Wittmackia laesslei (L.B.Sm.) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 635)

Aguirre-Santoro, Julián, 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Caribbean-endemic species of Wittmackia (Bromeliaceae), Phytotaxa 336 (2), pp. 101-147 : 124-126

9. Wittmackia laesslei (L.B.Sm.) Aguirre-Santoro (2017: 635) . Basionym: Hohenbergia laesslei Smith (1956a: 52) . TYPE:— JAMAICA. St. James Parish: Cockpit Country near Sweet Water, 570 m, 16 August 1952, A. Laessle s.n. (holotype IJ!, US [photo & fragment]!)

Plant epiphytic, cespitose; rosette broad. Leaves 70–90 cm long, coriaceous; sheaths conspicuous, oblong to elliptical, 17–23 × 9.8–12 cm, white to pale brown, lepidote on both surfaces, entire; blades lingulate, 55–73 cm long, 7.3–9 cm wide at the base, 7.3–8.3 cm wide in the middle, green, occasionally maculate with darker green spots, both surfaces smooth, lepidote abaxially, glabrescent adaxially, apex initially rounded, then ending in a sharp and acuminate mucro, margins serrate, the teeth evenly distributed, triangular, straight, castaneous, 0.3–0.7 mm long. Inflorescence erect to inclined; peduncle almost completely exposed out of the rosette, stout, rigid, 41–66.5 cm long, 6–8 mm in diameter, light green, floccose, central internodes 3.5–5 cm, distal internodes 2–3.5 cm; peduncle bracts shorter than the internodes, marcescent, membranaceous, nervose, light green to cream, the central erect, imbricate, lanceolate, 10.8–12.5 × 1.3–1.6 cm, floccose on both surfaces, entire, apex acuminate, the apical ones erect, lax, linear-lanceolate, 10.7–12.5 × 0.7–0.9 cm, floccose on both surfaces, entire, apex attenuate; fertile part of the inflorescence conical, 37.5–39 cm long, 11.4–12.5 cm wide in the middle, 1-divided, branches 32 to 47 in number; rachis straight, green, 29–35 cm long, 3–5 mm in diameter, densely floccose. Primary bracts similar to the peduncle bracts, gradually diminishing in size towards the apex of the inflorescence, reflexed, marcescent, membranaceous, nervose, longer than the branches; the basal ones linear-lanceolate, 10.2–10.7 × 0.9–1 cm, light green to cream, floccose on both surfaces, entire, apex attenuate; the apical ones lanceolate, 1.2–1.4 × 0.2–0.3 cm, light green, floccose on both surfaces, entire, apex attenuate. Spikes subcylindrical to ovoid, 2.3–3.3 cm long, 1.1–1.5 cm wide in the middle; stipes exposed, 40–42 mm long, 2.5–3 mm in diameter, terete, sparsely floccose, 12–18 flowered; rachis straight, 2.3–3.3 cm long. Floral bracts gradually diminishing in size towards the apex of the spike, partially enfolding the ovaries, imbricate, suberect, slightly concave, coriaceous, ovate, 5.8–10.2 × 7–9.8 mm, light green to cream, nervose, ecarinate, sparsely floccose, minutely serrulate, occasionally entire, apex acute to acuminate, gradually turning into a sharp mucro of 1.8– 4.5 mm long. Flowers suberect, 5.8–10.2 mm long. Calyx dorsiventrally compressed; sepals coriaceous, triangular, asymmetrical, 4.2–5 mm long, 2.3–3.3 mm wide at the base, the unwinged side 0.5–0.8 mm wide, the winged side 1.9–2 mm wide, light green, nervose, glabrous, entire, apex initially acute, then ending in a sharp and acuminate mucro of 0.5–1.4 mm long. Corolla tubular, apically spreading; petals spatulate, 9–10.2 × 1.7–2.1 mm, white, glabrous, entire, apex acute; petal appendages flanking the antepetalous stamens, originating at 2.6 mm from the petal base. Stamens included; filaments flattened, 7.9 mm long, 4 mm in diameter, white; anthers elliptical,2.4 × 0.6 mm, cream, mucronate. Ovary ovoid, dorsiventrally compressed, 2.8–4.2 mm long, 4.4–6.3 mm in diameter, light green, sparsely floccose; epigynous tube 0.2–0.3 mm long; ovules more than 30 per ovary, globose. Style longer than the stamens, 11.8 mm long, white; stigma white, 0.8 mm long. Fruit unknown ( Fig. 11 ).

Etymology:— This species was named in honor to Albert M. Laessle, collector of the type specimen.

Distribution, habitat, and phenology:— Wittmackia laesslei is endemic to the western region of the Cockpit Country in Jamaica at 550–750 m elevation ( Fig. 2 ). It grows as epiphyte or rupicolous on forested limestone hills. This species is only known from the type locality, where it forms large populations. Collected in flower from June to August.

Conservation status:— Wittmackia laesslei is categorized here as Critically Endangered (CR D; IUCN 2001) because it is only know from two small populations growing in a restricted area of the central Cockpit Country.

Taxonomic comments and affinities:— Wittmackia laesslei is another species that can be easily recognized by its exceptionally long stipes, just like W. abbreviata , W. distans and W. rohan-estyi . It can be separated from W. abbreviata and W. distans by its erect to inclined inflorescence at anthesis (vs. pendulous) and primary bracts longer than the inflorescence branches (vs. shorter). Wittmackia laesslei differs from W. rohan-estyi by its central peduncle bracts shorter than the internodes (vs. longer); longer stipes (40–42 mm vs. 19–39 mm long); lesser flowers per spike (12 to 18 vs. 18 to 35 flowers per spike); and broader floral bracts (7–9.8 mm vs. 3.6–6.5 mm wide). In the protologue Wittmackia laesslei is compared with W. inermis and W. fawcettii but mainly differs from both species by its much longer primary bracts, floral bracts light green to cream (vs. pale brown or yellow), and shorter sepals (4.2–5 mm vs. 5.8–8.2 mm long).

Additional specimens examined:— JAMAICA. St. James Parish : Cockpit Country, road between Mocho and Catadupa, about 2.5 km W of Mocho, 642 m, 18º17’16.1”N, 77º50’40.8”W, 25 June 2012, Aguirre-Santoro et al. 1809 (IJ!, NY!, US!) ; about 0.5 mile west northwest of Mocho Crossroads on road to Catadupa, 670–731 m, 23–24 August 1965, Hespenheide et al. 1585 ( MO!) ; Mocho District , 640 m, 30 July 1955, Proctor 10393 ( IJ!) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Geographic distribution of the Caribbean-endemic species of Wittmackia. A. Species occurring in Jamaica and Cuba, and species endemic to the western Caribbean. Star: W. caymanensis, triangle: W. mesoamericana, circle: W. penduliflora. B. Species endemic to Puerto Rico. Star: W. portoricensis, circle: W. antillana. C. Species endemic to Jamaica. Circle: W. laesslei, triangle: W. negrilensis, star: W. polycephala.D. Species endemic to Jamaica. Circle: W. rohan-estyi, triangle: W. spinulosa, star: W. urbaniana. E. Species endemic to Jamaica. Circle: W. fawcettii, triangle: W. jamaicana, star: W. inermis. F. Species endemic to Jamaica. Circle: W. abbreviata, star: W. distans, square: W. eriostachya.

FIGURE 11. Wittmackia laesslei. A. General habit of the plant. B. Inflorescence.C. Inflorescence branch showing part of the stipe and the spike. D. Flower. E. Sepals. F. Floral bract. G. Petal and antepetalous stamen. H. Ovary in cross section. I. Apical portion of the stamen. J. Petal appendages. K. Apical portion of the style and stigma. (A–K: Aguirre-Santoro 1809. Photos of living specimens: J. Aguirre- Santoro).