Philodendron niqueanum Croat

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 niqueanum Croat ( Fig. 8B)

Material examined. Serranía de Pirre, along steep narrow ridge from Alturas de Nique to Cerro Pirre, ca 9 km from Alturas de Nique, ca 8 km W of Cana gold mine, virgin cloud forest, lower montane rain forest (Holdrige Life Zone System); 07°49′N, 077°43′W; 1480–1520 m; 27 Jul. 1976; T. B. Croat 37886 ( MO). Parque Nacional Darién, Serranía de Pirre, Rancho Plástico; 07°59′13″N, 077°42′28″W; 1127 m; 30 Jul. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2649 ( PMA). Ibid.; 07°58′54″N, 077°42′30″W; 1128 m; 31 Jul. 2016; O. O. Ortiz 2652 ( PMA).

Identification. This species is characterized by having thick and short internodes; persistent and intact cata- phylls, terete petioles, and blades almost as long as the petioles, which are narrowly ovate, dark brown when dry, and cordulate to subcordate at base with V-shaped sinus. Due to its morphological characteristics, this species can not be confused with any other species of Cerro Pirre.

Distribution and ecology. Endemic to Panama. On Cerro Pirre, this species only ocurrs in montane cloud forests above 1100 m. It represents a rare species, because fewer than 25 individuals of this species could be observed during the samplings.