Heliconia section Curvae W. J. Kress, 2025

1.4. 2. Heliconia section Curvae W. J. Kress , sect. nov.

Figs 4 C, D View Figure 4

Type.

Heliconia burleana Abalo & Morales.

Description and taxonomic notes.

Medium- to large-sized rhizomatous herbs with Musa - like habit. Inflorescence erect with peduncle, rachis, and cincinnal bracts entirely red or yellow; cincinnal bracts distichous or spirally arranged, generally horizontal, elongate and tapering. Flowers with diurnal anthesis, resupinate and held at right angles to bracts; perianth c-shaped (sharply curved), free sepal extended and reflexed, fused sepals not reflexed at tips, yellow, or white to green; ovary yellow or green. Fruits blue, glabrous. For the most part the species placed here in sect. Curvae were formerly included in subgen. Stenochlamys sect. Lanea by both Andersson (1985 a, 1992) and Kress et al. (1999). One species ( H. sanctae-martae L. Anderss. ) was included in sect. Cannastrum by Kress et al. (1999). The 1.0 LPP support in the molecular analysis together with the floral features listed here unite these four species into a single monophyletic lineage at the sectional level sister to sect. Colubrosae .

Species.

* Heliconia aristeguietae Abalo & Morales ; * H. burleana Abalo & Morales ; * H. gilbertiana Abalo & Morales ; + H. sanctae-martae L. Anderss.

Distribution.

Primarily Tropical Andean South America ( Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru).