Available via license: CC BY 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF BOTANY 60 (3): 415–424 (2004)
DOI: 10.10M/S0960428603000325
415
NOVAE GESNERIACEAE NEOTROPICARUM XIII:
FOUR NEW SPECIES OF COLUMNEA
(GESNERIACEAE) SECTION COLLANDRA FROM
COLOMBIA
M. AMAYA*, L. E. SKOG† & L. P. KVIST‡
Four new species of Columnea (Gesneriaceae) section Collandra (syn. Dalbergaria
Tussac) are described from the remnant forests of the western and central cordilleras
of Colombia: C. coronocrypta, C. coronata, C. pedunculata, and C. queremalensis.
The flowers of C. coronata are unusual in the genus in having a corona, as in genera
of Gesneriaceae pollinated by euglossine bees. Columnea pedunculata is distinct in
having pedunculate inflorescences.
Keywords. Colombia, Columnea, Gesneriaceae, new species, pollination syndromes,
sect. Collandra, systematics.
INTRODUCTION
The genus Columnea L. is probably the most speciose genus of Gesneriaceae in
northwestern South America and southern Central America. Fifty species were
reported for Panama (Skog, 1979), and more than 57 are known so far in Ecuador
(Kvist & Skog, 1993). In Colombia, however, the genus is even more abundant with
at least 70 species, but there are probably closer to 80 or more species (Kvist et al.,
1998), making the genus the largest of the Gesneriaceae in Colombia. There remain
several still unassigned specimens of Columnea in herbaria. Below are described four
new and distinctive species from Colombia, all from section Collandra (Lem.) Benth.
It should be noted that section Collandra, as used here, is identical with the segregate
genus Dalbergaria Tussac revised by Wiehler (1973, 1975, 1983), but not accepted by
most subsequent authors (Morley, 1976; Skog, 1979; Kvist & Skog, 1993).
1. Columnea coronocrypta M. Amaya, L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist, sp. nov. Fig. 1.
Differt a C. chrysotricha L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist corolla breviore fere omnino in
calyce inclusa. Lobi corollae ostium corollae claudunt, in C. chrysotricha vero ipsi
expansi sunt. Gibba in basi corollae in duplicem plicam comprimitur.
* Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, A.A. 7495 Bogotá, D.C.,
Colombia. E-mail: mamayam@ciencias.unal.edu.co
† Department of Systematic Biology/Botany Section, MRC-166, PO Box 37012, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. E-mail: skog.larry@nmnh.si.edu
‡ Unit of Forestry, Department of Economics and Natural Resources, The Royal Veterinary and
Agricultural University, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark. E-mail: lars_peter_kvist
@hotmail.com
416 M. AMAYA ET AL.
FIG.1. Columnea coronocrypta. A, habit; B, flower; C, corolla; D, corolla opened, with
stamens; E, pistil and nectary; F, stem indumentum. Based on González 77 (COL).
Type: Colombia, Departamento de Cauca, Municipio de Santa Rosa, Bota
Caucana, Serrania de los Churumbelos, finca la piedra, 1d14pN, 76d3pW, 1100m, vii
1998, González 77 (holo. COL).
Clambering shrub; shoots dorsiventral. Stems subterete, 3mm in diam., with dense
golden 7–12-celled hairs; internodes 1.2–2.3cm long. Leaves opposite, strongly
anisophyllous. Larger leaf with petiole 3–5mm long; blade narrowly oblong,
13–16.6x3.5–4.5cm, asymmetric, base oblique, apex acuminate, margin irregularly
417
FOUR NEW SPECIES OF COLUMNEA FROM COLOMBIA
serrulate, longer side with 7 or 8 veins, adaxially dull green and sparsely strigose
with 5–6-celled hairs, abaxially pale green with contrasting red-purple area in distal
fifth, densely strigose, hairs translucent, occasionally mixed with white setulose
hairs, all hairs more dense on veins. Smaller leaf sessile; blade lanceolate, 1x0.3cm,
base oblique, apex attenuate, margin entire, strigose on both surfaces. Inflorescences
borne in axils of larger leaves, sessile, fascicles 1–2-flowered; bracts 2–4, ovate,
2–5mm long, apex attenuate, densely hirsute on both surfaces; pedicels 1cm long,
densely golden hirsute. Calyx lobes imbricate, subequal, 2.4–2.8x0.5–0.9cm,
narrowly oblong, green with purple tip outside, densely hirsute on both surfaces.
Corolla tube 2.7x0.8cm (at widest point), pink and cream-coloured towards base,
where gibbous and dorsally compressed for 5mm; lobes subequal, 2x2mm, weakly
dentate, curved inwards and closing corolla mouth. Stamens 4, included; filaments
2.4cm long; posticous pair connate at base for 5mm; anticous pair almost free
from base; anthers 2mm, quadrate. Nectary a dorsal 3-lobed gland. Ovary narrowly
conical, 5x3mm, densely sericeous; style 3cm long, with glandular hairs; stigma
bilobulate. Fruits and seeds not seen.
Additional specimens examined. No additional collections have been seen.
Distribution and habitat. So far known only from the type locality on the western
slopes of the eastern cordillera of the Colombian Andes in the department of Cauca,
between 1000 and 1400m. The type specimen was collected from premontane wet
forest where annual precipitation is more than 4000mm and is influenced by the
Amazon basin and the Andes.
Columnea coronocrypta is very similar to C. chrysotricha L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist,
and they are sympatric in the Serrania de los Churumbelos. Floral characters
warrant recognition of the former as a new species. Columnea coronocrypta is dis-
tinctive in the calyx nearly hiding the corolla, the corolla lobes closing the mouth of
the corolla, and the gibbous corolla base being dorsally compressed to form two
compartments. Another recently described species, Columnea reticulata M. Amaya,
L.E. Skog, C.E. González & J.F. Smith, comes from the same locality in the
Serrania de los Churumbelos (Amaya et al., 2000) and a new species of Alloplectus
is also under study from the same area.
Derivation. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek: corona=corolla and
crypta=hidden.
2. Columnea coronata M. Amaya, L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist, sp. nov. Fig. 2.
Differt a ceteris speciebus generis Columneae praesentia coronae et corollae lobis
petaloideis.
Type: Colombia, Departamento de Antioquia, Municipio de Yarumal, Alto de
Ventanas, 6d54pN, 75d25pW, 2100m, 8 xi 1987, J.L. Luteyn & O. Maruleda 11892
(holo. COL; iso. HUA, NY, US).
418 M. AMAYA ET AL.
Clambering shrub; shoots dorsiventral. Stems subterete, 4mm in diam., narrowing
to 2mm towards apex, with golden or translucent 7–10-celled hairs; internodes
0.8–2.7cm long. Leaves opposite, strongly anisophyllous. Larger leaf with petiole
4–8mm long; blade obovate to narrowly oblong, 9–15x2.5–4.5cm, asymmetric, base
oblique, apex acuminate, margin irregularly serrate with red hairs, longer side
with 8–10 veins, adaxially dull green, hirsute, abaxially pale green, with 7–10-celled
translucent hairs mixed with setulose 1-celled white hairs. Smaller leaf sessile; blade
FIG.2. Columnea coronata. A, habit; B, calyx, pistil, and nectary; C, corolla showing
corona; D, corolla opened; E, androecium; F (i) detail of ventral side of anther, (ii) detail of
dorsal side of anther. Based on Luteyn & Maruleda 11892 (COL).
419
FOUR NEW SPECIES OF COLUMNEA FROM COLOMBIA
lanceolate, 1x0.2cm, margin serrate, densely hirsute on both surfaces. Inflores-
cences borne in axils of larger leaves, sessile, fascicles 2-flowered; bracts 2–4, ovate,
2–5mm long, apex attenuate, densely hirsute on both surfaces; pedicels 2mm long,
densely hirsute, with 5 prominent glands distally near base of calyx. Calyx lobes
valvate, subequal, 1.6x0.4–0.7cm, margin dentate to fimbriate, densely hirsute
outside, glabrous inside, ventral lobe slender and more densely hirsute. Corolla dark
pink, salverform-bilabiate, 5.5cm long, tube narrow, 3x0.5cm, base with dorsal
4x4mm gibbosity, hirsute outside, glabrous inside; limb broad, bilabiate, upper
lip shorter than lower, 1.6x0.8cm, 3-lobed, lower lip 2.4x0.9cm, 2-lobed; corona of
5 appendages in front of corolla lobes, each 5x5mm. Stamens 4, included, filaments
3cm long, connate at base for 6mm; anthers elliptic, 3x2mm. Nectary of 2 bidentate
dorsal glands, each 2x2mm. Ovary conical, 4x3mm; style 3.3cm long with
glandular hairs; stigma bilobulate. Fruit an ovoid berry, 9x6mm, green; seeds not
seen.
Additional specimens examined. No additional collections have been seen.
Distribution. Known only from the type locality in the central cordillera of
Colombia in the department of Antioquia at Alto de Ventanas, growing at
1000–1200m.
Columnea is generally considered to be entirely bird-pollinated, with hummingbirds
as the pollen vector (Jones & Rich, 1972; Wiehler, 1983). Hummingbird pollination
has been observed (Grove, 1985; Amaya, 1996) and also inferred from corolla
shapes, which consistently fit into three of the four categories proposed by Wiehler
(1983). However, the corolla shape of C. coronata may suggest a new pollination
syndrome for Columnea. The corolla of this species has a corona on top of a long
narrow tube, and abruptly spreading lobes forming a broad bilabiate limb, resem-
bling the typical salverform corolla of flowers pollinated by euglossine bees. The
corolla lobes of C. coronata have irregular margins, though they are not fimbriate as
in species of Episcia C. Martius, Nautilocalyx Linden, Paradrymonia Hanst., and
Drymonia C. Martius, believed to be pollinated by euglossine bees (Wiehler, 1978).
Derivation. The specific epithet refers to the presence of a corona, a character
uncommon in Columnea section Collandra, and in the genus as a whole.
3. Columnea pedunculata M. Amaya, L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist, sp. nov. Fig. 3.
Differt a ceteris speciebus generis Columneae pedunculis patentibus; a C. florida
C.V. Morton differt corolla obliqua in calyce longiore rubra indumento hirsuto
aureo praedita, foliis chartaceis 16 venis in latere longiore praeditis.
Type: Colombia, Departamento Risaralda, Municipio de Mistrato, 12km NE of the
Cabecera municipal [center], 4d3pN, 75d54pW, 1800–1900m, iii 1991, G. Galeano et al.
2416 (holo. COL).
Clambering shrub; shoots dorsiventral. Stems subterete, to 3m tall, 0.6–1.1cm
in diam., prominently scaly, sparsely pilose; internodes 1.5–7.5cm long. Leaves
420 M. AMAYA ET AL.
opposite, strongly anisophyllous. Larger leaf with petiole 0.5–1.2cm long; blade
elliptic to narrowly ovate, 11–28x3–11.5cm, chartaceous, asymmetric, base oblique
and obtuse, apex acuminate, margin subentire, longer side with 14–16 veins,
adaxially dull green and glabrous, veins prominent, abaxially pale green, sometimes
with contrasting deep purple spots in apical fifth, sparsely punctate with diminutive
red glands, glabrous except sericeous on prominent veins. Smaller leaf 2–3x0.8cm,
FIG. 3. Columnea pedunculata. A, habit; B, stem, peduncle, pedicel, and flower; C, calyx and
pedicel glands; D, corolla; E, corolla opened to show stamens and pistil; F, ovary and nectary
glands. Based on Galeano et al. 2416 (COL).
421
FOUR NEW SPECIES OF COLUMNEA FROM COLOMBIA
lanceolate, base oblique, apex attenuate, margin entire, glabrous. Inflorescences
borne in axils of larger leaves, 1–(?2)-flowered; peduncles 1.2cm long; bracts numer-
ous, scaly, 5–8x3mm, ovate, apex acuminate, cream-coloured, sparsely pilose on
both surfaces; pedicels 5–9mm long with several glands along their length, red to
golden hirsute with 6-celled hairs. Calyx lobes joined only at base, unequal, fimbri-
ate, the ventral lobe broadly ovate, 6x4mm, the other 4 lanceolate, 1.5–2.1x0.2–
0.5cm. Corolla red, oblique in calyx, tube cylindric, 4.2cm long, base with 4x4mm
ventral gibbosity, constricted above to 6mm, ventricose at middle to 1.2cm,
constricted at throat to 8mm, golden hirsute; limb oblique, lobes subequal,
5–7x5mm. Nectary of 2 ventral glands. Stamens included; filaments to 4cm long, all
connate at base for 8mm; anthers quadrate, 2.2x2.5mm. Ovary narrowly ovoid,
6x2mm, sericeous; style 3.7cm long, glabrous; stigma mouth-shaped. Fruits and
seeds not seen.
Additional specimens examined. COLOMBIA. Antioquia: Parque Nacional Natural Las
Orquídeas, sector Calles, margin of the Río Calle, v 1988, A. Cogollo et al. 3058 (COL).
Chocó: Municipio de San José del Palmar, hoya del río Torito (afluente del río Hábita)
declive oriental, iii 1980, E. Forero et al. 7216 (COL). Risaralda: Municipio Mistrató, 12km
NE of the Cabecera municipal [center], 1800–1900m, iii 1991, G. Galeano et al. 2363 (COL).
Distribution and habitat. Known from the montane forest on the western slopes of
the Cordillera Occidental in the Colombian departments of Risaralda, Chocó, and
Antioquia at 850–1900m.
Species in sect. Collandra have thyrse-like inflorescences in which the main axis is
indeterminate and the lateral axes are determinate with usually subsessile or stalkless
fascicles. Columnea pedunculata is very distinctive within Columnea in being the only
species known to have peduncles. The closest species is probably C. florida, from
which the new species can be differentiated by the red rather than yellow corollas,
which are oblique in the calyx instead of erect. The occurrence of diminutive red
glands on the abaxial surface of the leaves is a character shared with several other
species of sect. Collandra. These may be extrafloral nectaries similar to those in the
genus Codonanthe (Mart.) Hanst. Various species of ants have been found on the
leaves of herbarium specimens, in at least three species of Columnea sect. Collandra
(pers. obs.). It is possible that the presence of extrafloral nectaries and ants indicates
an ecological association not previously discovered in the genus Columnea. (The
scale of the drawing does not allow illustration of the small glands.)
4. Columnea queremalensis M. Amaya, L.E. Skog & L.P. Kvist, sp. nov. Fig. 4.
Differt a Columnea villosissima Mansf. corolla versus basim ventricosa, colore
generali rubro vinaceo. A C. coronocrypta M. Amaya et al. (vide supra) petiolo folii
majoris multo longiore (9–22mm non 3–5mm longo), lobis calycis multo minoribus
(1.2–1.5mm non 2.4–2.8mm longis), corolla paulo longiore (3.2cm non 2.7cm) extus
lutea (haud rosea) recedit.
422 M. AMAYA ET AL.
Type: Colombia, Departamento de Valle del Cauca, Municipio Queremal, carretera
vieja a Buenaventura, 3d15pN, 76d42pW, 1000m, iv 1998, M. Amaya & J.F. Smith 620
(holo. COL, iso. US).
Clambering shrub; shoots dorsiventral. Stems subwoody, subterete to 4m, 2–5cm in
diam., epidermis pale green, with dense, golden 8–12-celled hairs; internodes 1.2–1.8
(–5)cm long. Leaves opposite, strongly anisophyllous. Larger leaf with densely hirsute
petiole 0.9–2.2cm long; blade narrowly oblong, 11–21.5x2.2–6.5cm, papyraceous,
FIG. 4. Columnea queremalensis. A, habit; B, calyx, pistil, and nectary; C, corolla; D, corolla
opened to show stamens. Based on Amaya & Smith 620 (COL).
423
FOUR NEW SPECIES OF COLUMNEA FROM COLOMBIA
asymmetric, base oblique, apex attenuate to acuminate, margin irregularly serrate,
longer side with 7 or 8 veins, adaxially deep green, with sparse 5–8-celled hairs,
veins obscure, abaxially deep purple, sparsely golden hirsute on and between
veins, also white setulose; veins prominent. Smaller leaf sessile; blade lanceolate,
1.7–4.2x0.5–1.3cm, base oblique, apex attenuate, margin serrate, sparsely hirsute.
Inflorescences borne in axils of larger leaves, sessile, fascicles 1- or 2-flowered; bracts
two, 3x1mm, pale green; pedicels 3–6mm long, sparsely golden hirsute. Calyx lobes
valvate, subequal, 1.2–1.5x0.3–0.5cm, lanceolate, laciniate, yellow outside, densely
hirsute. Corolla erect in calyx, cylindric and subventricose, 3.2x0.7cm, base with
3x6mm gibbosity, constricted above to 5mm, 7mm wide at middle, constricted at
throat to 5mm, yellow outside with rows of deep purple hairs, hirsute, inside glandular
at throat dorsally; lobes equal, 5x5mm, imbricate. Stamens 4, included, filaments
1.6cm long, connate at base for 6mm; anthers quadrate, 2x2mm. Nectary of 1
bidentate gland. Ovary ovoid with prominent ribs, 4x2mm, densely sericeous on ribs;
style 2.7cm long; stigma bilobulate. Fruits and seeds not seen.
Additional specimen examined. COLOMBIA. Risaralda: Municipio de Santuario, Quebrada
Risaralda, iv 1998, M. Amaya & J.F. Smith 516 (COL).
Distribution and habitat. Known from wet forest, between 400 and 900m, at the type
locality in the Colombian department of Valle del Cauca, and from high montane
forest at 2500–3000m in the department of Risaralda in an area of interdigitation
between the Andean forest and the Chocó floristic region. The species is probably
not endangered as it occurs in well-conserved forest.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to Professor James F. Smith (Boise State University Herbarium,
SRP) for supporting an expedition to collect Gesneriaceae, to Professor Enrique
Forero (Herbario Nacional Colombiano, COL) for his help with the manuscript,
and to Juan Carlos Pinzón for the preparation of the illustrations. We are also
deeply grateful to Father Pedro Ortiz and Dr Robert Mill for help with the Latin
diagnoses, and to Dr Crinan Alexander for editorial help. M.A. also acknowledges
the support of the Division of Research (DIB), Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
REFERENCES
AMAYA, M. (1996). Polinización y sistemática del género Columnea (Gesneriaceae) en la
Reserva Natural La Planada (Nariño). MS thesis, Universidad Nacional de Colombia,
Bogotá. 134pp.
AMAYA, M., SKOG, L. E., GONZÁLEZ, C. E. & SMITH, J . F. (2000). Una nueva
especie de Columnea (Gesneriaceae) del norte de los Andes. Caldasia 22: 185–189.
GROVE, F. K . (1985). Reproductive biology of neotropical wet forest understory plants.
PhD thesis, University of Iowa, Iowa City. 187pp.
JONES, C. E., JR & RICH, P . V . (1972). Ornithophily and extrafloral color patterns in
Columnea florida Morton (Gesneriaceae). Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 71: 113–116.
424 M. AMAYA ET AL.
KVIST, L. P. & SKOG, L . E. (1993). The genus Columnea (Gesneriaceae) in Ecuador.
Allertonia 6: 327–400.
KVIST, L. P., SKOG, L. E. & AMAYA-M., M . (1998). Los géneros de Gesneriáceas
de Colombia. Caldasia 20: 12–28.
MORLEY, B. D . (1976). A key, typification, and synonymy of the sections in the genus
Columnea L. Contr. Nat. Bot. Gard. Glasnevin 1: 1–11.
SKOG, L. E . (1979). Family 175, Gesneriaceae. In: W OODSON, R. E., JR & SCHERY,
R. W. (eds) Flora of Panama, Part IX. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 65[1978]: 783–996.
WIEHLER, H. (1973). One hundred transfers from Alloplectus and Columnea. Phytologia
27: 309–329.
WIEHLER, H. (1975). Name changes in neotropical Gesneriaceae. Selbyana 1: 32–35.
WIEHLER, H. (1978). The genera Episcia, Alsobia, Nautilocalyx, and Paradrymonia
(Gesneriaceae). Selbyana 5: 11–60.
WIEHLER, H. (1983). A synopsis of the neotropical Gesneriaceae. Selbyana 6: 1–219.
An invited contribution to the Festschrift for B.L. Burtt’s ninetieth birthday
