Rubus maquipucunensis Espinel-Ortiz & Romol., 2021

Espinel-Ortiz, David A. & Romoleroux, Katya, 2021, Two new species of Rubus L. (Rosaceae) from the western Andes of Ecuador, PhytoKeys 187, pp. 141-159 : 141

Rubus maquipucunensis Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. sp. nov.

Figs 5 , 6 , 7

Diagnosis.

Rubus maquipucunensis is characterised by its villous to villous-hispid branches, trifoliate leaves with broadly elliptic or broadly ovate to elliptic leaflets, long inflorescences (22.6-59.4 cm long), flowers with fuchsia or pink petals and fuchsia filaments, and fruits with big drupelets (4.0-6.1 × 3.1-5.4 mm).

Type.

Ecuador. Pichincha: cantón Quito, parroquia Nanegal, in front of the Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna entrance, 00°07.457'S, 78°37.744'W, 1278 m, 11 Feb 2021 (fl, fr), D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 269 (holotype: QCA (QCA-243282 and QCA-7010670 to QCA-7010679); isotypes: HA, HUTI, LOJA, Q, QCNE) .

Description.

Woody vine growing up to 20 m long, or climbing shrub. Branches obtuse-angled to slightly terete, woody, green to brown, densely villous to villous-hirsute, 2.0-12.1 mm diam., with scattered subsessile glands; unarmed or with 3-19 prickles (per total area of 5 cm long of the branch), gradually narrowed from a broad base, curved at the apex, 1.0-3.1 × 1.5-5.4 mm, glabrous. Stipules subulate, 3.9-9.2 × 0.1-0.3 mm, chartaceous, villous, with scattered sessile and subsessile glands. Petioles 3.8-10.4 cm long, villous, with (1-) 11-23 (-27) curved prickles 0.5-3.0 × 1.0-4.6 mm; lateral petiolules (3.6-) 9.1-13.8 mm long, unarmed or with up to 9 curved prickles 0.1-0.9 × 0.3-1.4 mm; terminal petiolules (2.3-) 3.6-5.3 cm long, with (4-) 18-35 curved prickles 1.0-2.0 × 0.8-3.6 mm. Leaves trifoliate; leaflets broadly elliptic or broadly ovate to elliptic, base rounded to obtuse or slightly subcordate, apex cuspidate to abruptly acute, margin serrate, lateral leaflets (5.4-) 7.5-12.5 (-17.1) × (3.4-) 4.1-9.2 (-12.2) cm, terminal leaflet (6.5-) 9.2-14.5 (-18.5) × (2.9-) 4.7-10.1 (-14.3) cm, chartaceous, with (7-) 11-16 (-18) secondary veins; adaxial surface villous-hirsute on primary and secondary veins with scattered short strigose hairs, or villous-hirsute in the midvein and sparsely adpressed villous in the veins; with subsessile and sessile glands, unarmed; abaxial surface sparsely villous and pilose on veins, or villous on veins and leaf blade with scattered subsessile glands, and (2-) 6-18 (-22) prickles on the primary vein, gradually narrowed from a broad base, straight to curved at the apex, 0.3-1.3 × 0.3-1.9 mm, glabrous. Inflorescences lax, compound, terminal cymes, 36-196-flowered, 22.6-59.4 cm long, with simple or trifoliate leaves below; peduncles terete, slightly light gold, 4.7-36.7 mm long, shortly lanate, with scattered sessile glands, unarmed or with 1-17 prickles, gradually narrowed from a broad base, straight to curved at the apex, 0.1-1.0 × 0.1-1.4 mm, glabrous; pedicels terete, slightly light gold, shortly lanate, 5.7-11.9 (-15.3) mm long, eglandular, unarmed. Flowers 14.2-22.6 mm diam.; sepals 5, broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, apex deeply mucronate, margin entire, 3.6-5.6 × 2.9-4.7 mm, tawny brown to ochre, acrescent; adaxial surface deeply concave, pannose, eglandular, unarmed; abaxial surface deeply convex, shortly lanate, and pannose on the margins and towards the apex, eglandular, unarmed; petals 5, broadly obovate, margin entire or erose, 5.6-11.6 × 5.2-10.1 mm, fuchsia when opening, completely pink or white with pink borders when fully opened, glabrous, eglandular, adaxial surface straight to concave, abaxial surface straight to convex; stamens with anthers glabrous, filaments fuchsia, glabrous; pistils, stigmas and styles glabrous, ovaries pilose. Fruits green to dark red when immature, and black at maturity, ovoid-globose, 11.0-14.8 × 12.1-15.6 mm (when fresh); drupelets 14-32 per receptacle, 4.0-6.1 × 3.1-5.4 mm (when fresh), pilose towards the base and apex.

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes).

Ecuador. - Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas: Old road along Chiriboga, Quito-Santo Domingo , 1275 m, 08 April 1984 (fl), C.H. Dodson & M. Thurston 14195 (MO (MO-1559904)); old road San Juan-Chiriboga , km 60-70, 00°17.000'S, 78°50.000'W, 1000-1500 m, 09 Jan 1993 (fl), K. Romoleroux & A. Freire 1514 (QCA (QCA-92036), QCNE (QCNE-77110)) . - Pichincha: Near San Florencio, growing in subandes, 1889 (fl), A. Sodiro 410? (Q (Q-3613)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, edge of pasture in secondary rainforest, trail from Hacienda El Carmen to Hacienda Esparragos , ca. 6 km airline SE of Nanegal, 00°07.500'N, 78°38.000'W, ca. 1300 m, 11 Sep 1989 (fl, fr), G. Webster, K. Bainard & R. Schilling 27403 (DAV (DAV-331349 and DAV-331350), QCA (QCA-91821), QCNE (QCNE-44060)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, secondary rainforest, trail from Hacienda Esparragos to Cerro de Sosa , ca. 5 km airline SE of Nanegal, 00°07.000'N, 78°38.000'W, 1400-1500 m, 18 Sep 1989 (fr), G. Webster & M. Rios 27716 (DAV (DAV-331334), QCA (QCA-91761)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, disturbed rainforest along Quebrada de la Cal, 4 km airline SE of Nanegal, 00°07.500'N, 78°38.000'W, 1250 m, 20 Jul 1990 (fl, fr), G. Webster & B. Castro 28351 (DAV (DAV-331347 and DAV-331348), QCNE (QCNE-44101)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, Maquipucuna mountains , Cerro Sosa, primary rainforest, 00°05.500'N, 78°37.000'W, 1725 m, 03 Jul 1991 (fl), G. Webster, B. Castro & N. McCarten 28693 (DAV (DAV-331346)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, trail S from Hacienda El Carmen, secondary rainforest, 00°07.000'N, 78°39.000'W, 1300 m, 06 Jul 1992 (fl), G. Webster & UREP participants 29038 (DAV (DAV-331345), QCNE (QCNE-81119)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, disturbed rainforest along trail from guava plantation to Alambi river , 00°07.300'N, 78°38.000'W, 1300-1400 m, 10 Jul 1992 (fl), G. Webster & R. Rhode 29284 (DAV (DAV-331351), QCA (QCA-92244), QCNE (QCNE-75592)); same locality as for preceding, 1200-1400 m, 12 Jul 1992 (fl), P. Delprete & G. Webster 6073 (QCA (QCA-240552)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, trail to Cerro Montecristi, 00°07,070'N, 78°34,000W, 1700 m, 06 Nov 1999 (fl, fr), C.E. Cerón, R. Arcos, C. Sevilla & A. Mosquera 39731 (QAP (QAP-28345)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, disturbed rainforest along “Autoguiado’’ trail, 00°07.341'N, 78°37.741'W, 1258 m, 01 Sep 2020, D. Espinel-Ortiz, E. Bastidas-León & C. Restrepo 239 (QCA (QCA-243392 and QCA-7010699)); same locality as for preceding, 00°07.294'N, 78°37.784'W, 1326 m, 11 Feb 2021 (fl), D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 273 (HUTI, QCA (QCA-243371 and QCA-7010694)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, trail to the river after orchid field, 00°07.449'N, 78°37.889'W, 1280 m, 11 Feb 2021, D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 270 (QCA (QCA-243372 and QCA-7010695)); Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, trail to the river, 00°07.350'N, 78°38.158'W, 1249 m, 11 Feb 2021, D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 271 (QCA (QCA-243374)); same locality as for preceding, 00°07.419'N, 78°38.246'W, 1273 m, 11 Feb 2021, D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 272 (HA, QCA (QCA-243373 and QCA-7010696)); Marianitas ca. 3 km after the bridge over river Alambi , road to Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna, 00°07.466'N, 78°38.810' W, 1239 m, 22 Feb 2021, D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 275 (QCA (QCA-243375, QCA-7010697 and QCA-7010698)); same collection data as for holotype, 18 May 2021 (fl), D. Espinel-Ortiz, Restrepo C. & O. Tejada 277 (QCA (QCA-243370)) .

Distribution.

Rubus maquipucunensis is distributed in the north of the Ecuadorian Western-Cordillera from 1000 to 1725 m a.s.l., in the provinces of Pichincha and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (Fig. 4 ).

Ecology.

This species occurs in Chocó Andino rainforests dominated by trees, shrubs, and vines, and also in nearby disturbed areas. Rubus maquipucunensis can be found living in sympatry with Rubus urticifolius . As branches grow older, they become glabrescent and lose prickles. Also, young leaves or leaves of juvenile individuals are significantly smaller and may seem different than the mature leaves. Flowering and fruiting branches grow at the top of the plant where more light is available, and it takes more than 15 days for the flowers to bloom. Flowering and fruiting collections dated from January, February, April, May, July, September and November.

Etymology.

The specific epithet honours the Ecological Reserve Maquipucuna ("Mano amiga" or "Friendly hand" in Kichwa) where a high number of samples were collected, and where this species is protected and easily found.

Preliminary assessment of conservation status.

Rubus maquipucunensis is known from three localities of which two are impacted by human activity, including road opening, and the other locality is an Ecological Reserve. Following the IUCN (2019) guidelines, based on the reduced geographic distribution and altered land use, this species should be categorised as vulnerable (VU); at least until other populations are discovered.

Notes.

Rubus maquipucunensis may resemble R. boliviensis by its habit and flowers, and R. floribundus by its habit and inflorescences, but differs from both species by its villous to villous-hirsute branches, in contrast with the pannose, pilose or puberulent to glabrescent branches of R. boliviensis , and tomentose to glabrescent branches of R. floribundus . Moreover, R. maquipucunensis has trifoliate leaves with broadly elliptic or broadly ovate to elliptic leaflets while R. boliviensis and R. floribundus have 5-foliolate leaves with ovate-elliptic leaflets. Furthermore, R. maquipucunensis has fruits with fewer (14-32) and bigger (4.0-6.1 × 3.1-5.4 mm) drupelets while R. boliviensis and R. floribundus have fruits with more (20-50 in R. boliviensis , and 40-50 in R. floribundus ) and smaller (2.0-3.0 × 2.0-3.0 mm in R. boliviensis , and 2.5-4.0 × 2.0-3.0 in R. floribundus ) drupelets. Rubus maquipucunensis resembles R. killipii by its habit and long inflorescences, but differs by its shortly lanate peduncles and pedicels, and fuchsia to pink petals compared to the pannose peduncles and pedicels, and white petals of the latter. In addition, R. maquipucunensis has trifoliolate leaves while R. killipii has 5-foliolate leaves. As R. killipii fruits have not been described yet, they cannot be compared with those of R. maquipucunensis . Rubus maquipucunensis resembles R. selleanus Helwig by its trifoliate leaves with broadly elliptic leaflets, but differs by its longer inflorescences (22.61-59.38 cm) compared to the shorter inflorescences (10-13 cm) of the latter. In addition, R. maquipucunensis has longer petioles (3.8-10.4 cm), bigger leaflets (7.5-12.5 × 4.1-9.2 cm) and sepals with mucronate apex, while R. selleanus has shorter petioles (1.5-3.5 cm), smaller leaflets (6-8 × 5.5-7 cm) and sepals with obtuse apex. Finally, R. maquipucunensis is found in Ecuador whereas R. selleanus has been recorded only in Hispaniola Island (Haiti and Dominican Republic).

Possible hybrids

Figures

Figure 4. Distribution map of Rubus maquipucunensis (red triangles), and R. longistipularis (black circles) from the western Andes of North Ecuador. Map generated by David A. Espinel-Ortiz.

Figure 5. Rubus maquipucunensis D. A. Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. A vine B scandent shrub C vine branch D shrub branch and stipule E vine leaf adaxial surface F shrub leaf adaxial surface G vine leaf abaxial surface H shrub abaxial surface I leaf border J inflorescence K pedicel L flower and sepal adaxial surface M sepal abaxial surface N fruit. (A-I based on D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 275 (QCA), J based on D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 269 (HUTI) L-N based on D. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 269 (QCA )). Illustrations by Carla Rodriguez.

Figure 6. Rubus maquipucunensis D. A. Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. A vine B scandent shrub and inflorescence C leaf abaxial surface D immature fruits E mature fruits F flower. Photos by Camilo Restrepo (A-C, E-F) and David A. Espinel-Ortiz (D).

Figure 7. Rubus maquipucunensis D. A. Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. Holotype collection D. A. Espinel-Ortiz, C. Restrepo & A. Sanguano 269 (QCA) A vine QCA 243282 B climbing shrub QCA 7010670 C inflorescence QCA 7010674 D infructescence QCA 7010672.