Lindmania marahuacae (L.B.Sm., Steyermark & H.Rob.) L.B.Sm.
Literature references:
Comments:
- The inflorescence of the isotype collection at MO (Maguire et al. 65641), as well as several other collections referable to this species from the same area, are heavily damaged by insects, which probably contributed to the stunted and twisted nature of some of them. The inflorescence of the type of Lindmania terramarae (Steyermark & Delascio 129067, holotype, US; isotype, MO) shows no sign of insect damage, and the larger inflorescence that was used to distinguish it from L. marahuacae is likely just the normal development for this species. Several collections by Ronald Liesner (17975, MO; 24676, MO; 24804, MO) from the same area have very dense inflorescences, larger bracts, sepals, and petals, and at first would seem to represent a distinct species, but a study of the stems also reveals significant insect activity and so these collections are tentatively placed here.
A collection from the summit of Cerro Duida, Angel Fernandez et al. 8129 (PORT), is fragmentary and in old fruit, but seems closest to Lindmania marahuacae. It differs from the Cerro Marahuaka collections by having the leaves strongly spinose their entire length (versus basally spinose) and by having stout pedicels 1-3 mm long (versus slender pedicels 4-6 mm long). The stipe and inflorescence on this collection are also heavily damaged by insects. —See Steyermark, Holst et al. 1989
