Graffenrieda penneysii Michelang. & C. Ulloa, 2013

Michelangeli, Fabián A. & Ulloa, Carmen Ulloa, 2013, A new species of Graffenrieda (Melastomataceae) from the Andes in Southern Ecuador, Phytotaxa 77 (3), pp. 43-48 : 44-47

Graffenrieda penneysii Michelang. & C. Ulloa , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–2 )

Graffenrieda penneysii is characterized by its calyptrate calyx and four-merous flowers. It differs from other species with those characters by the presence of minute, sessile, glandular trichomes and the absence of scales and stellate trichomes on the abaxial surface of the leaf.

Type:— ECUADOR. Zamora-Chinchipe: Estación Científica San Francisco , transect 2, 3˚ 58.651’ S , 79˚ 04.455’ W, 2150 m, 26 November 2005 (fl, fr) , D. S. Penneys 1891 (holotype QCA!; isotypes CAS!, FLAS!, MO!, NY!) .

Shrub or treelet, up to 7 m tall. Indumentum on the young branches, petioles, both leaf surfaces, inflorescences, hypanthium, and calyx [in bud] of minute, sessile, spherical glandular trichomes. Young stems obscurely quadrangular and grooved, later becoming terete, the nodes slightly enlarged, nodal line absent. Leaves isophyllous or nearly so, petioles 0.6–1.5 cm long, reddish-brown, the blade 4–8.7 × 1.3–3.6 cm, ovate, moss green to bright green and shiny above, paler and dull beneath, chartaceous, the apex acuminate to acute, the apex tip up to 1.8 cm long, the base acute to broadly acute, often narrowing below the attachment of the first pair of secondary veins, the margins mostly entire, slightly revolute from the middle and towards the base, and strongly revolute at the base, accumulating detritus and forming mite domatia in some of the older leaves; with two pairs of secondary veins, shortly plinerved to basally nerved, the first pair of secondary veins diverging up to 0.4 cm above the base, symmetrical, tertiary veins percurrent, evenly spaced every ca. 2 mm, quaternary veins faint and running from tertiary to tertiary veins, the veins flat to slightly raised on the adaxial surface, strongly raised on the abaxial surface and tinged reddish-brown. Inflorescences terminal, paniculate, 3–5 cm long; bracts [not seen] and bracteoles early caducous, the bracteoles ca. 2 mm long, widely ovate, reflexed at apex. Flowers 4-merous, the pedicel 2.8–3.5 mm long. Hypanthium 3–3.6 mm long, cylindrical to narrowly campanulate, 2.9–3.2 mm wide at the torus, the internal surface with 8 faint ridges and the indumentum sparsely granulose-glandulose; androecial fringe absent. Calyx calyptrate, pale green, 3.5–4.1 mm long right before anthesis, often with four apical lobes up to 0.3 mm long, rupturing irregularly 0.8–1.1 mm above the torus; calyx outer teeth absent. Petals 6–6.5 × 2.5–2.8 mm, rhombic to oblanceolate, spreading, white at anthesis, glabrous, the apex acute, the base truncate, the margin entire, slightly incurved towards the apex. Stamens 8, isomorphic to slightly dimorphic, flexed to the lower side of the flower at anthesis; filaments 1.9–2 mm long, glabrous, pale yellow, greenish towards the base, anthers with two locules, the thecae 3.3–3.5 × 0.6 mm, yellow, dorsally arcuate, ventrally corrugate towards the base, the apex acuminate, opening by one ventrally-oriented minute pore, the connective not prolonged, but with a dorsal, acute spur up to 0.3 mm long, pale yellow, glabrous. Ovary 3-locular, superior, 1.7–1.8 mm long, ca. 1.3 mm diam., cylindrical, with 6 longitudinal ridges, the apex with a corona of six irregular teeth up to 0.6 mm long; style 7.1–8.5 mm long, straight, the apex bending upwards, away from the anthers, white, glabrous; stigma punctiform, ca. 0.3 mm wide. Capsules 4.2–4.5 × 3.9–4 mm, with eight faint ridges at maturity, green turning reddish-brown, the indumentum of sessile glandular trichomes mostly persistent when mature, dehiscing apically, the hypanthium later tearing at the apex; seeds numerous, linear pyramidate to cuneiform, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm, light brown.

Habitat and Distribution: — Graffenrieda penneysii is known from a small area in the uppermost part of the Eastern Cordillera in the south Ecuadorian Andes along the area bordering the Loja and Zamora- Chinchipe provinces. This mountainous area is known as the Cordillera or nudo (knot) de Sabanilla. The treelets grow on the steep slopes in evergreen upper montane forests which are subject to extremely wet conditions most of the year. The forest canopy heights attain up to 12–15 m; a full description of the vegetation of the area is given in Homeier et al. (2008).

Etymology:— We dedicate this new species to Darin S. Penneys who has made significant contributions to our understanding of Melastomataceae systematics, evolution, taxonomy, and morphology.

Conservation Status:— The three populations of Graffenrieda penneysii so far known have an Area of Occupancy (AOO) of 27 km 2 in evergreen moist montane forests: one, south of the city of Loja, in the private Tapichalaca Reserve on the Yangana-Valladolid road, and the other two east of Loja on the road to Zamora, in the private Estación Científica San Francisco. These reserves are adjacent to the Yacurí and the Podocarpus National Parks respectively, but at present no collections are recorded from within the Parks. The Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is 113.4 km 2 and it should occur within the Parks boundaries. In terms of our current knowledge, the species is assigned a provisional IUCN conservation status of Endangered, following the IUCN guidelines and criteria ( IUCN 2001, 2011).

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— ECUADOR. Loja / Zamora-Chinchipe: Tapichalaca Reserve , between Yangana and Valladolid, 4˚29’ S 79 ˚08’W, 2530 m, 16 October 2004 (fl), J . Homeier , M . Lehnert , N . Madl & S . Meusel 1455 (LOJA, MO!, QCNE) . Zamora-Chinchipe: Road Loja – Zamora , app. 5 km E on pass on new road, 3˚58’ S 79 ˚07’W, 2300 m, 1 September 1988 (fl), J . Madsen & L . Ellemann 75161 ( AAU, QCA!); Estación Científica San Francisco , Loja – Zamora km 35, 3˚58’28” S, 79˚04’29’’W-3˚58’20” S , 79˚04’23’’, Quebrada del Consuelo , 2000 m, 8 February 2003 (fl), D. Fernández & J . Quesada 958 ( MO!,

QCNE!); 8 February 2003 (fr) D. Fernández & J. Quesada 986 ( QCNE!); transecto T2 , 1978– 2250 m, 31 May 2010 (fl, fr), C. Ulloa, D. Fernández & D. Veintimilla 1804 (LOJA!, MO!, NY!, QCA!); 2100 m, 24 October 2006 (fl, fr) , F. Werner , G. Mendieta , J. Waltermathe 2104 (LOJA, MO!, QCA!) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Graffenrieda penneysii. A. Flowering branch. B. Leaf, adaxial surface, and detail of the base and margin. C. Detail of inflorescence. D. Flower at anthesis, frontal view. E. Petal. F. Flower just before anthesis, lateral view. G. Flower after anthesis in longitudinal section. H. Stamens in dorsal, ventral and lateral view. I. Ovary in cross section, longitudinal section and lateral view. J. Detail of infructescence. K. Fruit in longitudinal section [drawn from Penneys 1891 (FLAS, NY).]

FIGURE 2. Flower of Graffenrieda penneysii at anthesis (photo of the type collection from D. S. Penneys).