AROIDEANA Vol. 9, (1-4) 1986 2 Aroideana (Vol. 9(1-4) Aroideana, 9(1-4), 1986 pp.1-216 IN MEMORIUM MARK DOUGLAS MOHLER Editor of Ad roidea na 1985-1986 This issue of Aroideana, the final him and his family in Tampa, Florida. I work of our devoted editor, Mark am sure that I can speak for all aroid MoHler, is dedicated to him and his lovers who knew him that he will be family. His wife, Mary, who translated missed dearly. We all express our the tragic news of his untimely death to sympathy to Mary and her daughter, me, said that Mark was happy to the Kirsten, and wish them all our best. end. He had recently submitted his Mark MoHler's final dedication to pre­ thesis for his Master's Degree and had serving the viability of the International all but completed the editorial work on Aroid Society though good editing of this, his final issue, when he was called. our journal was indeed the last true The nature of his death, through heart measure of his devotion. We must now failure, was all the more surprising when all redouble our efforts to continue to one considers that he was believed to make the Society grow, to sponsor in­ be in good health. I am among the creased membership in order to insure many aroid lovers who was fortunate to that the journal to which Mark devoted call Mark a friend. Mark was an out­ so much of his energy will continue to standing human being, always pleasant prosper. to be around, ever knowledgeable, al­ -Tom Croat ways generous with his pruning knife when he knew there was a plant you wanted. Though we worked more Mark Douglas Moffler, born 3 closely than ever during the past year January 1952, in Chicago, Illi­ while Mark was editing this large issue, I nois. Died 4 November 1986, in never had the opportunity to visit his Evansville, Indiana. Survived by home in Indiana and see his now re­ Mary Moffler and Kirsten Mof­ located collection, but it is a good one fler. and I had the opportunity to see it on several occasions when I stayed with 1986) Croat-Venezuela Araceae 3 The Araceae of Venezuela by Thomas B. Croat1 and Nancy Lambert2 lMissouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, Sf. Louis, MO 63166 2154 Union Street, Manchester, N.H. 03104 Abstract: An illustrated treatment of 171 Venezuelan Araceae taxa is provided. Discussion of range, species characteristics and distinction from similar or closely related species is made for each taxon. Sixteen species, three subspecies and one variety are described as new, and three new combinations are made. Until recently the Araceae of Vene­ trips in recent years have enabled me to zuela was very poorly known, but that photograph a good percentage of the has greatly changed with the publication species in the Flora. These trips included of "Sinopsis de las Araceaes de Venezu­ a month long trip (July-August) in 1982 ela" by G. S. Bunting (Rev. Fac. Agron. which took me more than 6,000 (Maracay) 10:139-290. 1979). This great kilometers by car and 2,000 kilometers contribution to our understanding of by air into many parts of the country. A the South American Araceae is the second 3 week long trip to Cerro result of about 20 years of work by Bunt­ Neblina (Nov-Dec, 1985) in the Ter­ ing in Venezuela. Since the work was ritorio Amazonas on the Brazilian published in Spanish, lacks illustrations border was followed by a trip to the and is likely to be unavailable to most Cordillera de la Costa and the Cordillera aroid enthusiasts, I will present here de Merida during two weeks in March some needed commentary on the Vene­ of 1986. In all, I was able to collect a zuelan species and will illustrate many high percentage of the 274 aroid taxa of them for the first time. occurring there. All described Venezuelan species are The aroid flora of Venezuela is inter­ listed in appendix 1. When species are esting in several ways. It is apparently new to science or recently described much richer in species than the Amazon elsewhere complete descriptions are basin to the south but less rich than the provided. The species discussed in the species-rich western Cordillera of text are generally only those for which Colombia to the west. The aroid flora illustrations were available. Where of Venezuela is similar to the flora of species were sufficiently known to the middle Amazon basin, howevPf, in provide commentary, but where no that it is substantially richer in species photographs of live material was avail­ of Philodendron than Anthurium. In able, photographs of typical herbarium countries throughout most of the material has sometimes been provided. Western Andes, Anthurium species While herbarium specimens are generally outnumber Philodendron generally unsuitable for easy recogni­ species. For example, in Panama there tion by horticulturists, they at least are 158 known species of Anthurium provide some assistance in indentifi­ and about 75 species of Philodendron. cation. In contrast, a typical locality in Many of the Venezuelan species, Amazonian Brazil may have many spe­ including many poorly known or rare cies of Philodendron and no represen­ species described for the first time by tation of Anthurium. Even when Bunting, are very attractive and will be Anthurium are present they are often in demand by horticulturists. Several rare, most being members of section 4 Aroideana (Vol. 9(1-4) Pachyneurium (bird's nest Anthuriums). the species is known to occur are also The situation in Venezuela is not nearly listed in an abbreviated manner as severe, but even so, 66 species of according to the following: Philodendron are reported by Bunting Amazonas Am while only 44 species of Anthurium Anzoategui An were reported. Apure Ap Venezuela is quite diverse geo­ Aragua Ar graphically, with several distinct Barinas Ba geological components appearing to Bolwar Bo have arisen at different times, or at Carabobo Ca least to have been isolated for a con­ Cojedes Co siderable time, resulting in distinct Delta Amacuro DA floristic regions. Bunting (1979) divided Distrito Federal DF Venezuela into seven floristic zones Falcon Fa (Fig. 1) in regard to the distribution of G~rioo Gu aroids. These were: 1. The Atlantic Lara La coast (territory of Delta Amacuro and Merida Me the eastern extremes of Sucre and Miranda Mi Bolivar States). 2. The Cordillera de la Monagas Mo Costa of the Federal District and States Nueva Esparta NE of Miranda, Aragua and Carabobo with Portuguesa Po extentions or subzones in the eastern Sucre Su states of Sucre and Monagas, as well as Tachira Ta the western states of Varacuy and Trujillo Tr Falcon. 3. The Cordillera de Merida Varacuy Va and the Sierra de Perija, the two moun­ Zulia Zu tain chains lying on either side of Lake Maracaibo. 4. The forested slopes below The legend of those species chosen the Paramo de Tama in SW Tachira (with for illustration includes more specific a flora related to the western Andes of information. Colombia). 5. The Amazon lowland region. 6. The Guyana Highlands. 7. The Llanos (flat grasslands and savannas of the Orinoco drainage). Relatively few Araceae occur in the Llanos, which are partially flooded during the rainy season and very dry during the dry season. The zone probably richest in Araceae per unit area is the Cordillera de Merida, per­ haps owing to its much more diverse array of elevations and habitats. Appendix 1 lists the 275 taxa of Araceae trom Venezuela. Each species has been assigned to one or more of these floristic regions by number only. In a few cases, name changes have been made or have been suggested. Some taxa have been added to the flora. These are preceded by an asterisk. The states or territories of Venezuela where 1986) Croat-Venezuela Araceae S Fig. 1. the floristic regions of Venezuela: 1." t~e Atlantic ~oast 2. t~~ Cordillera de la Costa 3. the Cordillera de Menda and the SIerra de PenJa 4. SW Tachira below Tama S. the Amazon region 6. the Guyana high­ lands 7. the Llanos (not shown). Anthurium amoenum is apparently ANTHURIUM endemic to Venezuela, ranging from the Cordillera de la Costa lEI Avila in Anthurium acrobates Sodiro, Anales the Distrito Federal to Alto de Choron! Univ. Centro Ecuador 16: 276. 1902. in Aragua) to the Cordillera de Merida Anthurium acrobates ranges from (from Barinas and Merida (La Azulita) southern Colombia (Meta) along the to Sierra de San Luis in Falcon) at 1,420- eastern slopes of the Andes to 2,140 m, generally occurring inSMdy, Ecuador and Peru at elevations of wet undisturbed areas. Fig. 4 280-2,SOO m. A recent outlying The species is characterized by its collection from southern Amazonas at terrestrial habit, short internodes (6-20 Cerro Neblina indicates that at one time mm diam.), deciduous cataphylls, and a the species may have had a broader subterete petiole that is weakly and distribu~ion. Figs. 2-3 narrowly flattened toward the apex, The species is recognized by its more consciously so on the geniculum. appressed-climbing habit with elongate The blades are thin and veiny, elliptic to internodes, long-petiolate, narrow, broadly elliptic, with the principal veins ovate to ovate-triangular blades, and mostly sunken above and raised below. its long-pedunculate inflorescences with The secondary and tertiary veins are also a green, lanceolate spathe and usually raised on the lower surface and the purplish, long-tapered spadix. lower midrib is often tinged red.