Aechmea aculeatosepala (Rauh & Barthlott) Leme
(comb. nov.)
Literature references:
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Comments:
- Notes from Leme in Canistrum – Brom. Alt. Forest. 93. 1997
Since this work is not intended to be a taxonomic revision of Hylaeaicum, I refer to the systematic treatments of Smith & Downs (1979) and Ramirez (1991) in relation to the species, with a few minor changes. Ramirez (1991) considered N. meeana to be a synonym of N. leviana, a decision accepted by Luther & Sieff (1996), who in turn placed N. peruviana in synonymy with N. mooreana. It should also be noted that
N. aculeatosepala cannot remain linked to Hylaeaicum, a conclusion I have reached after examining the holotype and three specimens of diverse origin that flowered in cultivation. Neoregelia aculeatosepala was described on the basis of a specimen with senescent flowers (Rauh & Barthlott, in Rauh, 1976), so petal characteristics were not mentioned. Ramirez (1991) also made no mention of these traits, but she argued that the species was not closely related to any of the taxa of Hylaeaicum, except maybe N. tarapotoensis. Considering the traits given above for Hylaeaicum, N. aculeatosepala differs from this group by its leaves often creased between sheath and blade, with a single, unbroken crescent or V-shaped fold distinctly marking the abaxial surface. The leaf-blades, especially those in the center of the rosette, may turn reddish-rose toward the apex as well as toward the base. This species also differs in its floral scape which is clearly longer than the inflorescence, inflorescence slightly exceeding leaf-sheath length, flowers with short pedicels very distinct from the ovary, sepals asymmetric, ecarinate and densely spinose, petals spatulate, with widely obtuse-cucullate apex, erect at anthesis, ovary widely ellipsoid or obovate, about 1.5 times longer than wide, ecarinate, apical placentation occupying about half the length of the locules, pollen grains mainly triporate (not biporate, apud Halbritter & Till, unpubl. data).
Despite the small size, vegetative propagation by long stolons and rather nest-like inflorescence, the floral traits of N. aculeatosepala, endemic to Ecuador, are incompatible with Hylaeaicum. On the other hand, these traits place this species closer to the genus Aechmea subgen. Aechmea, a fact that is reinforced by the triporate pollen. The creased leaves between sheath and blade, with an unbroken, crescent or V-shaped fold clearly visible on the abaxial surface are not present in Hylaeaicum (pers. obs.). The taxonomic value of this trait is dubious and has not yet been elucidated by leaf-anatomy studies.
But it is a striking characteristic and can be used to identify species such as Aechmea nudicaulis (Linnaeus) Grisebach (subgenus Pothuava), A. caesia E. Morren ex Baker and A. flavo-rosea E. Pereira (subgenus Platyaechmea), A. recurvata (Klotzsch) L. B. Sm. (subgenus Ortgiesia), and Billbergia horrida Regel; it is also seen occasionally in
Neoregelia, s. str: (e. g., N. capixaba E. Pereira & Leme and N. zaslawskyi E. Pereira & Leme).This characteristic has not yet been reported for Aechmea species from the
Amazon region. Finally, the strongly spinose sepals of N. aculeatosepala, plus the erect petals at anthesis, with an obtuse-cucullate apex, remind one, respectively, of Amazonian species such as A. hoppii (Harms) L. B. Sm. and A. nidularioides L. B. Sm., that also occur in Ecuador. I therefore am certain that N. aculeatosepala must be excluded from Hylaeaicum and transferred to Aechmea: p. Canistrum - Brom Atl Forest
- from Leme in Canistrum - Brom. Alt. Forest. 93. 1997 n
Since this work is not intended to be a taxonomic revision of Hylaeaicum, I refer to the systematic treatments of Smith & Downs (1979) and Ramirez (1991) in relation to the species, with a few minor changes. Ramirez (1991) considered N. meeana to be a synonym of N. leviana, a decision accepted by Luther & Sieff (1996), who in turn placed N. peruviana in synonymy with N. mooreana. It should also be noted that
N. aculeatosepala cannot remain linked to Hylaeaicum, a conclusion I have reached after examining the holotype and three specimens of diverse origin that flowered in cultivation. Neoregelia aculeatosepala was described on the basis of a specimen with senescent flowers (Rauh & Barthlott, in Rauh, 1976), so petal characteristics were not mentioned. Ramirez (1991) also made no mention of these traits, but she argued that the species was not closely related to any of the taxa of Hylaeaicum, except maybe N. tarapotoensis. Considering the traits given above for Hylaeaicum, N. aculeatosepala differs from this group by its leaves often creased between sheath and blade, with a single, unbroken crescent or V-shaped fold distinctly marking the abaxial surface. The leaf-blades, especially those in the center of the rosette, may turn reddish-rose toward the apex as well as toward the base. This species also differs in its floral scape which is clearly longer than the inflorescence, inflorescence slightly exceeding leaf-sheath length, flowers with short pedicels very distinct from the ovary, sepals asymmetric, ecarinate and densely spinose, petals spatulate, with widely obtuse-cucullate apex, erect at anthesis, ovary widely ellipsoid or obovate, about 1.5 times longer than wide, ecarinate, apical placentation occupying about half the length of the locules, pollen grains mainly triporate (not biporate, apud Halbritter & Till, unpubl. data).
Despite the small size, vegetative propagation by long stolons and rather nest-like inflorescence, the floral traits of N. aculeatosepala, endemic to Ecuador, are incompatible with Hylaeaicum. On the other hand, these traits place this species closer to the genus Aechmea subgen. Aechmea, a fact that is reinforced by the triporate pollen. The creased leaves between sheath and blade, with an unbroken, crescent or V-shaped fold clearly visible on the abaxial surface are not present in Hylaeaicum (pers. obs.). The taxonomic value of this trait is dubious and has not yet been elucidated by leaf-anatomy studies.
But it is a striking characteristic and can be used to identify species such as Aechmea nudicaulis (Linnaeus) Grisebach (subgenus Pothuava), A. caesia E. Morren ex Baker and A. flavo-rosea E. Pereira (subgenus Platyaechmea), A. recurvata (Klotzsch) L. B. Sm. (subgenus Ortgiesia), and Billbergia horrida Regel; it is also seen occasionally in
Neoregelia, s. str: (e. g., N. capixaba E. Pereira & Leme and N. zaslawskyi E. Pereira & Leme).This characteristic has not yet been reported for Aechmea species from the
Amazon region. Finally, the strongly spinose sepals of N. aculeatosepala, plus the erect petals at anthesis, with an obtuse-cucullate apex, remind one, respectively, of Amazonian species such as A. hoppii (Harms) L. B. Sm. and A. nidularioides L. B. Sm., that also occur in Ecuador. I therefore am certain that N. aculeatosepala must be excluded from Hylaeaicum and transferred to Aechmea:
Neoregelia aculeatosepala Rauh & Barthlott, Akad. Wiss., Lit. Mainz, Math.-Naturwiss Klasse, Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenwelt 16: 53, fig. 29-31. 1976.
Type: ECUADOR: "Epiphytic in depauperate forest, above Limon, between Sucua and Paute, Canar, 3 Sep. 1973". Rauh & Barthlott34892 (Holotype, HEID) .
Specimens studied: ECUADOR: Morona-Santiago. "Epiphytic in forest above El Limon", alt. 1600 m. 17 Feb. 1986. C. Luer, J Luer, A Hirtz, W Flores & A Embree 11867 (MO) , (fertile specimen); near Limon, ca. 1200 m. "Foliage dark green; center leaves hot pink. Epiphyte". 3 July 1989. B. Girko E89028 (SEL) [Only an inflorescence and photograph of the plant included]; 8 Km E of Limon on road (under construction) to La Union, 1400-1500 m, remnants of primary forest. "with slender, pendulous 'runners' .
10 m long, with leaf clusters evenly spaced every 3 dm, bracts green, corolla white". 22 April 1985. G. Harling & L A Anderson 24461 (QCA) . (Fertile specimen)
This species is easily distinguishable by its stoloniferous growth, with small size pendant rosettes, leaves forming a compact, funnelform rosette and by the scape, inflorescence
floral bracts, and serrate sepals. This is also the only species in the subgenus that is found growing in cloud forests at ca. 1600 m.
This species does not have any closely related species in the subgenus. The closest relative is, perhaps, Neoregelia tarapotoensis with which it shares the small rosette habit, with slender, thin, round stolons, and both inhabit cloud forests, usually above 1,000 m. It differs from N. tarapotoensis however, in its longer stolons, bright red inner leaves, and serrate scape and floral bracts and sepals. There are a few clones in cultivation, two of them at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and another one in private greenhouses in Florida.
Plants of this species suffer strong changes under cultivation: the funnel-like rosette is no longer formed, instead the leaves are very elongated (up to 4 times the original length!) . Sometimes sterile rosettes become bright red on the apices of the leaves. Flowering has not been observed under cultivation. The seeds germinate in about 1 month (H. Luther,
personal communication) and the culture of this species is relatively easily, keeping the plant in humid soil (sphagnum and little amount of organic soil and vermiculite) , daily watering, moderate light, warm temperatures and high moisture.
All the illustrations and photographs of this species represent wild plants, where perhaps the restrictions of an epiphytic environment cause the small, compact rosettes.
The above description was made using the original description and added information from herbarium specimens and cultivated plants, to cover all the possible variation under different environmental conditions.
Neoregelia aculeatosepala Rauh & Barthlott spec. nov.Trop. Subtrop. Pflanz. 16: 53-7. 1976
Holotypus : Rauh & Barthlott Nr. 34892 (3. 9. 1973), in Herbario inst. bot. system. heidelbergensis (HEID).
Pflanze 30-50 cm lange, hangende, 0,5 cm dicke, von Niederblattern umscheidete, braune Auslaufer.bildend (Abb. 29), diese in einer kurz-trichterformigen, bis 15 cm hohen und 10 cm breiten, engrohrigen, wenigblattrigen Trichterrosette endend (Abb. 29); aussere Rosettenblatter kleiner als die inneren. Scheide breit-oval, ca. 6 cm lang, bis 5 cm breit, oberseits braun bis violett, beiderseits dicht beschuppt, am Rande glatt. Spreite derb, lingulat (Abb. 30), grun bis gelblichgrun, unregelmassig weinrot gefleckt, beiderseits zerstreut beschuppt, zuruckgebogen, 5-6 cm lang, 4-5 cm breit, in eine kurze, scharfe Spitze zusammengezogen, am Rande braun bestachelt; Stacheln etwa 2 mm lang und 3 mm voneinander entfernt; innere Rosettenblatter postfloral z. T. weinrot. Infloreszenzschaft ca. 6 cm lang, weig, kurzer als die Rosettenblatter. Hochblatter dicht stehend, langer als die Internodien, die basalen ca. 1 cm lang, mit kurzer, am Rande bestachelter Spreite, spitzenwarts an Grosse zunehmend; die apikalen bis 2 cm lang, mit kurzer, zuruckgebogener, bestachelter und beschuppter Spreite. Infloreszenz einfach, dichtkopfig, ± 20-blutig, 3,5 cm lang, 3 cm breit, in die Rosette eingesenkt (Abb. 30). Florale Brakteen ± 2 cm lang, eiformig bis lanzettlich, in der Mitte am breitesten, die basalen bis 0,7 cm, die apikalen bis 0,4 cm breit, am Rande bestachelt, zugespitzt, zerstreut beschuppt, so lang oder kurzer als die Sepalen (Abb. 31, Ia u. II, F). Bluten bis 3 cm lang, mit kurzem, dickem, bis 4 mm langem, zerstreut beschuppten Stiel (Abb. 31, Ia, Ib, St). Sepalen 1,5 cm lang, 5 mm breit, an der Basis 2-3 mm hoch ver wachsen (Abb. 31, Ia, IIa), in eine scharfe, zuruckgebogene, weigliche Spitze auslaufend, am Ende derb und entfernt bestachelt (Abb. 31, Ia, Ic, IIa, S), an der gelblich-grunen Basis zerstreut sternhaarig. Petalen frei, weiss, 2-2,3 cm lang, schmal-zungenformig. Ovarium stumpf 3-kantig, 0,3 cm lang, 0,3 cm dick, grun, zerstreut braun-sternhaarig (Abb. 31, Ib), mit wenigen (bis 4), hellbraunen, 2 mm grossen Samen (Ib, Sa).
Habitat: oberhalb Limon (Strasse Sucua-Paute, Prov. Canar), 1200 m, epiphytisch wachsend, degradierter Bergwald. Die Pflanze ist bier vergesellschaftet mit einer bislang nicht bestimmten, weissbluhenden Marcgravia.
Holotypus : Rauh & Barthlott Nr. 34892 (3. 9. 73), (HEID).
Das von L. B. SMITH begrundete Genus Neoregelia wird, je nachdem die Petalen verwachsen oder untereinander frei sind, in die beiden Subgenera Neoregelia und Amazonicae unterteilt. Ein weiteres Unterscheidungsmerkmal soll die Ausbildung des Pedicellus sein, der den zum Subgenus Amazonicae gehorigen Arten weitgehend fehlt.
Artenreich ist das Subgenus Neoregelia mit Verbreitungsschwerpunkt Brasilien; von dem Subgenus Amazonicae sind bisher nur wenige, vorwiegend im Amazonasbecken Perus beheimatete Arten bekannt. Allein die diesem Subgenus angehorige N. eleutheropetala (Ule) L. B. Smith var. eleutheropetala (= Aregelia eleutheropetala Mez ex L. B. Smith) hat eine weitere Verbreitung und ihr Areal erstreckt sich von Venezuela uber Kolumbien und Peru bis nach Brasilien. N. myrmecophila (Ule) L. B. Smith [= Aregelia myrmecophila (Ule) Mez = Nidularium myrmecophilum Ule] ist allein in Brasilien beheimatet, wahrend die ubrigen Arten des Subgenus Amazonicae N. wurdackii L. B. Smith, N. peruviana L. B. Smith, N. mooreana L. B. Smith und N. stolonifera L. B. Smith nur aus dem Amazonasgebiet Nordperus (Dptm. Lloreto), ausHohenlagen von 350-500 m bekannt geworden sind; die meisten von ihnen zeichnen sich gleich der neuen Neoregelia aculeatosepala durch Stolonenbildung aus. Obwohl uns nur abgetrocknete Bluten zur Verfugung standen, lasst sich nachweisen, dag die Petalen frei sind, so dass die Zugehorigkeit von N. aculeatosepala zum Subgenus Amazonicae gesichert ist, wobei allerdings die Bluten, vor allem die basalen, entgegen der Diagnose von L. B. Smith (pedicels obscure) einen deutlich verlangerten Stiel aufweisen (Abb. 31, Ia-Ib, St).
Mit dem Auffinden von N. aculeatosepala ist der erste Nachweis dieser Gattung fur Ecuador erbracht; damit schliesst sich die bislang zwischen Kolumbien und Peru bestehende Verbreitungslucke. A. Hirtz, Quito und Verf. haben auf ihrer im Jahre 1975 gemeinsam durchgefuhrten Reise weitere interessante Neoregelia-Arten entdeckt, die in einer spateren Mitteilung beschrieben werden sollen.
Nach dem Bestimmungsschlussel von L. B. Smith ware N. aculeatosepala die bisher einzige Art aus dem Subgenus Amazonicae mit lingulaten Blattern und einfachen Infloreszenzen. Besonders charakteristisch fur diese Art scheint uns die auffallige Zahnung der Sepalen zu sein, die in dieser Form bisher bei keiner anderen Neoregelia festgestellt wurde. —See Ramirez 1991
