Solanum dalibardiforme, Bitter, Repert., 2011

Tepe, EJ & Bohs, L, 2011, A revision of Solanum section Herpystichum, Systematic Botany 36 (4), pp. 1068-1087 : 1076

2. SOLANUM DALIBARDIFORME Bitter,

Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 11: 484. 1913.

—TYPE: COLOMBIA. Quindío, “region froide Quindiu,” Feb (fl.), J. Goudot 19 (holotype: W–W0001345 [scan!]; photos of holotype [F neg. 33066]: F–957755!, G–G00080130!, MO–1691587!).

Herbaceous vine, terrestrial or climbing. Stems slender, herbaceous, sparsely pubescent with trichomes 0.5–1 mm long. Sympodial units plurifoliate. Leaves simple, the blades 1.5–8 × 3–5 cm, slightly longer than wide, broadly ovate, chartaceous to somewhat fleshy, sparsely pubescent adaxially, glabrous to sparsely pubescent abaxially, moderately pubescent on veins adaxially and abaxially, the trichomes on the adaxial side of the veins ca. 0.2 mm, the other leaf trichomes like those of the stems; venation palmate, with 5–7 primary veins, sparsely sand-punctate; base deeply cordate; margins minutely revolute and with small, widely spaced teeth, these often hairtipped, often obscure; apex acuminate; petioles 2–11 cm, sparsely pubescent, sparsely sand-punctate. Internodes 5– 10 cm. Inflorescences 5–13 cmlong, unbranched, extra-axillary, with 3–6 flowers, the axes sparsely pubescent; peduncle 2.5– 7 cm, slender; rachis 0.8–2.5 cm; pedicels 15–35 mm in flower, unknown in fruit, slender, sparsely pubescent, spaced 5–8 mm apart. Calyx 3–4.5 mm long, the tube 1–1.5 mm long, the lobes 1–3 × 1.2–1.5 mm, rounded to lanceolate, acute to acuminate at tips, sparsely pubescent abaxially with short, scattered hairs, more densely pubescent at the tips; fruiting calyx unknown. Corolla 1.5–1.8 cmindiameter, 6–10 mm long, rotate-stellate to pentagonal, membranous, white to light blue, the tube 4– 9 mm, the lobes 2.3–5 × 6–7 mm, broadly deltoid, narrowly acute at tips, glabrous adaxially, sparsely pubescent abaxially, the margins ciliate apically. Stamens with filaments 0.7–1 mm, glabrous; anthers 2–2.2 × ca. 1 mm. Ovary glabrous; style 4–6 × ca. 0.2 mm, glabrous to minutely papillose in lower half, cylindrical to somewhat clavate; stigma capitate. Fruits 2–2.5 × 1.2–1.8 cm, ovoid, slightly to markedly flattened, rounded to pointed at apex, the color unknown, glabrous. Seeds unknown. Figure 2B .

Habitat and Distribution — Solanum dalibardiforme is apparently endemic to Colombia (Depts. Cauca, Quindío, and Tolima); 2,400 –3,500 m in elevation ( Fig. 5 ).

Phenology— Flowering specimens have been collected in Apr.–Aug., and Nov. The single fruiting specimen seen was collected in July.

Conservation Status— According to the IUCN red list categories ( IUCN 2010), S. dalibardiforme is classified as D2 (vulnerable). This species occupies a restricted area in the Cordillera Central in Colombia and is only known from three locations. Furthermore, S. dalibardiforme is only known from nine collections, suggesting that it is rare.

Etymology— The epithet dalibardiforme refers to the superficial similarity of the leaves and habit of this species to the genus Dalibarda (Rosaceae).

Notes — Solanum dalibardiforme is one of the ground-trailing species, and is one of the most distinctive species of the section. It can be distinguished from the rest of the species in this group by its simple leaves and rotate-stellate to pentagonal corollas. It is most similar to the Ecuadorean S. limoncochaense , but has pubescent vegetative parts, pentagonal corollas, and occurs in high elevation habitats. Solanum trifolium is the only other member of sect. Herpystichum with considerable interpetalar tissue, resulting in pentagonal or rotate corollas, but is easily distinguished by its 3-foliate compound leaves. We have seen only one scan of a fruiting specimen of this species (L. Reyes 119, COL), and the fruits appear to be elliptical and pointed apically, but without the distinctive arrowhead shape of S. limoncochaense , S. phaseoloides , S. pentaphyllum , and S. trifolium . It is not possible to determine the cross sectional shape of the fruit from the pressed specimens available, and it is not clear whether this species has flattened fruits like the rest of the ground-trailing species.

Additional Specimens Examined— COLOMBIA. Cauca: Puracé, Parque Nacional Puracé, 15 Jun 1974 (fl, fr), L. Reyes 119 ( COL). Tolima: La Suiza, Cordillera Central, 2,600 m, 11 May 1932 (fl), J. Cuatrecasas 3355 ( MA); Quebrada Cajamarca to “Mermillon”, New Quindio Trail, Cordillera Central, 14 Aug 1922 (fl), E. P. Killip 9753 ( NY); Along Quindo highway, between Cajamarca and summit of Divide, 2,400 m, 27 Mar 1939 (fl), E. P. Killip & G. Varela 34519 (COL, US); Roncesvalles, Vereda de San Marcos, Finca el Corazón, 5 Nov 2003 (fl), J. Mora & J. Palma 743 ( COL); Roncesvalles, Vereda de San Marcos, Finca el Orinoco, 5 Nov 2003 (st), J. Mora & J. Palma 924 ( COL); Toche, 2,500 m, 25 May 1942 (fl), K. Von Sneidern 3121 (NY, S); Toche, 2,500 m, 25 Apr 1942 (fl), K. Von Sneidern 3121bis (LL, US).

Figures

FIG.2. Flowers, fruits, and habit of Solanum sect.Herpystichum. A. Solanum pentaphyllum, habit and flower (from O. Haught 2551, F). B. S. dalibardiforme, habit and flower (from K. von Sneidern 3121, US). C. S. dolichorhachis, habit, flower, and immature fruit (from F. H. Eggers 14641, A).

FIG. 5. Distribution of Solanum crassinervium, S. dalibardiforme, and S. dolichorhachis.