Solanum longifilamentum Saerkinen & P. Gonzales, 2015

Saerkinen, Tiina, Gonzales, Paul & Knapp, Sandra, 2015, Four new non-spiny Solanum (Solanaceae) species from South America, PhytoKeys 44, pp. 39-64 : 40-43

Solanum longifilamentum Saerkinen & P. Gonzales sp. nov. Figs 1 -2

Diagnosis.

Like Solanum macrotonum Bitter, but differing in consistently narrower oblong-lanceolate leaves, few-flowered inflorescences, longer calyx lobes which elongate in fruit, filaments a minimum of half the length of anthers, and less exerted style exceeding to only 1 mm beyond the anther cone.

Type.

Peru. Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa, Dist. Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector Tunqui, riberas del rio Muchuymayo, alrededores del hito PNYC, 1790 m, 22 Oct 2008 (fl, fr), M. Cueva, A. Peña, R. Rivera & M. Moens 276 (holotype: USM [USM-00268971]; isotypes: HOXA, HUT, MO [acc. 6455431]).

Description.

Delicate herb to small subshrub, woody at base, 20-100 cm tall, single stemmed or occasionally branching at the base. Stems 2-4 mm in diameter at the base, terete to ridged, often purple-tinged, sparsely pubescent with appressed 1-2-celled simple uniseriate trichomes ca. 0.2 mm long. Sympodial units difoliate, not geminate. Leaves simple, 2.5-12.0 cm long, 1.0-4.0 cm wide, ovate-lanceolate; adaxial surface glabrous; abaxial surface with appressed 1-2-celled simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stem along the veins; primary veins 4-8 pairs; base cuneate to attenuate, slightly unequal and oblique; margins entire; apex acuminate; petiole 0.5-1.0 cm long, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems and leaves, especially on young growth. Inflorescences lateral and internodal, 1.5-3.0 cm long, simple, with 3-5(6) flowers often all apparently arising from the same place, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems and leaves; peduncle 1.0-1.5 cm long, often tinged with purple; pedicels 0.5-0.6 cm long, ca. 0.4 mm in diameter at the base and 0.5 mm at apex, straight and spreading at anthesis, articulated at the base; pedicel scars closely spaced a maximum of 1 mm apart. Buds conical, white, occasionally purple-tinged towards the base, the corolla strongly exerted from the calyx tube long before anthesis. Flowers 5-merous, all perfect; calyx tube ca. 1.5-2.0 mm long, the lobes 1.0-1.5 mm long, deltate to traingular with acute apices, slightly reflexed at anthesis, sparsely pubescent with simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems and leaves; corolla 5-6 mm in diameter, stellate, whitewith a yellow, purple or black central star at the base, lobed 2/3 to nearly to the base, the lobes ca. 3.0-3.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide, strongly reflexed at anthesis, later spreading, purple towards tips, densely pubescent abaxially with 1-2-celled simple uniseriate trichomes, these usually shorter than the trichomes of the stems and leaves; filament tube 1.0-1.2 mm long, pubescent with a few scattered 3-5-celled trichomes at the base adaxially; free portion of the filaments ca. 1.1-1.4 mm long, pubescent like the tube; anthers (1.7-)3.0-3.4 mm long, 0.8-0.9 mm wide, ellipsoid, yellow, poricidal at the tips, the pores lengthening to slits with age; ovary globose, glabrous; style 3.5-4 mm long, exerted only to 0.5-1.0 mm beyond the anther cone, densely pubescent in lower ¼ with 2-3-celled simple uniseriate trichomes; stigma globose, minutely papillate, pale yellow in live plants. Fruit a globose berry, 6-7 mm in diameter, green at maturity or green and turning purplish black when ripe, the surface shiny; fruiting peduncle same as in flower; fruiting pedicels 1.0-1.2 cm long, ca. 0.6 mm in diameter at the base, 0.9 mm at apex, spreading; fruiting calyx lobes 1.8-3.5 mm long, spreading, the tips reflexed. Seeds 35-45 per berry, c. 1.2 mm long, c. 1.1 mm wide, concave-reniform, narrower at one end, brownish orange, the sub-lateral hilum positioned towards the narrower end of the seed, the testal cells pentagonal in outline; stone cells few per fruit.

Distribution.

Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia on the eastern slopes of the Andes growing in mid-elevation montane forests in moist areas, along roadsides, often amongst mosses and small herbs, associated with Ericaceae and Asteraceae shrubs and herbs, Lauraceae , Alnus acuminata Kunth, Cecropia ( Urticaceae ), Clusia ( Clusiaceae ), Fuchsia ( Onagraceae ), Hedyosmum ( Chloranthaceae ), Weinmannia ( Cunoniaceae ), Miconia ( Melastomataceae ), and tree ferns; between (800-) 1,000-2,800 (-3,500) m elevation.

Ecology.

Flowering and fruiting throughout the year, with a peak of fruiting in March-July.

Common names.

Mortiño (Spanish; Särkinen et al. 4577); Wampishkúr (Shuar Jívaro; Lewis 14172).

Uses.

Stems and leaves crushed and applied with achiote ( Bixa orellana L., Bixaceae ) warm to treat skin irritations (papera) (Lewis 14172).

Etymology.

The species is named based on its uniquely long filaments in relation to the anthers which distinguish it from the closely related Solanum macrotonum .

Conservation status.

The preliminary conservation status ( IUCN 2010) of Solanum longifilamentum is here considered of least concern (LC) based on the relatively large extent of the species occurrence (EOO, c. 781,800 km2), although the actual area of occupancy (AOO) is small (228 km2) and would merit status as endangered (EN). Many recent collections exist, indicating that populations are not in decline, and as are most members of the Morelloid clade, Solanum longifilamentum is a weedy plant of disturbed areas.

Specimens examined.

BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Chapare: Along highway from Villa Tunari to Cochabamba, 43 km SW of bridge over Río Espírito Santo, 17°14'42"S, 65°71'17"W, 1320m, 1 May 2007, M. Nee 55273 (MO); La Paz: Bautista Saavedra: Area Natural de Manejo Integrado Apolobamba, carretera entre Charazani y Camata, 15°12'48"S, 68°49'08"W, 1870m, 19 Aug 2008, A. Fuentes 13261 (NY,USM); Murillo: 44.0 km below Lago Zongo dam, vicinity of Cahua hydroelectric plant, 16°05'00"S, 68°01'67"W, 1200m, 12 Sep 1983, J.C. Solomon 10806 (MO); Murillo: Valle del Río Zongo, 40.2 km al N (abajo) de la cumbre, 16°04'S, 68°02'W, 1600m, 30 Apr 1990, J.C. Solomon 18869 (G, MO); Nor Yungas: Carretera 3, 16.2 km SW of Yolosa jct toward Unduavi, 16°13'15"S, 67°49'58"W, 2078m, 12 Nov 1976, C. Davidson 4976 (MO); Santa Cruz: Within the Flora de la Region del Parque Nacional Amboró, but above the 700m contour, 18°06'30"S, 063°57'00"W, 1465m, M. Nee 37245 (MO); ECUADOR. Cañar: Iganilla Pass on Pan America Highway between Cañar and Biblian, 2°37'S, 78°55'W, 3500m, 12 Dec 1980, L.B. Holm-Nielsen 28998 (BM,MO); Iganilla, S of the pass on Pan American Highway between Cañar and Biblian, 2°37'S, 78°55'W, 3400m, 12 Dec 1980, L.B. Holm-Nielsen 29039 (BM, MO); Carretera Cañar-Azoguez, desvio a Moloboc-Grande-Molon-Ventana, 1°46'00"S, 78°36'W, 3200-3450m, 14 Aug 1987, V. Zak 2446 (MO); Loja: Reserva Ecológica Tapichalaca ( Fundación Jocotoco), between Yangana and Valledolid, 4°29'42"S, 79°07'55"W, 2500m, 3 Apr 2005, L. Bohs 3408 (NY, QCNE); Rd from Loja to Yangana, 4°12'00"S, 79°10'12"W, 11 Jul 1986, W.G. D’Arcy 16452A (MO); 20 kms from Yangana, 4°25'59"S, 79°10'00"W, 2743m, 12 Jul 1986, W.G. D’Arcy 16476 (MO); Parque Educacional y Recreacional Universidad Nacional de Loja, vicinity of Loja, 4°02'02"S, 79°11'87"W, 2100-2300m, 28 Oct 1994, S. Knapp 9092 (BM, MO); between Loja and Saraguro, 2316m, 14 Jul 1984, W.G. D’Arcy 15746 (MO, NY); Pastaza: Tsurakú (Pitirishca), km 51 S on rd from Puyo to Macas, 1°51'S, 77°48'W, 800m, 1 Aug 1988, W.H. Lewis 14172 (MO); Pichincha: Along rd from Tandayapa to Nono, 4.1 km S of Tandayapa, 0°00'36"S, 78°39'23"W, 1828m, 4 Sep 2007, T.B. Croat 98274 (MO); Zamora-Chinchipe: Fundación Arco Iris, between Loja and Zamora, trail from field station to Río San Francisco, 3°59'20"S, 79°05'35"W, 2200m, 5 Apr 2005, L. Bohs et al. 3434 (BM, QCNE); 10 km S of Namirez and Rio Zimora, vicinity of Nambija, along rd to mine headquarters ca. 5 km long, just south of Nambija, 4°03'44"S, 78°47'29"W, 1779m, 23 Jul 2004, T.B. Croat 92009 (BM); Prov. Chinchipe, region of Guaramizal, Parroquia Zumba, Quebrada Tarrangamí, near cabin of Sandy León, W of Escuela Byron Jiménez, just S of Las Pircas, 4°46'50"S, 79°12'33"W, 2000m, 29 Mar 2005, L. Bohs et al. 3354 (BM, QCNE, UT); PERU. Amazonas: Prov. Bagua, third camp SE of la Peca, 1867-2179m, 10 Oct 1978, P. Barbour 3958 (USM); Prov. Bongará, outside of main entrance to privately owned bird sanctuary just outside of the Alto Mayo protected area, ca. 2 km E of Area de Conservación Privada Arba Patricia-Alto Nieva, 13 Oct 2010, F. Farruggia et al. 2753 (BM, HAO, NY, UT); Prov. Chachapoyas, Torrecilla, nr Turbaco, 2300m, 31 Mar 1979, C.M. Ochoa 13254 (US); Dist. Leymebamba, Bosque Alto Atuen, 6°45'20"S, 77°48'07"W, 2583m, 27 Jun 2009, R.W. Bussmann et al. 15823 (HUT); Prov. Luya, km 18-20 on rd from Nuevo Tingo to Kuelap, just before bridge at Choctamal, 6°23'13"S, 77°59'10"W, 2610m, 19 Apr 2013, T. Särkinen et al. 4611 (USM); Ayacucho: Prov. La Mar, Aina, between Huanta and Río Apurimac, 12°43'40"S, 73°57'07"W, 1883m, 7 May 1929, E.P. Killip & A.C. Smith 23116 (US); Dist. Anco, alrededores de Buena Gana, ca. 8.5 km lineales al WNW de San Antonio, 1775m, 21 Apr 2007, J. Roque 5484 (USM); Cajamarca: Prov. Chota, a 1 km de Paraguay (Queroto-La Granja), 2250m, 7 Aug 1994, S. Leiva et al. 1390 (F); Dist. Querocoto, Hacienda La Granja, quebrada San Lorenzo, 6°22'34"S, 73°08'18"W, 2100-2500m, 2 Dec 2012, P. Gonzáles et al. 2108 (USM); Prov. Jaén, Sallique, camino entre El Espino y Tablón, 5°41'S, 79°19'W, 2500m, 25 Jul 1998, J.Campos et al. 5379 (MO, USM); Prov. San Ignacio, San José de Lourdes, Santo Tomás, 5°01'S, 78°52'W, 1900m, 7 Apr 1997, J. Campos & S. Corrales 3796 (BM, F, MO, USM); San José de Lourdes, localidad Laurel, 5°01'S, 78°56'W, 1500-1600m, 17 May 1997, J. Campos & W. Vargas 3908 (MO, MOL, USM); San José de Lourdes, 5°45'S, 78°56'W, 1020m, 18 Feb 2000, J. Campos & R. Vásquez 6472 (MO, MOL, NY, USM); Dist. Huarango, Nuevo Mundo, Caseiro Pisaguas, a 2 horas del poblado y al N, margen derecha quebrada Santa Rosa, 5°51'08"S, 78°32'12"W, 1700m, 11 Nov 1997, E. Rodríguez R. 1909 (BM, HUT, MO); Dist. San Ignacio, El Chaupe, 5°11'12"S, 79°03'12"W, 1880m, 10 Oct 2010, F. Farruggia et al. 2720 (BM, HAO, NY, UT); San José de Lourdes, campamento Zural, camino al cerro Picorana, 4°59'15"S, 78°54'03"W, 2010m, 29 Jan 1999, C. Díaz et al. 10555 (MO, MOL, USM); Tabaconas, Santuario Nacional Tabaconas-Namballe, Quebrada Chichilapa grande, 2190m, 11 Nov 1998, C. Díaz 9972 (MO,NY,USM); Along mud track between San Jose de Lourdes and Monterey de le Frontera, past the village of Diamantes, 4°59'03"S, 78°55'41"W, 1587m, 16 Apr 2013, T. Särkinen et al. 4577 (USM); Cusco: Prov. Calca, ca. 2 km up Lares branch of Calca-Quellouno rd (from junction of the Amparaes branch and the Lares branch), just above large bridge nr rd junction on way to Lares, 12°58'27"S, 72°03'32"W, 2589m, 16 Mar 2012, S. Knapp et al. 10454 (BM, USM); Prov. La Convención, Dist. Ocobamba, Versalles, 12°46'37"S, 72°16'58"W, 1853m, 21 Nov 2007, L. Valenzuela et al. 10353 (BM); Prov. Paucartambo, entre los km 128-131 de la carretera Paucartambo-Pilcopata, 2350-2400m, 4 Jul 1992, A. Cano & O. Riofrío 5402 (USM); Entre los km 126-128 de la carretera Paucartambo-Pilcopata, 2500-2600m, 5 Jul 1992, A. Cano & O. Riofrío 5516 (USM); Entre los km 128-131 de la carretera Paucartambo-Pilcopata, 2350-2400m, 4 Jul 1992, A. Cano & O. Riofrío 5455 (USM); 13°03' S, 71°33' W, 1500m, Aug 2010, P. Chambi & J. Chambi 21 (USM); Huánuco: Prov. Chinchao, San Pedro de Carpish, arriba del tunel, camino a la torre eletrica chica, 2770-2820m, 22 May 2002, I. Salinas 336 (USM); Dept. Chinchao, San Pedro de Carpish, arriba del tunel, 2770-2820m, 3 May 2005, I. Salinas & H. Beltrán 1144 (USM); Junín: Prov. Chanchamayo, on rd from San Ramon to Puyusacha, a private conservation area, 11°05'31"S, 75°24'25"W, 949m, 30 May 2013, T. Särkinen et al. 4820 (USM); Rd from San Ramón past Vitoc to Union Mantish, past Rio Chilpes, 11°15'05"S, 75°21'22"W, 1309m, 2 Jun 2013, T. Särkinen et al. 4834 (USM); Pasco: Prov. Oxapampa, 2-4 km N of Mallampampa, 10°32'S, 75°45' W, 2200-2400m, 22 Jan 1984, D.N. Smith & J. Canne 5857 (MO,USM); Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector San Daniel, zona de amortiguamiento, 10°25'36"S, 75°26'35"W, 2387m, 28 Dec 2008, M. Cueva & A. Peña 418 (HUSA,USM); Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, sector San Tunqui, camino hacia Maria Puñis, 10°16'19"S, 75°30'35"W, 1895m, 6 Feb 2009, M. Cueva & A. Peña 444 (HUSA); Dist. Huancabamba, Zona de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, Rio Chillcatambo, parte media, 10°17'28"S, 75°30'32"W, 1852m, 18 Jul 2008, A. Monteagudo et al. 16710 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, parte alta de la trocha Tunqui-Cajonpata, sector Tunqui, 10°16'15"S, 75°30'23"W, 1950m, 31 Oct 2007, A. Monteagudo et al. 15798 (USM); at Ulcumano Ecolodge nr Oxapampa, 10°38'11"S, 75°26'05"W, 2239m, 9 Jun 2013, T. Särkinen et al. 4856 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, Sector Tunqui, parte media de la quebrada Muchuy Mayo, 10°17'30"S, 75°31'05"W, 1800m, 29 Oct 2007, A. Monteagudo et al. 15724 (BM, USM); Dist. Oxapampa, parte media de la quebrada San Alberto (zona de amortiguamiento), 10°33'00"S, 75°22'39"W, 2135m, 8 May 2007, A. Monteagudo et al. 13936 (BM); Dist. Huancabamba, carretera San Daniel-Tunqui, 10°23'06"S, 73°32'54"W, 1645m, 25 May 2009, R. Vásquez et al. 35721 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, sector Tunqui, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, camino hacia Maria Punis, 10°16'31"S, 75°30'59"W, 1895m, 18 Oct 2008, M. Cueva et al. 216 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, sector Tunqui, 10°16'42"S, 75°31'01"W, 1784m, 11 Nov 2008, J.R. Ayerbe & D. Heredia 194 (USM); Dist. Huancabamba, sector San Daniel, Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, 10°26'27"S, 75°26'30"W, 2240m, 24 Feb 2009, M. Cueva & R. Rivera 474 (USM); Puno: Prov. Carabaya, Ollachea to San Gaban, 1000-2000m, 17 Jul 1978, M. Dillon et al. 1115 (MO); Prov. Carabaya, km 258-255 on rd to Juliaca from San Gaban, just before Charcaneque, 13°38'30"S, 70°28'12"W, 1550m, 19 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4029 (USM); Km 250 on rd to Juliaca from San Gaban, just before Uruhuasi, 13°41'23"S, 70°27'26"W, 1918m, 19 Mar 2012, T. Särkinen et al. 4030 (BM, USM); Prov. Sandia, 2100-2200m, 14 May 1966, R.Ferreyra 16721 (USM); San Martín: Prov. Mariscal Cáceres, between the la playa and Las Papayas camps, 7°00'S, 77°00'W, 2700m, 18 Aug 1986, K. Young 4265 (USM).

Discussion.

Solanum longifilamentum is most similar to Solanum macrotonum Bitter of Central and northern South America but these species can be distinguished based on calyx lobes (size and shape) in flower and fruit, anther: filament length ratio, and the length of the style. Solanum longifilamentum has oblong, calyx lobes 1.0-1.5 mm long that are slightly spreading in fruit, while Solanum macrotonum has smaller, 0.5-1.0 mm long, triangular lobes that are tightly appressed to the mature fruit. Filaments are a minimum of half the length of anthers in Solanum longifilamentum compared to Solanum macrotonum where filaments are always clearly smaller in relation to anthers. Styles are exerted to only 0.5-1.0 mm beyond the anther cone in Solanum longifilamentum , but extend 1.5-3.5 mm beyond the anthers in Solanum macrotonum . Although leaf shape is generally variable within most Solanum species, Solanum longifilamentum has consistently narrower, oblong-lanceolate leaves compared to the more ovate leaves of Solanum macrotonum . Other members of the Morelloid clade with which Solanum longifilamentum could be confused include Solanum americanum Mill. and Solanum pseudoamericanum Särkinen, P. Gonzáles & S.Knapp both of which have smaller anthers c. 1.0-1.5 mm long and curved or included styles, and Solanum zahlbruckneri Bitter that is a larger, broadly spreading shrub up to 2 m high, with larger, violet corollas up to 2 cm in diameter.

Some infraspecific variation in anther size and pubescence can be noted within Solanum longifilamentum . Some specimens from throughout the species range have shorter and slightly narrower anthers 1.7-2.0 mm long and 0.6-0.7 mm wide (Smith & Canne 5857; Salinas 1144; Knapp et al. 10454; Campos 5379; Cueva & Rivera 474; Gonzáles et al. 2108). These specimens also have denser leaf pubescence on both surfaces, especially on young growth, and more broadly ovate leaves. The variation appears to correlate with environmental conditions rather than geography, where with denser pubescence and smaller anthers seem to grow in drier habitats based on herbarium specimen labels plants.

Specimens belonging to this new taxon have been identified under various names, including Solanum macrotonum and Solanum nigrescens Martens & Galeotti, neither of which occur in Peru.