Novelties in the genus Viridantha Espejo (Tillandsioideae, Bromeliaceae)

Abstract

Based on morphological evidence, we propose to raise Tillandsia mauryana forma secundifolia to species level with the name Viridantha secundifolia (Ehlers) Hern.-Cárdenas, Espejo & López-Ferr. Viridantha secundifolia can be readily distinguished by the falciform rosettes, the broadly oblong to square, 1–1.2 × 0.8–1.1 cm leaf sheaths and by the 1.8–2 × 0.7–1.2 cm floral bracts. Additionally, we describe and illustrate Viridantha uniflora Hern.-Cárdenas, Espejo & López-Ferr., from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The new species is morphologically similar to Viridantha boqueronensis, but differs by the nearly square leaf sheaths, 1.3–1.5 × 0.4–0.5 cm spikes and by the presence of only one flower per spike. A key to the taxa, morphological descriptions, list of specimens examined, illustrations and a distribution map of the described taxa are included.

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“…Viridantha species are herbaceous plants with leaves arranged in acaulescent to shortly caulescent rosettes; protandrous flowers with the petals mostly dark green towards the apex and white towards the base; included stamens equal in length, with filiform filaments and sub-basifixed anthers, and simple-erect type style branches (Espejo-Serna 2002). The genus is endemic to Mexico and includes 18 species (Hernández-Cárdenas et al 2018, 2019, 2021. The taxa of Tillandsia tectorum complex are clearly distinct from those of Viridantha by the presence of often large • Phytotaxa 607 (1) © 2023 Magnolia Press caulescent rosettes and petals purple towards the apex and white towards the base; besides the taxa of T. tectorum clade are endemic to northern Peru and southern Ecuador (Hromadnik 2005).…”