Pinguicula jimburensis A.J.Perez , Tobar & T.Henning, 2023

Perez, Alvaro J., Tobar, Francisco, Burgess, Kevin S. & Henning, Tilo, 2023, Contributions to Ecuadorian butterworts (Lentibulariaceae, Pinguicula): two new species and a re-evaluation of Pinguicula calyptrata, PhytoKeys 222, pp. 153-171 : 153

Pinguicula jimburensis A.J.Perez, Tobar & T.Henning sp. nov.

Fig. 1

Type.

Ecuador, Loja, Cantón Espíndola, Parroquia Jimbura, Parque Nacional Yacuri , Lagunas Negras de Jimbura , 04°42'46"S, 79°25'50"W, 3400 m, 9 Oct 2022, Á.J. Pérez et al. 11891 (holotype QCA (fl, fr, spirit collection) barcode: 245581; isotype LOJA (fl) barcode: 43489) .

Diagnosis.

Pinguicula jimburensis belongs to Pinguicula sect. Ampullipalatum and is closely allied to the other North Andean species of the section ( P. calyptrata , P. ombrophila and P. rosmarieae ). With the latter two it shares the lack of involute leaf margins, but clearly differs from them in its terrestrial habit (vs. litho-/epiphytic) and morphologically by the oblong leaves (vs. widely ovate to rounded). The flowers of P. jimburensis lack a distinct yellow palate, a character shared with P. involuta and the Peruvian endemic P. rosmarieae , but the evenly bent, tooth-like spur is unique among related species. First and foremost, P. jimburensis is characterized by erect leaves that are shallow and irregularly lobed. This character is, despite a terminological similarity with the leaves of only distantly related P. elongata , unique among all South American taxa.

Description.

Terrestrial, perennial rosette leaved herb with 1 (-2) flowering scapes. Rhizome ~5 mm long, with numerous fibrous roots 1.5-6 cm long. Leaves (4-) 5-7, erect from the ground, ± succulent, red and fussed with green along the medvein, drying dark purple, (15-) 18-52 (-60) mm long × (2-) 3-8 (-9) mm width, the blades oblong, rounded at the tip, slightly attenuated to the base into a enveloping petiole, the margins are irregularly shallowly lobed, upper surface of lamina covered with stalked glandular hairs. Hibernacula (winter buds, dormant buds) absent. Scapes 1-2 (-3), erect, (30-) 40-60 (-85) mm tall, terete, filiform (0.5-1 mm thick), one-flowered, red, scattered with stalked glandular hairs. Flowers small, 10-12 (-15) mm long (including tube-spur-complex). Calyx two-lipped, red, upper surface of sepals scattered with stalked glandular hairs; upper lip divided into three nearly equal-sized oblong lobes, at apex pointed; lower lip up to ¼ divided into two lobes, but appearing to be entire. Corolla two-lipped, purple-whitish with white lobes; upper lip two-lobed, lobes obovate, ~4-6 mm long and ~3-4.2 mm wide, shallowly notched at the apex; lower lip larger and longer than the upper lip, with three obovate-oblong lobes (the median lobe somewhat larger than the two lateral ones), ~4.5-6 mm wide, each distinctly (up to 1/3 of its length) notched. Tube (tube-spur-complex) at the throat funnel-shaped, on both sides broader than the spur, on the back side higher than the spur, proximally cylindrical (nearly as long as wide), on the ventral side merging without any sharp angle into the cylindrical to cone-like stubby, carnassial tooth-like, at apex tapered white to yellow spur, ~6 mm long; the tube-spur-complex externally whitish -blue to purple lengthwise-striped by parallel veins. Palate simple, weakly developed (not clapper-like), inserted immediately behind (~1-2 mm) the corollas´ lower-lip middle lobe, blue, set with short-stalked glandular hairs, proximally elongated into a short ventral hair strip; each of the two lateral corolla lobes with short-stalked glandular hairs, stretching proximally along on each side of the inner tube wall. Stamens 2, filaments 1.2-2 mm long, anthers dorsifixed, 1 mm, oval, transverse dehiscing. Ovary 1.2 mm, rounded, slightly covered with short-stalked glandular hairs to glabrescent, style 0.5 mm long, stigma 0.5 mm long, campanulate, glabrous. Capsule 3-4 mm, rounded, slightly covered with short-stalked glandular hairs to glabrescent, splitting in 2 valves. Seed numerous, alveolate, ellipsoid, 0.5-0.8 mm long, yellow. Chromosome number unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the type locality, Lagunas Negras de Jimbura, which is part of the Yacuri National Park in the Ecuadorian provinces of Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe.

Distribution, habitat and associated vegetation.

Specimens of P. jimburensis have so far only been collected around the Lagunas Negras de Jimbura in the Yacuri National Park in the province of Loja. As a result, P. jimburensis is endemic and thus far only known growing between the grass and shrubby paramo vegetation around the lagoon complex, especially in swampy areas (Figs 2 , 3 ). According to the Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (2013), this locality lies within a much larger zone dominated by the ecosystem named arbustal siempreverde montano alto del Páramo del sur. Inhabitants of this area call this type of vegetation “paramillo” and the environment is characterized by a constant cloudiness and drizzle with strong winds. The vegetation is dominated by the herbs Oritrophium sp. Paepalanthus lodiculoides Moldenke, Chusquea spp. and Phlegmariurus spp., between the shrubby vegetation dominated by Chuquiraga jussieui J.F. Gmel., Monticalia peruviana (Pers.) C. Jeffrey and Miconia spp. Additionally, Pinguicula calyptrata has been collected in this locality ( Pérez et al. 8690, 8755, QCA; Figs 2 , 3 ). The border between Ecuador and Peru is only about 3 km in a straight line from the type locality, hence P. jimburensis could also occur in Peru.

Conservation status.

Only one population of approximately 50 mature individuals of this species was discovered at the type locality at the Yacuri National Park. The habitat is very close to the shore of the Laguna Negra and exposed to human activities related to spiritual rituals. Additionally, the trail that connects the lagoon complex closely passes by the population of this new species. According to the IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2022) this species is assessed as Vulnerable (VU, Criterion D2).

Affinities.

P. jimburensis apparently is a close ally of P. calyptrata as are all Ecuadorian and Andean taxa. A similar atypical leaf orientation, with erect, elongated leaves can only be found in P. elongata Benj. from Colombia and Venezuela. This strange species is, contrary to traditional placements ( Ernst 1961, Casper 1966), not closely related to the other Southern American taxa, but represents an isolated lineage with affinities to Mexican and European clades, as a recent molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown ( Shimai et al. 2021). Moreover, the leaves of P. jimburensis are only slightly elongated and otherwise flat with a distinct abaxial and adaxial leaf lamina and not involute as the almost filiform leaves of P. elongata , with the abaxial leaf surface sometimes completely hidden. Furthermore, the leaf margins of P. jimburensis are irregularly, shallowly lobed, a unique character among Pinguicula from South America so far. With the lack of a yellow palate and the evenly narrowed spur that resembles the ripper tooth of a predatory mammal in shape, the flowers appear more similar to those of P. involuta than to typical flowers of P. calyptrata . The latter is characterized by the presence of a yellow palate and the spur, although very variable, usually has a stubby apex preceded by a narrower or at least straight section that is rather abruptly angled downwards after the throat. Both P. jimburensis and P. involuta lack a yellow palate and the thorn-shaped, regular curved spurs in both taxa are evenly narrowed towards the apex. However, P. involuta has a very different leaf morphology and is overall a much smaller taxon distributed much further south. P. jimburensis cannot be confused with any other American Pinguicula species based on the exceptional leaf morphology and orientation.

Additional specimens examined

(paratypes). Ecuador. Loja. Cantón Espíndola, Parroquia Jimbura, Parque Nacional Yacuri , Lagunas Negras de Jimbura , 04°42'S, 79°25'W, 3550 m, 10 Sept 2001 (fl), P. Lozano & R. Bussmann 7 (LOJA, barcode: 31115); ibid, 04°42'46"S, 79°25'50"W, 3100-3200 m, 15 Oct 2018 (fl), G. Salazar et al. 10191 (QCNE, barcode: 263036) .

Photographic evidence.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/138176370.

Figures

Figure 1. Pinguicula jimburensis A flowering plant of in lateral view B stands of P. jimburensis at the Lagunas Negras de Jimbura C upper view of the rosette D flower, frontal view E ditto, lateral view F ditto, with yellow spur G young capsule H plant with developing flower bud. (A-H from A. J. Perez et al. 11891). Photos by Kabir Montesinos.

Figure 2. Habitats of the new species and associated P. calyptrata A-C Lagunas Negras de Jimbura A swampy areas between rocks next to the Lagoons where P. jimburensis is found B neighboring stand of P. calyptrata C flower of P. calyptrata, frontal view D-G Reserva Biologica Cerro Plateado D small stand of P. ombrophila growing on a vertical rock face E single plant on top of a rock overhang F rosette of sympatric P. calyptrata G ditto, flower in frontal view. Photos: A-C by Kabir Montesinos; D-G by Alvaro J. Perez.

Figure 3. Map showing the distribution of Pinguicula spp. in Ecuador and illustrating the morphological spectrum of P. calyptrata observed from north to south. The yellow circles mark the respective localities sampled (locality name in italics). The two new species (P. jimburensis = red star, P. ombrophila = green star) are both found at the southern end of Ecuador near the border to Peru and well within the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone (dashed line).