TWO INTERESTING MASDEVALLIAS FROM SOUTHERN COLOMBIA

Pedro Ortiz V.*

Abstract: Two species of Masdevallia from southern Colombia are presented: Masdevallia taeguei and Masdevallia carrillana, a new species of the same subgenus.

Key words: , Masdevallia, subgen. Teagueia, Colombia, .

Abstract: Three new orchid species from Colombia are presented: Masdevallia andreae, Pachyphyllum debedoutii and Prosthechea villae-ro- sae. Key words: Orchidaceae, Masdevallia, Pachyphyllum, Prosthechea, Colom- bia, plant taxonomy.

I would like to present two interesting species from southern Colombia that have been collected recently and belong to a group of the Masdevallia that has been recently in discussion.

MASDEVALLIA TEAGUEI Luer, Selbyana 2: 381. 1978.

Synonyms: Masdevallia braasii Mohr, Die Orchidee 35(2): 64. 1984. Jostia teaguei Luer, Icones Pleuroth. 20 (Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79): 2. 2000.

This species was discovered in 1975 by Mr. Walter Teague of San Francisco (U.S.A.) and other companions in Ecuador, Province of Zamora-Chinchipe, near Valladolid, at an elevation of nearly 2300 m. It was described by Dr. Carlyle A.

* Universidad Javeriana. Bogotá - Colombia. [email protected]

18 ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 Luer in 1978 and named in honor of the first of the collectors. Later it was found at other places of Ecuador (Morona-Santiago, Tungurahua) by other colectors, at similar altitudes. In 1982 Eberhard Waldvogel found the same species in Colom- bia (Nariño, La Cocha, at an altitude of 3000 m) which was published as a new species by H. Mohr in the German magazine Die Orchidee 35(2): 66. 1984. It was not recognized as identical with the previously published Masdevallia tea- guei. It is possible that these data were no considered quite reliable and so this publication is cited in Icones Pleurothallidinarum 20:2 with the annotation “in error”.

On the base of this species, Dr. Luer, when dealing with the subdivision of the genus Masdevallia (Luer 1986: 53), proposed in 1986 the subgenus Teagueia as a monotypic subgenus.

When the species was first described a noteworthy characteristic of it was not noticed: the lip is actively motile, that is, in state of rest it lies down extended forward, when disturbed, the lip rises toward the column, something similar to the case of the pleurothallid genera Acostaea, Porroglossum or Condylago and of other genera in different groups.

This characteristic was first observed by Mr. Lou Jost of Ecuador and brought to the attention of Dr. Luer, who proceeded to publish the new monotypic genus of Jostia (Jostia Luer, Icones Pleurothallidinarum 20: 2. 2000) with the sole species Jostia teaguei (Ibid., not as erroneously published “Selbyana 2: 381. 1978”).

Later, however, the same author reconsidered that decision and drew back the genus Jostia and restored that species to the genus Masdevallia (Icones Pleuro- thallidinarum 25: 1265. 2002). This decision seems to me to be correct, and is apparently supported by the DNA analysis.

Characteristic of this species is not only the mobility of the lip. It is also porovi- ded with a long, curved column foot, terminatig in a notorious thickening, under whose apex a broad and flexible band is fixed that supports the lip, which has a high base deeply cleft. It has furthermore an apparently unique character in the genus Masdevallia: the petals are not inserted at the base of the column but are adnate to the sides of it for nearly a third of their length. Something similar to what happens in Epidendrum sympetalostele.

Now, is this species endemic to Ecuador or not? Fortunately we have an enthu- siastic orchid grower in southern Colombia, Putumayo (San Francisco, Valley of Sibundoy), Mr Ramiro Medina T., who has collected recently the species in that area (San Francisco, Minchoy-Patoyaco, ca. 1900 m) and has documented pho- tograhicaly the species. I reproduce here his pictures which show the flower with the lip in the down position and also with the raised lip. It becomes clear that

ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 19 Masadevallia teaguei is not endemic of Ecuador, since it is found also in southern Colombia. The political frontiers do not coincide with the biological ones.

Now it is interesting that another species has been found in Colombia (Nariño), that undoubtedly must be added to that subgenus, and I proceed to describe it.

MASDEVALLIA CARRILLANA P. Ortiz, sp. nov.

Type: COLOMBIA: Nariño, Ricaurte, ca. 2000 m, collected by J.L. Aguirre, 2007, cultivated by Arturo Carrillo near Bogotá, flowered in October 2008. P. Ortiz 1304 (Holotype: Herbarium of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá [HPUJ]).

Description: Plant medium in size, epiphytic, caespitose. Roots slender. Ra- micaul 2 cm long, covered with a tubular, scarious, rough, 18 mm long and 3 mm wide, sheath. Leaf green, erect, leathery, the petiole 2.5 cm long, the blade oblong-elliptic, subobtuse, 6.6-7 cm long by 2-2.2 cm broad, the base tapering into the petiole, the apex indented. Inflorescence a successive raceme, the pe- duncle ca. 4 cm long, borne from above the base of the ramicaul, floral bract fun- nel-shaped, 8 mm long, pedicel 4 mm long, ovary 5 mm long. Flower relatively large, the sepals in the center yellow and towards the apex gradually rose-violet, the veins yellow, the petals white with purple borders, the lip at the base white, the blade violet with yellow apex, the borders purple, the column white with purple wings. Sepals glabrous, connate for ca. 6 mm, forming a shallow cup, the dorsal 34 mm long, 3-nerved, the free base ovate tapering into a thin tail, the laterals 34 mm long, each one 2-nerved, connate for 17 mm, the free portion 17 mm long, the synsepal ca. 20 mm broad, forming a mentum at the base and a second mentum further on, the tails filiform, ca. 12 mm long. Petals adnate to the sides of the basal part of the column, the free portion ca. 12 mm long by 1.2 mm wide, falcate, the apex acuminate; lip irritable, united to the apex of the column foot by a flexible, relatively broad strap, the base fleshy, high, deeply cleft, the blade ligulate, divided uinto a long hypochile and a short epichile, ter- minating in a slightly threelobed apex, with a high ridge in the middle. Column: the basal portion terete, the apical portion 2-winged and ventrally excavated, the apex tri apiculated, with a long, curved foot ending in a notorious sub-bulbous thickening, underneath which is a relatively broad strap uniting it to the lip. Po- llinia two.

Etymology: Named after Sr. Arturo Carrillo, an enthusiastic orchid grower of Bo- gotá, who has grown successfully this and many other orchids.

Distribution: Southern Colombia (Nariño).

20 ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 Commentaries: At first sight this plant looked like one of the many species of Masdevallia with flowers similar to so many others, but a detailed study revealed: first, that the scape is terete with a successive inflorescence; second, that the petals are adnate to the sides of the base of the column; third, that the column has a long, curved, foot ending in a notorious thickening. The lip in the flowers at hand looked very flexible but always raised toward the column. However, a further examination reveaIed that the lip in the morning takes a position of “rest”, extended downward, but with the sligthest movement it springs up toward the column and adheres firmly to it. Which proves that this species belongs also to the same subgenus as Masdevallia teaguei. The color of the two species is quite different, as can be observed in the published pictures. And thus it becomes clear that the subgenus Teagueia is enriched with a new species and is no longer a monotypic one.

MASDEVALLIA ANDREAE P. Ortiz

Type: COLOMBIA: Valle del Cauca, Buenaventura, Cisneros, Río Pepitas, ca. 400-500 m. Cultivated by Andrea Niessen near Cali, flowered in November 2008, P. Ortiz 1306 (Holotype: Herbarium of the Pontificia Universidad Javeria- na, Bogotá, [HPUJ]).

Description: Plant epiphytic, small, caespitose, roots filiform, glabrous, ramicaul short, 5 mm long, leaves light green, leathery, oblong-elliptic the blades up to 5.5 cm long x 1 cm broad, the base gradually tapering into a petiole up to 1.5 cm long. Inflorescence from the base of the ramicaul, prostrate, filiform, ca. 5 cm long, with 4 funnel-shaped, ca. 2 mm long, sheaths, floral bract 5 mm long, a few-flowered, successive, raceme, pedicel 5 mm long, ovary smooth. Flowers medium-sized, the sepals dark purple, the dorsal in the middle greenish, the petals yellow. Sepals connate at the base forming a shallow cup, the dorsal trian- gular acute, tailless, 3-nerved, 17 mm long, connate to the laterals for 7 mm, the laterals broader, ovate with acute, fleshy, apex, tailless, 3-nerved, with a mentum at the base, connate to each other for ca. 8 mm; petals white, ligulate, with a subacute extension at both sides, the margins thickened, internally canaliculate, 5 mm long x 4 mm maximum breadth; lip ligulate, fleshy, centrally sulcate; co- lumn white, curved, ventrally concave, the margins of the wings purple, with a relatively long foot.

Etymology: named in honor of Andrea Niessen, of Cali, who has grown the species.

Distribution: Colombia, Valle del Cauca, Pacific coast.

Commentary: This is one of the few species that have been found growing in a

ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 21 relatively warm climate. But one has to bear in mind that the Pacific coast of Co- lombia, due to its high humidity, possesses a temperature that differs from other hot regions of the country. The plant, however, grows very well in the Western Cordillera of Colombia, at much higher altitude (ca. 1800 m). The flowers are deep purple suffused with green in the central part of the dorsal sepal. The most noteworthy character of the species are the petals: they possess thickened mar- gins and are longitudinally canaliculate along the middle, with a subacute apex and well defined angles at both sides shortly before the middle.

In view of the recent dismemberment of the genus Masdevallia (Luer 2005) I have chosen a cautious attitude and place this species in the genus Masdevallia, within the subgenus Pygmaeia section Amaluzae (Luer 2000).

Literature:

LUER, C.A. 1978, SELBYANA 2: 381.

LUER, C.A. 1986, SY S TE M A TI C S OF Masdevallia (Orchidaceae), Icones Pleuroth. 2 (Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 16). Luer, C.A. 2000, Icones Pleuroth. 20 (Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 79): 2. Luer, C.A. 2002, Icones Pleuroth. 25 (Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 91). Mohr, H. 1984, Die Orchidee 35(2): 64.

Literature:

LUER, C. A. 2000. Systematics of Masdevallia. Part two. Icones Pleuroth. 21 (Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 82): 431-513. LUER, C. A. 2005. A reconsideration of Masdevallia. Icones Pleuroth. 28 (Mono- gr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 105): 1-20.

22 ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 Correction

Due to an inadvertency, in the article Renaming of two species, published in Orquideología 25(2): 132. 2008, the Basionym of Telipogon williamsii P. Ortiz, nom. nov., was cited as published in Lilloa 6: 244. 1854. The correct citation is: Lilloa 6: 244. 1941.

Note that this error does not invalidate the nomen novum according to the Inter- national Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Saint Louis Code) 33.4.

PACHYPHYLLUM DEBDOUTII P. Ortiz

Type: COLOMBIA: Cundinamarca, Guasca, Hacienda La Esperanza, 2950 m. P. Ortiz, R. de Bedout & L.E. Álvarez 1298 (Holotype: Herbarium of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá [HPUJ]).

Description: epiphytic, monopodial, with an ascending rhizome, very small, between 3.5 cm and 6 cm long, with filiform, glabrous, roots along the rhizome. Stems covered with leaves that are articulated to coarse, enveloping sheaths, distichous, fleshy, very sharp pointed, the margins minutely ciliate, ca. 12 mm long x 2 mm broad, green suffused with purple. Inflorescences axillary, one or two, with 2 to 3 flowers. Flowers very small, open, whitish hyaline, slightly suffused with purple, the anther red-purple. Sepals and petals similar, broadly lanceolate, 1.5 mm long x 1 mm of maximum beadth, free, the margins micros- copally ciliolate; lip with similar dimensions, with two shallow nectaries at the base, surrounded bt two curved keels, and further on with two other transversal, less prominent, keels. Column broad, deeply concave, frontally rounded in ap- pearance, towards the apex with two small lobules, the base surrounding the ke- els of the lip, footless. Anther relatively large, externally bituberculate, 2 pollinia globose with a single, relatively short stipe, viscidium elliptic, orange colored.

Etymology: Named in honor of Dr. Ramón de Bedout, of Bogotá, who discove- red the species.

Distribution: Known only from the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, area of Cun- dinamarca, at an altitude of around 3000 m.

Commentary: This species is locally abundant in a very cold zone of the Eastern Cordillera. Its main characteristic is the truly diminutive size (3 mm in diameter) of its flowers. The red-purple color of the anther and the orange hue of the visci- dium render the flowers quite pretty. It presents some similarity with Pachyphy- llum tortuosum (Foldats 1970), but the lips are different.

ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 23 Literature:

FOLDATS, E. 1970, Orchidaceae (T. Lasser, Flora de Venezuela, 15, 5ª parte) 416-418.

PROSTHECHEA VILLAE-ROSAE P. Ortiz

Type: COLOMBIA: Cundinamarca, Guatavita, eastern slopes of the Páramo de Guasca, Villa Rosa, 2800 m. P. Ortiz & L.E. Álvarez 1292. (Holotype: Herbarium of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana [HPUJ]).

Description: Plants medium-sized, with an asending, rather thick, rhizome, pseudobublbs distant, straight, 5.5 cm long x 1 cm thick, one-leaved. Leaves oblong-elliptic, 10 cm long x 1 cm broad, sharp-pointed. Inflorescence termi- nal, with complanate, acute, 2.5 cm long x 0.1 cm broad, spathe, few-flowered. Flowers open, non-resupinate, fleshy, green-yellowish, sepals and petals with maroon-purple spots. Sepals ovate-elliptic, 12-15 mm long x 3.5 mm broad, acute, the laterals with recurved tips, petals ovate-elliptic, 10-12 mm long x 3 mm broad, somewhat undulate; lip very concave, partially enveloping the co- lumn, 6 mm long from the base of the nail x 4 mm broad, 3-lobed, the lateral lobes small, acute, middle lobe apiculate, with a violet spot in the middle, with a broad, tenuously sulcate in the middle, apiculate, callus. Column white, short and broad, 5 mm long x 3.5 mm broad, basally exacavated in the ventral side, the lateral teeth acute, the central tooth subacute, the ligule trifurcate. Anther maroon, pollinia four. Ovary 3-winged.

Etymology: The specific epíthet is derived from the name of the place where the plant was found: Villa Rosa, owned by Luis Eduardo Álvarez.

Distribution: Colombia: until now known only from the eastern slopes of the eastern Cordillera of Colombia (Cundinamarca).

Commentary: This species does not possess especially attractive flowers, but its straight and acute sepals and petals are noteworthy as well as the lip that partially envelops the column and has a broad, apiculate callus.

I prefer to leave this species in the genus Prosthechea, following W.E. Higgins 1997, instead of accepting the new classification proposed by C.L. Withner & P.A. Harding 2004.

24 ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 Literature:

HIGGINS, W.E. 1997. A reconsideration of the genus Prosthechea (Orchidaceae) in Phytologia 82(5): 370-383.

WITHNER, C.L. & HARDING P.A. 2004. The Cattleyas and their relatives. The debatable Epidendrums. Timber Press, Portland-Cambridge.

ORQUIDEOLOGÍA XXVI(1), 2009 25