Croton condorensis: an enigmatic new species of Euphorbiaceae from southern Ecuador Riina, Ricarda Vigo, Marco A. Cerón, Carlos E. Phytotaxa 2014 2014-04-04 164 2 154 158 6BJ8P Riina & Ceron Riina & Ceron 2014 [151,551,215,240] Magnoliopsida Euphorbiaceae Croton Plantae Malpighiales 1 155 Tracheophyta species condorensis sp. nov.  The new species is similar to members of sect.  Cyclostigmabut it differs from these species in its narrowly ovate leaves, smooth seeds, and the lack of colored latex.   Type:—  ECUADOR. Zamora-Chinchipe: Cantón Yantzaza, Parroquia las Peñas, Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Cóndor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del río Machinaza, 03°46.27'S, 78°29.12'W,  1600 m,  1 November 2011, fl.,  C.E. Cerón, C.I. Reyes, P. Gamboa, A. Imaysela& F. Libiapoma70424( holotype QAP!,  isotypes COL!,  MA!,  MICH!,  QCNE!).  Monoecious shrubs or small trees 2–5 mhigh, ca. 5–6 cmDBH; young branches with a dense ferrugineous indumentum of stellate trichomes; bark of old branches smooth, brown-ferrugineous; latex not evident. Stipules linear, 1.5–2 mmlong, with stellate trichomes, one ovoid colleter at the apex, sometimes with colleters along the margins. Petiole 1–3 cm× 1 mm, with a dense indumentum of stellate trichomes; petiolar glands 2–4, patelliform, margins usually undulate, acropetiolar, subsessile to shortly stipitate, attached to the petiole on the abaxial surface. Leaf blade narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 5–11 × 2.3–4.5 cm; adaxial surface with scattered stellate trichomes; abaxial surface with a dense indumentum of stellate trichomes; apex acute to slightly acuminate; base rounded to cordate; margin slightly dentate with numerous ovoid colleters (no longer functional) at the tip of the teeth; venation pinnate, secondary veins in 9–12 pairs, brochidodromous, raised on both surfaces, veinlets visible. Inflorescences usually terminal, sometimes axillary, nodding, 2–12 cmlong, axis costate, with a dense indumentum of stellate trichomes; lower cymules bisexual, unisexual cymules with staminate flowers regularly spaced along the axis; bracts triangular, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm. Staminate flowers pedicellate, pedicel 1–6 mmlong; sepals 5, ovate with acuminate apex, 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, adaxial surface with scattered simple trichomes, abaxial surface with a dense indumentum of stellate trichomes, margin with simple trichomes; petals obovate, 3–4 × 1.8–2.2 mm, with scattered simple trichomes on both surfaces and along the margin; receptacle densely covered by simple trichomes; stamens (20)30–35(40); filaments 1–2 mmlong, pilose, anthers 0.8–1 × 0.4–0.6 mm. Pistillate flowers pedicellate; pedicel 5–25 mmlong; sepals 5, triangular-lanceolate, valvate, sometimes slightly imbricate at the base in young flowers, persistent, 5–8 × 3–4 mm, adaxial surface with scattered simple trichomes, abaxial surface with scattered stellate trichomes, margin pilose; petals absent; ovary densely covered with stellate-porrect trichomes; styles bifid from near the base (6 terminal tips), 1.5–2 mmlong, covered with simple trichomes. Fruits subglobose, slightly trilobed, 7–10 × 6–8 mm, densely covered with stellate trichomes; columella 5–7 mmlong, tip truncate, without conspicuous lobes. Seeds ovoid, smooth, shiny, dark brown or marbled, 6–7 × 4–5 mm, caruncle inconspicuous, 0.3–0.4 × 0.5–0.6 mm.   Distribution and habitat:—This species appears to be restricted to the Ecuadorian side of the sandstone plateaus of the Cordillera del Cóndor in the province of Zamora-Chinchipe( Fig. 2). It occurs in sclerophyllous shrubby vegetation in 1600–1900 mof elevation.   Common name:—Uruchmas (Shuar).    Additional specimens ( paratypes) examined:— ECUADOR. Zamora Chinchipe: Cantón Yantzaza, Parroquia las Peñas, Kinross Aurelian, Fruta del Norte, Cordillera del Cóndor, sector sobre la Antena, cuchilla bajo la colina, cuenca del río Machinaza, 03°47.57'S, 78°28.56'W,  1900 m,  2 November 2011, fl.,  C.E. Cerón, C.I. Reyes, P. Gamboa, A. Imaysela& F. Libiapoma70489( MO!, QCNE!, QAP!);  sector sobre el cerro Colibrí, margen derecha aguas arriba del río Machinaza, 03°45.13'S, 78°30.23'W,  1630 m,  3 November 2011, fl.,  C.E. Cerón, C.I. Reyes, P. Gamboa, A. Imaysela& F. Libiapoma70663( QAP!, QCA!);  Cantón Yacuambi, Parroquia la Paz, centro Shuar Washikiat, reserva Micha Nunka, el Mirador, 03°43.59'S, 78°54.59'W,  1620 m,  2 May 2007, fr.,  C. Kajekai& A. Wisum1258( MO!, QCNE!);  Cantón el Pangui, Cordillera del Cóndor, Sandstone Plateau of Contrafuerte Tres Patines, west of main Cóndor ridge, above "Jardín Botánico" of EcuaCorriente copper company, south of km 15 of Cóndor Mirador military road, 03°37.48'S, 78°26.50'W,  1685 m,  9 December 2005, fl.,  D. Neill& W. Quizhpe15057( MICH!, MO!, QCNE!).   Discussion:—  Croton condorensisshows no clear affinity to any of the  Crotonsections established by van Ee et al. (2011), although the species shares several characters with members of sect.  Cyclostigma Grisebach (1859: 42), as suggested by the sectional identification key of van Ee et al. (2011), namely: habit (shrub to small tree), stellate indumentum, presence of petiolar glands, leaf blade without marginal glands, bisexual cymules on the lower section of the inflorescence, and numerous stamens. Conversely, latex is abundant and usually showy (yellow, organge or reddish) in members of sect.  Cyclostigma( Riina et al.2009), but it is not evident in  Croton condorensis. The narrow shape of the leaves of  C. condorensisis also unusual in species of sect.  Cyclostigma.Pistillate flowers are scarce, or frequently absent, in the examined specimens of  Croton condorensis, whereas in sect.  Cyclostigmathey are usually much more numerous per inflorescence. The surface of the seeds in sect.  Cyclostigmais usually rugose, or with some kind of ornamentation. In contrast, the seeds of  Croton condorensishave a smooth, shiny and marbled surface. In addition, none of the Ecuadorian species of sect.  Cyclostigmagrow on the typeof high elevation sclerophyllous vegetation where  C. condorensisoccurs. These observations, along with the morphological differences listed above, suggest that the new species could be an isolated lineage within  Croton. However, the indication of sect.  Cyclostigmaas the most likely section to which  C. condorensisbelongs, as suggested by the sectional key ( van Ee et al.2011), cannot be ruled out until additional specimens as well as sequence data from this species become available for additional morphological and phylogenetic analyses. 5105549308 2011-11-01 QAP C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1600 -3.7711668 Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Condor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.48534 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora-Chinchipe holotype 5105549307 [1217,1369,374,396] 2011-11-01 COL C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1600 -3.7711668 Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Condor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.48534 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora-Chinchipe isotype 5105549303 [1380,1432,374,396] 2011-11-01 MA C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1600 -3.7711668 Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Condor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.48534 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora-Chinchipe isotype 5105549302 [199,277,405,427] 2011-11-01 MICH C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1600 -3.7711668 Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Condor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.48534 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora-Chinchipe isotype 5105549301 [286,368,405,427] 2011-11-01 QCNE C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1600 -3.7711668 Kinross Aurelian, Cordillera del Condor, Sector Frutos del Norte, cumbre de colina en la cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.48534 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora-Chinchipe isotype 5105549309 2011-11-02 MO, QCNE, QAP C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma Ecuador Canton Yantzaza 1900 -3.7928333 Kinross Aurelian, Fruta del Norte, Cordillera del Condor, sector sobre la Antena, cuchilla bajo la colina, cuenca del rio Machinaza 13 -78.476 Parroquia las Penas 1 155 1 Zamora Chinchipe paratype 5105549304 2011-11-03 QAP, QCA C. E. Ceron & C. I. Reyes & P. Gamboa & A. Imaysela & F. Libiapoma 1630 -3.7521667 sector sobre el cerro Colibri, margen derecha aguas arriba del rio Machinaza 13 -78.50383 1 155 1 paratype 5105549306 2007-05-02 MO, QCNE C. Kajekai & A. Wisum Canton Yacuambi 1620 -3.7265 Parroquia la Paz, centro Shuar Washikiat, reserva Micha Nunka, el Mirador 13 -78.909836 1 155 1 paratype 5105549305 2005-12-09 MICH, MO, QCNE D. Neill & W. Quizhpe Canton el Pangui 1685 -3.6246667 Cordillera del Condor, Sandstone Plateau of Contrafuerte Tres Patines, west of main Condor ridge, above " Jardin Botanico " of EcuaCorriente copper company, south of km 15 of Condor Mirador military road 13 -78.441666 1 155 1 paratype