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| Ombrophytum villamariensis S. Guzmán-Guzmán
in Guzmán-Guzmán, 2019.
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Abstract
A new species of Balanophoraceae, Ombrophytum villamariensis Guzmán-Guzmán, is described for Colombia, where the genus has not previously been recorded. At least the first part of the development of the inflorescence is underground. Inflorescences have simple lateral branches, bearing male flowers in the upper part of the inflorescence and female flowers in the lower part. The apical parts (peltas) of the inflorescence branches are morphologically different in the two areas. The first stages of the plants are ball-shaped, within which inflorescences are formed endogenously. When the latter finally emerge, they lift the ball’s surface layer which usually splits, leaving an irregular volva at the base of the inflorescence.
Keywords: Eudicots, Balanophoraceae, Caldas, Cordiaceae, Cordillera Central Andina, endogenous inflorescences, Lophophytoideae, parasitic plant, Oxycorynina
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| FIGURE 1. Ombrophytum villamariensis in situ. A. Inflorescence emerging from the ground; the calyptra is on the left. B. Mature tuber with two lateral tubers in development. C. Bract apex between female branches (red arrow). D. Old male inflorescences where the female part has remained underground.
Scale bar: A, C, D = 20 mm; B = 4 mm.
Photos by A. Montaña (A and C) & H. F. Arias (B and D).
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Ombrophytum villamariensis S. Guzmán-Guzmán, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Ombrophytum villamariensis is similar to O. microlepis of low Amazonian areas of Peru and Brazil. However, differ in a much shorter peduncle (30 mm or absent vs 60 mm), longer male and female inflorescence branches (9–10 mm vs. 3–7 mm and 4–6 mm vs. 4 mm, respectively) and two entirely different types of peltas.
Etymology: The epithet refers to the municipality where the new species was discovered, a municipality that stands out for the beauty of its landscapes, its beauty immortalized in its hymn: “…De Colombia, Villa de las flores, y de Caldas bella rosa en botón…”
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| FIGURE 2. Types of rupture of the volva of Ombrophytum villamariensis and ecological interactions. A. Inflorescence emerging from the tubercle producing a trilobular volva. B. “Calyptra” with irregular ruptures partially covering the inflorescence. C. Beetle of the subtribe Oxycorynina observed between the female and male inflorescence branches (red arrow). D. Bite marks of possible rodent (see enlarged section); tuber and host roots to the left.
Scale bar: A = 6 mm; B, D (and section) = 20 mm; C = 4 mm.
Photos by A. Montaña (D) & J. C. Tovar (A, C and B).
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Habitat and distribution: This species is found in Andean forests of the Central Cordillera of Colombia between 2400–2500 m, in the municipality of Villamaria, department of Caldas, Colombia. In addition to the two hosts mentioned above, other genera found at the site were Brunellia Ruiz & Pavón (1794: 71) (Brunelliaceae), Chamaedorea Willdenow (1806: 638) (Arecaceae), Saurauia Willdenow (1801: 407) (Actinidiaceae), Oreopanax Decaisne & Planchon (1854: 107) (Araliaceae), Cyathea Smith (1793: 416) (Cyatheaceae), Juglans Linnaeus (1753: 997) (Juglandaceae) and Croton Linnaeus (1753: 1004) (Euphorbiaceae).
Santiago Guzmán-Guzmán. 2019. A New Species of Ombrophytum (Balanophoraceae), A Genus not previously recorded for Colombia. Phytotaxa. 424(1); 61–66. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.424.1.6