Larnax purpureocarpa S. Leiva, Deanna & Barboza, 2014

Deanna, Rocío, González, Segundo Leiva & Barboza, Gloria E., 2014, Four new species and eighteen lectotypifications of Larnax from Ecuador and Peru and a new synonym of Deprea orinocensis (Solanaceae: Solanoideae, Physalideae), Phytotaxa 167 (1), pp. 1-34 : 12-14

Larnax purpureocarpa S. Leiva, Deanna & Barboza , spec. nov. ( Figs. 3 C, D , 7 , 8 )

Type:— ECUADOR. Napo: carretera Cosanga-Baeza, 5.4 km al sur de Baeza, en borde de carretera , 1855 m, 77°52'20.2''W, 00°28'34.2''S, 25 January 2013 (fl, fr), R. Deanna & S. Leiva 125 (holotype QCNE 0233491 ! , isotypes CORD 00006800 ! , HAO! ).

Larnax purpureocarpa differs from L. harlingiana in its pubescent leaves underneath, with long simple transparent nonglandular trichomes (vs. hirsute leaves below, with long simple ochraceous non-glandular trichomes in L. harlingiana ), its 5–6-flowered inflorescence (vs. 2–4-flowered inflorescence), its calyx lobes 0.6–1.1 mm long (vs. tiny calyx lobes 0.1–0.3 mm long), its corolla lobes greenish yellow externally, yellow internally with dull purple at the lobe apex (vs. an entirely green corolla), its homodynamous stamens (vs. heterodynamous stamens), and in its blackish purple fruiting calyx (vs. green fruiting calyx).

Shrubs, widely branched, 0.5–0.8 m tall. Stems terete, slightly 4–5-angulate, solid; old stems 7–10 (–12) mm wide at base, deep blackish purple, glabrescent (long simple 3–5-celled transparent non-glandular trichomes), without lenticels, with longitudinal short fissures; young stems lustrous, deep purple to dull purple, villous, slightly sericeous, with short transparent antrorse simple non-glandular trichomes. Leaves alternate, distal leaves sometimes geminate; petiole semi-terete, (2.5–) 4.6–5.7 cm long, deep purple or purple-blackish, sometimes dull purple, with the same pubescence as the young stems; leaf blade entire, 17.5–21 cm long, 8.5–8.9 cm wide, ovate, apex acute, base cuneate, slightly oblique, membranous, opaque, dark green with purple veins above, deep purple below, glabrescent above, with long, transparent, non-glandular trichomes scattered, and pubescent, slightly sericeous below, with the same trichomes of the adaxial surface only on veins and margins. Fascicles axillary, (4–) 5–6-flowered; pedicels 25–28 mm long, deep purple to blackish, filiform, pendent, pubescent, slightly sericeous, with short simple transparent non-glandular and ochraceous glandular trichomes (stalk unicellular, head 6-celled). Flowering calyx 4.9–5.2 mm diameter in anthesis, deep purple to dull purple externally, dull purple internally, cupshaped, fleshy, with protruding principal veins, villous, slightly sericeous externally, with long transparent nonglandular trichomes mainly along veins, and short simple ochraceous glandular trichomes scattered, glabrous internally; tube 1.9–2 mm long, (4–) 4.7–4.9 mm wide; lobes unequal, 0.6–1.1 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide, shortly triangular, acute, erect, with papillae and non-glandular 2–3-celled trichomes at the apex. Corolla campanulate before anthesis, slightly stellate in anthesis, 7–9 mm diameter in anthesis, fleshy; tube green externally, cream internally, 1.8–2.2 (–3.2) mm long, 5–6 mm diameter, completely glabrous in both surfaces; lobes (3.5–) 4–4.1 mm long, (2–) 2.8–3 mm wide, triangular, reflexed at the apex, greenish yellow externally, yellow to dull purple at the apex internally, ciliate margin, sparsely pubescent, slightly sericeous externally, with abundant short and a few long simple glandular trichomes (2–5-celled stalk, oblong unicellular ochraceous head), mixed with some short transparent non-glandular trichomes on the surface, glabrous internally, the apex papillate. Stamens exserted or slightly exserted, homodynamous; filaments glabrous, cream, 0.9–1.1 mm long, filament base expansion auriculate, cream, 0.5–0.6 mm long, auricles pronounced and triangular; anthers 1.8–2 mm long, 1.9–2.1 mm wide, cream to bluish cream, ellipsoidal to widely ovoid, mucronate, thecae slightly divergent, connective whitish cream, widely triangular, and protruding. Gynoecium with stylar heteromorphism; ovary creamy white, glabrous, pyriform, 1.4–1.5 mm long, 1.6–1.8 mm wide, nectary annular, conspicuous, yellowish white, occupying 40–50% of the ovary length; style glabrous, cream, broadened at the apex, exserted, short style 4.2–4.4 mm long, extending ca. 2 mm beyond the anthers, long style 6.2–6.6 mm long, extending ca. 4 mm beyond the anthers; stigma clavate, bilobate, dark green, 0.3–0.4 mm long, 0.7–0.8 mm diameter. Fruit a berry, elliptic-fusiform, (10–) 13–14 mm long, 7–9 mm diameter, cream with some purple spots, fleshy, lustrous, glabrous. Fruiting calyx accrescent, tightly enveloping the berry, 13.2–14.1 mm long, 8.2–9.2 mm diameter, open at the apex, lustrous, deep purple to blackish purple, markedly 10-costate, villous, slightly sericeous externally, with abundant long and short simple glandular trichomes, and some long simple transparent non-glandular trichomes; lobes conspicuous, short, <1 mm long, triangular acute. Fruiting pedicels 20–22 mm long, purple, erect to oblique, pubescent, slightly sericeous. Seeds 31–35 per fruit, 2.5–2.8 mm long, 2–2.1 mm diameter, creamy brown, reniform, glabrous; testa foveolate.

Etymology: — From the conspicuous blackish purple fruiting calyx which is an important diagnostic character of this species.

Phenology: — Flowering and fruiting from November to February.

Distribution and Ecology: — Endemic to roadsides of the Cosanga-Baeza road, Yanayacu Biological Station, and Antisana Ecological Reserve (Napo Province, Ecuador; Fig. 4 ). Larnax purpureocarpa is distributed on the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, inhabiting primary cloud forest from 1850 to 2600 m elev.

Species conservation assessment: —According to IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2012), L. purpureocarpa is considered as Near Threatened (NT). The extent of occurrence is calculated to be ca. 100 km 2 (Criterion B1 <5000 km 2, Endangered) and it is known from four localities (Criterion B1a ≤5, Endangered). However, as no decline in the geographic range or fragmentation of the habitat has been observed, this assessment has been regarded as Near Threatened. Future research is required to confirm this assessment.

Additional specimens examined: — ECUADOR. Napo: Quijos, Reserva Ecológica Antisana, Río Aliso, 8 km al suroeste de Cosanga, afluente del río Aliso, margen derecha a 1 km, bosque muy húmedo Montano Bajo , suelo aluvial, 2530 m, 00°35’S 77°57’W, 12 November 1998 (fl, fr), Vargas et al. 2951 ( QCNE!, MO) ; Yanayacu Biological Station, ca. 5 km W of Cosanga–Las Caucheras road , roadside, 2150 m, 0°35’56.1’’S 77°53’19.1’’W, 6 February 2011 (fl, fr), Tepe et al. 2900 ( QCNE!) ; Ca. 4 km W of Cosanga on the Cosanga-Las Caucheras road , roadside, 2100 m, 0°35’35.0’’S 77°53’10.8’’W, 7 February 2011 (fl, fr), Tepe et al. 2908 ( QCNE!) .

Discussion: — Larnax purpureocarpa is unique in having an elliptic-fusiform berry tightly enclosed by a blackish purple fruiting calyx with copious long glandular trichomes ( Fig. 8 C, E ); another diagnostic trait is the discolorous leaves ( Fig. 8 A ). These two characters unequivocally differentiate this species from its congeners.

Larnax purpureocarpa most closely resembles L. harlingiana Hunziker & Barboza (1955: 157) from southern Ecuador. Both species have elliptic-fusiform berries, calyx 2–3 mm long and mucronate anthers. Larnax purpureocarpa can be distinguished from L. harlingiana on the basis of the inner leaf surface pubescence, number of flowers per inflorescence, calyx lobes length, corolla lobes colour, homogeneity of stamens length, and fruiting calyx colour, as can be seen in Table 5 and Figs. 8 B–E .

Furthermore, Larnax purpureocarpa is sympatric with Larnax hawkesii Hunziker (1977: 9) , they both have a small corolla, calyx lobes of 0.5–1.1 mm in length, mucronate anthers and an elliptic-fusiform berry. Larnax purpureocarpa differs from L. hawkesii by its height, leaf shape, inflorescence, and fruiting calyx colour and pubescence ( Figs. 8 A–D ) as summarised in Table 6. Larnax pumila is a geographically close and it is distinguished from L. purpureocarpa by its indumentum, corolla colour and globose or subglobose berries ( Fig. 6 A–C ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Trichomes of Larnax species. A. Short simple trichome of L. pumila calyx. B. Bifurcate trichome of L. macasiana corolla lobes. C. Short glandular trichome of L. purpureocarpa corolla lobes. D. Long glandular trichome of L. purpureocarpa fruiting calyx. E. Papillae of L. pumila calyx apex. F. Long non-glandular trichome of L. macasiana corolla lobes. G. Simple non-glandular trichome of L. toledoana inner corolla. H. Bifurcate trichome of L. toledoana corolla lobes. Scale = 5 µm.

FIGURE 4. Schematic distribution of the novel Larnax species in Ecuador.

FIGURE 6. Larnax pumila. A. Habit. B. Flower in anthesis. C. Flower and fruit. From Orozco et al. 3890 (Photo by Segundo Leiva González).

FIGURE 7. Larnax purpureocarpa. A. Flowers and buds. B. Fruit surrounded by accrescent calyx. C. Flower. D. Calyx. E. Flowering branch. F, H, I. Anthers in lateral, ventral and dorsal views, respectively. G. Ovary in cross section. J. Gynoecium. K. Open corolla. L. Seed. From Deanna & Leiva 125. Drawing by Segundo Leiva González.

FIGURE 8. Larnax purpureocarpa. A. Habit. B. Long-styled flower in anthesis. C. Short-styled flower and fruits. D. Flower in lateral view. E. Fruit. From Deanna & Leiva 125 (Photo by Rocío Deanna & Segundo Leiva González).