Basil STERGIOS¹ and Laurence J. DORR²

¹BioCentro, UNELLEZ, Mesa de Cavacas

Estado Portuguesa, Venezuela 3323

E-mail: basilven@cantv.net ²Department of Botany, MRC-166

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

P.O. Box 37012, Washington, D.C. 22013–7012, U.S.A.

E-mail: dorr.laurence@nmnh.si.edu  

ABSTRACT

    Anew species of Anthurium (Araceae), A. ramoncaracasii Stergios & Dorr, from the Venezuelan Andes is described and illustrated. A number of characters indicate that it is best placed in A. sect. Calomystrium Schott emend. Engl. for which a key to the Venezuelan species is provided. 

Nueva especie de Anthurium Sect. Calomystrium (Araceae) de los Andes venezolanos 

RESUMEN

    Se describe y se ilustra una nueva especie de Anthurium (Araceae), A. ramoncaracasii de los Andes de Venezuela. Un conjunto de caracteres indican que su mejor ubicación es en la A. sect. Calomystrium Schott emend. Engl. para lo cual se presenta una clave de las especies venezolanas. 

Palabras clave: Araceae, Anthurium, Andes, Venezuela. 

INTRODUCTION

    The genus Anthurium Schott consists of about 1100 neotropical species (Coehio 2004). Its centre of diversity is in the northern Andes, from Colombia and Venezuela through Ecuador. In Venezuela, about 70 species have been recorded, where they are most frequently found in moist, Andean slope forests at varying elevations. Representation of the genus increases in abundance and species richness in montane and cloud forest belts above 1000 m (Bunting 1979, 1995; Croat 1981).

    In Guaramacal National Park, which protects an area of ca. 200 km2 in the Andes of Venezuela (Portuguesa and Trujillo states) (Dorr et al. 2000), Anthurium is the most species rich of the five aroid genera presently recorded, with 15 species collected to date. Of these species the most widespread and frequently collected is A. nymphaeifolium K. Koch & Bouché, which is distinctive with its eye-catching white to whitish-rose spathe and rather large, nodding leaves. Another distinctive species of Anthurium found in  Guaramacal and on at least one neighbouring mountain ridge in Portuguesa state appears to be new and is described here. 

    Anthurium ramoncaracasii Stergios & Dorr, sp. nov., (Fig. 1 and 2). 

    TYPE: VENEZUELA: TRUJILLO: Municipio Boconó, Parque Nacional Guaramacal. Trail from casa Vicuyal toward Páramo de Vicuyal (UTM: 19-361503 E, 1015476 N), bosque montano, montano alto de vertiente, 2200–2600 m snm, 10/04/2003, B. Stergios, L.J. Dorr, S.M. Niño & R. Caracas 20101 (Holotype, PORT; Isotypes, K, MO, NY, US, VEN). 

    Robust, terrestrial herb; stem firm, self-elevating or semi-supported near the base by rocks or tree-trunks, 1.5–2 cm wide in dried specimens; internodes 2–3 cm long. Cataphylls linear-loriform, obtuse, reddish-brown when dry, 24–26 cm long, 2.5–3 cm wide, 3/8–1/2 as long as the petiole, long-persistent, entire. Petioles subterete, glossy, 73–75 cm long, somewhat sulcate dorsally near the base for 8–10 cm. Leaf blades perpendicular to the petiole, widely ovate, typically 50 to > 60 cm long, 30–33 cm wide near insertion of petiole, subcoriaceous, semilustrous; sinus moderately to widely spathulate, 2–5 cm wide; lateral nerves and veinlets readily visible on both surfaces, mid-vein and basal nerves strongly raised on lower surface; collective vein originating from uppermost basal vein, running along upper half of anterior lobe, 5–8 mm distant from the margin; basal veins 10-12 in all, the lowermost 3 in each lobe grouped at the base. Inflorescence large and conspicuous on a subterete, semiglossy, tapering peduncle, 45–65 cm long; spathe widely ovate-cymbiform, erect but incurved apically, light greenish-cream to greenish-yellow in colour, with a hint of greenish-rose internally at the base, 14–18 cm long, 6–8 cm wide at widest point; spadix terete, only slightly tapering, declined 45° to nearly 90° outward from the upright spathe, 15–21 cm long, 1.5–1.8 cm thick, always longer than the spathe, greenish-rose-wine coloured, arising from a stipe 1–2.5 cm long on the naked side. Flowers bisexual, 7-9 visible in principal spiral; tepals free, erect, then becoming reflexed at the apex, fully exposing the partially (younger spikes) to notably (older spikes) exserted pistils. 

    Distribution and Ecology 

    Occasional amidst humid, montane or cloud-forest understory vegetation in the slope and ridge forests of the northeastern portion of the Venezuelan Andes; 1700–2600 m. 

     Additional material examined 

     VENEZUELA: PORTUGUESA: Municipio Guanare, Cresta de la Fila de San José de la Montaña (ca. 9° 25’ Lat. N; 69° 46’ Long. W), 1700 m, 19/06/2001, L.J. Dorr & B. Stergios 9075 (PORT). TRUJILLO: Municipio Boconó, Parque Nacional Guaramacal, trail from El Cafenol (E of Mosquey) (19–369976 E, 1026628 N) to Fila Los Recostaderos (19–370258 E, 1026389 N), 1790–2200 m 12/06/2001, L.J. Dorr, B. Stergios & S.M. Niño 8910 (PORT); Municipio Boconó, Parque Nacional Guaramacal, Laguna de Agua Negra-parte alto [sic] de la Qda. Salvaje (19–371576 E, 1027793 N), 2000–2100 m, 14/04/2003, B. Stergios & L.J. Dorr 20243 (PORT, US), Ibid, B. Stergios & L.J. Dorr 20259 (PORT, US, VEN).

    The other species of Anthurium sect. Calomystrium known to occur in Venezuela include A. formosum Schott, A. nubicola G.S.Bunting, A. nymphaeifolium K.Koch & Bouché, and A. roraimense N.E.Br. ex Oliver. The occurrence of A. angustatum (Kunth) Schott, purportedly collected by Humboldt and Bonpland in the upper Orinoco region of Amazonian Venezuela, cannot be confirmed (Bunting 1995). Anthurium ramoncaracasii appears to be most closely related to A. nymphaeifolium, with its spathulate leaf sinus; collective vein originating from the uppermost basal nerve and withdrawn from the leaf margin; non-shredding, brownish-maroon cataphylls; and broadly ovate, erect spathe. It differs from the latter species in its tall, more robust habit; much larger leaf blades that are perpendicular to the longer petioles (versus nutant leaf blades); long, linear-loriform cataphylls (versus much shorter, more lanceolate cataphylls); more numerous total basal veins (12 versus 10); larger, cymbiform spathe, hooded near the apex and with greenish-salmon colouring; and large, exserted and declined spadix, with revolute-tipped tepals.

    Anthurium ramoncaracasii is named in honour of Ramón Caracas, one of the rangers employed to protect Guaramacal National Park and who has for many years generously shared his knowledge of the park’s terrain and flora with us. 

Key to the Venezuelan species of Anthurium sect. Calomystrium 

1. Basal veins distinctly naked for 1.5 cm or more; cataphylls usually shredding at the base with age.

2. Collective vein originating at lower basal veins and running for nearly the entire margin; petioles terete or  nearly so.

3. Lower leaf-blade surface dark glandular-punctuate; sinus hippocrepiform with posterior rib naked 1.5–2 cm  ... A. roraimense

3. Lower leaf surface lacking dark glandular dots; sinus widely parabolic with posterior rib naked for 4–11 cm  ............... A. formosum

2. Collective vein originating at upper basal vein or succeeding lateral veins and running along only the distal portion of the blade;  petioles  angularsulcate......................................................A. nubicola

4. Leaf-blades ≤ 45 (50) cm, nutant; cataphylls lanceolate, < 1/2 the length of petiole; spathe erect, white to pink-blush red; stipe 0–5 (8) mm long; spadix ≤ length of spathe, not exserted, 5-flowered along principal spiral; tepals mostly entirely erect. ..................................................................................................................A. nymphaeifolium

4. Leaf-blades 50 to > 60 cm, perpendicular to petiole; cataphylls linearloriform, 3/8–1/2 the  length of petiole; spathe incurved apically, greenish-cream to greenish-yellow; stipe ≥ 2 cm long; spadix > length of spathe, exserted, 7–9-flowered along principal spiral; tepals typically reflexed at apex …………….......................…............................……….A. ramoncaracasii 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

    Research on the monocotyledons of Guaramacal National Park was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, UNELLEZ CONICITPortuguesa research grants (SEI-23197106; SI-96–004). Field work was supported by the Biodiversity Surveys and Inventory Program of the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution. We are indebted to INPARQUES and MARNR-Venezuela for permits to collect botanical specimens; the staff of Guaramacal National Park for their assistance; Alice Tangerini (US) for the illustration; and Bruno Manara (VEN) for the Latin description. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

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