Puya vallis-colcaensis Treviño & Gouda, 2025

Treviño-Zevallos, Italo F., Gouda, Eric J., Quipuscoa, Victor & Bravo, Cinthia, 2025, Puya vallis-colcaensis (Bromeliaceae) a new species from the Peruvian Andes, Phytotaxa 683 (1), pp. 72-78 : 74-76

Puya vallis-colcaensis Treviño & Gouda , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 ).

Type.— PERU. Arequipa, Prov.Caylloma ; Dist. Cabanaconde, a 1.5 km at East of “Mirador Cruz del Condor”, 15°36’30.8”S- 71°53’32.8’’O, 3596 m, 30 Dic 2018, I. Treviño & C. Bravo, IT 3916, (holotype HSP!; isotype U!) .

Diagnosis: A species morphological similar to Puya weberbaueri but differs from it by the leaf sheaths (3.6) 5.5–6.3 cm long (vs. 8 cm in P. weberbaueri ); inflorescence fertile part 47–60 (–80) cm long (vs. ca. 30 cm long); branches (9–)11–15(–18) cm long (vs. 5.5–8 cm long); floral bracts, much exceeding the pedicel, but much exceeded by the sepals, 4.5–5.4 cm long (vs. exceeding the sepals, 2.5 cm long); flower pedicel distinct (0.7–0.9 mm long vs. indistinct); sepals thin, 4.1–4.6 cm long (vs. thick-coriaceous, 1.8–2.5 cm long); petals 5.3–5.9 cm long, blackish green, apex obtuse (vs. 4–6 cm long, [bright] blue-green, apex rounded); anthers 10–17 mm long (vs. 6 mm long).

Description:—Plant perennial, flowering (2–)2.4–3(–3.6) m high; rosette 1.2–1.5(–1.65) m in diameter, 86–130 cm high. Leaves many, coriaceous; sheath ovate, sometimes somewhat asymmetrical, (3.6–)5.5–6.3 x (7.9–)9.5–10.8(–14) cm, for most part glabrous but the distal end of the abaxial side lepidote; blade very narrowly triangular, (53–)63–96(– 107) cm long, (3.1–)3,7– 5 cm wide at the base, sparsely lepidote to glabrous on the adaxial surface and densely lepidote on the abaxial surface, retrorse-serrulate of 0.3–0.5 cm long spines; apex sharply pungent. Inflorescence paniculate, primarily dense and strobiliform before anthesis, but soon more laxly branched; peduncle 135–150 cm long, 4–5 cm in diameter, with dense white stellate hairs which are easily falling off at maturity; peduncle bracts the lower ones with very narrowly triangular reflexed blade of 13–19 x 1–1.4 cm, the apical ovate, 3.1–4.3 x 2.8–3.3 cm, distal ones broadly ovate, acuminate with triangular recurved apex, only partly covering the peduncle, margins laxly serrulate, lepidote on both sides, but less dense on the adaxial side to glabrescent and blackish at the often recurving apex; fertile part 47–60(–80) cm long, 27–29 cm in diameter, whitish; main axis 1.5–2.7 cm in diameter; primary bracts broadly ovate to oblong, 3.4–7(–10) x 3.1–4.1(–7.5) cm, blackish when dry, remotely denticulate at the margins (sometimes inconspicuously so), almost as long as the branches before anthesis, 1/3–1/2 the length of the branches at and after anthesis, with stellate hairs on both sides but less dense on the adaxial side, apex attenuate and pungent; branches ovoid or ellipsoid, (9–)11–15(–18) cm long, 1.5–3 cm apart, subdensely 12–17-flowered; stipe of the branches 1.7–2 cm long, 0.7–0.9 cm in diameter, with whitish lanate indument; floral bracts thin, ovate, 4.5–5.4 x 2.1–2.7 cm, the margins entire, much exceeding the pedicel, reaching about the center of the sepals at anthesis, apex attenuate, with whitish lanate indument on both sides but less dense on the adaxially. Flowers pedicellate, 0.5–1 cm apart; pedicel 0.7–0.9 mm long, 0.8–1 mm in diameter; sepals oblong, 4.1–4.6 x 1.8–2.1 cm, thin, carinate toward apex, green, the margins entire, apex attenuate then mucronulate, adaxially glabrous, abaxial surface white lanate; petals 5.3–5.9 x 1.3–1.7 cm, narrowly elliptic, blackish green in the upper half, bluish to white at the base, the margins entire, glabrous, apex obtuse. Stamens slightly shorter than the petals, emerging from the throat of the corolla; filament 3.4–4.3 cm long, 1–1.6 mm in diameter; anther 10–17 mm long, 2–2.5 mm in diameter, dorsifixed at about 1/3 from the base, bilobed at the base, pollen yellow. Pistil about equaling the stamens, 5.3–5.8 cm long; ovary superior, subpyriform, 1.8–2.1 cm long, 5–6 mm in diameter, pale green, glabrous; style slender, 3.1–3.7 cm long, whitish; stigma 4 mm long, slightly conduplicate-spiral, dark blue to greenish at the margins. Fruit ellipsoid, 2.6–3.2 x 1.5–1.7 cm, short beaked; seed triangular, winged, 3–4.1 mm long, 1.3–2 mm wide.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes): — PERU: Arequipa, Prov. Caylloma, Dist. Cabanaconde, 20 May 2006, K. Durand, D. Ramos, R. Perez , N. Castro , M. Llacho & C. Silva , 37 ( HUSA). Dist. Maca , Mirador de Tunturpay , 15°37’50.6”S- 71°48’31’’O, 3473 m, 29 Jul 2023, I. Treviño Z., J. Muñuico, C. Bravo, P. Alonso & I. Palacios, IT 5089 ( HSP) ; Dist. Madrigal, at North of Madrigal 15°35’40.68”S, 71°49’41.22’’O, 3198 m, 28 May 2017, V. Quipuscoa, I. Treviño, M. Balvin, S. Huamaní & G. Rosado, VQ 5767 ( HSP, HUSA, MOL, USM). Prov. Castilla, Dist. Andagua, Volcán Kallana Mauras, road to Soporo . 15°31’12.9”S, 72°20’42.96’’O, 3601 m, 02 Jun 2017, V. Quipuscoa, I. Treviño, M. Balvin, S. Huamaní & G. Rosado, VQ 5910 ( HSP, HUSA, USM) ; Dist. Andagua , between Soporo and Subna. 15°33’12.9”S, 72°15 52.98’’O, 2665 m, 02 Jun 2017, V. Quipuscoa, I. Treviño, M. Balvin, S. Huamaní & G. Rosado, VQ 5926 ( HSP, HUSA) ; Dist. Andagua , between Soporo and Subna. 15°32’49.5”S, 72°16 12.84’’O, 2954 m, 02 Jun 2017, V. Quipuscoa, I. Treviño, M. Balvin, S. Huamaní & G. Rosado, VQ 5937 ( HSP, HUSA, USM) .

Distribution and habitat: —An endemic species to the Arequipa region in southern Peru, it has been collected from the districts of Cabanaconde, Maca and Madrigal in the province of Caylloma and the district of Andagua in the province of Castilla, the populations observed consist alltogether of more than eighty individuals. It is found alongside other Bromeliaceae species such as Puya ferruginea (Ruiz & Pav.) L.B. Sm. , P. colcaensis Treviño, Quip. & Gouda (2019: 238) , Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav. and Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L. Additionally, it grows with species from various plant families adapted to semidesert conditions, with Asteraceae being the most diverse, including Mutisia acuminata Ruiz & Pav. , M. arequipensis Cabrera , Grindelia tarapacana Phil. , Tagetes multiflora Kunth , Lophopappus tarapacanus (Phil.) Cabrera , Chersodoma jodopappa (Sch.Bip.) Cabrera , Paquirea lanceolata (H. Beltrán & Ferreyra) Panero & S.E. Freire , Stevia weberbaueri B.L. Rob. , Ophryosporus heptanthus (Sch.Bip. ex Wedd.) R.M. King & H. Rob. , Bidens andicola Kunth , Diplostephium meyenii Wedd. , Polyachyrus sphaerocephalus D. Don , Ophryosporus peruvianus (J.F. Gmel.) R.M. King & H. Rob. , Encelia canescens Lam. , and Senecio gracilipes A. Gray ; as well as several Cactaceae like Corryocactus brevistylus Britton & Rose , Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Muehlenpf.) Backeb. , Cumulopuntia dimorpha (C.F. Först.) A. Pauca & Quip. ; Solanaceae like Lycianthes lycioides (L.) Hassl., Dunalia spinosa (Meyen) Dammer. ; Lamiaceae like Minthostachys mollis Griseb. , Salvia haenkei Benth. ; Calceolariaceae like Calceolaria aurea Pennell ; Polemoniaceae like Cantua candelilla Brand; Polygonaceae like Muehlenbeckia volcanica (Benth.) Endl. and Muehlenbeckia hastulata (Sm.) I.M. Johnst. ; Loasaceae like Caiophora cirsiifolia C. Presl ; Schoepfiaceae like Quinchamalium chilense Molina ; Francoaceae like Balbisia weberbaueri R. Knuth ; Iridaceae like Olsynium junceum (E. Mey. ex C. Presl) Goldblatt ; Geraniaceae like Hypseocharis pimpinellifolia J. Rémy ; Pteridaceae like Cheilanthes pruinata Kaulf. ; and Caryophyllaceae like Spergularia fasciculata Phil. The plants grow on moderate slopes among rocks and volcanic cones in Andagua and on steep slopes in the Colca Canyon ( Fig. 2A–B ), Its flowers probably constitute an important resource for high Andean species of the Trochilidae hummingbirds ( Fig. 2C ).

Observations: — Puya vallis-colcaensis is morphological similar to P. weberbaueri Mez , but differs from it in having nearly black petals (vs. bright bluish green in P. weberbauerii ) and less densely flowered branches especially after anthesis (before anthesis the two species are looking much alike). Further there are quite a few differences in measurements, see Table 1. It can also be confused with P. araneosa Smith (1954: 48) , but P. vallis-colcaensis has short stipitate ovoid or ellipsoid branches up to 17-flowered (vs. long stipitate elongated branches which are over 20- flowered in P. araneosa ).

Puya vallis-colcaensis has large populations in the Valley of the Volcanoes and around the road of Colca, and its distribution range could be larger. However, this distribution does not coincide with that of P. weberbauerii ( Fig. 3 ). When analyzing the available information from Smith and Downs (1974) and GBIF.org (2024) particularly the georeferenced data of herbarium material identified by specialists in Bromeliaceae , it is observed that most collections, except for one specimen recorded near Lake Titicaca (Puno), have been recorded in areas adjacent to montane forests, with higher humidity compared to the habitat of P. vallis-colcaensis in the Arequipa region. Likewise, some collections of P, weberbaueri were even collected at the boundaries of the montane forest, such as in the surroundings of Machu Picchu (Cusco).

Etymology: —The specific epithet refers to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. In this place this species reaches large numbers and is well distributed, being one of the characteristic species of this territory.

State of conservation: —According to the IUCN (2012) categories and criteria, Puya vallis-colcaensis must be considered as Vulnerable (VU) under the criterion B2ab (I–III). Its area of occupancy is less than 2,000 km ². Although there are preserved populations, they are fragmented along the highway running through the Colca Valley. The species faces threats such as intentional burning by local inhabitants, as well as habitat destruction due to road expansion, agricultural activities, and the construction of trails for tourism.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Puya vallis-colcaensis. A. Habit; B. Branch of inflorescence and primary bract; C. petal; D. Sepals, on the left abaxial and adaxial view on the right; E. Flower and floral bract; F. Flower base and reproductive organs; G. Transverse section of the ovary; H. Fruit after dehiscence; I. View distal part of the peduncle; J. View of basal part of the peduncle. Photos by Italo Treviño.

FIGURE 2. Puya vallis-colcaensis. A. Habitat in Colca Canyon, Arequipa, B. Plant in habitat with a Condor in the background, circling around, C. Hummingbird visiting the flowers. Photos by Italo Treviño (A, C), J.M. Wu (B).

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Puya vallis-colcaensis and P. weberbaueri.