Lycianthes fortunensis J. Poore & E. Dean
Creators: name: Dean, Ellen
name: Poore, Jennifer
name: Kang, Hannah
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Solanales
Solanaceae
Lycianthes
Lycianthes fortunensis

description: Lycianthes fortunensis J. Poore & E. Dean (Fig. 3).
— Type: PANAMA. [Ngäbe-Buglé]: Bocas del Toro region of Cerro Colorado, on trails from continental divide, 8°35’N, 81°45’W [8.583,-81.75], 1500 m, 12 Apr 1986, G. McPherson 8848 (holotype: DAV acc. #230777; isotypes: NY, MO acc. # 6866682)
Diagnosis. Endemic to Panama; similar to the widespread Central American species Lycianthes multiflora but differing in rounded flower bud tip (rather than pointed tip), elongated, scarious, and lobed calyx margin 0.5–2 mm long in flower (rather than short, non-scarious, non-lobed margin 0.25–0.5 mm long), and a lack of appendages (rather than usually having appendages 1–4 mm long).
Shrub to woody vine, sometimes epiphytic, to 5 m tall. Indument tan to pale yellow-orange, uniseriate, multicellular, sessile to short-stalked, multangulate-stellate, eglandular trichomes, the rays of the stellate trichomes sometimes crisped. Stems drying tan to brown when young, slightly to very compressed when dried, becoming brown and woody with age, moderately to densely pubescent with trichomes 0.1–0.2 (0.5) mm long, 0.25–0.75 mm in diameter, glabrate, with age; upper branching a mixture of dichasial and monochasial, not widely divaricate, the segments shallowing zigzagging, the upper sympodial units 1.6–13 cm long, 2–4 mm in diameter. Leaves of upper sympodia simple, rarely paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 7.6–14.8 × 3.6–7.6 cm, the smaller ones with blades 4.0–9.6 × 2.3–4.4 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate to elliptic, chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent with spreading trichomes similar to the stem but to 1 mm in diameter, the trichomes often sessile with the rays appressed to the plant surface, especially on the adaxial side, the trichomes denser on the veins of the abaxial side, the primary veins 3–5 on each side of the midvein, the base cuneate, rounded, or truncate, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually irregularly undulate, the apex acute to acuminate, the petioles 0.6–3 (5) cm long. Flowers in groups of 2–20, axillary, the inflorescence axes densely pubescent with sessile trichomes like those of the stem; peduncles usually present, to 3 mm long, or area of pedicel attachment raised into a pad with many attachment scars; pedicels (6) 9–17 mm long and erect in flower, (7) 11–26 mm long and erect in fruit; calyx 2–4 mm long, 3–5 (6) mm in diameter, campanulate, densely pubescent with sessile trichomes like those of the stem, the margin truncate, scarious in texture at the distal half, undulate or lobed, the appendages usually lacking (rarely with small bumps where the appendages would be; fruiting calyx enlarged, bowl shaped, 2–4 mm long, 6–8.5 mm in diameter, the appendages rarely to 0.5 mm long; corolla oriented horizontally, 0.8–1.6 cm long, rotate, entire, with abundant interpetalar tissue, adaxially white to light pink or tinged purple, glabrous, abaxially densely puberulent on the lobes, especially at the distal end, this more evident in bud; stamens unequal, the four short filaments 1–1.5 mm long, the one long filament 1.5–2 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 3.5–4 mm long, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, free from one another, yellow, sparsely pubescent on the inner face, poricidal at the tips, the pores ovate, dehiscing distally, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 6–8 mm long, linear, straight to curved, glabrous, the stigma oblong, decurrent down two sides. Fruit a berry, 7–14 mm long, 8–19 mm in diameter, usually globose to depressed globose, red-orange when mature, glabrous to very slightly pubescent, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 45–85 per fruit, 2–3 × 2–3 mm, flattened, circular, triangular, or depressed ovate in outline, sometimes slightly notched, tan to yellow-orange in the center, the margin slightly thickened and of similar or darker color, the surface reticulum smooth to faintly patterned with densely arranged cells with wavy cell walls and shallow lumina.
Distribution and habitat: — Lycianthes fortunensis is endemic to Panama in Chiriquí and Veraguas provinces and the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca (originally in Bocas del Toro Province) (Fig. 4), growing in cloud and premontane forests, often found on slopes or along roads and trails, 730–1645 m in elevation.
Phenology: — Flowering specimens have been collected February through April; specimens with mature fruits have been collected January through September.
Etymology: — This species is named for the Fortuna Dam, and resulting Fortuna Reservoir, where this plant has been most frequently collected.
Notes:— Lycianthes fortunensis is closely related to L. multiflora, which is known from Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, and the two other members of the L. multiflora complex in Panama, L. howardiana and L. porteriana. All four species have similar pubescence of sessile to short-stalked multangulate-stellate trichomes with rays that are often crisped and that lie flat on the plant surface, especially on the leaves (Table 2). All four species also share having unequal stamens, a similar leaf shape (ovate to elliptic), and similar leaf texture (chartaceous to subcoriaceous). Lycianthes fortunensis differs from the other three in having round to oval flower buds with round tips (rather than conical buds with acute tips) and in lacking appendages (rather than having appendages that are usually 1–4 mm long [in L. multiflora] or even longer [to 11 mm in L. porteriana]). Lycianthes fortunensis also differs from L. multiflora and L. howardiana in having a prominent, scarious, often lobed calyx margin 0.5–2 mm long, a feature it shares with L. porteriana (Table 2).
Representative specimens examined (paratypes):— PANAMA. Chiriquí: NO del campamento de Fortuna (Hornito), sitio de presa, [8.74166, -82.25277], 1000–1200 m, 12 Aug 1976, M. D. Correa 2250 (MO acc. # 2792553); along road from Gualaca to Fortuna dam site, 5.9 mi NW of Los Planes de Hornito, 8°43’N, 82°17’W [8.71667, - 82.28333], 1370 m, 9 Apr 1980, T. B. Croat 49867 (MO acc. # 2885507, NY); Gualaca-Chiriquí Grande, 5.5 mi NW of Los Planes de Hornito, 8°40’N, 82°14’W [8.6667, -82.2333], 1320 m, 29 Mar 1993, T. B. Croat 74908 (DAV acc. # 230351, MO acc. # 6866584, NY); between Palo Alto and near Cerro Pate Macho, above Río Palo Alto, NE of Boquete, [8.808333, -82.38333], 5400–7100 ft, 18 Mar 1979, W. D’Arcy 12661 (NY); Fortuna Dam area, above Gualaca, 8°45’N, 82°15’W [8.75,-82.25], 3400 ft, 30 Jul 1984, W. G. D’Arcy 15855 (DAV acc. # 230353, MO acc. # 3676764, MO acc. # 3695488); Fortuna Dam area, on Kaolin hill, just N of reservoir, [8.75, -82.25], 1100–1400 m, 31 Jul 1984, W. G. D’Arcy 15907 (MO acc. # 3695487, NY, MO acc. # 3676764); slope of hill above camp at Fortuna Dam site, [8.7333, -82.216], 1400–1500 m, 14 Sep 1977, J. Folsom 5468 (MO acc. # 2628652); Valle del Río Chiriquí, [8.73, -82.16], 24 Mar 1981, I. Gordon 194 (MO acc. # 3661098); La Fortuna hydroelectric project, behind camp, [8.730, -82.25], 1300 – 1400 m, 23 Mar 1978, B. Hammel 2238 (DAV acc. # 230774, MO acc. # 6866793, NY); forests behind Vivero Forestal de Boquete, 12 km N of Los Planes de Hornito, IRHE Fortuna Hydroelectric Project, 8°43’N, 82°14’W [8.71667, -82.23333], 1100–1200 m, 17 Jun 1982, S. Knapp 5552 (DAV acc. # 230773, MO acc. # 3695491, MO acc. # 6866688); Fortuna Dam area, 8°45’N, 82°15’W [8.75,-82.25], 1200 m, 11 Mar 1985, G. McPherson 6783 (DAV acc. # 230778, MO acc. # 6866681, NY); Fortuna Dam region, along Quebrada Arena near continental divide, 8°45’N, 82°15’W [8.75,-82.25], 1050 m, 9 Mar 1986, G. McPherson 8746 (DAV acc. # 230783, MO acc. # 3673807, MO acc. # 6878296); on gravel road branching N from main Fortuna Dam-Chiriquí Grande road, 1.1 miles from junction, 8°47’18’’N, 82°14’W [8.7883, -82.2333], 1200 m, 11 Mar 1985, G. McPherson 6802 (DAV acc. # 230776, MO acc. # 6866685, NY); vicinity of Fortuna Dam, along trail across valley south of lake, 8°45’04”N, 82°15’04”W [8.751, -82.251], 1300–1400 m, 7 Feb 1987, G. McPherson 10389 (DAV acc. # 230786, MO acc. # 3673800, MO acc. # 6866824); Bocas del Toro-Chiriquí border, Fortuna Dam region, along continental divide trail, 8°45’N, 82°15’W [8.75,-82.25], 1200 m, 16 Jan 1989, G. McPherson 13551 (MO acc. # 5287728); Ngäbe-Buglé: Oleoducto Road, near Continental Divide, Fortuna Dam area, 8°48’N, 82°12’W [8.8,-82.2], 1000 m, 5 Feb 1984, H. W. Churchill 4578 (MO acc. # 3282255); Cerro Colorado, top, Bocas Road, [8.53583, -81.81], 1500 m, 17–18 Feb 1977, J. P. Folsom 1733 (MO acc. # 2605590); near headwaters of Río Culebra ca. 5 km ENE of Cerro Pate Macho, [8.8383, -82.325], 5000 ft, 11 Feb 1979, B. Hammel 6121 (DAV acc. # 230781, MO acc. # 3661198, MO acc. # 5205011); Chiriquí/Bocas del Toro border, along continental divide on trail in Zona Protectora Palo Seco, 8°47.1N, 82°13’W [8.7833, -82.21667], 1100–1300 m, 11 Aug 2000, S. Knapp 9183 (MEXU acc. # 1167410, MO acc. # 5601511); Cerro Colorado, c. 12 miles from Camp Chami, 8°35’N, 81°45’W [8.5833,-81.75], 1400–1470 m, 20 Jun 1986, G. McPherson 9543 (MO acc. # 3673809); Cerro Colorado, 7.2 miles from Camp Chami, Chamel, 8°35’N, 81°45’W [8.783333,-81.75], 1400–1470 m, 21 Jun 1986 G. McPherson 9586 (DAV acc. # 230782, MO acc. # 3673808, MO acc. # 6866818); Bocas del Toro-Chiriquí border, Fortuna Dam region, on trail along continental divide, 8°46’03”N, 82°12’50”W [8.76750, -82.21389], 1250 m, 10 Mar 1988, G. McPherson 12289 (DAV acc. # 230787, MO acc. # 3661211, MO acc. # 6866819); Cerro Colorado, 35.6 km. from Río San Félix bridge, [8.5399, -81.82], 1390 m, 15 Jul 1976, G. A. Sullivan 374 (MO acc. # 3698399); Veraguas: along road between Escuela Agrícola and Alto Piedra (above Santa Fe) and Río Dos Bocas, ca 5–8 km from Escuela, [8.53, -81.14944], 730–770 m, 26 Jul 1974, T. B. Croat 25911 (MO acc. # 3673764).
description: Published as part of Dean, Ellen, Poore, Jennifer & Kang, Hannah, 2020, Three new species of Lycianthes (Solanaceae) from Panama, pp. 113-126 in Phytotaxa 471 (2) on pages 118-121, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.471.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/4784553