Piper indiwasii W. Trujillo-C & M. A. Jaram., 2022

Trujillo, William, Trujillo, Edwin Trujillo, Ortiz-Morea, Fausto Andres, Toro, Diego A. & Jaramillo, M. Alejandra, 2022, New Piper species from the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern South America, PhytoKeys 206, pp. 25-48 : 25

Piper indiwasii W. Trujillo-C & M. A. Jaram. sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 5 and 6

Type.

Colombia. Caquetá, municipio de San José del Fragua, ronda de bosque cerca al balneario Villa Collazos sobre el rio Fragua , 1°20'04"N, 75°59'28"W, 395 m elev., 14 May 2020, M. Angulo 1550 (Holotype COL, Isoptype COAH, HUA, HUAZ, UMNG) .

Diagnosis.

Piper indiwasii W. Trujillo & M. A. Jaram. can be distinguished from P. scutilimbum C. DC. (1920a:242) by many attributes. Piper indiwasii has 1-1.7 cm long petioles, 7-8 pairs of secondary veins and a narrowly spatulate leaf base extension, 0.4-0.9(1.5) cm wide, vs. P. scutilimbum , which has a 4-6 cm long petioles, 10-12 secondary veins and an obtuse and rounded leaf-base extension, 2.5-4 cm wide. Piper indiwasii occurs in the Amazon watershed, on the eastern foothills of the Andes, while P. scutilimbum occurs west of the Andes in Panama and extends to Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia.

Description.

Shrub, up to 2 m tall. Internodes 2-4(5) cm, canaliculate, green, glabrous. Prophylls not seen. Petioles are uniform in size along all axes, 1-1.7 cm long, vaginate along their entire length, canaliculate, glabrous. Leaf-blades coriaceous, drying grey to brown, uniform in size along all axes, (4.5)6-8.5 × (11)14-18 cm, elliptic, symmetric, leaf-base peltate, symmetric, with a narrowly spatulate extension, 0.4-0.9 × (0.5)1-2.3(2.5) cm, the leaf-base extension covering the petiole on sympodial nodes and orientated towards the axis on monopodial nodes, apex acuminate; leaf-blade glabrous on both surfaces, eciliate; pinnately nerved throughout, the nerves 7-8 on each side, brochidodromous, with spacing decreasing towards the base and angle uniform throughout, tertiary veins random reticulate. Inflorescences and infructescences a solitary spike, erect; peduncle 0.9-1.5 cm long, glabrous, green; rachis length in fruit (5)6-20 cm, fruits loosely grouped along the rachis. Floral bracts cucullate, triangular from above, 0.3-0.5 × 0.5-0.8 mm, glabrous on the adaxial surface, margin eciliate, not forming bands around the spike. Flowers with three stamens, filaments 0.5-0.8 mm long, anthers 0.3-0.5 × 0.2-0.3 mm long, longitudinally dehiscent, dithecous, with connective not protruding, glabrate, idioblasts not evident; stigmas 3, 0.05-1.5 mm long, sessile. Fruits obpyriform, green when alive and brown when dry, 0.6-0.8 × 0.9-1.2 mm, glabrous, partially immersed in the rachis, with stigmas persistent, 0.05-1.5 mm long, sessile. Seeds obpyriform, black.

Distribution and habitat.

Piper indiwasii is known from the Amazonian slopes of the Andes in Colombia (Departments of Putumayo, Caquetá and Guaviare), Ecuador (Provinces of Guayas, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza and Sucumbíos) and Peru (Provinces of Amazonas), from 200 to 1,608 m elevation (Fig. 2 ). It occurs in lowland (sometimes along riverbanks) and lower montane forests. It is a shade-loving species that grows in the understorey and the edges of trails of preserved forests.

Phenology.

Fruiting specimens were collected from December to June and August to October. Flowering samples were collected in March, April, May and December.

Etymology.

Piper indiwasii is named after the Inga word meaning "House of the Sun". Ingas or Inganos are an indigenous group belonging to the Quechua linguistic family. The Ingas of the Amazon foothills are made up of migratory groups from the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon, the Mocoas and some survivors of the Andaquíes. The clans are united by their location, cosmovision and the culture of “yajé” ( Banisteriopsis caapi ). Furthermore, the type specimen of this species was collected in the Alto Fragua Indi-Wasi National Park, located in San José del Fragua, Caquetá-Colombia.

Conservation status:

Piper indiwasii is not endangered. It is known from 11 subpopulations and 12 localities; it has an EOO of 1,478,359 km2 and an AOO of 52 km2. According to IUCN guidelines, it is of Least Concern (LC) as the region where it occurs is threatened by deforestation and its conservation status should be monitored.

Phylogenetic relationships.

Piper indiwasii belongs to the Neotropical clade Oxodium . Species in this group are shrubs, sometimes sarmentose. They have plinerved or pinnately nerved leaves, leaf bases are often acute or cordate and they have lax inflorescences with loosely arranged flowers ( Jaramillo et al. 2008). Piper indiwasii is closely related to P. scutilimbum . Nucleotide difference between the two Piper indiwasii ITS accession is 5 bp out of 641 (0.8%), while these sequences have a 27 bp (4%) dissimilarity with P. scutilimbum (collected in the type locality). Sequence data and leaf material were available for five species of Neotropical Piper with peltate leaves. P. subscutatum C. DC. (1869:321) and P. imberbe Trel. & Standl. ( Standley and Steyermark 1952:303-304) are in the Oxodium clade as P. indiwasii and P. scutilimbum ; P. scutifolium Yunck. (1966:123-124) is part of the Ottonia clade; and P. maxonii C. DC. (1920b:16), P. hartwegianum (Benth.) C. DC. (1869: 369) and P. candollei Sodiro (1905:202) are members of the Macrostachys clade. Neotropical Piper species with peltate leaves do not form a monophyletic group and are part of at least four clades: Oxodium , Pothomorphe , Macrostachys and Ottonia (Fig. 1 ). Further studies are needed to shed light on the convergence of this trait.

Uses by communities.

Various common names are used for P. indiwasii amongst indigenous communities in Ecuador: a) " ñahui tapa panga " (closed eye leaf) (D. Irvine & L. Cejua 1125, F, QCA); when a patient is sick and the eyes are closed even when awake, leaves are wrapped around tobacco and the smoke blown over the eyes of the patient; b) “uchi-ampar” a Shuar name, plant used against parasites, leaves and roots are used (Guerrero 171; Herrera 288, MO, QCNE); c) " palu sera aula " or the grandmother of palu sera, which is used for relieving toothache (D. Irvine 959, F, QCA).

Discussion.

After reviewing the specimens identified as P. scutilimbum from Panama and northern Colombia vs. specimens from the eastern (Amazonian) Andes slope in Colombia, Ecuador and Perú (Fig. 2 ), we found a consistent difference in the leaf base shape between collections from both regions. The obtuse and rounded leaf base extension of the type specimen from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta coincides with that of specimens collected in Panama in contrast to the narrowly spatulate base extension seen in P. indiwasi . The leaf base shape, combined with other morphological characters and geographical distribution, clearly allows Piper indiwasii to be proposed as a new species. We provide a comparative table of morphological characters for species of Piper with peltate leaves that belong to the Oxodium clade (see Table 3 ).

Specimens examined.

Colombia. Caquetá, San José del Fragua, ronda de bosque cerca al balneario Villa Collazos sobre el rio Fragua , 1°20'04"N, 75°59'28"W, 400 m elev., 29 Jun 2011 [fr], W. Trujillo et al. 1999 (COAH); Belén de los Andaquies, vereda las verdes, cerro Monserrate, entrada por dos quebradas, 1°36'38"N, 75°53'23"W, 700 m elev., 24 Jun 2011 [fr], W. Trujillo et al. 1990 (COAH); Belén de los Andaquies, Parque Natural Municipal Andaqui, cabeceras del rio pescado, 1°41'52"N, 75°54'15"W, 1608 m elev., 25 Jan 2017 [fr], N. Castaño et al. 8734 (COAH, HUA); Belén de los Andaquies, Parque Natural Municipal Andaqui, sector entre filo seco y la bocana de la quebrada las verdes, 1°37'13"N, 75°53'46"W, 600-800 m elev., 7 Feb 2017 [fr], N. Castaño et al. 9659 (COAH, HUA); Florencia, vereda Damas Arriba, finca el Mirador, 1°37'56"N, 75°41'49"W, 750 m elev., 14 Feb 2002 [fr], M. Correa et al. 2853 (COAH, UDBC) ; Guaviare, El Retorno, cerca del Retorno , granja de la Corporación Araracuara, zona ligeramente disectada, bosque intervenido, 1 Mar 1994 [fl], P. Stevenson 1168 (COAH) ; Putumayo, Villagarzón, corregimiento la Castellana, vereda la Pradera, finca el Cairo, bosque intervenido a borde de quebrada, 0°52'23"N, 76°45'27"W, 600 m elev., 10 Dec 1999 [fr], C. Marín & D. Cárdenas 1997 (COAH); Villagarzón, vereda la Kofaina, 1°01'00"N, 77°17'00"W, 550-700 m elev., 2 Sep 1993 [fr], A. Cogollo et al. 6830 (COAH, JAUM, MO) ; Ecuador. Napo, Estacion Biologica Jatun Sacha , 1°04'00"S, 77°37'00"W, 450 m elev., 10 Oct 2007 [fr], J. Homeier et al. 2834 (MO, QCA, QCNE, GOET); Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, rio Napo, 8 km debajo de Misahualli, 1°04'00"S, 77°36'00"W, 450 m elev., 17 Jan - 6 Feb 1987 [fr], C. Cerón 638 (MO, HUA); Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, rio Napo, 8 km debajo de Misahualli, 1°04'00"S, 77°36'00"W, 450 m elev., 19-28 Mar 1987 [fr], C. Cerón 1063 (HUA, MO); 9 km rio debajo de puerto Misahualli y 2 km al sur de la cuenca del rio Chinguipino, 1°05'00"S, 77°36'00"W, 430 m elev., 10 Mar 1985 [fr], D. Neill et al. 6054 (ECUAMZ, HUA, MO, NY, QCNE, US); Tena , Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, rio Napo, 8 km E of puerto Misahualli, 1°04'00"S, 77°36'00"W, 400 m elev., 18 May 1985 [fr], W. Palacios 421 (AAU, HUA, MO, NY, QCNE, US); Tena , Estación Biológica Jatun Sacha, along S bank of rio Napo, 8 km E of puerto Misahualli, 1°04'00"S, 77°36'00"W, 450 m elev., 1 Apr 1992, T. Croat 73366 (HUA, MO) [fr]; along road between Tena and Puyo, 61.5 km N of Puyo, 1°11'36"S, 77°52'34"W, 500 m elev., 22 Dec 1979 [fl], T. Croat 49657 (MO); Archidona, Parque Nacional Galeras a 1.5 km de la comunidad Santa Rosa de Arapino, 00°51'00"S, 77°31'00"W, 1230 m elev., 3 Apr 1996 [fr], H. Vargas & P. Grefa 951 (HUA, MO, QCNE); San Jose de Payamino 40 km W of Coca, 00°30'S, 77°20'W, 26 Apr 1984 [fl], D. Irvine & H. Jipa 959 (F, QCA); 1 May 1984, D. Irvine & L. Cejua 1125 (F, MO, QCA) ; Sucumbíos, Dureno, comunidad Cofan al sur del rio Aguarico , 20 km al este de Lago Agrio, 00°05'00"N, 76°40'00"W, 350 m elev., 27 Dec 1988 [fr], C. Cerón et al. 5824 (MO, HUA); Dureno, comunidad Cofan al sur del rio Aguarico , 20 km al este de Lago Agrio, 00°05'00"N, 76°40'00"W, 350 m elev., 27 Dec 1988 [fr], C. Cerón et al. 5827 (MO, HUA); Francisco de Orellana, Orellana, comunidad Shuar Tiguano al sur del Coca por la vía al Pindo , 00°44'58"S, 76°46'55"W, 300 m elev., 6-12 May 2004 [fl], W. Guerrero & A. Herrera 171 (MO, QCNE) ; Orellana, comunidad Shuar Tiguano al sur del Coca por la vía al Pindo , 00°44'58"S, 76°46'55"W, 300 m elev., 11 May 2004 [fr], A. Herrera & W. Guerrero 288 (MO, QCNE); Parque Nacional Yasuni, Rio Tiputini al noroeste de la confluencia con el Rio Tivacuno , este de la carretera Repsol-YPF, km 32 hacia NPF, Sendero Botánico Guiyero, 00°38'S, 76°30'W, 200-300 m elev., 26 Feb 2002 [fr], G. Villa 1350 (F, QCA, US) ; Peru. Amazonas, Condorcanqui, Santiago, Cerros Kampankis , Serranía entre los Rios Santiago y Morona , desde Rio Maranon hasta frontera con Ecuador , Campamento 1: Pongo Shenin , 03°07'01.52"S, 77°46'55.14"W, 520 m elev., 3 Aug 2011 [fr], I. Huamantupa 15217 (USM, F) .

Figures

Figure 1. Phylogenetic relationships of species described in this manuscript, based on Maximum Likelihood analysis of nrITS sequences. New species are shown in bold. Species with peltate leaves are underlined. Numbers above branches are ML bootstrap support values (> 80).

Figure 2. The locality of four new Piper species from the Andes eastern slopes of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Figure 5. Piper indiwasii A sympodial branch B lower leaf surfaces and details of the petiole C magnified view of the infructescence D floral bract view from above E floral bract side view F fruit side view G seed side view. Illustration by Marcela Morales based on Angulo 1550, COAH.

Figure 6. Piper indiwasii A sympodial branch upper leaf surfaces B sympodial branch lower leaf surfaces C erect spikes. Photos from E. Trujillo 7249 by G. Delgado.