PHILODENDRON CURVIPETIOLATUM
PROTOLOGUE: Philodendron curvipetiolatum , published in Aroideana 39: 80 (2016).
Philodendron curvipetiolatum Croat, sp. nov. Type: ECUADOR. Esmeraldas: Lita-San Lorenzo Road, Río Piquambí, 6.4 km W of Río Lita, 00°52'04"N, 78°29'03"W, 685 m, 30 June 1998, T. B. Croat et al. 82178 (holotype, MO-1213918–9; isotype, QCNE).
DISTRIBUTION: Ecuador: Ecuador.
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Epiphyte; stem erect-creeping, internodes cylindric to 25 cm long, 2 cm diam, matte, dark green, covered in remains of cataphyll fibers that are ultimately deciduous. LEAVES erect-spreading at broad angle; petioles strongly arching toward apex, subterete, flattened adaxially in basal 2/3, terete in apical 1/3, 17–45 cm long, 0.5–1.5 cm diam., weakly sheathed 1–2 cm at base, matte, pale yellow-green, with many fine dark green lines of irregular lengths throughout; blades ovate-subcordate to slightly cordate, 23–38 cm long, 13–27 cm wide, 1.4–1.7 times as long as wide, 0.7–1.4 times as long as petiole, broadest in basal 1/3, abruptly acuminate at apex, dark green and matte above, paler and matte below; midrib flat, paler and sunken above, paler and bluntly triangular below; primary lateral veins obscure, sunken and paler above, bluntly triangular and concolorous below, tertiary veins somewhat darker below, obscure above.
INFLORESCENCE:
INFLORESCENCES erect, ca. 5 per axil; cataphylls associated with the peduncles creamy white, semiglossy, mostly strongly 2-ridged; peduncle obtusely D-shaped, 3–8 cm long, 4–6 mm diam., matte pale yellow green with short, whitish lines, much broader than thick, appearing flattened dorsiventrally; spathe 3–5 cm long, opening broadly at anthesis, convolute to within 9 mm from the base, producing a spicy-sweet fragrance during mid-day, held at a 180° angle to peduncle, creamy white with green on acumen, matte outside and matte/semiglossy within; tube not easily distinguishable from the blade, ca. 1 cm diam, 2.6–3.2 cm wide when flattened; blade to 1.3 cm wide at anthesis, resin canals not obvious at anthesis; spadix held at a 140–150° angle to peduncle, at ca. 30° angle from spathe apex, 3.2–3.7 cm long; staminate portion of spadix 2.3–2.6 cm long, 5–6 mm diam. midway, broadest in the middle, slightly tapered toward the apex and the base, matte, pale yellow-green; sterile staminate portion of spadix scarcely distinguishable, 3–6 mm long, 5–6 mm diam., slightly paler on pickled specimens, about as broad as the pistillate portion at base, only slightly broader at apex; pistillate portion 9–11 mm long in front, 7–9 mm long in rear, 5–6 mm diam., translucent and much paler yellow-green; pistil 3–4-locular, 1.4 mm long, 0.7–0.9 mm diam; stigma 0.5 mm diam, 0.2 mm high; ovules 10–12 per locule, with axile placentation, arranged in lower 2/3 of locule, 0.3 mm long, 0.1 mm diam, funicle 0.1 mm long.
ECOLOGY:
Found in tropical wet forest and premontane wet forest life zones at 550–1100 m elevation.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin curvus, “curved,” and petiolatus, “petiolate,” referring to the petioles that are prominently curved near the apex, as stated in the original description.
NOTES:
1. The species is a member of subgenus Philodendron section Macrobelium subsection Macrobelium and is characterized by its ovate-subcordate blade, and petioles which are somewhat dorsiventrally flattened and prominently curved near apex with prominent whitish lines throughout. Also characteristic are the clusters of up to 5 small creamy white inflorescences per axil with a broadly flaring spathe blade, a weak constriction above the tube and with a prominently protruding, stubby spadix.
REFERENCES:
1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Philodendron curvipetiolatum
2. Aroideana 39: 80 (2016) — protologue.