Renealmia elianae J.C. Ospina & Pozner, 2013

Ospina, Juan C. & Pozner, Raúl E., 2013, A new species of Renealmia (Zingiberaceae) from Colombia, Phytotaxa 130 (1), pp. 50-54 : 51

Renealmia elianae J.C. Ospina & Pozner , sp. nov., Fig. 1

Renealmia elianae is morphologically similar to R. puberula in its plant size, plicate leaves, inflorescences a thyrse, similar indument of reproductive structures, and color of both seeds and arils. It differs from that species in its apical inflorescence on leafy stems (basal on short bracteate shoots in R. puberula ), labellae 3.0–3.6(–4.0) mm (versus 9– 10 mm in R. puberula ), whitish to translucent, smooth and membranaceous (versus white to yellow, herbaceous, wrinkled in R. puberula ), corolla 5.0–6.0(–6.5) mm (versus ca. 12 mm in R. puberula ), and epigynous glands 2.0– 2.5 mm (versus 0.8–1.5 mm in R. puberula ). Renealmia elianae shares with R. cernua Macbride (1931: 14) the apical inflorescence on leafy stems, but it differs by the leaf blades obovate, plicate (narrowly elliptic, non-plicate in R. cernua ), inflorescence thyrsoid (spiciform in R. cernua ), bracteoles widely divided, green (entire, yellow in R. cernua ), calyx urceolate and flowers whitish to translucent (calyx tubular and flowers yellow to red-orange in R. cernua ).

Type:— COLOMBIA. Quindío: Circasia, Vereda Rio Bamba , finca La Secreta , 1600 m, May 2009, J. C. Ospina González 255 (holotype COL!, isotypes FAUC!, HUQ!, SI!) .

Plants rhizomatous, growing in dense groups, 70–100 cm, with ginger-like fragance. Stems erect, herbaceous, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter. Sheaths (8–)10–25 × 3.8–5.0 cm, light green to whitish, coriaceous to herbaceous, abaxial surfaces sparsely with malpighian (T-shaped) trichomes at the distal end. Ligules 2.90– 9.61 mm, membranaceous, with sparse trichomes. Petioles absent. Blades obovate, 40–55 × 33–35 cm, coriaceous, bases attenuate, apices acuminate; adaxial sides dark shiny green, glabrous, secondary nerves prominent (plicate blade); abaxial sides light green, pubescent. Inflorescences oblong, 15–20 × 7–10 cm, apical thyrses crowning every foliose stem, subtended by a bract 15–20 cm, narrowly oblong, acuminate; bracts of the inflorescence rachises narrowly triangular, subtending 3–4 flowered cincinnae (base and median zone of the inflorescence) or 1–2-flowered cincinnae (at the apex of the inflorescence), bracteoles tubular, margins open. Calices urceolate, 6–7 mm, dark green, coriaceous, with malpighian (T-shaped) trichomes. Corollas lobulate, 5.0–6.0(–6.5) mm, whitish, with malpighian (T-shaped) trichomes and glandular dots; labellae widely spathulate, 3.0–3.6(–4.0) mm, smooth, translucent to whitish at base, membranaceous, revolute margins sinuate, with malpighian (T-shaped) trichomes. Staminodia 2, linear, minute, lateral, 0.7–1.2 mm, green to purple, with malpighian (T-shaped) trichomes; Stamens 1, appressed to the style, filament long, anthers oblong, 1.3–1.5(–1.8) mm, white with red dots. Stigmas capitate, 0.6–1.0 mm, yellow to greenish, papillose; styles terete, 9.0– 9.5 mm, white, smooth, glabrous; ovaries ovoid, 2.8–3.0 mm, dark green, densely pubescent; epigynous glands 2.0– 2.5 mm, white, surrounding the style base. Fruits capsules ellipsoid, 5.3–7.8 × 7.0– 8.5 mm, dark red to black, pericarp 1.0– 1.5 mm thick, densely pubescent. Seeds ovoid- asymmetrical, 3.0– 3.6 mm in diameter, yellow to black. Arils orange.

Etymology:—Dedicated to Eliana K. Quintana Ángel, the biologist who first found a population of this species.

Distribution:— Renealmia elianae grows in a relictual premontane forest, surrounded by an agricultural area with cattle grazing, from the median zone of the Central Andes (“Cordillera Central”) of Colombia, along the western slopes, in Municipio Circasia, between 1500 and 1700 m elevation.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— COLOMBIA. Quindío: Vereda Rio Bamba , finca La Secreta , 1600 m, 11 October 2005, E. Méndez 3987 (COL, HUQ); 3 June 2008, J. C. Ospina & E. Méndez 164 (COL, HUA, HUQ); 15 August 2010, G. D. Cano & J. C. Ospina s.n. (COL, FAUC, HUA). Vereda Mesopotamia, Finca Mesopotamia , 1650 m, April 2009, J. C. Ospina 215, 216 (COL, FAUC, HUA); May 2009, J. C. Ospina 256 (COL, FAUC, HUA).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Renealmia elianae. A, habit. B, cincinnus with bract of the rachis. C, flower, lateral view with bracteole. D, flower, front view. E, epigynous glands, style, stigma, and fertile stamen (corolla partially removed). F, labellum and staminodia (style and fertile stamen on the left). G, fruit with persistent sepals, part of pericarp has been removed to show the seeds. H, malpighian T-shaped trichome. Drawn by Francisco Rojas from J. C. Ospina González 255 (holotype COL).