Dilkea nitens Feuillet, 2011

Feuillet, Christian, 2011, Two new species of Dilkea subgenus Dilkea (Passifloraceae) from Loreto, Peru, PhytoKeys 2, pp. 1-8 : 5

Dilkea nitens Feuillet sp. nov. Fig. 2

Latin

Dilkea nitens foliis anguste ovatis a generis Dilkea speciebus mihi notis distincta. Liana vel frutex; in Loreto (Peruvia) crescit.

Type:

PERU. Loreto: Maynas, Pena Negra, 25 km SW of Iquitos, 3°38.6666'S, 73°20.15'W, 1 Aug 1972, fr., T.B. Croat 18649 (holotype: US-2788507!; isotype: MO!)

"Shrub or vine" (fide Croat 18649), growth continuous, internodes subequal or varying gradually in size, twigs with internodes 0.5-1.5 cm long, drying pale brown; glabrous throughout. Stipules not seen. Leaf: petiole terete, 1.5-3 cm long, drying pale brown except for the basal 1/3-1/2 pulvinus, slightly swollen and drying black; blades coriaceous, narrowly ovate, 8.5-19 × 5-6 cm, widest near base, base round, apex acute or round and short–acuminate, margin undulated (in herb., probably because of the dorsiventrally curved midrib), drying pale brown, somewhat shiny, midrib dorsiventrally curved, adaxially raised, abaxially strongly raised, main veins clearly visible abaxially, 12-18 each side of the midrib of well-developed leaves. Inflorescences subterminal by abscission of the apical stem meristem; peduncle as thick as or thicker than the stem bearing it, much shorter than the petioles, ca. 5 mm long, forming apically a nearly flat surface bearing 1-6 flowers; bracts scale–like, triangular, less than 1 mm long; pedicels sub-null to 0.2 cm long. Flowers not seen. Fruits sub-spherical, 4 × 3 cm including a 3-4 mm long narrow apical cone, wall less than 1 mm thick, rigid and brittle, seen immature green; seeds not seen, brown (fide Croat 18649), few.

Distribution.

Dilkea nitens is known only by the type collection from Loreto (Peru). The geographical coordinates are taken from a gazetteer ( USBGN 1989).

Ecology.

The label does not give any information about the habitat.

Phenology.

It had immature fruits in August.

Preliminary conservation status.

Dilkea nitens is only known from the type collection from Maynas, Loreto, Peru. The data are insufficient to assess an informed status for this species, therefore I suggest that it be classified as DD (Data Deficient) according to IUCN (2001, 2003) categories.

Discussion.

In subgenus Dilkea where most species have oblanceolate to obovate leaf blades, Dilkea nitens is clearly identified by its narrowly ovate leaf blades, widest a quarter of the length from the base or less, a character shared only with Dilkea margaritae Cervi from Mato Grosso (Brazil) which, in contrast with Dilkea nitens , is a low shrub with 3.5-7 cm long axillary pedicels.

Etymology.

The epithet coming from the Latin adjective nitens (= shiny), refers to the upper surface of the leaves, in contrast with Dilkea hebes , another species from Loreto described above.

Figures

Figure 2. Holotype of Dilkea nitens Feuillet: T. B. Croat 18649 (US).