Philodendron correae Croat, sp. nov.
TYPE: Panama. Chiriquí: Gualaca--Chiriquí Grande, vic. Lago Fortuna, along trail to meteorological station on Río Hornito departing from N side of highway, ca. 0.5 km S of Centro de Científcos, 8E45'N, 82E18'W, 24 July 1994, Croat & Zhu 76395 (holotype, MO-- 4619416; isotypes, B, CAS, COL, CR, F, K, NY, PMA, US, VEN). Figures 116--119.
Planta hemiepiphytica aut raro terrestris; internodia obtuse complanata uno latere, usque 7 cm longa, 1.5 m diam.; cataphylla (8)13--16 cm longa, incostata, decidua; petiolus D-formatus, 7--16.5 cm longus, plus minusve spongiosus; lamina plus minusve oblonga, rotunda vel leniter subcordata basi, 21--46 cm longa, 5--12 cm lata; nervis lateralibus I 4 utroque, leniter visibilibus supra; inflorescentia 1; pedunculus 10.5--12 cm longus; spatha 15--18.4 cm longa, extus flavialba, intus leviter palidiori; interdum viridis basi, tubo intus suffuso obscure rubro; pistilla 5--6-locularia; loculi 1-ovulati.
Hemiepiphytic or rarely terrestrial; stem appressed-climbing or spreading; sap viscous, unscented; internodes obtusely flattened on one side, moderately glossy, to 7 cm long, to 1.5 cm diam., usually much longer than broad, medium green to tannish, drying gray, epidermis becoming grayish brown and peeling; roots mostly 15--30 cm long, drying 2--3 mm diam.; cataphylls (8)13--16 cm long, unribbed, green, deciduous, turning mushy; petioles 7--16.5 cm long, (3)6--15 cm diam., D-shaped, obtusely flattened (drying usually sulcate) adaxially, more or less spongy, narrowly rounded abaxially, with adaxial margins raised, surface with a conspicuous purple-black ring around apex; sheathing usually to near the apex, with margins erect and incurled, the tip free-ending; blades more or less oblong, subcoriaceous, semiglossy, conspicuously to moderately bicolorous, abruptly long-acuminate or sometimes acute at apex (the acumen inrolled if present), rounded to weakly subcordate at base, 21--46 cm long, 5--12 cm wide (3--5 times wider than long), (ca. 2--4 times longer than petiole); upper surface semiglossy, dark green to medium green, drying dark brown to blackish brown, lower surface glossy and slightly to moderately paler; sinus 5--12 mm deep; midrib flat to broadly convex, paler than surface above, convex or thicker than broad and bluntly acute, darker than surface below; basal veins lacking; primary lateral veins weak, 4--6 per side when present but sometimes not apparent, departing midrib at a 60--70E angle, arcuate to the margins, slightly sunken, weakly visible above, convex, slightly darker than surface, weakly visible below; minor veins fine, moderately visible to distinct, arising from both the midrib and primary lateral veins. INFLORESCENCES 1 per axil; peduncle 10.5--12 cm long, 5--6(14) mm diam., subterete; spathe coriaceous, 15--18.4 cm long, (1.43--1.75 times longer than peduncle), weakly or not at all constricted, spathe blade yellow-white (B & K yellow-red 9/7.5-10 (at anthesis)) throughout, slightly paler inside; spathe tube sometimes green outside, 6.5--7.5 cm long, 1.6--2 cm diam., slightly paler and tinged dull red inside; spadix 8--19 cm long; stipitate 7--10 mm long; pistillate portion green to pale yellow, cylindrical, 7.9 cm long, 1.3--1.4 cm diam. throughout; staminate portion 4--8.4 cm long; fertile staminate portion tapered; pistils glossy, 3.3--3.8 mm long, 2.3--2.6 mm diam.; ovary 5--6-locular, with sub-basal placentation; ovules 1 per locule, style similar to style type C; style funnel shallow, sometimes deep subcylindric; style apex rounded, somewhat flat, with simple funnel; stigma more or less discoid, covering interior faces of stylar funnel. INFRUCTESCENCE (post-anthesis) with seeds 1 per locule, 1.5--1.7 mm long, 7--8 mm diam.
Flowering in Philodendron correae has been recorded only during the early rainy season, June through September, but relatively few fertile collectons have been seen overall.
Philodendron correae is endemic to western Panama in Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro Provinces at 780 to 1400 m in Premontane rain forest and Tropical Lower Montane rain forest.
Philodendron correae is a member of P. sect. Calostigma subsect. Glossophyllum ser. Glossophyllum. This species is distinguished by its internodes generally longer than broad, more or less oblong, dark brown- to black-drying blades with rounded to weakly cordulate bases. Primary lateral veins only weakly visible, and solitary inflorescences with the spathe blade yellowish white on both inner and outer surfaces.
Philodendron correae is closest to P. ligulatum which differs in having rather prominent primary lateral veins and by occurring at generally lower elevations (sea level to 900 m). Folsom et al. 5471 is noteworthy is having blades that dry greener than is usual for the species. It also has a Type B style type; the only other specimen studied for ovules (Croat 66748) had a type C style. The difference may have been due to the age of the flowers, but this situation warrants further investigation.
Philodendron correae is named in honor of Mireya D. Correa A., among the first scientists to collect in the Fortuna area, and the first to collect this species.
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Additional specimens examined.
PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: Fortuna Dam area, Chiriquí Grande-Fortuna, 1.2 mi. N of Continental Divide, 910 m, 8E44'N, 82E17'W, Croat 60436 (CAS, L, MO); 6.6 mi. N of middle of bridge over Fortuna Lake, 780 m, 8E45'N, 82E18'W, Croat 66779 (MO); along gravel road near Continental Divide, 1170 m, 8E44'N, 82E17'W, Croat 66653 (MO, PMA, US). Chiriquí: Cerro Colorado, above San Félix, along mining road 18--27 mi. N of Pan-American Highway, 1200-1500 m, Croat 33151 (MO); 13--14.6 km N of Chame, 1390--1410 m, Croat 37217 (MO); Fortuna Dam area, N of Gualaca, 11.8 mi. N of Los Planes de Hornito, 1400 m, Croat 48676 (MO, US); Gualaca-Chiriquí Grande, at junction of road to IRHE headquarters, 1200 m, 8E45'N, 82E18'W, Croat 66748 (CM, CR, HMNM, HUA, MO); 1.4 mi. W of Centro de Operaciones, trail to Río Hornito, 1010--1130 m, 8E44'N, 82E14'30"W, Croat 67917 (AAU, MEXU, MO, NY); Los Planes de Hornito, 1000--1200 m, Correa 2256 (PMA); ca. 10.7 mi. from Planes de Hornito, 4000 ft., Antonio 5148 (MEXU, MO); along aquaduct to IRHE water source near dam, 1200--1300 m, 8E45'N, 82E18'W, Croat 66626 (MO); 1400--1500 m, Folsom et al. 5471 (MO).