Palmorchis carlos-parrae Szlach. & Baranow, 2013

Szlachetko, Dariusz L. & Baranow, Przemysław, 2013, New species of Palmorchis Barb. Rodr. (Orchidaceae) from Colombia, Candollea 68 (1), pp. 105-113 : 107-108

1. Palmorchis carlos-parrae Szlach. & Baranow , spec. nova

( Fig. 1 ).

Typus OLOMBIA. Amazonas: Rio Caqueta. Frente a la isla del Tigre , zona aluvial., 200 m, 26.IX.1988, G. Galeano & A. Mirana 1939 (holo-: COL [ 380214 ]!).

Differs from other species of the genus by the larger flowers, thin floral segments, distinctly three-lobed lip, the lip lateral lobes falcate, acute, and the lip middle lobe acute.

Plants terrestrial, up to 80 cm tall, maybe more, leafy. Leaves petiolate; sheath and petiole to 20(-25) cm long, narrow, canaliculate; blade to 60(-62) cm long and 13 cm wide, oblong-elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, acute to acuminate. Inflorescence a panicle, 7(-15) cm long or more, branching, densely many-flowered, apical; rachis furfuraceous. Flowers large for the genus, opening successively, flower segments thin. Floral bracts to 30(-40) mm long, lanceolate, pubescent on both surfaces. Pedicel and ovary 18 mm long, glabrous. Dorsal sepal 32 mm long, 3 mm wide, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, concave near the centre, 5-nerved. Petals 28 mm long, 2 mm wide, oblong-linear, sigmoid, rounded at apex, 3-nerved, lateral nerves branching apically. Lateral sepals 32 mm long, 3 mm wide, linear-lanceolate to oblong-linear, sigmoid, long-acuminate, 5-nerved. Lip 26 mm long in total, distinctly 3-lobed near the apical third, glabrous; epichile 19 mm long, 11 mm wide, narrowly triangular, broadest just below apex, with two lamellae running in the apical third, lateral lobes falcate, acute; hypochile 9 mm long, 4 mm wide, oblong-ovate to elliptic, long-acuminate, margins somewhat undulate. Gynostemium 16 mm long, erect, slender, with a tuft of segmented hairs just below stigma only.

Etymology. – Dedicated to Dr Carlos Parra, the curator of COL.

Ecology. – Terrestrial on lateritic soil, in wet areas.

Distribution. – Known from the Colombian departments of Amazonas and Chocó.

Representative specimens – COLOMBIA. Chocó: Mpio. de Nuqui. Quebrada Chaqui . 77°16’W 5°40’N, 200 m, II-III.1994, G. Galeano & al. 4649 ( COL!) ; Trail from Río Mecana to Alto de Mecana . Lateritic soil, mostly on ridge top, 6°15’N 77°25’W, 100-500 m, 6.III.1983, A. Gentry & A. Juncosa 41006 ( COL!).

Notes. – Palmorchis carlos-parrae is unique in the genus, not similar to any other species known to us. It is characterized by the large habit and leaves. Its flowers are also relatively large as for the genus, with segments exceeding 30 mm in length. The lip is prominently 3-lobed, with the lateral lobes of the hypochile acute, falcate and the apex of midlobe longacuminate. The surface of the lip is glabrous with two short lamellae near the lip centre.

Figures

Fig. 1. – Palmorchis carlos-parrae Szlach. & Baranow. A. Dorsal sepal; B. Lateral sepal; C. Petal; D. Lip; E. Gynostemium. [Galeano & Mirana 1939, COL] [Drawn by A. Król]