Cranichis - NordJBot

Abstract

Three new species of the genus Cranichis first recognized by Jany Renz but never published, C. badia, C. brevirostris and C. silvicola, are described and illustrated. Information about their ecology and distribution is provided together with a brief discussion on their related species. The genus Cranichis was described by Olof Swartz (1788) based on the characteristic cochleate lip positioned upper-most in the non-resupinate flower, thus, resembling a helmet (Greek: kranos). As there was no obligation to designate a generitype until 1958, the nominal species was selected, viz. C. muscosa, over 150 years after the genus was described (Acuña 1939). Despite the problematic relationships among spiran-thoid orchids, especially among Cranichidinae and Prescot-tiinae (Dressler 1981, 1993, Szlachetko 1995, Chase et al. 2003) and disagreement over delimitation of genera within those taxa, the distinctness of Cranichis is unquestionable considering both morphological (Dressler 1993, Szlachetko and Rutkowski 2000) and molecular (Álvarez-Molina and Cameron 2009) studies. Species of this genus are easily distinguished from other Cranichidinae by the villous-hairy roots, the distinctly petiolate, suberect or arcuately spreading leaves, non-resupinate flowers, petals much nar-rower than sepals, and the fleshy, cochleate lip, often with conspicuous, coloured, reticulate veins. Since the transfer of C. fertilis (F. Lehm. & Kraenzl.) Schltr. to Exalaria Garay & G. A. Romero-Gonzalez (Garay and Romero-González 1999), the genus may also be clearly defined by its gynos-temium morphology. This structure is relatively massive, often swollen at the apex and it is lacking a column-foot. The motile anther is oblong to ovate, 2-chambered. The inconspicuous caudiculae are formed from the apices of pollinia. The clinandrium is usually thick, massive and spacious. The single viscidium is relatively small and thick, the hamulus is usually elongate, finger-like, thick, and directed towards the anther (Szlachetko and Rutkowski 2000). Cranichis is currently comprised of ca 60 species, distrib-uted from Florida and Mexico to Bolivia and Argentina. The wide geographical range reflects the ecological variation of those plants which grow as terrestrials or lithophytes in lowlands as well as in montane regions. They are usually found inside forests, commonly in humus and Sphagnum tussocks. The altitudinal range of the genus extends from 350 m up to 3000 m a.s.l. (Carnevali and Ramírez-Morillo 2003, Cribb 2003). Despite the wide geographical range, novelties within Cranichis are rather rare. The most recent description of a new species was done in 2004 (Christenson 2004). Limited monitoring of the tropical regions results in insuf-ficient herbarium collections. This fact, together with prob-lems in precise examination of dried Cranichis plants due to their small-sized flowers and complicated (cochleate) lip construction, makes Cranichis difficult for taxonomic studies. During studies on north-Andean orchids we came across material of three distinctive Cranichis species which were preliminary recognized by Jany Renz who placed short notes on their sheets deposited in RENZ. Since he never effectively published his findings (Art. 29.1 ICBN, McNeill et al. 2006), the complete descriptions, illustrations and notes on the taxonomic affinities of the new species are presented in this paper.

Full text

Cranichis badia, C. brevirostris and C. silvicola spp. nov.
(Orchidaceae, Cranichidinae) from Colombia and Venezuela
Marta Kolanowska and Dariusz L. Szlachetko
M. Kolanowska (martakolanowska@wp.pl) and D. L. Szlachetko, Dept of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, Univ. of Gdańsk, ul.
Wita Stwosza 59, PL-80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
ree new species of the genus Cranichis first recognized by Jany Renz but never published, C. badia, C. brevirostris and
C. silvicola, are described and illustrated. Information about their ecology and distribution is provided together with a brief
discussion on their related species.
e genus Cranichis was described by Olof Swartz (1788)
based on the characteristic cochleate lip positioned upper-
most in the non-resupinate flower, thus, resembling a
helmet (Greek: kranos). As there was no obligation to
designate a generitype until 1958, the nominal species was
selected, viz. C. muscosa, over 150 years after the genus was
described (Acuña 1939).
Despite the problematic relationships among spiran-
thoid orchids, especially among Cranichidinae and Prescot-
tiinae (Dressler 1981, 1993, Szlachetko 1995, Chase et al.
2003) and disagreement over delimitation of genera within
those taxa, the distinctness of Cranichis is unquestionable
considering both morphological (Dressler 1993, Szlachetko
and Rutkowski 2000) and molecular (Álvarez-Molina and
Cameron 2009) studies. Species of this genus are easily
distinguished from other Cranichidinae by the villous-
hairy roots, the distinctly petiolate, suberect or arcuately
spreading leaves, non-resupinate flowers, petals much nar-
rower than sepals, and the fleshy, cochleate lip, often with
conspicuous, coloured, reticulate veins. Since the transfer of
C. fertilis (F. Lehm. & Kraenzl.) Schltr. to Exalaria Garay &
G. A. Romero-Gonzalez (Garay and Romero-González
1999), the genus may also be clearly defined by its gynos-
temium morphology. is structure is relatively massive,
often swollen at the apex and it is lacking a column-foot.
e motile anther is oblong to ovate, 2-chambered. e
inconspicuous caudiculae are formed from the apices of
pollinia. e clinandrium is usually thick, massive and
spacious. e single viscidium is relatively small and thick, the
hamulus is usually elongate, finger-like, thick, and directed
towards the anther (Szlachetko and Rutkowski 2000).
Cranichis is currently comprised of ca 60 species, distrib-
uted from Florida and Mexico to Bolivia and Argentina.
e wide geographical range reflects the ecological variation
of those plants which grow as terrestrials or lithophytes in
lowlands as well as in montane regions. ey are usually
found inside forests, commonly in humus and Sphagnum
tussocks. e altitudinal range of the genus extends from
350 m up to 3000 m a.s.l. (Carnevali and Ramírez-Morillo
2003, Cribb 2003).
Despite the wide geographical range, novelties within
Cranichis are rather rare. e most recent description of
a new species was done in 2004 (Christenson 2004).
Limited monitoring of the tropical regions results in insuf-
ficient herbarium collections. is fact, together with prob-
lems in precise examination of dried Cranichis plants due
to their small-sized flowers and complicated (cochleate)
lip construction, makes Cranichis difficult for taxonomic
studies.
During studies on north-Andean orchids we came across
material of three distinctive Cranichis species which were
preliminary recognized by Jany Renz who placed short
notes on their sheets deposited in RENZ. Since he never
effectively published his findings (Art. 29.1 ICBN, McNeill
et al. 2006), the complete descriptions, illustrations and
notes on the taxonomic affinities of the new species are
presented in this paper.
Cranichis badia Renz ex Kolan. & Szlach.
sp. nov. (Fig. 1)
Most similar to C. engelii Rchb. f. from Ecuador, Colombia
and Venezuela, but separable from it by ligulate-lanceolate
to lanceolate petals (vs petals obliquely oblong-oblanceolate
to linear-oblanceolate), and elliptic-subrhombic, subacute to
obtuse lip (vs lip ovate on prominent clawed-like lower part,
rounded or truncate at the apex).
Type: Venezuela, Est. Mérida, 2300 m a.s.l., 7 Nov 1949,
O. Renz 6065 (holotype: RENZ!, isotypes: RENZ!).
Nordic Journal of Botany 000: 001–009, 2013
doi: 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2013.00172.x
© 2013 e Authors. Nordic Journal of Botany © 2013 Nordic Society Oikos
Subject Editor: Bertil Ståhl. Accepted 4 March 2013
Early View (EV): 1-EV
see http://tinyurl.com/ctujsze

Figure 1.Cranichis badia. (A) dorsal sepal, (B) petal, (C) lateral sepal, (D) lip, (E) lip, side view. Scale bar  2 mm. Drawn by A. Król from
the holotype.
Description
Plants up to 40 cm tall, erect. Leaves 1–3, gathered in a basal
rosette, petiolate; petiole 5–15 cm long, narrow, canaliculate;
blade 4–12 cm long and 2–5 cm wide, elliptic to ovate-
elliptic, acuminate, cuneate at base. Scape up to 32 cm long;
rachis up to 15 cm long, subdensely many-flowered. Flowers
small, brown; lip white with brown venation. Floral bracts
5–6 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate. Pedicellate ovary
8–10 mm long. Sepals 3-nerved. Dorsal sepal 4.0–4.5 mm
long, 1.8 mm wide, elliptic to oblong-ovate, subacute.
Lateral sepals 3.5 mm long, 2.8 mm wide, obliquely
oblong-elliptic to elliptic, subobtuse to subacute. Petals
3.2–4.0 mm long, 0.4(1.2) mm wide, linear, almost filiform,
rounded at apex and with glabrous margins. Lip up to about
3 mm long, 2.5–3.0 mm wide, cochleate, elliptic-subrhombic,
subacute to obtuse at apex, with the midvein anastomosing
into strongly branching lateral veins. Gynostemium
1.6–2.0 mm long.
Ecology
Cranichis badia grows at about 2300–2900 m a.s.l.
Flowering in November and December.
Distribution
Cranichis badia is known from Colombia and Venezuela
(Fig. 7).
Similar species
Cranichis badia is similar to C. engelii Rchb. f. known from
Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, but differs mainly
by the ligulate-lanceolate to lanceolate petals (vs petals
obliquely oblong-oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate), and
2-EV

Figure 2. Comparison of the floral elements of (A) Cranichis badia, Renz 6065, RENZ, (B) C. engelii, Bruckmuller s.n., W, (C) C. atrata, Madero 3, AMES. Drawn by A. Król.
3-EV

Figure 3.Cranichis brevirostris. (A) dorsal sepal, (B) petal, (C) lateral sepal, (D) lip, (E) lip, side view. Scale bar  2 mm. Drawn by A. Król
from the holotype.
elliptic-subrhombic, subacute to obtuse lip (vs lip suborbicu-
lar, rounded or truncate at the apex). Another species similar
to C. badia is C. atrata Schltr., but the petals are very
narrow, linear, with glabrous margins in the former (vs
oblong-lanceolate with long-ciliate margins), and sepals are
3-nerved (vs 1-nerved) (Fig. 2).
e new species is easily distinguished from other spe-
cies with glabrous petals (Cranichis diphylla Sw., C. fendleri
Schltr., C. lehmannii Rchb. f., C. muscosa Sw., C. tenuis Rchb.
f.) by the brown flowers with clawed, elliptic-subrhom-
bic, subacute to obtuse lip. Additionally, from C. diphylla
it differs by the leaves cuneate at the base with elliptic to
ovate elliptic blade (vs base cordate, blade ovate to broadly
ovate), from C. muscosa by the linear, almost filiform petals
(vs petals linear-ligulate to narrowly-oblanceolate) and
from C. tenuis by the leaf shape and size (4–12  2–5 cm vs
0.9–6.0  0.6–2.0 cm).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes)
Colombia, Dept Cundinamarca, Bogotá, Quebrada del
Chicó, 2700–2750 m a.s.l., 27 Dec 1943, M. Schneider
172/5 (RENZ). Venezuela, Est. Tachira, 2880 m a.s.l.,
23 Nov 1949, O. Renz 6174 (RENZ), the same location,
2900 m a.s.l., 23 Nov 1949, O. Renz 6175 (RENZ).
Cranichis brevirostris Renz ex Kolan. & Szlach. sp.
nov. (Fig. 3)
Easily distinguishable from C. monophylla Lindl. by the
crenate margins of the leaves, the suborbicular lip, devoid
4-EV

Figure 4. Comparison of the floral elements of (A) Cranichis brevirostris, Renz 5960, RENZ and (B) C. monophylla, Fendler 2138, K. Drawn by A. Król.
5-EV

glabrous. Pedicellate ovary 5–7 mm long, glabrous. Sepals
3-nerved. Dorsal sepal 2.7–3.6 mm long, 1.8–2.1 mm
wide, oblong-ovate, obtuse. Lateral sepals 2.7–4.2 mm
long, 2.0–2.3 mm wide, obliquely ovate, attenuate towards
an obtuse apex. Petals 2.8–3.6 mm long, 0.8–1.1 mm wide,
oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse, with glabrous margins. Lip up
to 2.2–3.0 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, cochleate, suborbicular,
subacute to obtuse at apex, with the midvein unbranched, but
lateral veins branching. Gynostemium 0.9–1.1 mm long.
Ecology
Cranichis brevirostris grows at about 3000–3500 m a.s.l.
Flowering throughout the year.
Distribution
Cranichis brevirostris is known from Colombia and
Venezuela (Fig. 7).
of any callosities (vs lip ovate-oblong, adorned with
numerous fleshy projections on the inner surface), sub-
densely-flowered inflorescence (vs rachis laxly flowered)
and floral bracts longer than ovary (vs floral bracts shorter
than ovary).
Type: Venezuela, Est. Tachira, 2700 m a.s.l., 20 Sep 1949,
O. Renz 5960 (holotype: RENZ!, isotypes: RENZ!).
Description
Plants up to 35 cm tall, erect. Leaves 1–2, gathered in a
basal rosette, petiolate; petiole 3.75–12.00 cm long, narrow,
canaliculate; blade 2.6–11.0 cm long and 3.25–4.75 cm
wide, elliptic to ovate, acute or shorty acuminate, cuneate at
base, with crenate margins. Scape up to 28 cm long; rachis
2.50–5.75 cm long, subdensely many-flowered. Floral
bracts 7–8 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, almost
Figure 5.Cranichis silvicola. (A) dorsal sepal, (B) petal, (C) lateral sepal, (D) lip, (E) lip, side view. Scale bar  2 mm. Drawn by A. Król from
the holotype.
6-EV

Figure 6. Comparison of the floral elements of (A) Cranichis silvicola, Renz 6139, RENZ and (B) C. ciliate, Silverstpone-Sopkin et al. 3817, CUVC). Drawn by A. Król and M. Kolanowska.
7-EV

Figure 7. Distribution of Cranichis badia (circle), C. brevirostris
(square) and C. silvicola (triangle) in northern South America.
Similar species
Renz noted that Cranichis brevirostris is possibly only a varia-
tion of C. monophylla, however, it is easily distinguished from
this species by the crenate leaf margins, the suborbicular lip
lacking callosities (vs lip ovate-oblong with numerous fleshy
projections on the inner surface), subdensely-flowered inflo-
rescence (vs rachis laxly flowered) and floral bracts longer
than ovary (vs floral bracts shorter than ovary) (Fig. 4).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes)
Colombia, Dept Cundinamarca, Plants with unopened
flowers collected on 20 Jul 1941, which flowered in Bogota
in mid-Aug 1941, 3000 m a.s.l., O. Renz 4160 (RENZ!),
Dept Cauca, 3000–3500 m a.s.l., Mar 1886, Lehmann 5885
(RENZ!). Venezuela. Est. Mérida, 2880 m a.s.l., 20 Nov
1949. Renz 6156 (RENZ!).
Cranichis silvicola Renz ex Kolan. & Szlach. sp. nov.
(Fig. 5)
Similar to Cranichis ciliata (Kunth) Kunth from which it
differs by the narrowly elliptic-obovate, obtuse dorsal sepal
(vs dorsal sepal ovate, apiculate), lip cuneate at the base and
floral bracts subequal to the ovary (vs lip sessile, floral bracts
distinctly shorter than ovary).
Type: Venezuela, Est. Mérida, 1450 m a.s.l., 17 Nov 1949,
O. Renz 6139 (holotype: RENZ!).
Description
Plants up to 50 cm tall, erect. Leaves 2, gathered in a
basal rosette, petiolate; petiole about 15 cm long, narrow,
canaliculate; blade 6.8–9.1 cm long and 3.4–4.1 cm wide,
ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, acute or shortly acuminate,
cuneate at base. Scape up to 40 cm long; rachis up to
7.6 cm long, rather laxly many-flowered. Floral bracts
5–7 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous. Pedicellate
ovary 5–7 mm long, glabrous. Dorsal sepal 2.8–3.2 mm
long, 1.0–1.6 mm wide, narrowly elliptic-obovate, obtuse,
3-nerved. Lateral sepals 3 mm long, 1.3 mm wide, obliquely
oblong-ovate, obtuse, 3-nerved. Petals 2.8 mm long,
0.4–0.5 mm wide, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, margins minutely
glabrous or ciliate. Lip about 3 mm long, 2.4 mm wide,
cochleate, lip from a cuneate base suborbicular to obovate,
rounded to subacute at apex, with somewhat undulate mar-
gins, with the midvein branched and lateral veins branching.
Gynostemium 1.5 mm long.
Ecology
Cranichis silvicola grows at about 1450–1750 m a.s.l.
Flowering in November.
Distribution
Cranichis silvicola is known from Venezuela and Colombia
(Fig. 7).
Similar species
Cranichis silvicola resembles C. ciliata (Kunth) Kunth from
which it differs mainly by the narrowly elliptic, obtuse dor-
sal sepal (vs dorsal sepal ovate, apiculate), lip cuneate at the
base and floral bracts subequal to the ovary (vs floral bracts
distinctly shorter than ovary). From other species of the
C. ciliata-complex (e.g. C. atrata Schltr., C. polyblephara
Schltr., C. sororia Schltr.) C. silvicola is distinguishable by
the long-petiolate leaves (vs leaves short-petiolate) and lip
that is cuneate at the base with somewhat undulate margins
(vs lip sessile, margins non-undulate).
In its floral characters the new species somewhat resem-
bles C. antioquiensis Schltr., from which it is easily distin-
guished by the petiole twice or more as long as the leaf blade
(vs petiole subequal to the blade).
According to the original drawings by Renz, the mar-
gins of the petals are ciliate, although we found them gla-
brous on the duplicate specimen deposited at K (Lehmann
8505). Because other, both vegetative and floral characters
are equal in both specimens of the same collection, we
believe that the petals ciliation is not a stable feature of
C. silvicola (Fig. 6).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes)
Colombia, Dept Cauca, 1750 m a.s.l., Lehmann 8505
(K!, RENZ! – p.p.). Venezuela, Est. Mérida, 1500 m a.s.l.,
18 Nov 1949. O. Renz 6141 (RENZ!).
Acknowledgements – e curators and staff of the cited her-
baria are thanked for their kind hospitality and assistance
during visits and for making specimens available on loan.
We are grateful to Anna Król for preparing the illustra-
tions. e research was supported by the Polish Ministry of
Science and Higher Education (research grant no. 8124/
B/PO1/2011/40).
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