PHILODENDRON DANIELII
PROTOLOGUE: Philodendron danielii , published in Aroideana 27: 88, f. 22-24 (2004).
Philodendron danielii Croat & Oberle, sp. nov. Type: COLOMBIA, Antioquia: S. of Medellín, SE of Caldas, Altos de Morrogil, 2,560 m, 23 Oct. 1983, A. Juncosa & G. Misas 1043 (JAUM, MO).
DISTRIBUTION: Colombia (Antioquia): Colombia.
SPECIES DESCRIPTION:
Hemiepiphytic appressed-climber to 2–3 m high, sometimes terrestrial; internodes short, 1–2 cm long, 2–4 cm diam., drying medium orange-brown, matte; cataphylls sharply 2-low-ribbed (the ribs red), medium green, persisting semi-intact at upper nodes, soon with large fragments of yellow-brown epidermis with a paler network of fibers; petioles 51–67 cm long, 1.2–1.7 cm diam., subterete, with medial rib, drying dark brown, matte, weakly glossy, sometimes with bladdery portions; blades broadly ovate-sagittate to ovate-elliptic-sagittate, 34–43 cm long, 18.5–34.5 wide, 1.2–1.8 times longer than wide, broadest near the middle or in the lower ⅓, well above the point of petiole attachment, medium green and weakly glossy above, slightly paler and glossy below (sometimes maroon-tinged beneath), drying gray to yellow-brown and matte above, slightly paler, weakly glossy and grayish yellow-brown to yellowish brown beneath; anterior lobe 23.5–30 cm long, gradually long-acuminate, broadly rounded along the margins; posterior lobes 10–17.5 cm long, 7.5–13.5 cm wide, broadly to narrowly rounded at apex; sinus spathulate, 9.7–14.5 cm long, sometimes closed on fresh material; basal veins 6–8 per side, 1st and/or 2nd free to the base, 3rd–4th fused to 2.7–4 cm; posterior ribs weakly curved, naked 1–3 cm along sinus; midrib weakly raised and moderately paler above, narrowly raised and darker below, heavily tinged violet-purple, drying concolorous above, dark brown below; primary lateral veins 5–6 pairs, departing midrib at an acute angle, spreading at 60–70(90)°; upper surface weakly quilted-sunken and concolorous above, narrowly raised and slightly paler below, especially near midrib, drying bluntly acute and paler or darker than surface below; interprimary veins usually present; minor veins drying narrowly and prominently raised on both surfaces.
INFLORESCENCE:
INFLORESCENCES 1–2 per axil; peduncle 5–7.5 cm long, clearly demarcated from spathe, medium red, drying dark brown, matte; spathe 11.50–12.7 cm long, 2.5 cm diam., semiglossy, acuminate at apex; spathe tube dark violet-purple outside (color within unknown), flattening to 5.5 cm; spathe blade somewhat paler violet-purple outside, bright red within; spadix 11–11.7 cm long; pistillate portion 3.7 cm long; staminate portion 7.3 cm long; sterile staminate portion 2 cm long, 1 cm diam. on drying. INFRUCTESCENCE not seen.
ECOLOGY:
Found in areas of lower montane moist forest (bh-MB) at 2,250–2,560 m elevation.
ETYMOLOGY:
Named in honor of Brother Daniel, a Catholic monk who first collected the species in 1947. The Latinized epithet danielii means “of Daniel,” commemorating his role as the species’ first collector.
NOTES:
1. Planta hemiepiphytica, interdum terrestris; internodia brevia, 1–2 cm longa, 2–4 cm diam.; cataphylla 2-costata, 16–25 cm longa, persistens in fibrous; petiolus subteres, 51–67 cm longus; lamina ovata-sagittata vel ovata-elliptica-sagittata, 34–43 cm longa, 18.5–34.5 lata; lobula posterioribus 10–17.5 cm longa, 7.5–13.5 cm lata; nervis primariis lateralibus 5–6 utroque; inflorescentia 1–2 per quoque axila; pedunculus 5–7.5 cm longus; spatha 11.5–12.7 cm longa, 2.5 cm diam.; tubo atropurpurea extus; lamina rubra intus.
REFERENCES:
1. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Philodendron danielii
2. Aroideana 27: 88, f. 22-24 (2004) — protologue.
3. iNaturalist: Philodendron danielii
Additional photos from iNaturalist by Ana Maria Benavides, Gabriel Camilo Jaramillo Giraldo and llimi sanchez