Telipogon villonacoensis M. M. Jiménez, Iturralde & C. Martel, 2025

Jiménez, Marco M., Baquero, Luis, Garzón-Suárez, Henry X., Martel, Carlos, Chamaya G., James A., Lapo-González, Nadia, Werner, Florian A. & Iturralde, Gabriel A., 2025, Telipogon villonacoensis (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae), a new species with an unexpectedly wide distribution from the northern and central Andes of South America, Plant Ecology and Evolution 158 (3), pp. 392-402 : 392-402

Telipogon villonacoensis M. M. Jiménez, Iturralde & C. Martel sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 A – B

Type

ECUADOR – Loja • Western cordillera of the Loja basin, near Loja ; 2565 m; coordinates omitted for conservation reasons; detailed data on the holotype; 21 Feb. 2023; M. Jiménez 1560; holotype: HUTPL !.

Diagnosis

Telipogon villonacoensis is similar to T. pogonostalix by the miniature, acaulescent habit, pale green to yellow flowers, and oblong and ecallose lip, but the first differs by its lip stained with purple-brown at the basal third, ending abruptly in an almost straight line (vs green-yellow at the base), lateral lobes of the lip ca 0.25 mm long (vs lateral lobes 1.0– 1.3 mm long), the pink-purple column (vs white) with 2–7 setae per tuft, 0.2 mm long (vs 9–13 setae per tuft, 0.7–0.8 mm long), dark purple and coralloid setae with bifid to trifid apex (vs white and acicular setae with stellate apex).

Description

Epiphytic herb, erect, ca 8 cm tall including the inflorescence. Roots 1.1–1.7 mm in diameter, thick, cylindrical, basal. Stem inconspicuous, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, surrounded by the leaf sheaths. Leaves 13–40 mm long, 2–5 per stem, subcoriaceous, distichous, articulated, decurrent, conduplicate; leaf blade 12–37 × 3–6 mm, oblong to narrowly elliptic, acute, slightly falcate, minutely and sparsely pustulose-papillose along the adaxial surface. Inflorescence up to ca 7 cm long, apical or rarely lateral, 1–2 per stem, erect, racemose, unbranched, green, with 4–10 flowers, spirally arranged, successive, rarely two open at the same time; peduncle 27–32 mm long, terete, progressively and very narrowed towards the base, sometimes with 1 amplexicaul triangular bract apically; rachis 19.3–36.2 mm long, slightly compressed, sub-verrucose, partially enveloped by the floral bracts; floral bracts 2.0–2.3 × 1.2–1.5 mm when extended, conduplicate, triangular-ovate, acute, decurrent, translucent. Ovary 3.3–3.5 long × 0.9 mm wide, light green, terete, sub-verrucose, grooved; pedicel ca 3.5 mm long. Flowers ca 6.6 × 7.4 mm, non-resupinate; sepals translucent, shallow, pale green to yellow stained with brownish purple at the base, the longitudinal mid-vein dark green to brownish; petals white or yellow, with a greenish coloration between the veins, light brown-purple at the base, veins green or brown-purple; lip white with green or brown-purple veins, the basal third stained purple-brown, ending abruptly in a straight line. Sepals subtriangular-ovate, subacute, reflexed, entire, 1 - veined, membranous, papillose, sparsely verrucose abaxially; dorsal sepal 2.9–3.9 × 1.2 mm; lateral sepals 3.1–3.9 × 1.2–1.3 mm, oblique. Petals 3.4–4.7 × 1.4–1.8 mm, elliptic-oblong to elliptic-obovate, subacute, asymmetrical, entire margins, 3 - veined (midvein reaching the apex, lateral veins reaching only halfway), minutely papillose, shallow, slightly incurved. Lip 3.2–4.7 × 1.5–1.6 mm, oblong-ovate, obtuse, involute at the apex, entire margins, the base partially surrounds the column, shallow in most of its length, slightly convex at the apex, surface papillose, margins retrorse ciliate, 5 - veined (midvein reaching the apex, internal pair reaching the apical fourth, external pair reaching only halfway), 2 - auriculate at the base; auricle 0.2 mm long, with obtuse angles. Column 1.6–1.7 long × 1.2 mm wide, terete, slightly dorsoventrally compressed, pink to purple, densely papillose, the ventral edge slightly protruding and swollen, forming a minute obtuse bump, with two sparsely dense tufts of setae on each side of the anther; setae 2–7 per tuft, up to 0.2 mm long, dark purple (rarely purely white) with white, tips, stellate or coralloid apex; stigma apical, transversely elliptic; rostellum erect; clinandrium almost straight, not hooded. Anther cap dorsal, 0.8 × 1.0 mm, widely sub-cordiform, bilocular, purple suffused with white. Pollinarium 1.5 mm long, with two pairs of unequal, narrowly ovoid pollinia, with a stipe 0.4 mm long, and an uncinate viscidium. Fruits capsule 10 × 4.7 mm, sub-triquetrous with rounded angles.

Distribution, habitat, and ecology

According to confirmed records in Ecuador, Telipogon villonacoensis is distributed in the inter-Andean valleys of the Loja Province and the south-eastern slope of the Andes in the Zamora Chinchipe Province, between 2350–2650 m. In Peru, it has been reported in Cajamarca, in the north, and in Cusco, in the south, between 2500 and 3000 m. However, several records on iNaturalist suggest that this species is widely distributed from west-central Colombia, through east and west Ecuador, to south-east Peru (Fig. 3 ). Thus, the species can be found between 2300 and 3000 m and has one of the largest distributions among Telipogon species, comparable with T. bowmanii Rchb. f. and T. astroglossus Rchb. f. , which can be found from Colombia to Bolivia ( Martel 2016). According to the Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (2013), the ecosystems where specimens of T. villonacoensis have been found correspond to montane forests (BsMn 04 and BsMn 03).

Telipogon villonacoensis grows as an epiphyte on small branches and twigs of trees or shrubs, which can be covered in mosses and lichens. The vegetation of the type locality reaches a maximum of 6 meters and is dominated by Clethra revoluta (Ruiz & Pav.) Spreng. , Oreocallis grandiflora (Lam.) R. Br. , Clusia cf. alata Planch. & Triana , Viburnum triphyllum Benth. , Baccharis latifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. , and Siparuna muricata (Ruiz & Pav.) A. DC. Most individuals of T. villonacoensis were found on the twigs and stems of Clethra revoluta and Clusia cf. alata ; plants are less commonly found on Ceratostema loranthiflorum Benth. , Cavendishia bracteata (Ruiz & Pav. ex J. St. - Hil.) Hoerold , Baccharis obtusifolia Kunth , and rarely on Arcytophyllum thymifolium (Ruiz & Pav.) Standl , Alnus acuminata Kunth , and Chaetogastra laxa (Desr.) P. J. F. Guim. & Michelang. The new species can be found near streams, roads, or grasslands. Telipogon villonacoensis grows together with Cyrtochilum macranthum (Lindl.) Kraenzl. , Oncidium cruentoides M. W. Chase & N. H. Williams , Epidendrum jaramilloae Hágsater & Dodson , and Passiflora mathewsii (Mast.) Killip.

Phenology and flower variation

We observed flowering specimens of Telipogon villonacoensis between February and July, whereas those with capsules were observed in January, September, and November. Two colour variations have been observed in the flowers of T. villonacoensis . Individuals with opaque greenish-white flowers and paler veins sparsely suffused at the base with pink. Others have a yellow perianth with darker veins intensely stained at the base with brownish purple, especially the petals (Figs 1 , 2 ).

Etymology

The new species is named after Cerro Villonaco, one of the highest peaks of southern Ecuador’s western Cordillera of the Loja basin and where the new species was first found. This mountain is home to patches of highly threatened evergreen montane shrub forests which harbour unique species of flora such as Passiflora brachyantha L. K. Escobar and Aphelandra villonacensis Wassh.

Preliminary IUCN conservation assessment

So far, nine localities of Telipogon villonacoensis have been identified in secondary and primary forests of the high Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. However, only a few dozen individuals have been spotted in each locality, which were restricted to specific phorophytes. The total number of observed individuals in all the localities is around 200 plants. Unfortunately, individuals of the new species are threatened by the frequent forest fires in Ecuador and the expansion of crop areas in Ecuador and Peru. The extent of occurrence ( EOO) and area of occupancy ( AOO) calculations resulted in 740,746 km 2 and 9,000 km 2 (cell width of 2 km 2), respectively. Based on these values and applying the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2024), the species would not currently qualify as threatened under criterion B. However, there is no ongoing monitoring of population size, trends, or threats, and the condition of the fragmented habitats is uncertain across most of the known localities; therefore, some populations might be at risk of disappearing.

Additional material examined

ECUADOR – Loja • Cerro Villonaco, cerca de la vía antigua a Catamayo ; 2629 m; 22 Feb. 2024; M. M. Jiménez León, G. A. Iturralde & H. Garzón-Suárez 2190; HUTPL!, QCNE! spirit . – Zamora Chinchipe • Vía Loja-Zamora, cerca de un afluente del río San Francisco ; 2351 m; 25 Jun. 2024; M. M. Jiménez León 2314; HUTPL! .

PERU – Cajamarca • Chota, Comunidad La Palma, Bosque La Palma ; 2835 m; 10 Sep. 2024; J. Chamaya G. s. n.; CPUN !.

Observations

Colombia, Antioquia, Municipio de Jardín, ProAves Loro Orejiamarillo Reserve, Apr. 2023; obs. by danielmesa 1 ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153411209).

Ecuador, Imbabura, Apuela, Siempre Verde Reserve, 28 Jan. 2021, obs. by bosquenublado ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68746177). Loja, Cerro Villonaco, F. Werner et al. 2253 [photo-voucher], in situ.

Peru, Cusco, Quispicanchis, Marcapata, 28 Sep. 2024, obs. by georgevf ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/244444854, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/244444309); Perus, Cusco, Quispicanchis, Marcapata, 3000 m, 25 Aug. 2015, obs. by C. Martel (Fig. 2 E ).

Figures

Figure 1. Telipogon villonacoensis. A. Habit with a close-up of the floral bract (A 1) and apical portion of the leaf (A 2). B. Flower in lateral view. C. Dissected perianth. D. Column, lip, and ovary in lateral view with a close-up of the setae (D 1), and ventral edge of the column (D 2). E. Frontal view of the column. F. Lip with a close-up of the marginal teeth (F 1) and the basal, stained region (F 2). G. Anther cap and pollinarium. Plate made by Nadia Lapo-González based on the type specimen (A, C-lip, D, E, F) and on M. Jiménez, G. A. Iturralde & H. Garzón-Suárez 2190 (HUTPL) (B, C-sepals and petals, G).

Figure 2. Individuals of Telipogon villonacoensis from different localities. A – B. Type collection near Loja, Ecuador (M. Jiménez 1560 [HUTPL!], in situ). C. Mount Villonaco, Ecuador (F. Werner et al. 2253 [photo-voucher], taken in the lab right after collecting). D. Loja – Zamora road, Ecuador (M. Jiménez et al. 2190 [HUTPL!], in situ). E. Quispicanchis – Cuzco, Peru, in situ. F. Chota – Cajamarca, Peru (J. Chamaya G. s. n. [CPUN!], ex situ). Photos by Marco M. Jiménez (A, D), Gabriel A. Iturralde (B), Florian Werner (C), Carlos Martel (E), James Chamaya (F).

Figure 3. Distribution of Telipogon villonacoensis, T. alexii, and T. pogonostalix in the northern and central Andes. Map made by Henry X. Garzón-Suárez.

Figure 4. Reconstructed phylogenetic tree of concatenated markers rITS and mat K to evaluate the position of Telipogon villonacoensis within Telipogon. The tree on the left is based on Bayesian inference (BI) analysis (numbers at side of nodes represent posterior probability values). The tree on the right is based on Maximum Likelihood (ML) analysis (numbers at the side of nodes represent bootstrap values). Abbreviation of the genera as follows: F = Fernandezia, H = Hofmeisterella, Tr = Trichoceros, T = Telipogon. Scale bars represent the mean number of nucleotide substitutions per site.

Figure 5. A, B. Telipogon villonacoensis, type specimen M. Jiménez 1560 (HUTPL). C, D. T. pogonostalix, G. Iturralde GI- 2406-2870 (QCNE). E, F. T. alexii, G. Iturralde GI- 2207-4061 (QCNE). Photos by Marco M. Jiménez (A – B) and Gabriel A. Iturralde (C – F).