PHILODENDRON CERROJEFENSE
PROTOLOGUE: Philodendron cerrojefense , published in Novon 30: 20 (2022).
Philodendron cerrojefense M. M. Mora & Croat, sp. nov. TYPE: Panama. Panamá: vic. Cerro Jefe, at Altos de Pacora, 9°15'N, 79°29'W, 750 m, 4 July 1994, T. B. Croat & G. Zhu 76606 (holotype, MO!; isotype, PMA!).
DISTRIBUTION: Panama: Panama.
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Hemiepiphyte, appressed-climber habit; internodes 2–10 cm, 2–4 cm diam., dark green becoming grayish, semiglossy; cataphylls 15–21 cm, green to reddish, unribbed to sharply low-2-ribbed, moderately spongy, deciduous. Leaves with petiole red-purple spotted at apex, terete, moderately spongy, somewhat flattened adaxially and obtusely ribbed near apex, 45–50 cm, 1.1–1.4 cm diam. (when dry); blade trisect, subcoriaceous, semiglossy, discolorous, dark green and semiglossy above, weakly glossy beneath, drying dark brown to reddish brown on both sides; medial lobe elliptic, long-acuminate at apex (acumen 1–2 cm), 30–48.5 × 10–15 cm, 2.4–2.7 times longer than broad; lateral lobes 27–30 × 10–12 cm, directed outward or slightly upward, elliptic to falcate, acute at the apex, conspicuously inequilateral, the outer side 1.4–2 times wider than the inner margin at the middle, the inner margin always narrower than the outer margin, the outer margin rounded at the base; sinus parabolic to hippocrepiform, 3.5–6.2 cm deep, 2–4 cm wide in middle portion; midrib broadly convex and concolorous or paler than the rest of the leaf blade above, convex and darker below; primary lateral veins 18 to 25(+) pairs, quilted-sunken above, convex below, departing midrib at 80–90° angle; interprimary veins conspicuous near the midrib to halfway to the margin and then narrowing and becoming inconspicuous toward the margin; minor veins moderately distinct.
INFLORESCENCE:
Inflorescence 1 per axil; peduncle 3–6 cm; spathe 17–21 cm, weakly constricted, drying blackish, tube 6–7 cm, 1.5–1.7 cm diam., green outside, reddish inside, spathe blade 6.5–7 cm, green on both surfaces; spadix 12.5–15 cm, creamy white, drying blackish; staminate portion 3.5–6 cm, white; sterile staminate portion 0.5–0.7 cm, white; pistillate portion 9.5–10.5 cm, creamy white; stigma button-shaped, ovary ca. 2 × 1.6 mm wide; locules 5 to 9, placentation basal, ovules 1 to 2 per locule, 1.4–1.6 × 0.4–0.5 mm, striate; funicule short. Berries not seen.
ECOLOGY:
Found in the vicinity of Cerro Jefe, Panamá Province, Panama, at 750–930 m elevation in a Premontane rain forest life zone.
ETYMOLOGY:
The epithet cerrojefense refers to Cerro Jefe, in Panamá Province, the only area where the species is known to occur; the protologue does not elaborate on the name beyond noting this type locality.
NOTES:
1. Philodendron cerrojefense differs from Philodendron tripartitum (Jacq.) Schott by having thicker stems (> 2 cm vs. 1–2 cm diam.), subcoriaceous leaf blades that dry dark reddish brown on both sides (vs. yellowish brown below), the lateral lobes extended predominantly outward (vs. upward), and inflorescences with the pistillate portion of the spadix longer than the staminate portion (vs. staminate portion longer than the pistillate portion).
2. This species is a member of Philodendron sect. Tritomophyllum (Schott) Engl., and it is considerably similar to Philodendron tripartitum (Jacq.) Schott in the overall shape of the leaf blade and that of the medial and lateral lobes. It is characterized by its appressed-climber habit, short internodes (2–10 cm long), trisect blades which dry dark brown to reddish brown on both sides, elliptic medial lobe, elliptic to falcate lateral lobes, parabolic to hippocrepiform sinus, usually 18 to 25 primary lateral veins, a single inflorescence per axil, weakly constricted and greenish spathes on both blade and tube externally, reddish spathe tubes and green spathe blades internally, white spadices (all portions), five to nine locules with one to two ovules per locule, and basal placentation.
3. Other similar species include Philodendron anisotomum Schott, Philodendron cotobrusense Croat & Grayum, and Philodendron madronense Croat. Philodendron anisotomum differs from Philodendron cerrojefense by having leaf blades gray-green (when dry), four or five pairs of primary lateral veins, and three ovules per locule. Philodendron cotobrusense differs by having blades drying gray-green, medial and lateral lobes roughly equal in length, up to five inflorescences per axil, and three ovules per locule, and Philodendron madronense differs in having longer peduncles (to 25 cm long) and lateral lobes without basal veins.
REFERENCES:
1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Philodendron cerrojefense
2. Novon 30: 20 (2022) — protologue.
Additional photos from iNaturalist by ramon_d