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| Gesneria tuberifera J.L.Clark & T.Clase, in Clark et Clase, 2023. |
Abstract
A narrowly endemic new species of Gesneria is described from the Sierra de Bahoruco in the Dominican Republic’s Barahona Peninsula of southern Hispaniola. Gesneria tuberifera J.L.Clark & T.Clase, sp. nov. differs from all other congeners by the presence of a tuber and tubular red corollas with yellow lobes. Images and a discussion are provided to summarize the presence of tubers in other Gesneriaceae and differentiate Gesneria tuberifera from congeners that share a lithophytic habit. Based on IUCN guidelines, a preliminary conservation status of Endangered (EN) is assessed for G. tuberifera.
Key words: Biodiversity, Gesneriinae, Sierra de Bahoruco, systematics, taxonomy, tuber
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| Gesneria tuberifera J.L.Clark & T.Clase A lateral view of mature flower B lithophytic habit C tuber with foliage D abaxial leaf surface E mature fruit (A, B J.L. Clark 17279 C J.L. Clark 17284 E J.L. Clark 17312). Photos by John L. Clark. |
Gesneria tuberifera J.L.Clark & T.Clase, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Differs from all other Gesneria by the presence of a tuber. Additional characters that differentiate G. tuberifera from congeners is a rosette of leaves, elongate red tubular corollas with yellow lobes, and a lithophytic habit.
Etymology: The specific epithet means growing a tuber and is derived from the presence of a swollen stem base (Fig. 1C), a vegetative character consistent throughout the two populations observed during a 2023 field expedition to the Dominican Republic.
John L. Clark and Teodoro Clase. 2023. Gesneria tuberifera (Gesneriaceae), A New lithophytic Species from the Sierra de Bahoruco, Barahona Peninsula of southern Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). PhytoKeys. 235: 43-52. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.235.110476
Resumen: Se describe una nueva especie de Gesneria endémica de la Sierra de Bahoruco en la península de Barahona en la República Dominicana, en el sur de La Española. Gesneria tuberifera J.L.Clark & T.Clase, sp. nov. se diferencia de todos los demás congéneres por la presencia de un tubérculo y corolas rojas tubulares con lóbulos amarillos. Se proporcionan imágenes y una discusión para resumir la presencia de tubérculos en otras Gesneriaceae y diferenciar a Gesneria tuberifera de otros congéneres que comparten un hábito litófito. Con base en las pautas de la UICN, se evalúa un estado de conservación preliminar de En Peligro (EN) para G. tuberifera.
