Passiflora kuethiana B. Esquerre, 2015

Esquerre-Ibañez, Boris, 2015, A new species of Passiflora supersection Tacsonia (Passifloraceae) from Amazonas, Northern Peru, Phytotaxa 202 (4), pp. 266-272 : 267-271

Passiflora kuethiana B. Esquerre , sp.nov., Fig. 1–2 .

Similar to Passiflora tripartita and Passiflora runa , differing from the former in its broad greenish involucre of bracts with red-flushed areas and very long peduncles in pairs (versus narrow greenish involucre, rarely yellowish or with red-flushed areas and generally short solitary peduncles in P. tripartita ). It differs from the latter in its aristate and glandular-dentate stipules, lateral nerves divergent from mid nerve below 90° in leaves, bracts pubescent, hypanthium generally green throughout, and very long peduncles (versus lacerate stipules, lateral nerves divergent from mid nerve equal or greater than 90° in leaves, bracts glabrous, hypanthium generally green with purplish red, and long peduncles in P. runa ).

Type: — PERU. Amazonas: Provincia de Chachapoyas. Carretera de Leymebamba a Balsas, Cordillera Calla Calla lado oeste, 2860 m, 29 December 2013, B.Esquerre, L.Vásquez, C.Rojas, J.Escurra & Y.Murillo 63 (holotype HUT!, isotypes CPUN!, PRG!).

Vine 4–6 m, pubescent throughout, indumentum with translucent trichomes 0.2–0.8 mm. Stipules subreniform 3.2 × 1.2 cm, asymmetrical base, acuminate at apex with arista ca. 1 cm long, glandular-dentate. Petiole 2–3 cm long, grooved on the adaxial side, with 6–8 nectaries about 1.3–2 mm long, subsessile. Lamina 3-lobed, mature leaves 12–14.7 × 8–10 cm incised ca. 2/3 with ovate-lanceolate lobes, sometimes triangular in young leaves, the lateral and mid nerves diverging at an angle of 60–82°; cordate at base, acute at apex, margin glandular-serrate. Leaf blade covered with translucent trichomes, abaxially with a fine reticulum of veins. Tendrils stout. Peduncles slender 11–13.2 cm long, in pairs; bracts 3.3–4.5 × 2.3–2.7 cm, lanceolate-oblong, connate at base ca. 2/3, margin entire, pubescent, greenish with pinkish to flush areas on the outer surface, apex acute, bracts forming an involucre 2.7 cm in diameter (pressed). Flowers axillary, paired, pendent; hypanthium with indumentum of short trichomes; floral cup ca. 0.6–1 × 1.4 cm, floral tube 6.8–8 cm, generally entirely green outside, cylindrical, slightly expanded at the base. Sepals 2.5– 1.3 cm, greenish and dark pink abaxially, the main veins greenish, pink adaxially, aristate, with an awn 2 mm long. Petals pink to purplish pink, similar in size to the sepals, oblong. Corona in 1 series, dentate, with white teeth ca. 1mm long located in a purple ring. Operculum white, incurved, smooth. Nectar chamber and nectar ring white, limen white, inconspicuous. Ovary fusiform 10–12 × 4 mm, pubescent, green. Immature fruit pubescent, 5.5 × 2.3 cm, greenish. Aril orange. Seed 5 × 4 mm, reticulate, black.

Distribution and ecology: — Passiflora kuethiana was collected in the cloud forests of the western slopes of the Calla Calla mountains in the Department of Amazonas, Northern Peru. Its habitat is shared with species of ferns, orchids and vines. From a distance, hummingbirds were observed around the plants. Since hummingbirds are the pollinators of most other Tacsonia species ( Ulmer & MacDougal 2004:76), it is assumed they also pollinate this passionflower.

Phenology: —Know to flower in December, when also many flower buds develop.

Conservation: —This new species is only known from one locality, where it was collected in 2013. According to the IUCN (2001) criteria B, C and D this species should be classified as Critically Endangered (CR). The Calla Calla mountains are a region with some Passiflora species endemic to Peru, such as P. runa , P. callacallensis Skrabal & Weigend (2001:316) and now P. kuethiana . Because human colonization is increasing and deforestation is now evident, this area should be a priority for conservation by the Peruvian Government, the Regional Government of Amazonas and private conservation entities.

Etymology: —The epithet refers to Dr. Yero Kuethe, professional in the Passiflora Project International who is reviewing Passiflora species in the tropics, with some collections and recent sightings of little-known and new taxa in Peru.

Additional specimen examined (related species):— Passiflora tripartita . PERU. Ancash: Huaylas Province , 17 July 1976, A. López, J. Veneros, A. Aldave 8376 (HUT) ; Cajamarca: Cajamarca Province, La Encañada , 17 August 1973, A. Sagástegui 7778 (HUT) ; Baños del Inca , 17 November 1996, T. Tejada 38 (CPUN) ; Cutervo Province, Route to La Capilla , 8°18’S, 78°49’W, 20 March 2009, I. Sánchez, U. Molau, S. Nylinder 13890 (CPUN) ; Cuzco: Anta

Province, 13°28’S, 72°32’W, 26 June 2007, L. Valenzuela 9685 (CUZ); Calca Province, 13°11’S, 72°17’W, April 2004, W. Galiano, E. Suclli, P. Núñez, A. Rodríguez, V. Chama 6007 (USM). Junín: Tarma Province, 11°24’S, 75°32’W, 11 September 2001, M. Weigend, N. Diané, M. Gottschling, H. Hilger, J. Skrabal 5703 (HUT); La Libertad: Bolívar Province, 31 May 1960, A. López & A. Sagástegui 3282 (HUT); Santiago de Chuco Province, 18 April 1950, A. López 980 (HUT); Lambayeque: Ferreñafe Province. Inkawasi, 2 November 1981, L. Vásquez 7378 (PRG); Piura: Huancabamba Province. Road Jumbe to Turmalina, 13 September 1981, A. López 8842 (HUT); Passiflora runa . PERU. Amazonas: Chachapoyas Province, 15 July 1979, L. Escobar & P. Berry 1508 (US); Route to Calla Calla, 5 October 2001, I. Sánchez & M. Montoya 10984 (CPUN).

Discussion: —The new species is very similar to P. tripartita . It is also similar to P. runa , which can also be found in the same collection area of the Department of Amazonas.

P. tripartita differs in having a narrow involucre of bracts around the hypanthium base, generally stout-short peduncles and solitary flowers. P. runa differs from the new species in having stipules obliquely ovate and lacerate, lateral-mid nerves diverging in 90–120°, and glabrous hypanthium ( Table 1).

According to the classification of Passiflora by Feuillet & MacDougal (2003: 38), this new species finds its placement within the section Elkea , supersection Tacsonia . This placement is justified based on its 3-lobed leaves, subreniform stipules, entire bracts conspicuous-connate, and especially pendent flowers ( Ulmer & MacDougal 2004: 331).

Passiflora kuethiana is now the species with the longest peduncles in pairs within the section Elkea , with a recorded length of 13.2 cm. Very long peduncles are unusual and so far present in only few species of section Elkea from Peru, such as P. runa . However, it is a very common feature in section Colombiana L.K. Escobar (1988:26) from Colombia. Another distinctive feature of this new species is the flower arrangement in pairs, something uncommon in the section Elkea , rarely seen in P. tripartita but common in Ecuadorian Passiflora sanctaebarbarae Holm-Nielsen & Jørgensen ( Holm-Nielsen et al. 1987:132) .

The morphological differences of this new species and P. tripartita are only in the width of the involucre of connate bracts that surround the base of the hypanthium, the length of the peduncles, and paired flowers in P. kuethiana (see above). It is noteworthy that after conducting observations during explorations and botanical collections in Andean Peru and observing numerous specimens in herbaria, the three known varieties of P. tripartita in the Peruvian territory generally have no slender peduncles, which are rather stout, solitary, and do not exceed 7.5 cm long in average. Besides, the involucre is always narrow on the hypanthium base, not broad.

Other species of supersection Tacsonia reported for the same area (Department of Amazonas, Peru) are Passiflora anastomosans (Lambert ex De Candolle 1828:335) Killip (1927: 428) , P.cumbalensis ( Karsten 1859: 161) Harms(1894: 13) and P. mathewsii ( Masters 1872: 539) Killip (1927: 428) . P. anastomosans has horizontally oriented flowers and a ball-like perianth with zygomorphic androecium, leaves thick-coriaceous and lustrous above (versus pendent flowers, not ball-like perianth, actinomorphic androecium and not thick-coriaceous leaves in P. kuethiana ). P. cumbalensis has a very elongated, glabrous hypanthium, upper leaf surface and ovary glabrous (versus elongated sparsely or finely pubescent hypanthium, leaves and ovary pubescent in P. kuethiana ). P. mathewsii has horizontally oriented flowers with solitary short stout peduncles (versus pendent flowers with slender paired peduncles in P. kuethiana ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Passiflora kuethiana B. Esquerre. A, Habit; B, Flower; C, Stipule. Drawn by Boris Esquerre (from B. Esquerre 63, HUT).

FIGURE 2. Passiflora kuethiana B. Esquerre A, Stipule; B, Detail of reticulum on abaxial side of leaves; C, Flower bud; D, Flowers in nature; E, Fruit; F, Flower comparison between P. kuethiana (bottom) and P. tripartita var. mollissima (top).