PHILODENDRON AZULITENSE

PROTOLOGUE: Philodendron azulitense , published in Aroideana 9: 79 (1986).

Philodendron azulitense Croat, sp. nov. Type: Venezuela. State of Mérida: along highway between La Azulita and junction with highway #1 (between El Vigia and Capazón), less than 5 km below La Azulita (N of), on large boulder near edge of a stream which empties onto highway, just N of large waterfall in a sharp curve, 8°41′N, 71°25′W, 900 m, Croat 60728 (MO 3234845, holotype, B, CAS, COL, F, K, MY, NY, US, VEN, isotypes). Planta epilithica; internodia usque 10 cm longa; cataphyllum deciduum; laminta ovata, 12–33 cm longa, 7.5–19 cm lata; inflorescentia 2 per axillae; pedunculus 4.5–7 cm longus, 2.5–5.2 mm diam.; tubus spathae viridis; lamina spathae cremea; spadix 8–10 cm longus; pars pistillata pallide viridis, 3–4 cm longa, 8 mm diam.; pars staminata cremea, 3.7–4 cm longa, basi 9 mm diam.

DISTRIBUTION: NW. Venezuela: Venezuela.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION:

Epipetric; internodes up to 10 cm long, 1–1.5 cm diam., olive-green to brownish, semiglossy, more or less terete; cataphylls green, unribbed, deciduous. LEAVES erect-spreading; petioles 12–33.5 cm long, 11 mm diam. (dry), moderately spongy, obtusely flattened near base, terete midway, weakly flattened near apex, weakly short, dark-lineate, semiglossy; blades ovate, weakly coriaceous, 12–33 cm long, 7.5–19 cm broad, broadest at base, acute at apex, cordate at base; anterior lobe 16–28 cm long, the margins convex; posterior lobes 5.5–8.5 cm long, directed slightly outward to straight back; sinus parabolic; upper surface semiglossy, dark green, paler below; midrib flat and concolorous above, convex and concolorous below, drying broadly raised above, convex below with minute ridges; basal veins 3 pairs, the first free to base, the second and third basal veins coalesced 8–20 mm; posterior rib naked 8–20 mm; primary lateral veins 3–4 per side, narrowly sunken above, convex below, departing midrib at 60–70° angle, scarcely curved to margin, drying slightly raised below, flat but visible above; interprimary veins drying barely visible above, inconspicuously raised below; secondary veins distinct, drying visible on both surfaces.

INFLORESCENCE:

Inflorescences 2 per axil; peduncle dark green, 4.5–7 cm long, 2.5–5.5 mm diam. spathe coriaceous, 8–12 cm long (twice as long as tube), moderately glossy, medium green on outer tube, merging imperceptibly with cream on blade, inner surface pale greenish white throughout; spadix 8–10 cm long; pistillate portion pale green, 3–4 cm long, 8 mm diam.; staminate portion scarcely constricted; 3.7–4 cm long, 9 mm diam. at base; flowers (dried, 13–14 per spiral; pistil ellipsoid with fibrillate skirt beneath the stigma, 0.6–1.2 mm diam.; stigma round to ellipsoid, ca. 0.3 mm wide ca. 1 mm long, drying black with a depression at center.

ECOLOGY:

Found on a large boulder near the edge of a stream, at 900 m

ETYMOLOGY:

Although the original description does not explicitly explain the name, the epithet azulitense refers to La Azulita, the town in the state of Mérida, Venezuela, near which the type was collected. The Latinized suffix-ense denotes place of origin, giving the sense “of La Azulita.”

NOTES:

1. Known only from the type locality of La Azulita in the state of Mérida, at 900 m, Philodendron azulitense is characterized by its long internodes, deciduous cataphylls, its ovate, cordate blade drying brownish green and its paired inflorescences with the spathe light greenish white within, and the outside medium green on the tube and cream on the blade.

2. The species is similar to Philodendron lindenii, which differs in having a solitary inflorescence with a green tinged reddish violet spathe tube which is dark red-violet on the inner surface. In addition, Philodendron lindenii has the pistillate portion of the spadix creamy white while in Philodendron azulitense it is pale green.

STORY:

STORY TITLE: A waterfall boulder below La Azulita

Philodendron azulitense has been found in only one place. Thomas Croat collected the type on a large boulder at the edge of a stream, along the highway between La Azulita and the junction with highway #1, less than 5 km below the town in the state of Mérida, Venezuela. The stream spills onto the road just north of a large waterfall on a sharp curve, at about 900 m.²

It grows on bare rock rather than in soil, with olive-green stems, deciduous cataphylls, and ovate, cordate leaves that dry a brownish green. Its inflorescences come in pairs, the spathe medium green on the tube and cream on the blade, pale greenish white inside. Those paired inflorescences and the pale green pistillate spadix set it apart from Philodendron lindenii, which bears a solitary inflorescence with a reddish violet spathe and a creamy white pistillate spadix.²

REFERENCES:

1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Philodendron azulitense

2. Aroideana 9: 79 (1986) — protologue.