Pterichis vasquezii Kolan., Baranow, S.Nowak & A.Fuentes, 2020

5. Pterichis vasquezii Kolan., Baranow, S.Nowak & A.Fuentes View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 8

Species distinguished from P. acuminata and P. leucoptera by a prominent, truncate lip base. From the former taxon the new entity differs also by lunate lip and from P. leucoptera by oblong-lanceolate petals which are widened near the middle (see notes). — Type: P. Gutte & B. Herzog G519 (holo LPB; iso LPB), Bolivia, La Paz, Prov. Bautista Saavedra, Charazani, Al este de Chullina, alt. 3400 m, 18 Apr. 1993 .

nate sheaths. Inflorescence racemose, 3–7-flowered, rachis glandular-puberulent. Flowers with green sepals, whitish petals with brownish stripes and yellowish lip with brownish stripes. Floral bracts 8.5–11 mm long, ovate, acuminate, glandular-puberulent. Pedicellate ovary 7.5–12 mm long, densely glandular-puberulent. Dorsal sepal 6.2–6.9 by 2.8–3 mm, ovate, obtuse, externally densely glandular-ciliate, 3-veined. Lateral sepals 5.5–5.8 by c. 3 mm, obliquely ovate, acuminate, obtuse, externally densely glandular-puberulent, 3-veined. Petals 6.5– 7.6 by 1.7 mm, free, oblong-ligulate, obtuse, glabrous, 3-veined. Lip 4.6–5.2 by 6.5–9.5 mm, cucullate-concave, base cuneate, obcordate in outline; apical lobe oblong-ovate, apiculate, papillose, recurved; disc almost glabrous, primarily 7-veined, veins branching, ornamented with numerous rounded glands along the margin in the upper half. Gynostemium 2.8–3 mm long.

Distribution — Endemic to Bolivia.

Habitat & Ecology — Terrestrial in cloud forest, within shrubs and dispersed young trees and in high montane, wet forest at the altitude of 3100–3580 m. Flowering: February, April.

Notes — This species strongly resembles P. acuminata ( Fig. 3 View Fig ) from which it can easily be distinguished by the oblong-ligulate petals, which are not widened near the middle and the lip being obcordate in outline, widest near the base of the apical lobe (vs lip reniform, widest near the base in P. acuminata ). Moreover, the flowers of P. acuminata are reddish brown or reddish green while in the new species the petals are whitish and the lip is yellowish with brown stripes. In P. multiflora

Eponymy. Dedicated to Roberto Vásquez Chávez, an eminent Bolivian orchidologist.

Plant 17–30 cm tall. Leaf up to 16 cm long, less than 1 cm wide, linear-lanceolate, acute. Scape erect, terete, apically glandular-puberulent, with 3–5 tubular, acuminate sheaths. Inflorescence racemose, 6–12-flowered, rachis glandular-puberulent. Flowers yellowish. Floral bracts c. 7 mm long, ovate, acuminate, glandular-puberulent. Pedicellate ovary c. 10 mm long, densely glandular-puberulent. Dorsal sepal c. 7.2 by 1.8 mm, narrowly elliptic, obtuse, externally densely glandular-ciliate, 3-veined. Lateral sepals c. 7 by 3 mm, obliquely ovate-acuminate, acute, externally densely glandular-puberulent, 3-veined. Petals c. 8.3 by 1.3 mm, free, oblong-lanceolate, widened near the middle, obtuse, glabrous, 3-veined. Lip c. 4.3 by 8.6 mm, cucullate-concave, base truncate, lunate in outline; apical lobe oblong-ovate, obtuse, papillose, recurved; disc almost glabrous-ciliate, primarily 7-veined, veins branching, ornamented with numerous rounded glands along the margin in the upper half. Gynostemium c. 3 mm long.

Distribution — Endemic to Bolivia.

Habitat & Ecology — Terrestrial on moss-covered rocks at the altitude of 3400 m. Flowering: April.

Notes — Species similar to P. acuminata ( Fig. 3 View Fig ), but distinguished by the lip being lunate above the truncate base (vs lip reniform in outline in P. acuminata ). Pterichis vasquezii resembles P. leucoptera ( Fig. 6 View Fig ) in which petals are widest in the apical third (vs oblong-lanceolate, widened near the middle in P. vasquezii ). Moreover, the novelty differs from the latter species also in the prominent truncate base of the lip. A similar, broad-truncate lip base is observed in the Bolivian representative of sect. Acraea , P. mandonii , which differs from P. vasquezii by the petals being adnate to the dorsal sepal (vs free in P. vasquezii ) and a broad, short middle lobe of the lip that only slightly exceeds the lip’s lateral lobes (vs much exceeding lateral lobes in P. vasquezii ).

The type material consists of four plants, one of which has a leaf.