Vasivaea distopo, Torrejano-Munevar, Andrés Felipe, Tamayo, Boris Villanueva & Aymard- Corredor, Gerardo A., 2025

Torrejano-Munevar, Andrés Felipe, Tamayo, Boris Villanueva & Aymard- Corredor, Gerardo A., 2025, Novelties on Vasivaea Baill. (Malvaceae, Grewioideae, Grewieae) for the Colombian flora, Phytotaxa 682 (1), pp. 101-111 : 102-107

Vasivaea distopo Torrejano-M & Villanueva, sp. nov. ( Fig. 1–2 )

Type: — COLOMBIA. Bolívar: Cantagallo, Quebrada La Concha al río Santo Domingo , entrada por la casa de Don Choco, 7° 9,014’ N, 74° 5,134’ W, 91 m, 24 October 2016, (bud and fl ♂), B. Villanueva-T. & L. F. Henao 3290 (holotype: JBB; isotypes: COL, UDBC) .

Vasivaea distopo is morphologically similar to Vasivaea podocarpa , but differs in its oblong-elliptic, slightly ovate, less frequently suborbicular leaves, 10.1–18.7 × 4.9–8.8 cm (vs. widely ovate, obovate or suborbicular leaves, 9–33 × 7–20 cm), 3–4(–5) secondary veins (vs. mainly 5), minor secondary veins (12–)15–18 (vs. 9–10 [–13]), congested inflorescences, 1.1–5.4 cm long (vs. lax inflorescences, 5–12 cm long), androgynophore in staminate flowers glabrate with distal free lobes (vs. androgynophore tomentose with connate distal lobes) and obcordate fruit, shortly rostrate, rostrum 2–5 mm long when mature (vs. globose fruit, long rostrate, rostrum 8–15 mm when mature).

Trees up to 20 m high; branchlets cylindrical, solid, 1.8–2.5 mm diam., tomentose ferruginous when young, becoming glabrescent when mature, cover with stellate +15 radiate trichomes, surface striate, striae rhombic, lenticellate, lenticels 0.6–1.2 × 0.3–0.6 mm, cream, elliptic; buds ovate with hirsute, hyaline-yellowish simple trichomes, 0.5–1.1 mm long. Leaves distichous, internodes irregularly spaced, 0.5–2.5 cm long. Stipules 5.1–11.9 × 1.3–3.6 mm, lanceolate, distally conduplicate, free, persistent, proximally hirsute, distally glabrescent, with hyaline, simple trichomes, 0.8–2.1 mm long. Petioles 1.1–2.4 cm long, terete, 1.2–2.2 mm diam, distally pulvinate, pulvinus 1.5–2.5 mm diam., pubescent, with stellate trichomes. Leaf blades 10.1–18.7 × 4.9–8.8 cm, chartaceous, oblong-elliptic, slightly ovate, less frequently suborbicular, slightly asymmetrical (middle width ratio 0.7–0.9[–1]), base subcordate, obtuse or rounded, slightly asymmetrical (basal ratio 0.7–0.9[–1]), margin irregularly serrulate, apex acute, rounded or acuminate, rarely obscurely trilobate, acumen 3.7–8.8(–13.8) mm long; adaxial surface areolate, glabrescent, with hyaline-yellowish trichomes, restricted to the veins, simple trichomes 0.3–0.7 mm long, and sessile, stellate, 2–7 radiate trichomes, rays 0.1–0.6 mm long, both restricted to tertiary and quaternary veins, sessile, stellate, 10–14 radiate trichomes, rays 0.1–0.5 mm long, and sessile, stellate trichomes, shorter rays 13–20, 0.1–0.6 mm long, longer rays 2–6, septate, 0.7– 1.3 mm long, both restricted to the primary and secondary veins, abaxial surface areolate, slightly bullate, pubescent or glabrescent, with hyaline-yellowish trichomes, restricted to the veins, simple trichomes 0.3–0.7 mm long, and sessile, stellate, 2–7 radiate trichomes, rays 0.2–0.4 mm long, both restricted to tertiary and quaternary veins, sessile, stellate, 10–14 radiate trichomes, rays 0.3–0.5 mm long, and sessile, stellate trichomes, shorter rays 13–20, 0.1–0.5 mm long, longer rays 2–6, septate, 0.6–1.6 mm long, both restricted to the primary and secondary veins. Venation flat to slightly impressed adaxially, prominently abaxially, with three actinodromous basal primary veins, major secondary veins semicraspedodromous, 3–5 pairs on each side, diverging 35°–57° from the midvein, spacing abruptly increasing proximally, minor secondary veins semicraspedodromous, (12–)15–18 on each side, diverging 46–89° from major secondaries veins, tertiary veins percurrent, mainly opposite, occasionally alternate, sinuous, epimedial tertiaries perpendicular to the midvein, quaternary vein fabric mixed percurrent. Staminate inflorescence cymose-paniculate, terminal or axillary, 1.6–5.4 cm long, peduncle (1.4–) 3.6–14.1 mm long, terete, surface green (in vivo), indumentum ferruginous-tomentose when dry, with sessile, stellate +14 radiate trichomes mixed with sessile, stellate, 13–20 radiate with 2–3 longer rays trichomes; rachis slightly flexuous, branches alternate, 3–5 per inflorescence, 2.7–16.3 mm long, subtended by two bracts 2.4–7.6 × 1.2–2.8 mm, lanceolate, persistent, with hirsute, hyaline-ferruginous simple trichomes, 0.6–1.2 mm long, 3–5 cymes per branch, congested. Staminate flowers actinomorphic, in groups of 3–5 flowers, each subtended by 2 bracteoles, the first one 0.6–0.9 mm long, linear, apically cucullate, the second one 1.1– 1.3 mm long, lanceolate, appressed adaxially, tomentose abaxially, with simple trichomes on both sides; pedicel 1.6– 1.8 × 0.8–0.9 mm, terete, tomentose, with sessile, stellate trichomes; sepals 4, 5.8–6.5 × 2.2–3.9 mm, cream with three darker lines (in vivo), ovate, distally cucullate, free, valvate, margin slightly involute, glabrate or glabrescent adaxially, with sessile, 2–4 radiate trichomes, tomentose abaxially, with hyaline-yellowish, sessile, stellate +14 radiate trichomes, rays 0.1–0.2 mm long, mixed with sessile, stellate trichomes, shorter rays 13–20, 0.1–0.3 mm long, longer rays 4–6, 0.3–0.8 mm long; petals 4, 6.4–6.6 × 1.7–2.1 mm, cream (in vivo), oblanceolate, apex truncate, free, membranous, glabrescent adaxially, with appressed simple trichomes, the base covered by simple hyaline trichomes, (0.1–) 0.4–0.5 mm long, surrounding an elliptic nectary, ca. 0.4 × 0.5 mm; androgynophore ca. 1 × 0.9 mm, tubular, glabrate, distal lobes ca. 20, free, ca. 0.3 mm long; stamens 37–47, free, basally connate, ca. 0.1 mm long, filaments 1.9–3.1 mm long, glabrate, anthers dithecal, thecae ca. 0.5 × 0.3 mm, elliptic, curved, dorsifixed, pistillode ca. 0.6 mm long, rudimentary. Pistillate inflorescence cymose-paniculate, terminal, (1.1–) 1.9–4.3 cm long, peduncle 6.9–7.9 mm long, terete, surface green (in vivo), indumentum ferruginous-tomentose when dry, with sessile, stellate +14 radiate trichomes mixed with sessile, stellate, 13–20 radiate trichomes with 2–3 longer rays; rachis slightly flexuous, branches alternate, 3–5 per inflorescence, 1.5–17.9 mm long, subtended by two bracts 3.4–6.5 × 1.7–2.9 mm, lanceolate, persistent, with hirsute, hyaline-ferruginous simple trichomes, 0.6–1.2 mm long, 3–5 cymes per branch, congested. Pistillate flowers actinomorphic, in groups of 3–5 flowers, each subtended by 2 bracteoles, the first one 2.3–3.9 mm long, linear, apically cucullate, the second one 2.1–3.2 mm long, lanceolate, appressed adaxially, tomentose abaxially, with simple trichomes on both sides; pedicel 1.2–2 × 1.5–1.8 mm, terete, tomentose, with sessile, stellate trichomes; sepals 4, 5.7–8.9 × 2.9–3.4 mm, ovate, valvate, distally cucullate, margin slightly involute, glabrate or glabrescent adaxially, basally pubescent, with sessile, 2–4 radiate trichomes, tomentose abaxially, with hyaline-yellowish, sessile, stellate +14 radiate trichomes, rays 0.1–0.2 mm long, mixed with sessile, stellate trichomes, shorter rays 13–20, 0.1–0.3 mm long, longer rays 4–6, 0.3–1 mm long; petals 4, 4.4–6.6 × 1.4–1.9 mm, cream (in vivo), oblanceolate, apex truncate, free, membranous, glabrate adaxially, abaxially with a central stripe of simple trichomes, the base cover by simple hyaline trichomes, 0.6–0.8 mm long, surrounding an elliptic nectary, ca. 1.4 × 0.5 mm; androgynophore 0.7–0.9 × 2.4–2.9 mm, tubular, glabrescent, with hyaline-yellowish stellate trichomes, distal lobes 0.3–0.9 mm long, irregular, surrounding the base of the ovary; stamens ca. 30, free, filaments 1.3–3.5 mm, glabrate, surrounding the ovary, anthers dithecal, thecae ca. 0.5 × 0.3 mm, elliptic, curved, dorsifixed, sterile; styles fimbriate, glabrate, ovary globose, 3.7–5 mm diam., with appressed simple trichomes, 4-carpelar, 1 ovule per locule. Fruit 3.5–4.6 × 2.9–4.2 cm, drupaceous, obcordate, slightly rostrate, rostrum 3–5 mm long (– 12 mm in immature fruits), pedicel elongate, 2.5–5.5 mm long, exocarp membranous, surface irregular, tomentose-ferruginous, with sessile stellate trichomes, mesocarp fibrous, seeds 1–4 per fruit. Seeds ca. 1.8 × 1.3 cm, reniform, plano-convex, apiculate, coat hard, striate, micropyle elliptic, ca. 1 × 0.7 mm.

Distribution and ecology: — Vasivaea distopo occurs in alluvial seasonally flooded forests growing on rich soils drained by white waters rivers (várzea forests).

This species is found in several localities, such as the middle Magdalena River basin (Santander, Antioquia, and Bolívar departments), the lower basin of the Cauca River along the Nechí River (Antioquia department), and the lower basin of the Atrato river (Antioquia and Choco departments), between 20 and 220 m elevation ( Fig. 3 ).

In the middle Magdalena basin river, along the “Caño San Juan” (Carare River), two permanent plots of 1 hectare were installed in flooded forests with two flooding periods lasting three months each ( Aldana et al. 2017). In this area, 826 individuals with DBH greater than 10 cm were measured, but only three belonged to the new species. The most important species in these plots included: Spondias mombin Linnaeus (1753: 351) , Luehea seemannii Triana & Planchon (1862: 348) , Cordia collococca Linnaeus (1759: 17) , Pseudomalmea boyacana Macbride (1918: 50) Chartou (1998: 182) , Guazuma ulmifolia Lamarck (1789: 52) , and Duguetia surinamensis R.E. Fries (1934: 50) . In this place (Caño San Juan), the spider monkeys ( Ateles hybridus I. Geoffroy [1829: 168] ) was observed eating the seeds of V. distopo ( Link et al. 2012) .

In the alluvial valley forests of the Nechí River, in permanently flooded sectors with depths of 0.1–0.2 m, Vasivaea distopo is associated with Prioria copaifera Grisebach (1860: 215) (“cativo”; J. Tobón pers. comm.), Inga multijuga Bentham (1875: 630) (“guamo macho”), and Bactris guineensis ( Linnaeus 1767: 137) H.E. Moore (1963: 251) .

Phenology: —It can be found with flowers and fruits throughout the year.

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to “distopo ” one of the common names of the new species. That name is given to the fibrous mesocarp which resembles the fiber sack material.

Local names and uses: — Vasivaea distopo is known by several common names, such as “distopo ” (Caño San Juan, an affluent at the Carare River) Cimitarra (Santander department), “estopo” in Cimitarra (Carare River), and “corcho rojo” in “El Bagre” (Nechí River, Antioquia department) and Cimitarra (Carare River) as well. These names refer to the fibrous mesocarp, which is eaten by local peoples due to the sweet-bitter flavor. The new species is also known as “siete capas” in Santander department (Renteria 8257, MO) and “juana de bajo” in Cimitarra (E. Posada pers. comm. 2023); according to Renteria 4469 (JAUM), it can be also used as a source of timber boards.

Conservation status: —Based on the Extent of Occurrence (EOO = 28,528 km ²) and Area of Occupancy (AOO = 48 km ²), V. distopo is preliminary assessed as Endangered (EN B2ab[iii]). This designation is primarily due to its habitat specialization (it only occurs in flooded forests) and the severe fragmentation of lowland forests in the Magdalena and Nechí River basins. These forests have been significantly impacted in the last six decades by logging, agricultural land use changes, livestock farming (Magdalena River), mining (Nechí river), and infrastructure development ( Murillo-Sandoval et al., 2021). Additionally, the absence of protected areas threatens V. distopo populations. In this sense, there is a concern with the populations in the Magdalena River basin, due to ecosystem change, and degradation caused by invasive species ( Sanchez-Cuervo & Aide 2013, Subalusky et al. 2019).

Additional specimens examined: — COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Chigorodó, carretera tapón del Darién, Km 18, 120 m, 20 March 1981 (♂ fl), E. C. Gómez 46 (JAUM-12529!) ; ibid., vereda Malagón, camino Malagón al Cocuelo , 20 m, 7 January 1986 (♂ fl), E. Renteria et al. 4469 (JAUM-12165!, MO) ; ibid,, vía el Cocuelo, 220 m, 15 January 1986 (♀ fl, fr), E. Renteria et al. 4622 (JAUM-12168!, JAUM-12554!, MO [n.v.]) ; ibid., vereda El Coco, 75 m, 7°42’10,66’’N, 76°35’38,45’’W, 11 June 2021 (♀ fl), J. P. Tobón & J. Castaño 3960 (JAUM-92427!) ; El Bagre, vereda Sabalito, río Nechí , zonas aledañas a ciénagas y cativales, 60–70 m, 7°50’26’’N, 74°46’48,9’’W, 25 February 2015 (fr), M. Montoya et al. 3202 (JAUM-72730!) ; ibid., (fr), M. Montoya et al. 3206 (HUA-203072!) ; El Bagre, astilleros y zonas cercanas a explotación minera de oro, 50 m, 7°51,235’N, 74°46,706’W, 2 March 2015 (fr), J. P. Tobón et al. 1142 (JAUM-68543!) ; ibid., (♂ fl) J. P. Tobón et al. 1434 (JAUM-68702!) ; El Bagre, corregimiento Puerto Claver, vereda Boca del Guamo , costado NW de la ciénaga Sampomoso , a ca. 200 m de la orilla, alrededores del caño Hojarascal , 54 m, 7°55’42,2’’N, 74°47’48,8’’W, 18 July 2015 (Fr), A. E. Ojeda-Rodríguez & G. Ramírez 644 (JAUM-72613!) ; El Bagre, Boca del Guamo , 49 m, 7°54’29,7’’N, 74°48’34,5’’W, 16 January 2020 (♂ fl) E. Y. Garcés Quintero et al. 51 (HUA-226564!) ; El Bagre, Boca del Guamo , 39 m, 7°56’26,9’’N, 74°48’56’’W, September 2021 (♂ fl), E. García Vélez et al. 1071 (HUA-230619!) ; Mutatá, vereda Bohios , finca la Cabaña, camino los bajos, 30 m, 5 August 1985 (♂ fl) E. Renteria & D. Cárdenas 4350 (JAUM-12166!, MO) ; Mutatá, Vereda Mutatasito , 155 m, 7°14’35,3’’N, 76°25’9,8’’W, 16 April 2014 (♂ fl), N. López Álvarez & L. Toné 7324a (JAUM-84624!) ; Turbo, carretera Tapón del Darién, sector Río León , lomas aisladas. Km 37, 10–20 m, 28 February 1984 (♀ fl), J. Brand & M. González 964 (JAUM-10084!, MO) ; ibid., 26 May 1984 (♂ fl) J. Brand 1178 (JAUM-10085!, MO) ; Yondó , ciénaga de Barbacoas, caño La Montaña , 115 m, 6°43,245’N, 74°15,018’W, November 2011 (fr), D. Carmona et al. 7 (HUA-224319!) ; Urabá-Chigorodó-Malagón. Caño Malagón, 10 m, 22 March 1986 (♀ fl), E. Renteria 4694 (JAUM-12167!, MO). Bolívar: Cantagallo, quebrada La Concha al río Santo Domingo, entrada por la casa de Don Choco, 91 m, 7°9,014’N, 74°5,134’W, 24 Octobre 2016 (fr), B. Villanueva T. & F. Henao 3290 ( JBB!). Boyacá: Puerto Boyacá. Corregimiento Puerto Romero, Caño Venado, cerca de Puerto Romero, 320 m, 14 Julio 1997 (fl), P. Franco y curso Sistemática I 5720 ( COL [digital image]). Chocó: Río Truando , between the boom (bun) and Río Salado , 18 May 1967, J. A. Duke 11153 ( MO) ; Mutatá, [now Belén de Bajirá], Villa Eugenia, finca La Eugenia , sector El Catival , 33 m, 7°24’57,4’’N, 76°47’45,1’’W, 30 January 2014, J. P. Tobón & Mendoza 943 (JAUM-65405!). Santander: Cimitarra, Corregimiento de Puerto Olaya , Had. El Bosque, potrero Quito, 160 m, 6°28,285’N, 74°21,116’W, 27 July 1999, Á. Idárraga et al. 915 (JAUM-58017!, HUA-127212!) ; Cimitarra, vereda Cachimbero. Hacienda San Miguel, cienaga caño Negro , 80 m, 6°23’51,4’’N, 74°21’29’’W, 10 October 2001 (fr), J. M. Vélez et al. 4265 (JAUM-80942!, HUA-130596!) ; Cimitarra, cuenca baja del Río Carare, Hda del San Juan , 95 m, 6°42’43.38’’N, 74°8’39.94’’W, 30 January 2009 (♂ fl), B. Villanueva T. 205 (TOLI-9572!) ; Cimitarra , caño ciénaga, 98 m, 6°42’19.77’’N, 74°8’41.62’’W, 10 September 2010 (♂ fl), B. Villanueva T. 608 (TOLI-12378!) ; Cimitarra, vereda Puerto Olaya, finca Piamonte , 109 m, 6º25’48.67’’N, 74º20’45.45’’W, 01 March 2024 (♂ fl), J. Piñeros Garzón et al. 300 ( UDBC!, COL, JBB, JAUM) ; ibid., 111 m, 6º25’40,92’’N, 74º20’53,23’’W, 03 March 2024 (fr), J. Piñeros Garzón et al. 301 ( UDBC!, COL, JBB, JAUM) ; Puente sobre el río La Llana, finca El Tesoro , 14 November 1977, E. Renteria 8257 (MO-036993) .

Taxonomical notes: — Vasivaea distopo differs from V. alchorneoides in its oblong-elliptic, slightly ovate, less frequently suborbicular leaves, 10.1–18.7 × 4.9–8.8 cm (vs. elliptic leaves, 6–15 × 3–8.5 cm), puberulous, occasionally pubescent or glabrescent leaf blades abaxially (vs. leaf blades glabrescent abaxially), actinodromous primary veins (vs. pinnate), 3–4(–5) secondary veins (vs. 5–7), secondary veins spacing abruptly increasing proximally (vs. secondary veins spacing irregular), androgynophore in staminate flowers with free distal lobes (vs. androgynophore with connate distal lobes) and obcordate fruit, 3.5–4.6 × 2.9–4.2 cm (vs. ovate fruit, 3–4 × ca. 2 cm).

This new species was previously referred as Vasivaea podocarpa in the “Catálogo de Plantas Vasculares de Antioquia ” ( Merello et al. 2011) and in the “Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia ” ( Fernández-Alonso et al. 2016) based on Brand 1178 (♂ fl) ( JAUM, MO). After examination of the collection, we concluded that it belongs to V. distopo . Therefore, V. podocarpa does not occur in northwestern Colombia. Furthermore, Vasivaea distopo differs from V. alchornoides and V. podocarpa by the morphological features discussed in the diagnosis and species key presented here.

Biogeographical notes: — Vasivaea distopo represents the first record of the genus out of Amazonian, Essequibo, Orinoquian basins, and Guiana Shield lowland flooded forests ( Fig. 3 ), where species of Vasivaea are almost exclusively distributed ( Jansen-Jacobs & Meijer 1995, Dorr & Meijer 2005, Rangel-Churio et al. 2022). This disjunct distribution pattern is likely explained by the biogeographical history of the lineage represented by Rhoipites guianensis ( van der Hammen & Wijmstra [1964: 235] Jaramillo & Dilcher [2001: 158]) . The latter is a fossil pollen taxon widely distributed in the lowland floodplain environments of northern South America during the late Eocene to early Miocene ( Rodriguez-Forero et al. 2012, Salamanca et al. 2016, Hoorn et al. 2019) that has its nearest living relatives in Vasivaea and Trichospermum Blume (1825: 56) ( Salamanca et al. 2016, Hoorn et al. 2019).

Rhoipites guianensis distribution included the Middle Magdalena Valley, the Guiana Shield, the Orinoco, and the Amazon basins ( van der Hammen & Wijmstra 1964, Rodríguez-Forero et al. 2012, Salamanca et al. 2016, Hoorn et al. 2019). This distribution is associated with migration processes to northern South America and Central America, following climate and paleoenvironment changes related to the Andean uplift (Horn et al. 2019). These processes could have influenced the expansion, diversification, and isolation of their nearest living relative species in the surrounding valleys like the Magdalena and Cauca River basins (Horn et al. 2019). Perhaps, the latter assumption could explain the disjunct distribution of Vasivaea species and its preference for wet environmental conditions (i.e. flooded forest). This distribution, as suggested by Gentry (1982), occurs in many lowland rainforest tree species (e.g. Aiouea montana ( Swartz [1788: 65]) R. Rohde (2017: 1102) , Turpinia occidentalis ( Swartz [1788: 55]) G. Don [1832: 3] , Raputiarana subsigmoidea ( Ducke [1930:143]) Emmerich [1978: 275] ). These taxa are distributed on both sides of the Andes, in the Amazon Basin and Central America, mainly influenced by Andean uplift and the Pleistocene climate changes, that create barriers to gene flow, opening new habitats, and changing regional climate ( Gentry 1982, Hoorn et al. 2019, Bemmels et al. 2024, Tribble et al. 2024).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Illustration of Vasivaea distopo. A. Staminate flowers. B. Pistillate flowers. C. Sessile, 10–14 radiate, stellate trichomes. D. Terminal branch with the arrangement of leaf and inflorescence. E. Detail of the trichomes in the abaxial face. F. Sessile, stellate, 13–20 radiate with 2–6 rays longer trichomes. G. Detail of the venation. H. Simple trichome. I. Sessile, stellate, 2–7 radiate trichome. J. Fruit in frontal and bottom views. Illustration by Manuela Sánchez (JBB).

FIGURE 2. Vasivaea distopo. A. Staminate flowers in anthesis. B. Mature fruit. Photographs by Boris Villanueva (JBB).

FIGURE 3. Distribution map of Vasivaea distopo, V. alchorneoides, and V. podocarpa. A. Distribution of Vasivaea distopo in Colombia. B. Distribution of Vasivaea species in South America.