Anthurium dukei Croat

Ortiz, Orlando Oriel, de Stapf, María Sánchez, Baldini, Riccardo Maria & Croat, Thomas Bernard, 2019, Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama), Check List 15 (4), pp. 651-689 : 663

Anthurium dukei Croat

Material examined. Middle slopes on W side of Cerro Pirre; 07°57′N, 077°46′W; 550–760 m; 28 Jun. 1988; T. B. Croat 68865 ( MO). Middle slopes on W side of Cerro Pirre; 07°56′N, 077°45′W; 800–1050 m; 29 Jun. 1988; T. B. Croat 68955 ( MO). Ibid.; 07°56′N, 077°45′W; 800–1050 m; 29 Jun. 1988; T. B. Croat 68956 ( MO). Cerro Campamento (south of Cerro Pirre), cloud forest; 07°47′N, 077°43′W; 20–22 Mar. 1968; J. A. Duke 15572 ( MO). Ibid.; 07°47′N, 077°43′W; 20–22 Mar. 1968; J. A. Duke 15699 ( MO). Cerro Pirre, ridge top near Rancho Plastico; 07°57′N 077°42′W; 1200 m; 10–20 Jul. 1977; J. P. Folsom 4232 ( MO). Ibid., valley in between Pirre and mountain directly south; 07°40′N, 077°42′W, 10–20 Jul. 1977; J. P. Folsom 4365 ( MO). Ibid.; J. P. Folsom 4459 ( MO). Ibid., top of mountain and ridge just south of Pirre, visible from Pirre clearing; 07°40′N, 077°44′W; 10–20 Jul. 1977; J. P. Folsom 4517 ( MO). Ridgetop area N of Cerro Pirre, between Cerro Pirre top and Rancho Plastico; 07°51′N, 077°42′W; 1200–1400 m; 14 Nov. 1977; J. P. Folsom 6320 ( MO). Summit of Cerro Pirre; 07°52′00″N, 077°42′30″W; 1000 m; 8 Mar. 1972; A. H. Gentry 4595 ( MO). Serranía de Pirre, trail ca 1 mi. N of Cerro Pirre, on main ridge; 07°56′N, 077°42′W; 1200 m; 14 Jul. 1977; R. L. Hartman 4593 A ( MO). Ibid., on deforested summit; 07°52′N, 077°46′W; 1500 m; 23 Jul. 1977; R. L. Hartman 4812 ( MO). Parque Nacional Darién, cam- inando entre Capamento Rancho Frío No. 2 hacia la cima de Cerro Pirre; 08°00′N, 077°45′W, 700–1000 m; 7 Feb. 1991; H. Herrera 872 ( MO). Ibid., Rancho Plástico; 07°58′54″ N, 077°42′30″ W; 1128 m; 31 Jul. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2656 ( PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by its epiphytic habit, thick stems (2.5 cm diam.), short internodes, persistent and semi-intact large cataphylls, narrowly ovate-triangular large blades wich drying greenish, ridged petioles, numerous primary lateral veins (12 to 20 per side), 6 to 8 pairs of basal veins, lanceolate spathes and red berries. Some specimens were erroneously identified in the past as Anthurium caperatum Croat & R.A. Baker (see Croat 1986b); however, the latter species dif- fers in having broadly ovate blades and green to pale yellow berries. In the field, this species can be confused with the sympatric A. niqueanum Croat , but differs in having slender stems (up to 1 cm diam.), long internodes and markedly bullate blades.

Distribution and ecology. Anthurium dukei represents an endemic species of the Serranía de Pirre. In the study area, its distribution is restricted to montane cloud forests, located above 1100 m. This species is relatively abundant and usually grows in the lower strata at 3– 5 m.