Philodendron straminicaule Croat, sp. nov.
TYPE: Panama. Chiriqui: Fortuna Dam
area, trail to meteorological station of Rio Homito, ca. 0.5 km S of Centro de
Cientificos, 8¡45'N, 82¡18'W, 23 June 1994, Croat & Zhu 76302 (holotype,
MO-4610957-9; isotypes, AAU, B, CAS, COL, CR, F, GH, K, M, MEXU, NY, PMA, QCNE,
S, SEL, US, VEN). Figures 6, 376, 389-392.
Planta
hemiepiphytica; internodia 1.5÷5(12) cm longa, 2÷3.5 cm diam., plus minusve
fragilia, canoviridia vel atriviridia, in sicco straminea; cataphylla (17)20-35
cm longa, decidua; petiolus subteres, (27)32-59 cm longus, 5-12(17) cm diam.; lamina
triangulari-ovato-cordata, (27)33-55 cm longa, (11)19.7-31 cm lata, cordata
basi; inflorescentia 2-3(5); pedunculus (4.5)5.6-18 cm longus; spatha 7-18.5 cm
longa; lamina spathae alba in superficiebus ambabus; tubo spathae exius pallide
viridi, intus rubroviolaceo vel marronino; pistilla 4÷6(10)-locularia; loculi
1-ovulati; baccae virella-albae vel lavandulae.
Hemiepiphytic;
stem appressed-climbing, leaf scars conspicuous, 1÷1.6 cm long, 1.2÷1.7 cm
wide; internodes glossy to semiglossy, ± brittle, somewhat scurfy, 1-5(12) cm
long, 2-3.5 mm diam., longer than broad, dark green, soon gray- green, finally
light tan, drying straw-colored, sometimes with a narrow ring of yellow-brown
periderm at the nodes; epidermis transversely fissured in part, sometimes
deeply fissured and cracking free on drying; roots blunt, to 30 cm or longer, 4
mm diam., yellow-green, weakly glossy (fresh), drying reddish brown with minute
scales in age; cataphylls somewhat spongy, to (17)20-35 cm long, variously
ribbed, sometimes D-shaped or unribbed, more frequently bluntly to sharply 1-
or 2-ribbed (sometimes unribbed in Code), emarginate at apex, pale green to
pale yellowish to whitish, margins clear, sometimes closely dark green
short-lineate, sometimes moderately red-purple-spotted (more so at base)
throughout, ribs darker, drying greenish or brownish, deciduous, persisting intact;
petioles (27)32-59 cm long, 5-12(17) mm diam., subterete, ± spongy, medium
green, obtusely flattened adaxially, rounded adaxially, surface semiglossy,
faintly dark lineate; blades triangular-ovate-cordate, subcoriaceous, semiglossy,
bicolorous, long acuminate at apex, cordate at base, (27)33÷55 cm long,
(11)19.7-31 cm wide (1.3-2.3 times longer than wide), (0.7÷1.5 times longer
than petiole), margins hyaline, lower surface drying green to yellow-green,
densely glaucous with secretory ducts visible; anterior lobe (18.7)27-38.6(47)
cm long, 17.6-27.6 cm wide (2.4-4.5 times longer than posterior lobes), margins
straight to moderately concave; posterior lobes directed toward base, rarely
reflexed-spreading, sometimes overlapping when posterior lobes are held
somewhat upward al an angle to the midrib, (7)8.5÷15.5 cm long, 7.5÷13 cm wide,
obtuse to rounded; sinus hippocrepiform, rarely closed, 2.6-14 cm deep; midrib
flat to broadly rounded, paler than surface above, convex to narrowly rounded,
paler than surface below; basal veins 4÷6(7) per side, with 0÷1 free to base,
the remainder coalesced 1.2÷5 cm, 2 coalesced 3.5÷7 cm; posterior rib naked
0.5÷1.5 cm; primary lateral veins 3-6 per side, departing midrib at a 45-65¡
angle, acutely ascending then weakly arcuate to straight to the margins, ±
obscure, sunken and concolorous above, convex, darker than surface or paler
than surface below; interprimary veins raised and darker than surface below;
minor veins moderately distinct, fine, darker than surface, arising from both
the midrib and primary lateral veins, drying minutely granular, prominulous and
alternating with secretory ducts.
INFLORESCENCES erect, usually 2÷3 (sometimes to 5) per axil; peduncle
(4.5)5.6÷18 cm long, terete, pale to medium green, faintly short-lineate to
densely speckled; spathe 7÷ 18.5 cm long (0.9÷1.8 times longer than
peduncle), moderately constricted above the tube; spathe blade pale green to
white on both surfaces, acuminate at apex; spathe tube dark green, finely pale
lineate, glossy outside, 4÷8.5 cm long, 1.5÷3 cm diam., reddish violet to
maroon or magenta inside; spadix sessile; erect at anthesis, 7.6÷13 cm
long; pistillate portion 2.2-3.7(6.5) cm long, 1-1.4(2) cm diam. at middle,
tapered slightly toward both ends; staminate portion clavate, 5.2÷7.7 cm long;
fertile staminate portion white, 8÷10 mm diam. at base, 1-1.5 cm diam. at
middle, 4-8 mm diam. ca. 1 cm from apex, broadest at the middle, abruptly
tapered toward apex, weakly constricted just above the sterile portion; sterile
staminate portion usually broader than the pistillate portion at anthesis, 8-15
mm diam., the lowermost flowers sometimes drying whitened; pistils 1.1-1.7(3.4)
mm long, 7-9(17) mm diam.; ovary 4-6(10)-locular, 0.5-0.7(2.2) mm long,
0.7-0.9(1.7) mm diam., with sub-basal placentation; locules 0.5÷0.7(2.1) mm
long, 0.2÷ 0.3(0.6) mm diam.; ovule sac 0.5-0.7 mm long; ovules 1 per locule,
contained within sticky, transparent, gelatinous ovule sac, 0.2÷0.3 mm long, as
long as funicle; funicle 0.2-0.3 mm long (can be pulled free to base), style
0.5-0.8(1) mm long, 0.6-0.7(1.7) mm diam., drying doughnut-shaped, similar to
style type C; style funnel shallow with a small ring of stylar canals near the
base; stigma subdiscoid, truncate, 0.4-0.5(0.8) mm diam., 0.1-0.3 mm high,
covering almost entire style apex, with 1÷5 depressions when dried, papillate,
sessile, matte;
the androecium truncate, prismatic, margins ± 4÷ 5-sided, 0.6÷1 mm long,
1.1÷1.3 mm diam. al apex;
thecae oblong, 0.4÷0.5 mm wide, ± parallel to one another and nearly
contiguous to contiguous; pollen ± spheroidal, <0.1 mm long, <0.1 mm
diam., scarce; sterile staminate flowers irregularly 4÷6-sided, blunt,
prismatic, 1÷1.3 mm long, 0.9÷1.2 mm wide. INFRUCTESCENCE with berries pale
green (immature), greenish white to lavender.
Flowering in Philodendron straminicaule is believed to occur
throughout much of the dry season to the mid-rainy season (January through
August) in Panama, but flowering specimens have been seen from only April
through August. Post-anthesis inflorescences have been seen from as early as
March, and immature fruits as early as February, making it obvious that the
plants have to be in flower as early as January. Post-anthesis inflorescences
have also been collected from May through September and November, and immature
fruits occur in March and July. The post-anthesis inflorescences from November
suggest that flowering occurs as late as September or October.
Philodendron straminicaule is known only from the Cordillera
de Guanacaste in northwest Costa Rica and in western Panama, from Chiriqui and
Bocas del Toro to Code Province, at (710)950 to 2200 m elevation, generally in Tropical
Lower Montane rain forest and Premontane rain forest, rarely in Tropical
wet forest.
Philodendron straminicaule is a member of P. sect. Calostigma
subsect. Glossophyllum ser. Ovata. This species is characterized
by its grayish (drying straw-colored), more or less brittle, glossy
inter-nodes, which are longer than broad; deciduous cataphylls; obtusely
flattened, more or less spongy petioles; and triangular-ovate-cordate,
green-drying blades with the lower surface drying densely and minutely granular
and secretory ducts usually prominently visible and alternating with the minor
veins. Also characteristic is the white spathe blade and tube green outside and
reddish violet to maroon inside.
Philodendron straminicaule is similar to P. wilburii var. longipedunculatum, but
the latter species differs in having longer, more slender internodes; longer,
unribbed to bluntly 1-ribbed cataphylls; typically smaller blades that dry
brownish with mostly 3-4 primary lateral veins; and especially by having the
peduncle usually as long as or even longer than the spathe (vs. usually less
than length of spathe). It also differs in having orangish (rather than
greenish white to lavender) berries.
The species may be confused with P. alticola and P. smithii. See
those species for separation.
A noteworthy collection is Croat 66503, which has the veins on
the lower leaf surface drying darker than the surface rather than paler, which
is normally the ease. Collections from Costa Rica differ from those in Panama
in having slightly smaller leaves with both the petioles and the blades shorter
than those in Panama (petioles to 28 cm long and blades to 31 cm long in Costa
Rica vs. petioles to 59 cm long and blades to 55 cm long in Panama). Nevertheless,
the smaller leaves in Panama range down to only slightly larger than those in
Costa Rica (with petioles as short as 32 cm long and blades to as small as 33
cm long). One collection from Guanacaste (Herrera 1473) is unusual in
having more narrowly triangular blades with concave margins, narrower posterior
lobes, a parabolic sinus, and a D-type style. However, it is otherwise similar,
having the same dried stem characteristics and 1 ovule per locule. More
collections are needed to determine if this entity is distinct from P.
straminicaule.
This species perhaps also occurs in Colombia based on collections from
Valle Department {Juncosa 2054) at 580 m and from Gorgonilla Island,
Cauca Department (Killip & Garcta 33060). These collections differ
from those in Panama in having blades with no obvious secretory ducts visible
on the abaxial surface. In addition, the latter collection is from just 130
to 200 m elevation, substantially lower than where it is found in Panama.
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