, Pleurothallidinae) from the highlands of Ecuador.

Francisco Tobar Suarez,Tatiana Santander García,María Fernanda López,Marco Federico Monteros,Catherine Helen Graham,María José Gavilanes

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.180.62671

Abstract

Three new species of Lepanthes from Ecuador are described and illustrated. These additions to the Ecuadorean flora were recorded in evergreen montane forest and páramo as part of three different research projects conducted during the last five years (2016–2021). Lepanthesoro-lojaensis was discovered in the southwest of El Oro province and is similar to L.jimburae, differing mainly in the much smaller plants, inflorescences and floral parts. Lepanthesmicroprosartima from the western slopes of Pichincha volcano in northern Ecuador resembles L.obandoi but differs in the coloration of the leaves, the inflorescence that are shorter than the leaves and the smaller floral appendix. Lepanthescaranqui, found in eastern Pichincha and Imbabura, is most similar to L.pachychila but differs from it in its much larger plants and different shape of the petals and the floral appendix. Preliminary assessments of the conservation status of the three taxonomic novelties are provided, using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Highlights

Pleurothallidinae Lindl., with over 12,000 names published and around 5,100 currently accepted species, is the largest orchid subtribe worldwide (Karremans 2016)
L. orolojaensis differs in the smaller plants, the dorsal sepal attenuate into a shorter decurved cauda, the lateral sepals with minutely denticulate margins and petals with the upper lobe ovate, with rounded apex and lower lobe triangular-oblong
The new species is similar to L. corkyae (Fig. 3c) and L. schizix (Fig. 3d), both occurring on the western slopes of the northern Ecuador and from which it differs in the red to reddish with yellow dorsal sepals, yellow lateral sepals suffused with red around the mid-vein, lateral sepals in

Summary

Introduction

Pleurothallidinae Lindl., with over 12,000 names published and around 5,100 currently accepted species, is the largest orchid subtribe worldwide (Karremans 2016). An extensive examination of the genus beyond the borders of Ecuador demonstrated that these series were untenable, (Luer 1993; Luer 1996; Luer 2010), we place the three species into subsection Lepanthes without further division These novelties were discovered and collected as part of three different research projects conducted during the last five years (2016–2021), including “The Ecology of Plant and Hummingbird Interactions Project (EPHI),” carried out in the western slopes of Pichincha province; “El Oro Biodiversity Project,” conducted in southwestern Ecuador; and the “Floristic Inventory of La Carboneria forest remnant,” in eastern Imbabura and Pichincha provinces.

Materials and methods

Discussion

Findings