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Type: Article
Published: 2019-05-31
Page range: 101–105
Abstract views: 22
PDF downloaded: 1

A new, overlooked species of Aiphanes (Arecaceae) from Santander, Colombia

Reserva Natural Guadualito, Montenegro, Quindío, Colombia.
Universidad Industrial de Santander, Escuela de Biología, Herbario UIS, Grupo de Estudios en Biodiversidad (GeBio), Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Facultad de Ciencias y Biotecnología, Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia.
cryptic species endangered species palms South America Monocots

Abstract

The new species Aiphanes suaita, from the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, is described and illustrated. Previous specimens of this species had been mistaken for Aiphanes simplex, but a molecular phylogeny revealed that it is actually more closely related to Aiphanes leiostachys, from the Central Cordillera, prompting a reexamination of the specimens. The new species differs in its solitary stem, lack of yellowish spines, pinnae strongly plicate along secondary veins, spicate inflorescences, staminate flowers with the axis perpendicular to the spike axis, and triad bracts short, with smooth margin. Based on IUCN criteria, it is categorized as Endangered.