New useful and colourfully-bracted species of Calathea (Marantaceae) from Ecuador

Two new species from Ecuador are described: Calathea utilis and C. roseobracteata. Calathea utilis , known from Napo and Pastaza Provinces, may be introduced near Sardinas, Napo Province, where the leaves are used for thatch. Calathea roseobracteata , known from a single locality near the border of Pinchincha and Los Rios Provinces, is distinguished by its bright pink bracts.     

A new red-bracted species of Calathea (Marantaceae) from Peru

Calathea schunkei from San Martín Province, Peru, is described as new. This species is distinguished by the red bracts and unusual floral morphology. The petals do not reflex at anthesis, the outer staminode is lacking, and the stigma is blunt rather than the typical “scoop” shape. These unusual floral features are shared withC. timothei, a high altitude Colombian species.     

Four new species of Calathea (Marantaceae) from French Guiana

Four new species are described: Calathea erecta, C. dilabens, C. granvillei , and C. squarrosa , based on material from French Guiana. Calathea erecta and C. granvillei are known also from the central Amazon Basin. Calathea squarrosa probably also occurs in Surinam. Calathea dilabens is presently known only from French Guiana, but probably occurs in adjacent Brazil and Surinam. A tentative key is provided to the species of Calathea known to occur in French Guiana.     

Leaf movement in Calathea lutea (Marantaceae)

Summary Calathea lutea is a broad-leaved, secondary successional plant which shows complex leaf movements involving both elevation and folding of the leaf surface about the pulvinus. In the plants studied, mean leaf elevation increased from approximately 34 degrees in the early morning to 70 degrees at noon while the angle of leaf folding increased from 13 degrees to 50 degrees over the same time period. During the period from early morning to noon, these movements resulted in a significant decrease in the cosine of the angle of incidence, a measure of the direct solar radiation intercepted. The observed changes in elevational angle significantly reduce the cosine of angle of incidence while folding does not significantly reduce the fraction of direct solar radiation intercepted during the period of direct exposure of the leaf surface to the solar beam. Since elevational changes seem to account for the reduction in exposure to direct solar radiation, the role of folding remains unclear.     

Calathea steyermarkii,a new Venezuelan species in the Ornata group (Marantaceae)

Calathea steyermarkii from northwest Venezuela is described as new. It belongs to the “Ornata group.” The juvenile foliage has a dark green to blackishgreen band along the midrib above. In some populations the outer staminode of the flower is lacking.     

Calathea maasiorum (Marantaceae), a new species from French Guiana and Surinam

Calathea maasiorum from French Guiana and Surinam is described as new. It belongs toCalathea sectionBreviscapus Bentham. The foliage is patterned with a light green band along the midrib above. This new species has previously been confused withC. cyclophora Baker from Amazonian Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana but it is distinguished fromC. cyclophora by the absence of bracteoles, the elliptic to obovate leaf blade, and shorter (1–2 cm long) bracts.     

Additional Ecuadorian species in Calathea series Comosae (Marantaceae)

Three new species in Calathea series Comosae (Petersen) Schumann are described from Ecuador: Calathea pallidicosta, C. attenuata and C. lagoagriana. Calathea pallidicosta is currently known only from Ecuador, C. lagoagriana occurs in both Colombia and Ecuador while C. attenuata is more widespread, occurring in Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Brasil. Calathea attenuata and C. pallidicosta are in the monomorphic-bracted group of C. series Comosae while C. lagoagriana is in the dimorphic-bracted group. Calathea lagoagriana possibly hybridizes with C. loeseneri Macbride.     

Calathea dorothyae sp. nov. (Marantaceae) from the sandy coastal plains of southeastern Brazil

Calathea dorothyae J. M. A. Braga & H. Kenn. sp. nov. from the sandy coastal plains of southeastern Brazil is described and illustrated. It is apparently endemic to the ‘Cabo Frio Center of Plant Diversity’, and it is considered ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR). The new species is somewhat similar to C. reginae J. M. A. Braga and C. sphaerocephala K. Schum. with which it is compared.     

The identity and taxonomic affinity of Calathea rotundifolia and C. fasciata (Marantaceae)

The nameCalathea rotundifolia Koern. is a later homonym ofC. rotundifolia Poeppig & Endl. and is replaced by the new combinationC. orbifolia (Linden) Kennedy.Calathea fasciata is recognized as a distinct species. Both species are closely related toC. vaginata and clearly belong inCalathea seriesRhizanthae rather than seriesNudiscapae where placed by Schumann.     

Phacelophrynium sapiense (Marantaceae) a new species from Sabah, Malaysia

Phacelophrynium sapiense , a new species from Sabah, Malaysia, is described and illustrated. It differs from other known Phacelophrynium species in its light green to yellow leaf variegation, purple leaf underside, creamy white inflorescence and cream white flowers. The species is furthermore unusual in having a pair of membranaceous bracteoles associated with each flower, a feature otherwise known only in species of the New World genus Calathea.     

Ephemeral clonal integration in Calathea marantifolia (Marantaceae): Evidence of diminished integration over time

A major advantage of clonal growth forms is the intergenerational transfer of resources through vascular connections (clonal integration). Connections linking ramets can be persistent or ephemeral. For species with ephemeral connections, whether the extent of clonal integration changes over time is unclear. To address this issue, we tracked water movement using an isotopic label and assessed the demographic performance of parent and offspring ramets over time in a severing experiment. Our study system was the understory herb Calathea marantifolia, which has parent ramets that produce vegetative bulbils (clonal offspring) that pass through distinct pre- and post-rooting stages. Little water was transported between parents and offspring, and the direction of movement was primarily from parent to pre-rooting offspring. Anatomical observations of inter-ramet connections showed that vascular bundles were twice as abundant in parent stems compared to inter-ramet connections. Severing inter-ramet connections reduced the growth of offspring ramets but not parents. Survival of pre-rooting offspring was reduced by 10% due to severing, but post-rooting offspring were not affected. Our results suggest that offspring ramets of C. marantifolia are weaned from their parent as they progress from pre- to post-rooting stages.     

A new species of Diplazium (Woodsiaceae) from Ecuador

A new species ofDiplazium,D. lellingeri from Ecuador, is described and illustrated.

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Resumen  Se describe e ilustra una nueva especie deDiplazium de Ecuador,D. lellingeri.

     

A new species of Leskeodon (Daltoniaceae) from Ecuador

Leskeodon caducifolius is described from recent collections made at a single site in a cloud forest in southern Ecuador. The species is distinctive in its small, caducous leaves and elongate, porose exothecial cells.     

Effects of light and nutrient availability on chasmogamy and cleistogamy in an understory tropical herb,Calathea micans (Marantaceae)

The effects of light and nutrient availability on chasmogamous and cleistogamous flower and fruit production were investigated in an understory tropical herb, Calathea micans (Marantaceae). I censused chasmogamous and cleistogamous flower and fruit production at five permanently marked demographic study sites in Costa Rica, characterized by different successional stages. Using a transplant experiment, I examined whether an increase in light and/or nutrients would increase chasmogamous and/or cleistogamous flower production. In natural populations as well as in the experiment, chasmogamous reproduction increased with light; nutrient availability significantly increased chasmogamous reproduction in the transplant experiment. Field observations indicated that very few plants reproduced and low investment in reproduction might have been due to poor environmental conditions. Larger plants had a higher probability of reproducing, but plant size did not have an effect on the mode of reproduction, chasmogamy vs. cleistogamy. However, the production of new vegetative shoots increased the probability of producing chasmogamous inflorescences. Cleistogamy may allow the plant to reproduce even in conditions of poor habitat quality and assures some seed set even in conditions unfavorable to plant growth.     

A new species of Aphanes (Rosaceae) from Vol & Cotopaxi, Ecuador

A new species of Aphanes is described from Volcin Cotopaxi, Ecuador, and it is compared with the two other tropical Andean species of the genus.     

Calleida desenderi, new species from Ecuador (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae)

Calleida desenderi Casale, sp. n., is described from Ecuador, Napo Province, surroundings of San Rafael. The new taxon is mostly characterized by the head and appendages rufous, the disc of elytra with marked metallic green reflection, the median lobe of aedeagus ring-like, and the endophallus with a long, twisted flagellum. A key for identification of the closer Neotropical species described so far is also provided.     

A new Pharus (Poaceae) endemic to Ecuador

The new species Pharus ecuadoricus , endemic to the Pacific lowlands of Ecuador, is described, illustrated, and compared with its closest relative, P. parvifolius.