Spathiphyllum quindiuense Engl.

  • Authority

    Bunting, George S. 1960. A revision of Spathiphyllum (Araceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 10: 1-54.

  • Family

    Araceae

  • Scientific Name

    Spathiphyllum quindiuense Engl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Leaf-blade somewhat oblique, narrowly elliptic-oblong or lanceolate-oblong, widest at the middle and narrowed equally toward either end, 12-40 cm long and 2-5.2 cm wide, the apex attenuate, the base acute, with ca. 5 pairs of primary lateral veins arising at an angle of ca. 20-35°; petiole equaling or shorter than the blade, 8-25 cm long (or possibly more; absent in type specimen), alatenearly to the geniculum or less; geniculum ca. 1-1.8 cm long. Peduncle 16-50 em long; spathe elongate-lanceolate to narrowly oblong-elliptic, (4-)7.5-16 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, the apex attenuate, the base acute, somewhat clasping or decurrent to 1 cm, white within, green outside (at least in age); spadix 2-7 cm long, on a stipe 0.5-2 cm long; perianth of separate segments; pistil obpyramidal, angular, apically truncate, slightly constricted between the annular style and the ovary, only the coronate stigma exceeding the perianth, ovary 3-locular, the ovules superposed or ± collateral and affixed near the base of the locules, varying from 5-2 in each of the 3 locules, totaling 14-6 ovules per ovary; fruiting spadix smooth; fruit subglobose, ca. 3 mm high, apically truncate; seeds fewer than the ovules, oblique-ovoid, the surface slightly roughened or verruculose, somewhat furrowed and foveolate.

  • Discussion

    Figure 5.

    Type collection: J. J. Triana 693, "Quindio, 1000 m.," Tolima, Colombia (holotype BM).

    Until the present, S. quindiuense was known from the type only. Several other collections from Colombia and Panama have been referred to this species. Before examination of the type specimen (Triana 693), it had been concluded that a distinct taxon existed in that region, represented especially by Seibert 507 and Lehmann 7590. Only much later did I have the opportunity to study the type specimen of 8. quindiuense; although I have been unable to actually compare it side by side with the other specimens, all appear to be conspecific.

    Specimens referred here vary considerably in size, yet all have similar proportions. The distinguishing features of S. quindiuense are the narrow leaf and spathe of coarse texture, and typically the 5-4 ovules per locule. Lehmann 7590 and Pittier 4724 possess only 3-2 ovules per locule, but in all other characteristics they are typical. Most nearly identical to the type is Seibert 507, which has served to guide m e in the amplification of this species.

    The Peruvian species S. lechlerianum is probably the closest ally of this species. From it S. quindiueuse is separated by its proportionally narrower spathe.

    S. quindiuense is considered primitive among the species of section Amomophyllum., and indeed m a y have arisen from stock similar to that which gave rise to S. friedrichsthalii of sect. Spathiphyllum. Both species tend toward a multiovulate condition of the ovary, and both grow in the Panama-Colombia area where the greatest concentration of species of Spathiphyllum occurs.

  • Distribution

    Distribution: Along rivers in the Magdalena Valley of Colombia, and in adjacent Panama. PANAMA: along Charare R. above Chepo, prov. Panama, Oct 1911, Pittier 4724 (US); western slope and summit of Cerro Valle Chiquito, prov. Code, Jul 1935, Seibert 507 (F, GH, MO, NY). COLOMBIA: 12 leguas se de Barranca Bermeja, de la margen dereche del Rio Open, Santander, Sep 1954, Castaneda 4860 (COL, US) ; Rio San Pedro, Nariiio, Antioquia, Dec 1891, Lehmann 7590 (F, GH, S, U, US).

    Colombia South America| Panama Central America|