Philodendron gracile Schott, Philodendron ecuadorense Engl., Philodendron sodiroanum

Usually hemiepiphytic, rarely terrestrial or epilithic; stem usually appressed-climbing, thick, short, leaf scars inconspicuous; internodes striate, 2–3.5 cm long, 1–2.5 cm diam., about as long as broad, dark green to olive-green; roots drying tan to brownish red to blackish, smooth, elongate, 7–28 cm long, 0.2–0.5 cm diam., usually few per node, rarely numerous per node, dense, spreading at the nodes, epidermis peeling; cataphylls membranous, 28–31 cm long, 8 cm broad at base, usually unribbed, sometimes bluntly or sharply 1-ribbed to sharply 2-ribbed, green, red or purplish green, pale white striate, drying brownish to reddish brown, persisting intact, eventually fibrous. Leaves more or less erect; petioles 29–107 cm long, 2–11 mm diam., erect, more or less terete, stiff, firm, dark green, sometimes somewhat flattened with a low medial rib adaxially, surface weakly semiglossy, weakly light green striate with many small, fine ridges; geniculum thicker than petiole, 3–4 cm long, scurfy, slightly paler than petiole; blades ovate to ovate-triangular with prominent posterior lobes, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, moderately bicolorous, narrowly acuminate, sometimes long-acuminate at apex (the acumen inrolled, 1–4 mm long), cordate at base, 31–78 cm long, 16–52 cm wide (1.2–3.1 times longer than wide), (0.6–1.4 times longer than petiole), margins weakly undulate, upper surface gray-green to dark green, glossy, lower surface semiglossy, paler; anterior lobe 30.5–60 cm long, 14–34 cm wide (1.5–3.8 times longer than posterior lobes), broadest at point of petiole attachment; posterior lobes 10–29.5 cm long, 6–16.5 cm wide, broadest at or near the middle, directed downward and outward, sometimes inward, obtuse to subrounded to bluntly acute; sinus triangular, acute to almost obtuse, sometimes closed, 4.5–17 cm deep; midrib flat to sunken, concolorous to slightly paler than surface above, raised, concolorous, drying somewhat paler than surface below; basal veins 5–7 per side, with 0(1) free to base, part of the remainder coalesced 2–10.5 cm; posterior rib not naked; primary lateral veins (6)8–14(20) per side, departing midrib at a 65–90 degree angle, more or less straight or weakly arcuate to the margins, prominently to narrowly sunken above, raised to convex below; interprimary veins as conspicuous as primary lateral veins, weakly sunken and concolorous above, weakly raised and concolorous below; minor veins moderately visible to distinct below, arising from both the midrib and primary lateral veins. Inflorescences erect, to 4 per axil; peduncle 2–11 cm long, 3–18 mm diam., pale green, drying reddish brown, heavily white-lineate, drying longitudinally fissured; spathe erect to erect-spreading, coriaceous, acuminate at apex, 7–14 cm long, (1.3–4.4 times longer than peduncle), moderately constricted above the tube, 2.1 cm diam. at constriction, short-lineate throughout; spathe blade weakly lanceolate, greenish white, sometimes heavily tinged red outside, 4–8 cm long, 2.1 cm diam., (opening 3.6 cm long), white to pale green inside; spathe tube ovoid, medium to dark green, usually tinged red or sometimes dark violet outside, white-striate with clear margins in front, short, pale green lineate in back outside, 3–7 cm long, 2–3.5 cm diam., white to pale green, sometimes red at base inside, sometimes sparsely white-spotted; spadix sessile; 6–12 cm long; pistillate portion yellowish green to pale green, weakly tapered upward, 2.8–4 cm long in front, 1.9–2.2 cm long in back, 1.1–1.6 cm diam. at middle, 1.75 cm wide at base, 0.9–1.5 cm ca. 1 cm from apex, with 12–14 flowers per spiral; staminate portion 5.3–7.1 cm long; fertile staminate portion white, drying orange reddish to light reddish, 1–1.1 cm diam. at base, 1.2–1.5 cm diam. at middle, 7–10 mm diam. ca. 1 cm from apex, broadest in the middle, as broad as to slightly broader than the pistillate portion, as broad as to narrower than the sterile portion, 27–35 flowers visible per spiral; sterile staminate portion as broad as to broader than the pistillate portion, pale brown, 11–17 mm diam.; pistils 2.7–3.1(6.2) mm long, 1.2–1.7(3.9) mm diam.; ovary 4–5-locular, 1.6–2(5.9) mm long, 1.2–1.7(3.9) mm diam., with axile placentation; locules 1.6–2(4.2–5.9) mm long, 0.4–0.7(1.1) mm diam.; ovules 12–14 per locule, arranged in series of 2, 0.4 mm long, longer than funicle; funicle 0.2(0.5) mm long, adnate to lower part of partition, style 0.5–0.6 mm long, 1.2–1.7 mm diam., similar to style type B; style apex flat; stigma cupullate, more or less hemispheroid, 1.1 mm diam., 0.4–0.6 mm high, covering center of or entire style apex, depressed medially with 6–8 holes; the androecium truncate, prismatic, margins irregularly 4–6-sided, (0.3)0.7–0.9 mm long, 1.1–1.4 mm diam. at apex; thecae oblong, 0.3–0.4 mm wide, more or less parallel to one another, nearly contiguous; sterile staminate flowers irregularly 4–6-sided, mostly prismatic, sometimes clavate, blunt, 1.3–2.5 mm long, 1.4–2.5 mm wide. Infructescence with fruits purplish.

LECTOTYPE: origin unknown. Schott Drawings 2465 and 2466 (microfiche 53:d4﷓5). [Type designated here]. TYPE: Venezuela. Not seen. Philodendron gracile Schott, Prod. Syst. Aroid. 244. 1860. Type: Costa Rica. Wendland s.n., not seen. Type now lost; impression of type is at K. Schott Drawing 2687--2688. [Type designated here.] Philodendron ecuadorense Engl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 26: 531. 1899. Type: Ecuador. Manabí, Eggers 15221 (holotype, B; isotype, F). Philodendron sodiroanum Engl., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 26: 531. 1899. Type: Ecuador. Pichincha: Nanegal, Sodiro 47 (holotype, B).

Esmeraldas: Reserva Awa, 300 m, 1°10’N, 78°32’W, Tipaz et al. 2153, 2181 (MO, QCNE); Cotacachi Cayapas, 350 m, 0°45’N, 78°47’, Tipaz et al. 2312 (MO, QCNE); Cotacachi-Cayapas, Reserva Ecologica, 150 m, 0°43’N, 78°53’W, Palacios & Tirado 11285 (MO, QCNE); Río Onzole at Río Bellavista, 130 m, 0°53’N, 79°03’W, Holm-Nielsen et al. 25819, 25830 (AAU); Fila de Bilsa, 7 km E of San Jose de Bilsa, 12 km SE of El Salto on Atacames-Muisne Road, 280 m, 0°37’N, 79°51’W, Gentry et al. 72883 (MO); Reserva Etnica Awa, 80 m, 1°15’N, 78°40’W, Aulestia et al. 197, 134 (MO); Lita, 600 m, Plowman 14105, 14103(F, SEL); Río Cayapas, Playa Grande, 2 km SE of San Francisco de Cayapas, Sparre 18042 (S); Reserva Etnica Awa, 80 m, 1°15’N, 78°40’W, Aulestia et al.197, 134, (MO); Lita, on the Ibarra-San Lorenzo RR , 550--650 m, Madison et.al. 5253, 5123 (SEL, US); San Lorenzo, new road to "Proyecto No", km 8--10, Sparre 18210 (S). Manabi: El Aromo; 13 km SW to San Mateo then E 13 km to town, 100 m, 1°5’S, 80°49’W, Hammel & Trainer 15863 (MO); Eggers 15221 (B, F (photo). Guayas: E of Naranjal-Machala Road, 13 km S of Naran, 50--150 m,, , Harling & Andersson 19304 (GB) Cord. Chongón-Colonche, Río California. Bosque seco tropical. Formación de lecho de Río Intervenido, 150 m, 1°51’S, 80°42’W, Cornejo & Bonifaz 5806 (GUAY, MO). Los Ríos: La Centinella, 29.5 km W of Patricia Pilar , 450--475 m, 0°33’S, 79°22’W, Croat 50668 (MO); Jauneche Km 70 Quevedo-Palenque, via Mocachi. 70 m, 1°16’S, 79°42’W, Dodson et al. 8728 (GUAY, MO, SEL ), 7070 (F, MO); Km 12 on road from Patricia Pilar to 24 de Mayo, 540 m, Dodson 6109 (SEL); 12 km E. of Patricia Pilar, 650 m, Madison 3809 (SEL); Montana de Ila, Km 54 Sto. Domingo-Quevedo, 540 m, Madison 4154 (SEL). El Oro : Machala/Loja , ca. 1 km SE of La Avareada, 18 km NW of Saracay, 80 m, 4°25’S, 79°55’W, Croat 50724 (MO). Carchi: N side of Río Mira. above cable crossing, upstream from Lita, downstream from Cachaco, 760--780 m, 0°52’N, 78°26’W, Boyle et al. 3633; Maldonado, 1500--1900 m, Madison 3918 (SEL); El Pailon, ca. 45 km below Maldonado along a foot path to Tobar Donoso, 800 m, Madison 7086 (SEL); Environs of Chical, 12 km below Maldonado on the Río San Juan, 1200 m, 1°4’N, 78°17’W, Madison et al. 4704 (SEL); 1200--1250 m, 0°00’56”N, 78°11’W, Thompson & Rawlins 991 (CM, MO); Maldonado vicinity, 1500--1900 m, Madison 3884 (SEL). Imbabura: 600 m, Acosta-Solis 12714 (F); valley of Río Mira on border with Carchi province, 750--775 m, Croat 38976 (MO). Pichincha: Vicinity Hotel Tinalandia S of hwy. between Santo Domongio de los Colorados & Aloag; along Río Toachi; 9.6 km E of Santo Domingo de los Colorados, 600 m, 0°16’S, 79°7’W, Croat 55681 (CM, MO, QCA); ca. 6--8 km N of Alvaro Pérez Intriago (Km 113, Quito-La Independencia hwy.), along tributary of Río Guayllabamba. 600 m, 0°10’N, 79°3’W, Grayum et al. 9359 (MO); Reserva Endesa, 9 km N of Km. 113 on Quito- Pto. Quito Highway,750 m, 0°5’N, 79°2’W, Croat & Rodríguez 61499 (AAU, CM, DUKE, L, MEXU, MO, NY, QCA, TEX); Colorado community "Congoma Grande" at Km 23 on the Santa Domingo-Puerto Limón road, 100 m, Kvist & Holm-Nielsen 40226 (AAU); Alluriquin , 900--1100 m, Madison 4023 (SEL); Hacienda Zaracay, 500 m, Sparre 15163 (S); Rancho Brahman, ca. 10 km NW from town, on rd. to Esmeraldas, Sparre 14070 (S); Reserva Floristica Ecologica, Río Guajalito, 1800--2200 m, Jaramillo & Grijalva 14656 (NY); Rio Toachi, 2 km above confluence with Rio Pilaton, 900 m, Madison 4048 (SEL); Asplund 16412 (S); on road between Tandayapa and Mindo, 19.5 km from Tandayapa, ca. 5.5 km from Mindo, 1930 m, Croat 49387 (MO). Cotopaxi: along road between El Corozón and Quevedo via Moraspungo, 0.8 km below El Corozón. 1420 m, 1°9’S, 79°7’W, Croat 73726 (MO); Along road between Guayacan (13.1 km N of La Mana) and Montenuevo (N of Pucayacu), at end of right road branch, 23.6 km from Guayacan, 1480--1530 m, 0°39’S, 79°5’W, Croat 73785 (CAS, L, MO, QCA, TEX); Road between Quevedo & El Corozón; 1.9 km NW of El Corozón; 67.5 km SE of Quevedo; 1225 m, 1°7’S, 79°6’W, Croat 55828 (CM, F, G, MO, QCA); Río Guapara, 20 km NW of El Corazón, 250 m, Sparre 17095 (S), 17141 (S), 17142 (S), 17198 (S), 17281 (S).