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| Cyrtandra obliquifolia K.R. Wood & W.L. Wagner, |
Abstract
Cyrtandra obliquifolia K.R. Wood & W.L. Wagner (Gesneriaceae), a new shrub species known only from Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated with notes on its distribution, ecology, and conservation status. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cyrtandra wawrae C.B. Clarke but differs by its unique combination of oblique, non-peltate, auriculate leaf bases, more deeply divided calyx lobes, inflorescence with fewer flowers and lacking profusely umbellate cymes. Cyrtandra obliquifolia is known from only two localities which have undergone severe habitat degradation from landslides and invasive plants and animals and is determined to be Critically Endangered (CR) when evaluated under IUCN criteria.
Key words: Conservation, critically endangered, Cyrtandra, Gesneriaceae, Hawaiian Islands, Kaua‘i
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| Cyrtandra obliquifolia K.R. Wood & W.L. Wagner A habit B pubescence on upper leaf surface and margin C pubescence on lower surface and margin D flower in early anthesis (male phase) E flower in full anthesis (female stage) F calyx after flowering showing stigma. Drawn from holotype and augmented with photograph of plant that holotype was taken from (A–D, F) and from close-up photo of plant that holotype was taken from (E). |
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| Cyrtandra obliquifolia K.R. Wood & W.L. Wagner from headwaters of Waikoko Valley where holotype was collected A, B habit C close-up of early anthesis flower D general habitat of type locality. All photos by K.R. Wood. |
Cyrtandra obliquifolia K.R.Wood & W.L.Wagner, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Morphologically, Cyrtandra obliquifolia is similar to C. wawrae, differing in having non-peltate leaves (vs. peltate), only 3–5-flowered cymes (vs. dense umbelliform cymes up to 17-flowered), corolla tube 10–11 mm long (vs. 13–17 mm long), and calyx ca. 10 mm long, the lobes lanceolate, 8–9.5 mm long, pilose within (vs. calyx 12–32 mm long, enclosing the fruit at maturity, the lobes deltate, 2–6(–10) mm long, glabrate to sparsely pilose).
Etymology: The species epithet is from the Latin obliquus meaning slanting or unequal sides, and folius for leaf.
Kenneth R. Wood and Warren L. Wagner. 2024. Cyrtandra obliquifolia (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from Kaua‘i, Hawaiian Islands. PhytoKeys. 237: 141-151. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.237.114704