Columnea conopurpurea (Gesneriaceae), a New Pendulous Epiphytic Species from the Colombian Massif in the Southern Andes of Colombia

Jorge L. Peña; Yennifer Ramos-Arias; John L. Clark

doi:10.3417/2024914

Jorge L. Peña Universidad Surcolombiana
Yennifer Ramos-Arias Universidad del Quindío
John L. Clark Marie Selby Botanical Gardens https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1414-6380

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3417/2024914

Keywords: Colombia, Columnea, Gesneriaceae, Magdalena Valley, taxonomy

Abstract

Recent field expeditions to the Upper Magdalena Valley of Colombia resulted in the discovery of a new species of Columnea L. (Gesneriaceae). Columnea conopurpurea J. L. Clark, Y. Ramos-Arias & J. L. Peña, sp. nov., is described as a narrow endemic from the Colombian Massif in southern Colombia. The new species is an epiphyte with pendent shoots, shallow bilabiate corolla tubes, and a purple elongate cone-shaped berry. An overview of fruit shapes throughout Columnea is summarized to demonstrate the uniqueness of the purple cone-shaped berry in C. conopurpurea. Description, distribution map, illustration, and field images are provided. Based on IUCN guidelines, a preliminary conservation status of Endangered (EN) is provided for C. conopurpurea.