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| Scaphosepalum luannae Baquero, in Baquero. 2019. |
Abstract
A new species, Scaphosepalum luannae, is described, and new records for Scaphosepalum anchoriferum from Ecuador are presented. Scaphosepalum luannae is superficially similar to S. swertiifolium but its differs in the the dark green leaves, conspicuously nerved at the abaxial side and shiny at the adaxial side, the sub-quadrate petals with a basal lobe at the columnar margin and the lip with a truncate base without lobes with an oblong and flat hypochile. Scaphosepalum luannae and S. anchoriferum were discovered growing sympatrically in a poorly explored cloud forest from north-western Ecuador, near the border with Colombia.
Key words: Ecuador; new species; Reserva Dracula; Scaphosepalum anchoriferum
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| Scaphosepalum luannae photographs. a. Flower of S. luannae: a1. Frontal view, a2. Lateral view B. Flower of S. luannae in situ. c. Lip and petal of S. luannae: c1. Lip, three quartres view. c2. Petal, adaxial view. Photos by Luis Baquero, based on the holotype. |
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| Scaphosepalum luannae. a. Habit. B. Flower in ¾ view. c. Column and lip. d. Lip, adaxial view. e. Dissected flower. Illustration by Luis Baquero based on the holotype. |
Scaphosepalum luannae Baquero, sp. nov.
TYPE: Ecuador. Carchi: between Chical y El Carmen, 0°54’42.5” N 78°12’48.7” W, 1750 m, collected by Luis Baquero on 8th of May 2016, LB 3121 (holotype, QCNE).
Diagnosis: Scaphosepalum luannae is similar to S. swertiifolium but it differs in the smaller (7-10 vs. 8-21 cm long), dark green, reflective leaves (vs. light green, non-reflective) conspicuously nerved at the abaxial surface (vs. not conspicuously nerved); the shorter ramicauls (3.5-5.0 vs 4-10 cm long); the well-developed, subquadrate, reflexed osmophores of the lateral sepals (vs. transversely lunate, markedly divergent); the sub-quadrate petals with a callous lobe at the base of the columnar margin (vs. ovate, oblique, ecallose), the lip truncate at the base, elobulate (vs. provided wit minutely auricles); and the flat and oblong hipochile (vs. shallowly concave, more or less oblong in S. swertiifolium) (Fig. 3-4).
Eponymy: This species is named in honor of Luanne Lemmer of Washington State, USA. Luanne, her husband Eric Veach, and their two sons, Malcolm and Nigel, are passionate supporters of conservation and have given important help to Rainforest Trust and EcoMinga for the establishment of the Dracula Orchid Reserve, which now protects this species.
Luis E. Baquero. 2019. Scaphosepalum luannae, A New Species, and Scaphosepalum anchoriferum (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidianae) from north-western Ecuador. Lankesteriana. 19(3); DOI: doi.org/10.15517/lank.v19i3.39971
