LANKESTERIANA 9(3): 459—466. 2010.
NEW SPECIES OF PORROGLOSSuM (ORCHIDACEAE:
PLEUROTHALLIDINAE) FROM ECUADOR
GilbErto MErino1, alFonso doucEttE1,2 & Franco PuPulin1,3-6
1
Centro de Investigación en Orquídeas de los Andes “Ángel Andreetta”,
Universidad Alfredo Pérez Guerrero, Ecuador
2
Plant Sciences Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.
3
Jardín Botánico Lankester, University of Costa Rica.
4
Harvard University Herbaria , Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A
5
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A
6
Corresponding author: fpupulin@cariari.ucr.ac.cr
abstract. Three new species of Porroglossum from Ecuador are described and illustrated. Porroglossum
miguelangelii is compared to the Peruvian P. lycinum, from which it differs by the longer, narrower petals
with margins that are not obtusely angled below the middle and the presence of stigmatic tooth-like processes.
Porroglossum merinoi is distinctive in that it is the only species with densely pubescent sepals. Porroglossum
porphyreum is similar to P. schramii, but differs in the sepals with a thickened tail abruptly inserted at their
apex, the petals with teeth on both the upper and lower margin, and the labellum provided with a longer and
broader basal callus.
KEW Words: Orchidaceae, Pleurothallidinae, Porroglossum, P. miguelangelii, P. merinoi, P. porphyreum,
Ecuador, new species
Introduction. The genus Porroglossum Schltr.
(Orchidaceae) includes 38 species restricted to Andean
South America, where they range from Venezuela to
Peru (Luer 1987). Ecuador is the genus’s center of
diversity with 23 species recorded (Dodson 2004).
With 8 species, Colombia has the second highest
species concentration. The irst species described,
Porroglossum echidna (Rchb.f.) Garay, was
discovered in Colombia and was attributed to the
genus Masdevallia Ruiz & Pav. based on its caespitose
habit, short ramicauls, and sepals with long tails (Luer
1987). Rudolf Schlechter proposed the genus in 1920,
based on P. colombianum [= P. mordax (Rchb.f.)
Sweet] and P. muscosum (Rchb.f.) Schltr., mainly
distinguishing Porroglossum from Masdevallia by the
apical position of the anther and the presence of a long
column foot with a free apex (Schlechter 1920). The
unusually long column foot in Porroglossum functions
to accommodate the active mobility of the labellum.
The region of the labellum that rests against the
column foot is sensitive to tactile stimuli and responds
to touch by relaxing the labellum’s long strap-like
claw. This allows the labellum to relex backwards and
(hypothetically) push the pollinator against the column
(Bean 1887, Leavitt 1906, Luer 1987). Although
the pollination system has been described in detail
by Bean (1887), Oliver (1888) and Luer (1987), the
speciic pollinators and mechanism of the genus has
not yet been recorded in nature.
Sensitive labella have evolved independently in
other taxa of the subtribe Pleurothallidinae Lindl. (Luer
1987, 2000). Examples include Acostaea Schltr. and
Condylago Luer species, now treated as members of the
genus Specklinia Lindl., and Masdevallia teaguei Luer,
which was once recognized as the monotypic genus
Jostia Luer. The presence of an irritable lip was once
thought to be a key character for generic circumscription.
Recent phylogenetic analyses based on combined
molecular evidence (Pridgeon et al. 2001) show that
in some cases it is unsuitable as a character for generic
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circumscription within the Pleurothallidinae because
it creates paraphyletic groups. In contrast, lip motility
observed in the well supported monophyletic clade of
Porroglossum can be considered a synapomorphy of
the genus. Porroglossum is the only currently accepted
and recognized genus in the Pleurothallidinae that can
be characterized as a whole by the presence of actively
motile labella.
The systematics of Porroglossum was treated
by Sweet (1970, 1972) and by Luer (1987). Luer
recognizes two subgenera, subgen. Eduardia Luer
and subgen. Porroglossum. Subgenus Eduardia
is characterized by a repent growth habit and a
simultaneously lowered inlorescence. The subgenus
Porroglossum is composed of three sections: section
Echidnae (Rchb.f.) Luer which contains species
characterized by peduncle indumentums, section
Tortae Luer which contains species characterized by
non-resupinate lowers, and section Porroglossum
which contains the rest of the species (Luer 1987).
The species described here all belong to the section
Porroglossum.
Luer (1987) attributed twenty-seven species
names to the genus Porroglossum, considering P.
colombianum and P. xipheres to be synonyms of
P. mordax and P. muscosum, respectively. Since
then, Luer has authored and co-authored thirteen
new species, bringing the number of species names
attributed to Porroglossum to forty and the number
of species to thirty-eight (Luer 1988, 1989, 1991,
1994, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2006a, 2006b). In Ecuador,
23 species of Porroglossum have been previously
recorded, representing over two thirds of the known
species. In preparing a systematic revision of the
Ecuadorian species of Porroglossum, we found three
species that present enough morphological differences
from the previously described species to be conidently
proposed as new to science.
Porroglossum miguelangelii G.Merino, A.Doucette &
Pupulin, sp. nov.
TYPE: Ecuador. Zamora Chinchipe: without speciic
locality,
1800 m, collected by Hugo Medina,
November 1993, cultivated by Ecuagenera Orchid
Nursery in Gualaceo, lowered in cultivation, 20 July
2008, G. Merino 1 (holotype: QCNE; isotype: Andean
Orchids Research Center (CIOA, by the initials in
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
Spanish), University Alfredo Pérez Guerrero, Spirit
Collection No. 000845). FiG. 1, 4A.
A Porroglosso procul Luer foliis ellipticis obtusis,
petalis lineari-ligulatis subfalcatis, in parte media
leviter angustatis, lamina labelli late obtriagulariobcuneata marginibus lateralibus incurvatis recedit.
Herb epiphytic, caespitose, 4 to 8 cm tall. Roots
lexuous, 1 mm in diameter. Ramicauls terete, erect,
abbreviated, blackish at the base 1 mm long, enclosed
by 2 to 3 tubular sheaths. Leaf coriaceous, spathulate,
elliptical-obovate 2-4 x 0.5-1.0 cm, narrowed at the
base into a conduplicate petiole 1.5-2.0 cm long.
Inlorescence a congested, successively lowered
raceme 8-10 cm long; the peduncle glabrous, 5.0-9.5
cm long. Floral bracts tubular, 4 mm long. Pedicel 5
mm long. Ovary terete, minutely verrucose, 6-sulcate,
5 mm long. Flowers resupinate, held erect, without
a detectable fragrance, the dorsal sepal yellow-green
suffused with brown, with three brown veins, the lateral
sepals yellow-green, the petals translucent, amber with
a brown mid-vein, the lip white, spotted with dark
brown, the column greenish-white with a cream anther
cap. Dorsal sepal broadly ovate, concave, tricarinate,
9.5-10.0 x 5.0 mm, contracted into a thick, erect tail,
connate to lateral sepals for about 3 mm. Lateral
sepals subrectangular, tricarinate, 10-11 x 6 mm when
spread, connate for about 4 mm to form a laterally
compressed cup, contracted at apex into a thickened,
horizontally outstretched tails. Petals linear-ligulate,
the apex rounded and broader than middle portion, 6
x 1 mm. Lip unlobed, obcuneate-obtriangular, 4 x 5
mm at its widest portion, hinged to the column foot by
a short rectangular strap, motile, with a sulcus running
from the apex to the center of the blade, with a basal
low, broad callus. Column short, stout, semiterete,
leshy, to 3 mm long, with two tooth like processes
near the stigma. Anther cap transversely ovate, obtuseapiculate. Pollinia droplet shapped, 2 in number, each
with a glandular caudicle.
EPonyMy: Named to the memory of Miguel Ángel Soto
Arenas, in recognition of his outsantding contributions
to the knowledge of orchids.
distribution: Known only from southeastern Ecuador.
Habitat and EcoloGy: Epiphytic in shade in
premontane and lower montane cloud forests, usually
MErino et al. — New species of Porroglossum
461
FiGurE 1. Porroglossum miguelangelii G.Merino, A.Doucette & Pupulin. A — Habit. B — Flower. C — Dissected perianth.
D — Column and lip, lateral view. E — Lip, spread. F — Anther cap and pollinarium. Drawn by A. Doucette from the
holotype.
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
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in windy areas, at elevations of 1800 meters, where
the plants mostly establish on small trees covered by
mosses and lichens.
Porroglossum miguelangelii is most similar to P.
lycinum Luer from northern Peru, from which it
differs by smaller plants, the longer, narrower petals
with margins that are not obtusely angled below the
middle, the presence of tooth-like processes before
the stigma (absent in P. lycinum), the spreading, pale
green sepals, suffused with yellow at their apices (vs.
projected forwards, speckled and suffused with brown
in P. lycinum). The two species have similarly shaped
labella that are both pale green and heavily lecked
with dark purple towards their apex.
Porroglossum merinoi Pupulin & A.Doucette, sp. nov.
TYPE: Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: Tumbez, 1200 m,
collected by Gilberto Merino, October 1993, lowered
in cultivation, 12 June 2007, G. Merino 2 (holotype:
QCNE; isotype: CIOA, Spirit Collection No. 000155).
FiG. 2, 4B.
Species Porroglosso lycino Luer similis, loribus
expansis sepalo superno relexo, caudis sepalorum
brevioribus ligulato-rotundatis, petalis ligulatis
dente triangulari margine inferno instructis, labello
obtrullato obtuso glabro differt.
Herb epiphytic, caespitose, to 6 cm tall. Roots
lexuous, 1 mm diameter. Ramicauls erect, slender,
10--12 mm long, enclosed by 2 to 3 tubular,
membranaeous sheaths that become papery with
age. Leaf erect, coriaceous, long-petiolate, the blade
elliptic-oblanceolate, sub-verrucose, 2.5-3.0 x 0.7-1.0
cm, narrowed at the base into a conduplicate petiole
2.6-3.0 cm long. Inlorescence a suberect, congested,
successively few-lowered raceme to 15 cm long; the
peduncle terete, slender, glabrous, provided with 4-5
widely spaced, tubular bracts to 7 mm long. Floral
bract tubular, 5 mm long. Pedicel terete, 7-8 mm
long. Ovary terete, subverrucose, 5 mm long. Flowers
resupinate, partially spreading, lightly fragrant of
cloves, the sepals greenish yellow, pubescent, lushed
with solid yellow at the glabrous apexes, the nerves
yellow, the dorsal sepal with a central, purplish lush
at the base; the petals translucent yellowish white,
with a central stripe and the apex purple-red; the lip
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
yellow, inely spotted with red; the column purple,
with a yellowish white anther cap. Dorsal sepal
lanceolate, narrowly obtuse, tricarinate, concave at
the base, parallel to the column below the middle and
gently delexed above the middle, 6 x 3 mm, connate
to the lateral sepals for about 1.5 mm to form a slightly,
laterally-compressed cup. Lateral sepals transversely
obtrapezoidal, 3-veined, narrowed at the middle into
thick, ligulate, narrowly obtuse-rounded, forwardly
directed tails, 7.5 mm long x 8 mm at its widest portion
when spread, basally connate for about 1.5 mm to the
dorsal sepal, connate to each other and to the column
foot about 5 mm to form a deep, subacute, rounded
chin. Petals subfalcate, 1-nerved, the lower margin
with a triangular tooth below the middle, rounded at
apex 4.0 x 1.3 mm, Lip long-unguiculate, the blade
obcuneate-spathulate, broadly obtuse, with a short,
sulcate, rounded apiculum, 5.5 mm long x 3 mm at its
widest portion, thickened at the base into the straplike
claw, bent with tension toward the free apex of the
column-foot. Column semiterete, truncate, 2.5 mm
long, with narrowly triangular-subfalcate, descending
substigmatic arms, produced at the base into a slender,
curved foot about 6 mm long; the anther terminal,
incumbent. Anther cap transversely ovate, obtuseapiculate. Pollinia droplet shapped, 2 in number, each
with a glandular caudicle.
EPonyMy: Named after Gilberto Merino, Ecuadorean
orchid researcher with a strong interest in
Pleurothallidinae, who irst collected this species.
distribution: Collected once, known only from
southeastern Ecuador.
Habitat and EcoloGy: The type specimen of P. merinoi
was found growing as a shade epiphyte on a small tree
covered by mosses, in cloud forest at about 1800 m of
elevation. In cultivation, it lowers from May to June.
Porroglossum merinoi is one of the most distinctive
species in the genus. It is the only species with truly
pubescent sepals. P. hirtzii bears minute hairs on its
sepals but they are sparsely distributed. P. merinoi is
allied to P. andreettae, from which it differs by the
petals with entire margins (vs. contracted into acute
apices near the middle), a slightly broader labellum, and
puberulent sepals provided with a thickened, glabrous,
yellow apex. Both species are lightly fragrant.
MErino et al. — New species of Porroglossum
463
FiGurE 2. Porroglossum merinoi Pupulin & A.Doucette. A — Habit. B — Flower. C — Dissected perianth. D — Column
and lip, lateral view. E — Lip, spread. F — Pollinarium and anther cap. Drawn by A. Doucette from the holotype.
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
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FiGurE 3. Porroglossum porphyreum G.Merino, A.Doucette & Pupulin. A — Habit. B — Flower. C — Dissected perianth.
D — Column and lip, lateral view. E — Lip, spread. F — Pollinarium and anther cap. Drawn by A. Doucette from the
holotype.
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
MErino et al. — New species of Porroglossum
465
FiGurE 4. Pictures of holotype lowers of three new Porroglossum species. A — Porroglossum miguelangelii-.. B — P.
merinoi. C — P. porphyreum. Scale bars = 5 mm. Photographs by F. Pupulin.
Porroglossum porphyreum G.Merino, A.Doucette &
Pupulin, sp. nov.
TYPE: Ecuador. Morona-Santiago: El Aguacate, 1600
m, collected by Jinsop Medina, 1992, cultivated by
Ecuagenera Orchid Nursery in Gualaceo, lowered
in cultivation, 20 July 2008, G. Merino 3 (holotype:
QCNE; isotype: CIOA, Spirit Collection No. 000743).
FiG. 3, 4C.
A Porroglosso schramii Luer caudis sepalorum
brevioribus incrassatis, sepalis lateralibus transverse
ellipticis cauda apicali abrupte instructis, petalis
dente acuto margo inferno munitis, labello toto dense
pubescenti callo basali magno latiore recedit.
Herb epiphytic, caespitose. 6 to 10 cm tall. Roots
lexuous, 1 mm in diameter. Ramicauls terete, erect,
abbreviated, blackish at the base, 3--5 mm long,
enclosed by 2 to 3 tubular, membraenous sheaths that
become papery with age. Leaf coriaceous, ellipticobovate, obtuse to acute, 3-5 x 1.5-2.0 cm, narrowed
at the base into a conduplicate petiole 1--3 cm long.
Inlorescence a congested, successively, few lowered
raceme; the peduncle terete, slender, glabrous, 10-12
cm long. Floral bract tubular, 4mm long. Pedicel 5 mm
long. Ovary terete, minutely verrucose, 6-sulcate, 6 mm
long. Flowers resupinate, held erect to horizontally,
without apparent fragrance, the sepals yellowish white
heavily suffused with purple, the petals amber with a
brown mid-vein, the lip white suffused with purple, the
column and the anther cap white. Dorsal sepal ovate,
acute, concave, tricarinate, 6 x 3 mm, contracted at
apex into an erect to forward projecting, thickened,
linear tail, connate to lateral sepals for about 4 mm, the
tails 1 mm in diameter. Lateral sepals ovate, slightly
compressed, tricarinate, 10 x 5 mm wide when spread,
connate at the base for about 7 mm, abruptly contracted
at apex into thickened tails that may project forwards or
slightly relex backwards . Petals subfalcate, truncate,
4 x 2 mm, the margins present two triangular teeth
below the middle. Lip entire, obcuneate, 4 x 5 mm at
its widest portion, hinged by a short rectangular strap
to the column foot, motile, microscopically pubescent,
with a sulcus running from the apex to the center of
the lip, the base with a low, broad callus. Column
short, stout, semiterete, leshy, 3 mm long, with two
tooth-like processes close to the stigma. Anther cap
transversely ovate, obtuse-apiculate. Pollinia droplet
shapped, 2 in number, each with a glandular caudicle.
ParatyPEs: Same locality as the holotype, lowered
in cultivation at Ecuagenera Orchid Nursery in
Gualaceo, 10 December 2008, accession No. CIOA001373 (Centro de Investigación en Orquídeas de los
Andes-Spirit); accession No. CIOA-001374 (Centro de
Investigación en Orquídeas de los Andes-Spirit).
EtyMoloGy: From the Greek porphyreos, purple, in
allusion to the color of the lower.
distribution: Known only from southeastern Ecuador.
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
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Habitat and EcoloGy: Plants of P. porphyreum grow
as shade epiphytes on the moss covered branches of
shrubs, in the premontane forests of southern Andean
Ecuador. In its natural habitat, P. porphyreum has
been observed in lower from March to July; plants in
cultivation lower most of the year.
Porroglossum porphyreum is similar to P. schramii
Luer. P. porphyreum can be distinguished fromP.
Schramii by having sepals that abruptly (rather than
gradually) contract into thickened (rather than thin)
sepaline tails. The petals of P. porphyreum have teeth
below the middle on both margins while the petals
of P. schramii only bear a tooth margin on the upper
margin. The labellum of P. porhpyreum has a basal
callus that is longer and broader than the basal callus
of P. schramii.
AcKnowledgements. We acknowledges José Portilla
Andrade and his family for granting access and use of
the vast orchid collections at Ecuagenera, as well as for
the many facilities they made available at Gualaceo for
orchid research. This paper is part of the project No. 814A7-015, “Inventario y taxonomía de la lora epíita de la
región Mesoamericana”, supported by the Vice-Rectory of
Research, University of Costa Rica.
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