Philodendron panamense K. Krause

Ortiz, Orlando Oriel, de Stapf, María Sánchez, Baldini, Riccardo Maria & Croat, Thomas Bernard, 2019, Synopsis of aroids (Alismatales, Araceae) from Cerro Pirre (Darién Province, Panama), Check List 15 (4), pp. 651-689 : 680

Philodendron panamense K. Krause

Material examined. Middle slopes on W side of Cerro Pirre; 07°56′N, 077°45′W; 800–1050 m; 29 Jun. 1988; T. B. Croat 68951 ( MO). Parque Nacional Darién, vicin- ity of Cerro Pirre base camp, along trail near E side of Río Paracida; 08°00′N, 077°48′W; 0–80 m; 1 Jul. 1988; T. B. Croat 68991 ( MO). Cerro Pirre, vicinity of station along Río Perisenico; 08°01′N, 077°44′W; 110 m; 26 Jul. 1994; T. B. Croat 77100 ( MO). Parque Nacional del Darién, Estación Rancho Frío at N base of Cerro Pirre, ca 9 km S of El Real, along Quebrada Perisenico, in forest; 08°01′N, 077°44′W; 70–270 m; 8 Oct. 1987; B. Hammel 16131 ( MO). Ibid., Cerro Pirre, Rancho Frío; 08°01′16″N, 077°44′04″W; 103 m; 13 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2546 ( PMA). Ibid., campamento cerca del segundo mirador; 07°59′49″N, 077°42′43″W; 610 m; 2 Dec. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2714 ( PMA). Ibid.; O. O. Ortiz 2722 ( PMA). Ibid., Rancho Frío; 08°01′14″N, 077°43′41″W; 143 m; 13 Apr. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2816 ( PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by its nomadic vine life form (appressed-climbing habit), short internodes, persistent intact or semi-intact cataphylls, terete and striated petioles, broadly ovate blades with parabolic to hypocrepiform sinus, and inflorescences with slightly curved peduncles with greenish spathe tubes externally, greenish spathe blades internally and whitish externally. In the study area, P. panamense can be confused with P. lazorii Croat due to the similarity in its cataphylls and the blade shape (see the notes for P. lazorii ).

Distribution and ecology. Colombia and Panama. Philodendron panamense is common throughout the semideciduous and evergreen forests of Cerro Pirre, between 90 and 800 m.