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| Pleurothallis vallejoi Sierra-Ariza, J. Alvarez-Diaz & Mark Wilson, in Sierra-Ariza, Alvarez-Diaz, Tinoco et Wilson. 2025. |
Abstract
A new species of Pleurothallis subgenus Talpinaria, discovered in the department of Tolima, Central Andes of Colombia, is described, illustrated, and discussed. The new species, Pleurothallis vallejoi is compared with P. talpinaria from Colombia and Venezuela, P. trimeroglossa from Peru and Ecuador, P. jostii, presumed to occur in Ecuador, and P. gracilicolumna from Colombia. The new species is distinguished from the previous ones by a lip with subquadrate lateral lobes, with narrowly elliptical basal auricles, and a callus that is elongated, thin, and slightly elevated, with the median lobe occupying almost half of the total lip length. Additionally, the pollination mechanism of the P. talpinaria complex is described and discussed.
Keywords: Andean orchids, Diptera, Pleurothallis gracilicolumna, Pleurothallis jostii, Pleurothallis talpinaria, Pleurothallis trimeroglossa, Sylvicola
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| Lankester composite digital plate of Pleurothallis vallejoi. A. Habit. B. Flower. C. Dissected perianth. D. Lip and column lateral view. E. Lip. F. Column. LCDP by M. A. Sierra-Ariza based on M.A. Sierra-Ariza, J. Alvarez-Diaz & Fernando Tinoco 491 (Holotipo: TOLI). |
Pleurothallis vallejoi Sierra-Ariza, J. Alvarez-Diaz & Mark Wilson, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: P. vallejoi is morphologically most similar to P. trimeroglossa (Fig. 2), from which it differs in the sub-quadrate lateral lobes of the lip, 1.7–2.0 × 1.2–1.5 mm (vs. transversely oblong, 1.8–2.1 × 1.1–1.3 mm), basal auricles that are narrowly elliptical, 1.7–2.0 × 0.6–0.8 mm (vs. narrowly oblong, 2.0–2.3 × 0.4–0.6 mm), a callus that is elongated, thin, slightly elevated, and inconspicuous (vs. dome-shaped, flattened, and notably visible), and a median lobe of 4.1–4.3 mm long (vs. 4.8–5.1 mm).
Mario Alexei Sierra-Ariza, José Armando Alvarez-Diaz, Fernando Tinoco and Mark Wilson. 2025.A new species of Pleurothallis (Pleurothallidinae) from the P. talpinaria complex, with Notes on Comparative Floral Morphology and Pollination Ecology. LANKESTERIANA. 25(3): 151–166. DOI: 10.15517/zzdx7h51
