Burmeistera betancurii Garzón & F.González, Caldasia, 2012

González, Favio, 2023, Taxonomic revision of Burmeistera (Campanulaceae-Lobelioideae) in Colombia, Phytotaxa 615 (1), pp. 1-113 : 19-21

5. Burmeistera betancurii Garzón & F.González, Caldasia 34: 310. 2012.

Type:— COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Amalfi , vereda “Guayabito”, 6°48´48´´N, 75°05´38´´W, 1600‒1800 m, 30 Jul 1999 (fl, fr), D. Tuberquia, D. Rodríguez, L. A. Orrego 882 (holotype: COL!; isotype: JAUM!). Figs. 3 , 4D–F .

Scandent subshrubs up to 3 m tall. Stem glabrous, slightly grooved, slightly branched. Petiole 0.8‒1.2 cm long, glabrous; blade narrowly ovate-lanceolate, (9‒)12‒14(‒16) × 2.0‒ 3.5 cm, slighly falcate, glabrous on both sides, base slightly asymmetric, rounded or obtuse, apex acute, margin slightly and loosely serrate, teeth of one-size class, hydathodes intramarginal to marginal, 10 to 13 per side, secondary veins 7 to 9 per side, higher order veins inconspicuous, intramarginal vein lacking. Peduncle 5‒8 cm long, glabrous, ebracteolate. Hypanthium obconic, 9‒11 × 5‒6 mm, glabrous. Calyx lobes triangular, 1.5‒2.5 × 1.5‒2.5 mm, ascending, glabrous, basally spaced by sinuses 3‒4 mm wide, margin loosely serrulate. Corolla green to green with maroon tints, glabrous; tube 1.9‒2.1 cm long, 4‒6 mm in diameter at its mid-level, inflated proximally and distally; lobes narrowly triangular, falcate, apex acute, dorsal lobes 18‒25 × 4‒6 mm, lateral lobes 13‒15 × 4‒5 mm, ventral lobe 8‒10 × 4 mm. Synandrium 3.6‒4.1 cm long, exserted up to 2 cm; filament tube 3.0‒ 3.2 cm long, apically sparsely puberulous; anther tube 6‒9 mm long, puberulous, ventral anthers barbate, with an apical tuft of white woolly trichomes up to 5 mm long. Berries ovoid, 1.5‒2.5 × 1.0‒ 1.5 cm, not inflated but spongy, glabrous, green suffused with pink to totally pink.

Phenology: —All known collections of this species have been found in flower and fruit in January, March, July, August, October and December.

Distribution, ecology and conservation status: — Burmeistera betancurii is restricted to a narrow area of the northern ridges of the Central Cordillera of Colombia, in the department of Antioquia. It occurs in the understory stratum of subandean humid forests between 800‒1850 m in elevation. The area is highly disturbed due to agriculture, livestock ranching and mining, which makes this species extremely threatened. Following the IUCN´s (2022) criteria [B1(EOO) and B2(AOO), conditions (a) and (b), and C2(a)(i)], this species qualifies as Critically Endangered.

Notes: — Burmeistera betancurii differs from its congeners by the narrowly ovate-lanceolate leaves, the long obconic hypanthia, the very short triangular calyx lobes separated by wide (3‒4 mm wide) sinuses, and the very long corolla lobes (see below). It is most similar to B. longifolia , from which it differs by the petiole 0.8‒1.2 cm long, glabrous; the blade slighly falcate, glabrous beneath, with 7 to 9 secondary veins per side; the hypanthium 9‒11 × 5‒6 mm, glabrous; the calyx lobes and the corolla glabrous; the corolla with dorsal lobes 18‒25 × 4‒6 mm, lateral lobes 13‒15 × 4‒5 mm, and ventral lobe 8‒10 × 4 mm; the filament tube 3.0‒ 3.2 cm long, apically sparsely puberulous; and the ventral anthers barbate (versus petiole 5–8 mm long, puberulous; blade not falcate, puberulous beneath, with 6 or 7 secondary veins per side; the hypanthium 5–8 × 4–5 mm, puberulous; the calyx lobes and the corolla puberulous; the corolla with dorsal lobes 12–13 × 3.8–4.0 mm, lateral lobes 7.6–8.0 × 5–6 mm, and ventral lobe 7.6–8.0 × 3.0– 3.2 mm; the filament tube 3.2–3.6 cm long, glabrescent; and the ventral anthers ebarbate in B. longifolia ).

Additional specimens examined:— Antioquia. Amalfi , vereda Guayabito, finca Costa Rica, 1700‒1800 m, 8 Jan 2005 (fl), W. Ariza et al. 1059 ( JAUM) ; Amalfi, vereda La Viborita, alrededor de la mina de asbesto, 6°55´N, 75°05´W, 1430‒1480 m, 6 Mar 2007 (fl, fr), H. David et al. 1543 ( HUA) ; Guatapé, vereda Santa Rita , vía Guatapé-La Almanera (Empresas Públicas de Medellín), 1850 m, 6°17´N, 75°8´W, 19 Dec 1988 (fl, fr), R. Callejas 7173 ( HUA), 7178 ( HUA) ; Guatapé, vereda Santa Rita , finca Montepinar, 75º10´W, 6º15´N, 1850 m, 20 Mar 1990 (fl, fr), D. Echeverri 245 ( HUA) ; Anorí, vereda Puerto Rico, 7°08´20´´N, 75°08´20´´W, 800‒900 m, 19 Aug 1999 (fl), D. Tuberquia et al. 1014 ( JAUM) ; Amalfi, vereda Las Animas, 6°56´2´´N, 75°00´32´´W, 1500‒1600 m, 22 Oct 1999 (fl, fr), D. Tuberquia et al. 1395 ( JAUM).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Burmeistera aeribacca, B. andakiana, B. antioquensis, B. asclepiadea and B. betancurii.

FIGURE 4. A–C. Burmeistera antioquensis (Vélez et al. 3345, type), leaves and flowers at frontal (A, B) and lateral (C) view. D–F. B. betancurii (photo J.L. Toro, Amalfi, Antioquia), leaves, flowers and berries (D), flower (E) and berry (F). G–H. B. bullatifolia (Garzón et al. 454, type), flower (G) and berries (H). Scale bars: 5 mm in A–C, E–G; 1 cm in D, H.