Epidendrum dayseae Krahl & Hágsater, 2022

Krahl, Amauri H., Cordeiro, Joel M. P. & Hagsater, Eric, 2022, Epidendrum dayseae, a new species of Orchidaceae (Laeliinae) from northern Brazil, Phytotaxa 530 (1), pp. 95-102 : 97-100

Epidendrum dayseae Krahl & Hágsater sp. nov.

Type:— BRAZIL. Amazonas: Manaus, Ramal da Usina , 2 ° 40’49.90”S, 60 ° 11’31.72”W, 55 m, 16 April 2021, in flower., A. H. Krahl & D. R. P. Krahl 1577 (holotype, INPA). Fig. 1

Similar to Epidendrum longicolle Lindley (1838: 34) , but with a pendent stem (vs. sub-erect to erect), a longer pedicellate ovary (ca. 5.4 vs. 4– 3 cm) and the lateral lobes of the lip are only joined to the mid-lobe at base, no further than the apex of the calli (vs. lateral lobes joined to the mid-lobe to about 1/3–1/2 their length, far beyond the calli).

Epiphytic, sympodial, caespitose, pendent herb, 25–40 cm long excluding flowers. Roots 0.2–0.3 cm in diameter, basal, fleshy, white. Stems 16–22 × 0.3–0.4 cm, simple, terete at base becoming slightly flattened at apex, pendent, covered by tubular sheaths, green. Leaves 7–9, distributed along apical 2/3 of stem, with largest leaf at apex; sheaths 1.6–3.3 × 1.0– 1.4 cm, laterally compressed; blades 7.6–16.6 × 0.5–1.0 cm, length:width 16:1, linear-lanceolate, apex acuminate, sub-coriaceous, dark green above, underside slightly lighter green. Spathe lacking. Inflorescence apical, racemose, short, 1–3-flowered, producing one flower at a time, blooming for several years from same inflorescence becoming pluri-racemose; peduncle and rachis visible. Floral bracts 0.4 × 0.4 cm, much shorter than ovary, apparent, ovate, apex obtuse and minutely apiculate. Ovary 5.4 cm, longer than sepals, not inflated, unornamented, slightly furrowed. Flowers successive, resupinate, sepals pale yellow-green, petals pale yellow-green, lip white, column creamy white, green towards base, calli yellow; fragrance sweet; sometimes autogamous. Dorsal sepal 3.6 × 0.3 cm, slightly reflexed, symmetrical, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 6-veined with additional secondary veins, margin entire, revolute. Lateral sepals 3.4 × 0.4 cm, slightly reflexed, slightly asymmetric, falcate, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 7-veined with additional secondary veins, margins entire, revolute. Petals 3.4 × 0.2 cm, spreading, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 5-veined, margins entire, somewhat revolute. Lip 3.1 × 1.2 cm, united to column, 3-lobed, base truncate to widely cuneate, margin entire, spreading; bicallose, calli laminar 0.3 × 0.1 cm, rounded, prominent, somewhat divergent, with a low mid-rib reaching middle of mid-lobe; lateral lobes 1.2 × 0.5 cm, sub-triangular, apically acute, surface smooth, separated from mid-lobe by deep, narrow sinuses, joined no further than apex of calli; mid-lobe 2.0 x 0.1 cm, linear, acuminate. Column 1.2 × 0.3 cm, slightly arched, dilated towards oblique apex. Clinandrium-hood slightly surpassing body of the column, deeply emarginate, margin acute to truncate–dentate. Anther sub-quadrate, sides convex, top and bottom sinuate, 4-celled. Pollinia 4, ovate, strongly laterally compressed; caudicles soft and granulose, in two pairs, longer than pollinia, viscarium semi-liquid. Rostellum apical, slit; lateral lobes of the stigma reduced. Nectary 5.2 cm long from apex of the column, deep, penetrating 4/5 the length of ovary, unornamented. Capsule 5.2 x 1.5 cm, ellipsoid; pedicel 1.8 cm long, body 2.8 x 1.5 cm, apical neck 1.0 x 0.15 cm.

Other specimens examined (paratypes): — BRAZIL. Amazonas : Manaus , Caatinga do Porto Camanaus, 19 October 1978, in fruit, Madison et al. 407 ( INPA); Ramal da Usina, 2 ° 40’49.90”S, 60 ° 11’31.72”W, 55 m a.s.l., 29 July 2021, in fruit, A . H . Krahl & D. R . P . Krahl 1612 ( INPA) .

Etymology: —The specific epithet honors Brazilian botanist Dayse Raiane Passos Krahl, wife of the first author and co-collector of the type specimen.

Distribution and habitat: —The type specimen was found to the north of the municipality of Manaus (AM), northern Brazil, in sandy soil vegetation called “ campina/campinarana ” forests. It was observed growing as an epiphyte a few meters above the ground (max. 2 m).

Phenology: —Plants were registered flowering in late April. It is likely that they continue blooming until May, or longer, as they produce single flowers in succession. Fruiting was registered between July and October.

Conservation status: —Data deficient. With only two small populations known, there is not enough information about this species to assess the conservation status at this time.

Cytogenetics:— Epidendrum dayseae individuals have chromosome numbers 2 n = 4 x = 80, with an average size of 2.36μm. The species exhibited a relatively symmetrical karyotype, with metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. The karyotype had GC-rich heterochromatin bands (CMA +) on the proximal regions of most chromosomes, and four CMA + terminal bands corresponding to NORs ( Fig. 2 ). Chromosome numbers for species of infrageneric groups of Epidendrum are predominantly 2 n = 2 x = 40 ( Felix & Guerra 2010, Assis et al. 2013, Cordeiro 2019, Pessoa et al. 2020). Polyploidy has been previously recorded for Epidendrum subgenus Amphyglottium ( Assis et al. 2013) and Epidendrum ciliare Linnaeus (1759: 1246) (Coilostylis group; Felix & Guerra 2010). The Epidendrum nocturnum group appears to be a special group within Epidendrum , where speciation and diversification is associated with polyploidy events ( Cordeiro, 2019). The chromosome number and CMA/DAPI bands pattern found in Epidendrum dayseae is similar to that found for most species of the E. nocturnum group analyzed so far, reinforcing the hypothesis of recent origin and diversification for the species in the group ( Cordeiro 2019).

Morphological affinities: — Epidendrum dayseae belongs to the Nocturnum group. The new species is recognized by the pendent stem, the numerous linear–lanceolate and acuminate leaves distributed along the apical 2/3 of the stem, the pedicellate ovary longer than the sepals and the lateral lobes of the lip acute to acuminate, about half as long as the mid-lobe. It is similar to E. longicolle which occurs along the upper Amazon Basin in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, and the Guyana Shield as far as the adjacent north coast of South America including Trinidad and Tobago ( Hágsater & Sánchez-Saldaña 2010). However, E. dayseae can be distinguished by the pendent stem (vs. sub-erect to erect), a longer pedicellate ovary (ca. 5.4 vs 4– 3 cm), narrower sepals (ca. 0.3 vs. 0.4–0.5 cm), and most distinctly by the lip’s lateral lobes that are sub-triangular and smaller than the mid-lobe and deeply separated from the mid-lobe by deep, narrow sinuses, joined no further than the apex of the calli (vs. lateral lobes semi-ovate and nearly as long as the mid-lobe, and united to it as far as the middle, well beyond the calli), the lateral lobes of the lip narrower (≤ 0.5 vs. ≥ 0.5 cm), sub-triangular and apically acute (vs. semi-ovate and obtuse to acute), and the mid-lobe narrower (0.1 vs. 0.2–0.3 cm), and linear and acuminate (vs. lanceolate and acute) (see Hágsater & Sánchez-Saldaña 2010).

Epidendrum dayseae is morphologically similar to Epidendrum plurifolionocturnum Hágsater & Sánchez-Saldaña (2018 : t. 1695). However, the new species has a pendent stem (vs. erect), a linear-lanceolate leaf blade (vs. lanceolate) which is generally longer (7.6–16.6 vs. 4.5–10 cm), the apex acuminate (vs. mucronate), a pedicellate ovary longer (ca. 5.4 vs. 4– 3 cm), the lateral lobes of the lip ovate and apically acute (vs. semi-ovate with obtuse to acute apex) and the mid-lobe narrower (0.1 vs. 0.2–0.3 cm) (see Hágsater & Santiago 2018b: pl. 1695).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Epidendrum dayseae. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence and part of the stem. C. Flower. D. Floral bract. E. Floral parts. F. Lip. G. Column in side view. H. Column in dorsal view. I. Column in ventral view. J. Anther in dorsal view. K. Anther in ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Mitotic metaphase and karyogram in Epidendrum dayseae showing the chromosome number (2n = 4x = 80) and pattern of CMA/DAPI bands. Inserts demonstrate CMA+/DAPI– pericentromeric bands (A) and CMA+/DAPI– terminal bands (B). Asterisk (*) in 11 indicate homologous chromosomes with CMA+/DAPI– terminal bands. Scale bar corresponds to 5 µm.