Anthurium niqueanum Croat, sp. nov.

TYPE: Panama. Darien: Serrania de Pirre, 9-10 km due N of Alturas de Nique, lower montane rain forest, 1,520-1,560 m, Croat 37875 (M02416615,holotype).

Planta repens epiphytica, internodis usque 7 cm longis; cataphyllum subcoriaceum, deciduum: petiolus sulcatus, 22-35 cm longus; lamina subcoriacea bullata. ovata ad anguste triangulata, basi leviter ad profimde cordata, 22.5-39(-46) cm longa, 9-14.5(-17.5) cm laia: inflorescentia erecta(?); pedunculus 13-21 (-28) cm longus; spatha viridis, modice membranacea, anguste lanceolata, 3-5(-11) cm longa, ca. 6(-8) mm lata; spadix stipite usque 6 mm longo, viridis; baccae ignotae.

Epiphytic creeper; stem elongate ca. 5 mm diam.; internodes elongate to 7 cm; cataphylls subcoriaceous, 7-15 cm long, drying tan, early deciduous.

LEAVES erect-spreading; petiole sulcate, 22-35 cm long, one-half as long to slightly longer than the blade; geniculum sharply sulcate, ca. 1.5 cm long; blades (dried) subcoriaceous, conspicuously bullate, ovate to narrowly triangular, abruptly acuminate to long-acuminate at apex, shallowly to deeply lobed at base, 22.5÷ 39(-46) cm long, 9-14(-17.5) cm wide, broadest from midway to point of petiole attachment (rarely broadest at base); anterior lobe 18.5-32(-36.5) cm long, the margins usually convex (sometimes more or less straight to concave), posterior lobes 4.5-9(-10) cm long, from apex of sinus to outermost point; sinus parabolic to hip-pocrepiform, rounded at apex; upper surface weakly glossy, both surfaces drying matte, the lower surface paler; midrib raised above and below, drying yellow below; basal veins 3-5(-6) pairs, the first and second free, those remaining coalesced to 1 cm forming a weak posterior rib; primary lateral veins 11-13 per side, departing midrib at (55-)65-70¡ angle, arching to collective vein, prominulous above, more prominent below: lesser veins scarcely visible above, conspicuous below; collective vein arising from one of the lowermost basal veins, loop-connecting the primary lateral veins, 3-4 mm from the margin, prominulous above, more prominent below.

INFLORESCENCE (dried) erect (?); peduncle 13-21 (-28) cm long; spathe green, moderately thin, narrowly lanceolate, 3-5(-11) cm long, ca. 6(-8) mm wide, broadest near base; spadix sessile or stipitate to 6 mm; green, slightly tapered, 4-7 cm long. 3-5 mm diam. near base, 2-4 mm diam. near apex, flowers rhombic, 1.9-2 mm long, 1.4÷ 1.5mm wide, ca. 5 flowers visible in the principal spiral. 9-10 flowers visible in the alternate spiral; tepals matte, lateral tepals ca. 1 mm wide, the inner margin broadly rounded; pistils not emergent; stamens held just above tepals; anthers ca. 0.4 mm long, ca. 0.6 mm wide; thecae ovoid, slightly divaricate.

INFRUCTESCENCE to 20 cm long, peduncle to 27 cm long; mature berries not seen. Fig. 85.

Anthurium niqueanum is known only from Panama in the Serrania de Pirre, north of Alturas de Nique in lower montane rain forest at 1,200 to 1.560 m. It is probably to be found in adjacent areas of Colombia also.

The species is a member of section Polyneurium, but has no known close relatives.

It is distinguished by elongate internodes and somewhat bullate, triangular to ovate-triangular blades with prominent veins on the lower surface when dry. One specimen (Folsom 4303) has a much more narrowly triangular blade with an extremely large infructescence and is described as having the stem, petiole, and peduncle covered with a waxy substance.

Map of Mesoamerican specimens with coordinates Panama

Darien: 800-1050 m, 7.56N 77.45W, 29 June 1988, Thomas B. Croat 68950 (CAS,CM,MEXU,MO,NY,P,SEL,SCZ).

Panama Darien: 700-1000 m, 08.00N 77.45W, 7 Febrero 1991, H. Herrera, L. Rojas y N. Brist‡n Jr. 877 (MO).

Panama Darien: 700-1000 m, 08.00N 77.45W, 7 Febrero 1991, H. Herrera, L. Rojas y N. Brist‡n Jr. 872 (MO).