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| Dichaea andina Alomía & Sambin, in Alomía, Sambin, Otero & Stevenson, 2021. Photographs by Y.A. Alomía. |
Abstract
A new species of Dichaea sect. Dichaea from the Andean forests in Colombia is described and illustrated based on living material. Dichaea andina is compared with the morphologically similar D. lagotis and D. pendula, from which it can be distinguished by a number of vegetative and floral and features. Dichaea andina differs from D. lagotis in the broadly anchoriform lip, the hypochile transversely subrounded and the epichile transversely narrowly elliptic, briefly apiculate. Similarly, it differs from D. pendula in the caespitose habit, the leaves without cross-venation, and the inflorescence straight produced below the foliage, among other features. Ecological information for the new species is also provided.
Keywords: Andes Mountain Range, Cloud Andean forests, Colombia, Cymbidieae, ITS, Section Dichaea, Taxonomy, Monocots
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| Dichaea andina Alomía & Sambin. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. D. Floral bract and bracteole. E. Column in lateral and ventral views. F. Dissected perianth. G. Fruit entire and cross section. H. Anther cap and pollinarium in dorsal and ventral views. Drawing by Y.A. Alomía based on the plant that served as type (Y.A. Alomía 216-ANDES). |
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| Dichaea andina Alomía & Sambin. A. Habit. B. Inflorescence. C. Ovary, column and lip, lateral view. D. Floral bract and bracteole. E. Column in lateral and ventral views. F. Perianth. G. Fruit, entire and cross section. H. Anther cap and pollinarium in dorsal and ventral views. Photographs by Y.A. Alomía based on the plant that served as type (Y.A. Alomía 216-ANDES). |
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| Dichaea andina Alomía & Sambin. A. Plant in situ. B. Flower emerging below foliage. C. Flower recently pollinated. D. Muricate fruit. Photographs by Y.A. Alomía. |
Dichaea andina Alomía & Sambin, sp. nov.
Dichaea andina differs from D. lagotis Reichenbach (1876: 112) in the broadly anchoriform lip (vs. sagittate), with the hypochile transversely subrounded (vs. subquadrate) and the epichile transversely narrowly elliptic, briefly apiculate (vs. oblong acute). It differs from D. pendula (Aublet 1775: 819) Cogniaux (1903: 182) in the caespitose plants (vs. plants not caespitose), the leaves without cross-venation (vs. with cross-venation), and the inflorescence straight, produced under the foliage (vs. geniculated, above the foliage).
Etymology:— The specific epithet is designated for two purposes: first, to honor the Andean forests (Andes mountain range) and second, in recognition of the Universidad de Los Andes, for the academic and institutional support it provided to the first author during her doctoral studies.
Yasmin A. Alomía, Aurelien Sambin, J. Tupac Otero and Pablo R. Stevenson. 2021. A New Species of Dichaea (Orchidaceae: Zygopetalinae) from the Andes of Colombia. Phytotaxa. 521(1); 39-47. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.521.1.4
