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NEW A OF SCHEFFLERA (ARALIACEAE) SPECIES FROM THE VENEZUELAN ANDES Dorr Stergios Basil LJ. Museum of Universidad Nacional Experimental Natural History <ona! MRC-166 de Llanos Occidentales Dept. Botany, los Zamora" (UNELLEZ) Smithsonian "Ezequiel Institution Mesa de Guanare Box 37012 Cavacas, P.O. DC VENEZUELA 2001 Estado Portuguesa 3-7012, 3323, shington, U.S.A. edu [email protected] dorrl@si. & circumscribed very genus compris- R. Forst. G. Forst. (Araliaceae) as is currently is a large Schefflera it J. and ing 600 described species, but there ample evidence that the genus is polyphyletic divisible into ca. is none which correspond with previously recognized segregate genera (Plunkett neatly clades of at least five form 2005). Molecular data suggest that the Neotropical species of Schefflera a single clade (Fiaschi et et al. Wen 2007), which in turn part of a broader "Asian Palmate clade" (Plunkett et al 2004, 2005; et al is al. more by molecular and 2001 group") that present defined "Eleutherococcus-Dendropanax-Schefflera at as is geographic than morphological characters. Guayana Venezuelan well represented in Venezuela. Species diversity greatest in the is Schefflera is and where 60 species occur (Frodin 1997, 2008) and relatively low in the Andes, Cordillera de la Costa, ca. Andes found Venezuelan (Frodin 2008; only species of are in the adjacent Llanos. Presently, five Schefflera Bono Dorr 2000; Huber cuatrecasasiana Steyerm., S.jahnii (Harms) Steyerm., 1996; 1977); see also et S. al. Two (Marchal) Harms, and tamana Steyerm. of these cuatrecasasiana Frodin, karsteniana five rufa S. (S. 5. S. and only one could be considered be and tamana) are localized in their distribution (S. karsteniana) to 5. Meier widespread. Three species of are found in the Cordillera de la Costa (Frodin 2008; see also Schefflera & Harms, and Steyermark Huber glabrata (Kunth) Frodin, karsteniana (Marchal) pittieri 1998; 1978); S. 5. S. known Harms. Two have wide while the third only from a of these three fairly distributions, (S. pittieri) is few, adjacent localities in Aragua. (The Merida record for S. pittieri cited by Frodin (2008) is almost certainly Maguire found Venezuelan Llanos The in the an sole species of morototoni (Aubl.) et al, error). Schefflera, S. Duno Venezuelan Guayana (Frodin 2008; de Stefano 2007). also occurs in the see also The new can be added the small number of species found in the Venezuelan An- following species to We when we were aware was undescribed published an enumeration of the vascular plants of that des. it we Guaramacal National Park (Dorr 2000), but only subsequently did collect material adequate for the et al. description that follows. & Schefflera vanderwerffii Dorr Stergios, sp. nov. (Fig. 1). Type: Venezuela. Trujillo: Mpio. Bocono, Parque Nacional 606 Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 3(2) 2000 A, Dorr Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 40: 66. [2001]. Scheffiera sp. et al., mm m 3-4 5-7 andromonoecious. Leaves Scandent shrubs small twigs in diam., glabrescent; or trees, tall; digitately compound, (6-)7-foliolate, the leaflets in a single plane, blades narrowly ovate to ovate, chartaceous, margin hyaline and revolute, apex long acuminate, base attenuate to truncate, slightly oblique, sparingly pubescent along midrib and secondary veins below, glabrous above; venation brochidodromous, especially primary vein raised above and below, secondary veins slightly raised below, not noticeably raised above, cm when 8-14 pubescent (10-)16.5-27 sparingly per arcuate-ascending. Petioles long, slender, terete, side, cm margin apex young, glabrescent in age. Stipular ligules 1.8-2.4 long, entire or sparingly ciliate, entire cm cm Median 12.5-22.5 x 4.2-8.2 cm, (3.3-)4.5-7 blade or rarely slightly bifid. leaflets: petiolule long, cm cm apical acumen 1.5-2.8 long. Basal leaflets: petiolule 1-3.5 long, blade (7.5-)12-13.5 x (2.5-)3.7 x 5.7 cm cm, acumen 1.5-3 Inflorescence appearing subterminal, paniculate, erect, (3-) 4-branched; apical long. cm cm cm up primary up up subtending peduncle to 7.5 long; rachis to 5 long, bracts rachis to to 1 long; mm cm cm branches 7 3.5-5 long bract 3 long; secondary branches 4 to 1-1.7 long to 12, (in fruit), ca. 6, with 1-2 subtending umbellules; each umbel- ultimate inflorescence units umbellate, often lateral (in fruit); mm mm mm 3-4 with 4 6 flowers subtended by bracteoles long. Pedicels 1-2 long (in bud), lule to ca. 1 when and long pubescent hirsute young, glabrescent in age, not articulate. Flowers bisexual (in to fruit), mm mm, 3-4 3-5 Calyx with minute x pubescent staminate. obconic, long, 5 teeth; corolla calyptrate, ca. 1 mm mm to hirsute, glabrescent in age; stamens filaments ca. 0.25 long (in bud); anthers ca. 1.5 (in bud), 5, and arcuate. Styles free (in bud) or very slightly connate basally (in fruit), strongly diverging in fruit ca. 2 5, mm when pubescent long, stigmatic surface capitate. Fruit strongly 5-ribbed dried, urceolate, sparingly to mm, glabrescent; pyrenes (evidently immature) each 1-seeded, 6 x 2.5 flattened. ca. 5, known, from and and present, only north- south- Distribution ecology. —Scheffiera vanderwerjfii is at facing slopes of the Ramal de Guaramacal in the northeastern corner of Guaramacal National Park where it montane 1700-2350 m. found in lower or cloud forest; is who Henk Garden Etymology.—The honors van der Werff of the Missouri Botanical specific epithet and working on collected this species. Early in his career he lived in Falcon in addition to the flora of first made many he Venezuelan Andes. that also valuable collections in the state Scheffiera vanderwerffii bears a superficial resemblance to S. pittieri, especially with respect to the size, shape, new more and The from however, in having congested texture of leaves. species differs 5. pittieri, a shorter, its mm mm cm 20-40 2-3 and inflorescence 10-12.5 versus long), larger fruit versus long), fewer styles (6 (ca. versus 6-8). Huber (1977: in his enumeration of the woody plants of Merida and adjacent states, (5 65), Harms synonym Harms, noted by be (Kunth) but 300) considered a of quinduensis as (1927: to S. pittieri 5. 6-8 number 8-10 the two differ in the size of their flowers and the of styles; in the former species, in the In addition, appears to be a local endemic confined to the Cordillera de la Costa of Venezuela, latter. 5. pittieri known Andes Colombia and from Ecuador. while quinduensis currently only the of 5. is more Steyerm, which found might be quinquestylorum in closely related to Scheffiera vanderwerffii 5. is and the Venezuelan Guayana (Bolivar and adjacent Guyana. Here, too, the size, shape, texture of the state) number and shape Frodin leaves are similar as the of styles, of the fruit (see 1997, fig. 11). Scheffiera quin- is cm much questylorum, however, has a longer (19-20 long), less divided inflorescence and the style branches from in fruit are completely free the base. We many andromonoecious There believe that vanderwerfii as are species of Araliaceae. Scheffiera is two morphs. Our however, based on staminate ones are clearly floral description of the flowers, is solely we among bud) found only as the limited flowering material available to us for analysis (two collections in flowers with well- developed anthers and vestigial styles and ovaries. The well-developed styles in the one fruiting collection available for our study strongly suggest that there are also bisexual flowers. A new from the Venezuelan Andes and species of Schefflera Dorr Stergios, & Leaf and immature inflorescence. B. Insertion of petiolules. Schefflera vanderwerffii Dorr Stergios. A. 1. Fig. Staminate flower bud with calyptrate corolla removed to show insertion of anthers and vestigial style (ultimate ramification of inflorescence). E. based on van der Werffet and branches. (A-E, showing (probably an of drying) diverging style al. artifact ribs it, 7576, PORT; G, based on Stergios etal. 20271, US). F, 608 Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 3(2) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS work was supported by funds from Survey and Program Field the Biological Inventories of the National Museum made new of Natural History. David G. Frodin useful suggestions regarding the of affinities this made Gregory M. recommendations improving species. Plunkett helpful for the technical description of the We same. are indebted to the staff of Guaramacal National Park for assistance in the the Ministerio del field, INPARQUES Ambiente and and Cathy permits, Pasquale the for for illustration. REFERENCES Museo Bono, G. 1996. Flora y vegetacion del EstadoTachira, Venezuela. Regionale di Scienze Naturali (Torino), Monografie 20:1-951. Dorr, and N.L Cuello 2000 Catalogue of the vascular plants of Guaramacal Stergios, A.R. Smith, A. [2001], B. L.J., and Nationai Portuguesa Venezuela. Contr. Herb. 40:1 -155. Park, Trujillo states, U.S. Natl. Duno de Ste^ano, 2007. Araliaceae. Duno de Stefano, G. Aymard, and O. Huber, eds. Catalogo anotado e R. In: R. ilus- trado de vascular de Llanos de Venezuela. FUDENA-Fundacion Empresas flora los Polar-FIBV, Caracas. Pp. la 358-359. we What do know G.M. and Lowry 2007. about Neotropical Fiaschi, Plunkett, PP. Schefflera (Araliaceae)?: a first P., II. & molecular phylogenetic analysis. Plant Biology Botany 2007 Joint Congress. [Botanical Society of America, Louis]. 294. St. P. Frodin, D.G. 1997. Araliaceae. PE. Berry, B.K. Holst, and K. Yatskievych, eds. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana 3:1-31. Nuevo de de Frodin, D.G. 2008. Araliaceae. O. Hokche, PE. Berry, and O. Huber, eds. catalogo flora vascular la Venezuela. Fundacion Botanico de Venezuela, 215-218. Institute Caracas. Pp. Spec Harms, H. 1927. Araliaceae americanae novae. Repert. Nov. Regni Veg. 23:299-301. I. Anden Munchen von der Huber, H. 1977. Geholzflora Merida.Teil Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. 13:1-127. I. W. 1998. und vegetation des Avila-Nationalparks (Venezuela/Kustenkordillere) unter besonderer Meier, Flora Berucksichtigung der Nebelwaldstufe. 1-485. Diss. Bot. 296:i-x, Plunkett, G.M., Lowry D.G. Frodin, and Wen. 2005. Phylogeny and geography of Schefflera: pervasive polyphyly P.P. J. II, genus the largest of Araliaceae. Ann. Missouri Gard. 92:202-224. Bot. in and Wen, and Lowry 2004. from Plunkett, G.M., Infrafamilial classifications characters Araliaceae: insights in J. P.P. II. the phylogenetic of nuclear and sequence 245:1-39. analysis (ITS) plastid {trnl-trnF) data. Syst. Evol. PI. Steyermark, and O. Huber. 1978. Flora del Avila. Publicacion Especial de Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias J.A. la 1-971. Naturales, Caracas. Pp. The Wen, G.M. Plunkett, A.D. Mitchell, and Wagstaff. 2001. evolution of Araliaceae: a phylogenetic analysis S.J. J., based on sequences DNA. 44-1 of nuclear ribosomal ITS Syst. Bot. 46:1 67.