Anthurium antonioanum Croat, sp. nov.

TYPE: Panama. Chiriquí: along road between Gualaca and Fortuna Dam site, 10 mi. NW of Los Planes de Homito, ca. 8¡42'N, 82¡18'W, 1,260 m, Croat 50059 (MO 2739735, 2769051, 2769053, holotype; (COL, K, NY, PMA, SEL, US, isotypes; Live at MO).

Planta epiphytica; caudex 30-150 cm longum; cataphyllum subcoriaceum persistens in reticulum fibrarum grossarum; petiolus teres ad subteres, 55.5-95 cm longus; lamina subcoriacea, late ovata, basi profunde cordata, 48-92 cm longa, 32-68 cm lata; inflorescentia effusa; pedunculus teres, 11-15 cm longus; spatha subcoriaceae, viridis tinctus rubra-purpurea, ovata, 15-19cm longa,3-7.5cm lata,interdumcucullo super spadecem; stipes 1.5 cm longum; spadix rubropurpureum ad purpureum, 7-17 cm longum; baccae ignotae.

Epiphyte; stems 30-150 cm long, 3.5-8 cm diam., internodes short, leaf scars conspicuous; roots to 8 mm diam., cataphylls subcoriaceous, 15-25 cm long, drying dark reddish brown, weathering to coarse, reticulate fibers.

LEAVES with petioles erect-spreading, 55.5-95 cm long, 1-1.5 cm diam., terete to subterete; geniculum 3-4.5 cm long, markedly thicker than petiole, narrowly sulcate; blades subcoriaceous, broadly ovate, acuminate at apex, deeply lobed at base, 48-92 cm long, 32-68 cm wide, broadest at point of petiole attachment, the margins conspicuously undulate; anterior lobe 38-64 cm long, the margins rounded, posterior lobes 15-28 cm long (from apex of sinus to outermost point); sinus broadly hippocrepiform, rounded at apex; both surfaces semiglossy, the lower surface much paler; midrib raised above and below (dry); basal veins 6-8 pairs, the first sometimes free to the base, those remaining coalesced 2-15 cm, paler than surface above, raised above and below (dry), posterior rib naked, the outer margin turned up; primary lateral veins 4-6 per side, departing midrib at 40-45¡ angle, weakly arching near collective vein, raised above and below (dry), lesser veins conspicuous on drying; collective vein arising from the first or second basal vein, sometimes from one of the primary lateral veins near the middle of the blade.

INFLORESCENCE spreading, shorter than leaves; peduncle 11-15 cm long, 4-7 mm diam., terete; spathe moderately thick, green tinged red-violet, ovate, 15-19 cm long, 3-7.5 cm wide, broadest just above base, held erect, sometimes hooding spadix, cuspidate at apex, acute at base; stipe ca. 1.5 cm long, spadix red-violet to violet purple, 7-17 cm long, 1.8-2.5 cm diam. near base, 8-11 mm diam. near apex; flowers rhombic, 1.5-2 mm in both directions, the sides jaggedly sigmoid, 9-12 flowers visible in the principal spiral, 11-13 flowers visible in the alternate spiral; tepals matte, lateral tepals 0.7-0.9 mm wide, the inner margin more or less straight (dry); pistils emergent, green; stamens emerging scattered throughout length, prominently exserted; anthers yellow-brown, held over pistil; pollen yellow.

INFRUCTESCENCE not seen. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Anthurium antonioanum is known only from Panama in Chiriquí along the Fortuna Dam Road and in Darien on Cerro Pirre; it is expected, however, in Colombia on the Serrania de Pirre. It has been collected in premontane rain and lower montane rain forest life zones at 1,000 to 1,400 m.

The species is a member of section Belolonchium and is distinguished by its large stems, its large dangling roots, its large ovate-cordate leaves that are sometimes about as broad as long, its stout, short-pedunculate inflorescence, and its relatively stubby, violet purple spadix with prominently exserted stamens.

Anthurium antonioanum is named in honor of Dr. Thomas António who provided us with many live aroid collections during his tenure as curator of Summit Herbarium. It is not related to or confused with any Central American species; its affinities lie with several South American species, especially A. gualeanum Engl. of Ecuador that differs in occurring at higher elevations and in having the spathe held nearly closed over the spadix at anthesis.

Chiriquí: along road to Fortuna Dam she, Croat 48735 (MO, PMA, US); between Gualaca & Fortuna Dam site, NW of Los Planes de Homito, António 4201 (MO), Croat 49819 (CR, DUKE, F, MO, NY, PMA, US), 49840 (MO, NY, PMA, SEL, US), 50059 (COL, K, MO, NY, PMA, SEL, US).

Darien: summit of Cerro Pirre, Gentry & Clewei! 6994 (MO).