Philodendron utleyanum, Croat, sp. nov.
TYPE: Panama. Colón:Santa Rita Ridge, about 7 mi. from Transisthmian Highway, ca. 200 m, 21 Dec. 1971, Wilbur et al. 15068 (holotype, DUKE 226389). Figures 431--432.
Planta hemiepiphytica; internodia 1--3.5 cm longa, 1.5--2 cm diam., in sicco pallide brunnea; cataphylla usque 27 cm longa, leniter 2-costata, in sicco obscure rubribrunnea, decidua; petiolus subteres, atribrunneus, obtuse subcomplanatus adaxialiter versus apicem, 19--21.5 cm longus, in sicco 6--7 cm diam.; lamina oblongo-oblanceolata, 32--39 cm longa, 10--14 cm lata, aliquantum inequilaterala et rotundata vel truncata aut leniter cordulata basi, atriviridis supra, in sicco canobrunnea, saepe aliquantum rubella infra, in sicco brunnea; nervis basalibus 2--3 utroque, omnibus liberis ad basim; inflorescentia 1; pedunculus usque 9 cm longus, in sicco, atribrunneus; spatha usque 11 cm longa, pallide viridis, extus suffusa subrosea, intus alba, tubo spathae 5 cm longa; pistilla 4--5-locularia; loculi 1-ovulati.
Hemiepiphytic; stem appressed-climbing; internodes drying moderately glossy, irregularly and acutely ribbed with a few flat smooth intervening areas, 1--3.5 cm long, 1.5--2 cm diam., drying light brown; roots several per node, short, drying brown, to 3 cm diam.; cataphylls to 27 cm long, weakly 2-ribbed, but sharply 2-ribbed toward the apex, red tinged toward the base, drying dull reddish brown, deciduous; petioles 19--21.5 cm long, drying 6--7 cm diam., subterete, dark brown, obtusely somewhat flattened toward the apex adaxially, surface smooth to weakly ribbed; blades somewhat inequilateral, oblong-oblanceolate, subcoriaceous, semiglossy, acuminate at apex, somewhat inequilateral and rounded to truncate to weakly cordulate at base, 32--39 cm long, 10--14 cm wide, broadest above the middle, 1.3--1.8 times longer than petioles, upper surface dark green, drying gray-brown, lower surface often somewhat reddish, drying medium brown; posterior lobes to ca. 2 cm long; midrib drying weakly and obtusely raised, slightly paler than surface above, drying convex, drying light brown with a distinct pale border along its edges and paler than surface below; basal veins 2--3 per side, and with all free to base; primary lateral veins 8--9 per side, departing midrib at a 65--80E angle in the lower one-half, to 45E angle toward apex, weakly arcuate to the margins, drying inconspicuous except near the midrib, paler than surface above, weakly convex and paler than surface, sometimes undulate below; minor veins drying moderately inconspicuous and close, weakly undulate, arising from the midrib only, the surface and minor veins minutely and densely granular at 10x magnification.
INFLORESCENCES 1 per axil; peduncle to 9 cm long, drying 4.5 mm diam., dark brown; spathe moderately coriaceous, to 11 cm long, ca. 2 cm diam., pale green with pinkish tinge, drying dark brown throughout, white within; spathe tube 5 cm long, 1.8--2 cm diam.; spadix sessile; 10 cm long.; pistillate portion 5 cm long, drying to 1.7 cm diam. near base, 1.5 cm diam. midway, 1 cm at apex; staminate portion 4.7 cm long, too deteriorated for detailed studies; pistils 2.5--3 mm long, 1.5--2 mm diam., drying light brown, smooth except warty near apex; style type not studied; stigma 0.4--0.6 m diam., button-like on drying with a medial nipple and 4--5 radiate arms, sometimes with fragments of the dried stigma apron-like still attached; locules 4--5; ovaries with sub-basal placentation, 1 ovule per locule.
Flowering in Philodendron utleyanum is poorly known. The single collection with immature fruits was made in December. This species probably flowers in the rainy season.
Philodendron utleyanum is endemic to Panama, known only by the type specimen from Colón Province in a region of Premontane wet forest at 200 m elevation.
Philodendron utleyanum is a member of P. sect. Calostigma subsect. Glossophyllum ser. Glossophyllum. This species is distinguished by its short tan internodes, sharply 2-ribbed, deciduous cataphylls, subterete petioles about three-fourths as long as the blades, and oblong-oblanceolate, brown-drying blades broadest above the middle and rounded to weakly subcordate at the base.
In terms of coloration and texture, P. utleyanum appears closest to P. sagittifolium, but in terms of blade shape it is closest to P. pseudauriculatum. The former differs in having the blades broadest at the base and decidedly cordate, the latter in having dark gray-green drying leaves, more or less spongy, proportionately shorter petioles, and the spadix clearly demarcated from the peduncles by a marked color contrast. Philodendron utleyanum lacks any clear limit between the peduncle and the spathe.
This species is named in honor of John Utley, a participant in the Duke University expedition which collected the type. Utley has been responsible for collecting many interesting and important Araceae during his trips to Central America and during his tenure as a Peace Corp volunteer in Costa Rica.
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