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New species of Maxillaria (Orchidaceae) from the Sibundoy valley, Colombia

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New species of Maxillaria (Orchidaceae) from the

Sibundoy valley, Colombia

Dariusz L. Szlachetko, Marta Kolanowska, Ramiro Medina Trejo & Monika

Lipińska

To cite this article: Dariusz L. Szlachetko, Marta Kolanowska, Ramiro Medina Trejo & Monika
Lipińska (2017) New species of Maxillaria (Orchidaceae) from the Sibundoy valley, Colombia,
Botany Letters, 164:2, 159-170, DOI: 10.1080/23818107.2017.1318091

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Botany Letters, 2017
VOL. 164, NO. 2, 159–170
https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2017.1318091

New species of Maxillaria (Orchidaceae) from the Sibundoy valley, Colombia

Dariusz L. Szlachetkoa, Marta Kolanowskaa,b  , Ramiro Medina Trejoc and Monika Lipińskaa 
a
Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland; bDepartment of Biodiversity Research,
Global Change Research Institute AS CR, Brno, Czech Republic; cSibundoy Valley, Alto Putumayo, Colombia

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

Six new species of Maxillaria are described and illustrated based on material collected in southern Received 9 November 2016
Colombia. The taxonomic affinities of the new entities are discussed and information about their Accepted 5 April 2017
habitat and ecology is provided. Additionally, photographs of all new species are presented.
KEYWORDS
Maxillaria; Orchidaceae;
Sibundoy; new species; flora
of Colombia

Introduction comprehensive molecular and morphological research

(Blanco et al. 2007; Ojeda, Carnevali, and Romero 2005;
The Neotropical subtribe Maxillariinae proposed in 1843
Ojeda et al. 2009; Whitten et al. 2007) resulted in split-
(Lindley 1843) is one of the largest and most intensively
ting Maxillaria sensu lato into 17 genera. Most have
discussed orchid groups among taxonomists all over the
been accepted in the most recent studies (Szlachetko
world. The number of genera included in the subtribe
et al. 2012) with additional generic delimitation within
have varied from seven (Pfitzer 1887; Schlechter 1926)
Camaridium and Ornithidium. All these taxonomic
to 36 (Szlachetko et al. 2012). The most controversial
changes have been criticized by Shuiteman and Chase
issue is the generic delimitation within the Maxillaria
(2015), who amalgamated all previously distinguished
complex, which in the widest concept embraces about
genera into Maxillaria sensu latissimo.
750 species (Senghas 2002), being one of the largest
As recognized here, Maxillaria accommodates species
orchid genera. While plants of Maxillaria vary greatly
producing laterally compressed, ovoid to ellipsoid pseu-
in their vegetative characters, their perianth elements are
dobulbs that are completely concealed by the sheaths
relatively uniform with subsimilar sepals and petals and
and carrying a single, usually leathery, petiolate leaf
longitudinally concave lip hinged on the column foot.
(Szlachetko et al. 2012). The inflorescence arises from
Attempts to delimit smaller, clearly defined genera
the pseudobulb base and carries a single, resupinate or
from Maxillaria sensu lato were fraught with difficulties
not, campanulate to spreading flower. The free sepals
due to the insufficient information provided at the time
and petals are characterized by the presence of fibrous
of its description resulting in problems with its typifi-
bundles. The prominent callus of the three-lobed lip var-
cation. After several attempts to identify the nominal
ies in shape. The stout gynostemium is arcuate, and the
species (Acuña 1939; Brieger and Hunt 1969; Garay
prominent viscidium is more or less “hippocrepiform”
1962; Garay and Sweet 1972), M. platypetala Ruiz and
(Szlachetko et al. 2012).
Pav. became the accepted lectotype of the genus (Garay
In the narrow sense, Maxillaria embraces about 250
1997). Since the clarification of this issue, the infrage-
species widely distributed in the Neotropics. In the
neric studies on Maxillaria sensu lato became more
checklist of Colombian orchids, Ortiz Valdivieso and
intensive and included both morphological and molec-
Uribe Vélez (2007) placed 215 species of the genus. So
ular research. Based on chromosome numbers and pol-
far about 60 of them have been found in Quindicocha,
linarium structure, Carnevali (1991) divided the genus
upper Putumayo (Buenoy Yumartán Aldea Ecológica,
into almost 50 suballiances accommodated into four
pers. comm.)
alliances of two main groups. Taking into consideration
Recent surveys conducted in southern Colombia have
both vegetative and floral features, Senghas (2002) pro-
revealed the existence of six distinctive Maxillaria spe-
posed the restoration of Marsupiaria, Ornithidium and
cies which are described here as new. All new entities
Sepalosaccus at the generic level. Based on morpholog-
were found in the area of Sibundoy valley, municipality
ical studies, Christenson (2002) proposed a wide con-
of San Francisco, Department of Putumayo (Figure 1).
cept of the genus, divided into 19 sections. Subsequent

CONTACT  Monika Lipińska  monika.lipinska@biol.ug.edu.pl

© 2017 Société botanique de France
160   D. L. SZLACHETKO ET AL.

Figure 1. Location of the study area (hatch).

Figure 2. Maxillaria ramiro-medinae – dissected perianth. A, dorsal sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D, lip; E, habit. Scale bar = 6 mm.
(holotype; drawn by A. Król)

While several representatives of Maxillaria are
characterized by significant morphological variation
and some lower taxa were recognized within these
orchids, the novelties described in this paper are
clearly distinguishable from the most similar species.
The dissimilarities concern qualitative not quantitative
characters, especially the form and ornamentation of
the lip.
According to the IUCN red list criteria (IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources) 2001), the new entities described
here should be classified as critically endangered (CR
B2ab (III)), based on the small number of known pop-
ulations and restricted area of distribution.
Taxonomic treatment
Maxillaria ramiro-medinae Szlach., Kolan. & Lipińska,
sp. nov. (Figures 2 and 3)
Diagnosis: Species similar to M. jucunda Lehm. &
Kraenzl., distinguished by the suborbicular pseudo-bulbs,
broader leaves, lip with thin margins which is ornamented

Figure 3. Maxillaria ramiro-medinae. A, habit; B, lip; C, flower; D, gynostemium. Photos by R. Medina.
by the apically rounded lip callus, and gynostemium
being longer in relation to the lip length.
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco, Vereda La Esperanza via Minchoy-Mocoa
1900 m, 13 May 2006, R. Medina 345 (holotypus, HPUJ;
MEDEL – photos; UGDA – drawing and photos of type).
Etymology: Dedicated to Ramiro Medina, who cul-
tivated this plant.
Description: Pseudobulbs 4.5  cm long and about
the same wide, suborbicular, strongly compressed,
greenish, unifoliar, basally enclothed in 2–3 sheaths;
the outer one(s) bladeless; the inner one leafy, the basal
part sheath-like, petiole short, conduplicate, blade
ligulate lanceolate, obtuse to subacute. Leaf prominently
petiolate; petiole conduplicate; blade 29–42 cm long,
6.5–7.5 cm wide, oblong elliptic to ligulate, rounded at
apex, shortly apiculate. Inflorescence twice shorter than
leaf. Peduncle enclothed in 4–5(8) almost imbricating
sheaths. Flowers medium-sized, showy; sepals ivory,
cream or white with pinkish suffusion; petals dull
purple except white apex and basal spot, with deep
purple, 7–8 longitudinal stripes; lip white in the centre,
covered densely by white resin, lateral margins purplish,
2–3 lateral nerves of the same color, apical part of the
middle lobe yellowish. Floral bracts to 30  mm long,
elliptic–lanceolate, acute, herbaceous, greenish. Ovary
BOTANY LETTERS   161
30 mm long, slender, green. Dorsal sepal 25 mm long,
14 mm wide, elliptic to ligulate–ovate, shortly apiculate,
with lateral margins recurved. Petals 18  mm long,
10–12  mm wide, sessile, obliquely elliptic–obovate,
with somewhat undulate, rounded apex. Lateral sepals
24 mm long, 13 mm wide, triangular–ovate, oblique,
rounded at apex, lateral margins recurved. Lip 12 mm
long, 9 mm wide, elliptic–obovate in general outline,
thick, obscurely three-lobed above the middle, with
margins in the upper half more or less undulate and
thin, covered on the upper surface and on the lower
one of the middle lobe by farinaceous hairs; callus
very prominent, apically free, elliptic-triangular,
rounded at apex, densely covered by farinaceous hairs.
Gynostemium 12 mm long, rather stout, gently arched;
clinandrium densely pubescent; column foot about
11 mm long, massive; viscidium W-shaped.
Ecology: Reported from the cloud forest between
1700 and 2100  m of elevation. It was found in semi-
shaded forest growing epiphytically on Saurauia
sp. (Actinidiaceae), Alchornea sp. (Euphorbiaceae),
Palicourea sp. (Rubiaceae) and Guettarda sp. (Rubiaceae).
It flowers in July, August and September. Few popu-
lations of this species were found in the basin of Río
Blanco and Río Mocoa. Both regions are characterized
by high humidity and annual rainfall of about 4000 mm.
162   D. L. SZLACHETKO ET AL.

Notes: M. ramiro-medinae resembles Ecuadorian M.

jucunda Lehm. & Kraenzl., with which it shares similar
flower size and color. The two species can be separated,
however, based on some morphological characters,
i.e. the lip margins of M. ramiro-medinae are thin (vs
thickened in M. jucunda), the callus is rounded at the
apex (vs obscurely three-lobed), and the gynostemium
is subequal in length to the lip (vs gynostemium 2/3 of
the lip length). Additionally, the new species has almost
orbicular and large pseudobulbs (4.5 cm vs 2–3 × 1 cm)
and wider leaves (6.5–7.5 cm vs 3 cm).

Maxillaria sibundoyensis Szlach., Kolan., Lipińska

& R. Medina, sp. nov. (Figures 4 and 5)
Diagnosis: Species resembling M. floribunda,
distinguished by the broader, linear–ligulate to linear–
lanceolate sepals and petals, obliquely triangular–
obovate, apically rounded lip lateral lobes, transversely
elliptic to rhombic lip, middle lobe with basal, oblong,
thick callus covered by erect, somewhat thickened hairs.
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco, collected in the place called La Torre, La
Siberia pathway 6 July 2009. Flowering in its natural hab-
itat June–July and in cultivation December–February, R.
Medina 849 (holotypus, JAUM – spirit!; MEDEL – pho-
tos, UGDA – drawing and photos of type).
Etymology: In reference to Sibundoy valley, the place Figure 4.  Maxillaria sibundoyensis – dissected perianth. A,
of the origin of the type material. dorsal sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D–F, lip. Scale bar = 6 mm.
Description: Plants with aerial stolons about 10 cm (holotype; drawn by A. Król)
long, covered by dried, scarious sheaths. Pseudobulbs

Figure 5. Maxillaria sibundoyensis. A, habit; B, flower; C, lip (side view); D, lip. Photos by R. Medina.

up to 2 cm long, 0.8 cm wide, ellipsoid–ovoid, laterally
compressed, unifoliate, enclothed by some sheaths, of
which the most apical is leafy, the lower are bladeless,
3–4 cm long. Leaf petiolate; petiole 2–5 cm long, con-
duplicate, narrow; blade 3–18 cm long, 2–3.2 cm wide,
oblong–elliptic to elliptic, acute, rather stiff, leathery.
Inflorescences gathered in fascicle at the base of pseu-
dobulbs, more or less as long as the leaf. Peduncle
enclothed in 3–4 almost imbricating sheaths. Flowers
medium-sized, showy, sepals and petals pinkish-orange
on the inner surface, bloody-brown on the outer, lip
pure white with deep purple blotches of various size,
callus with yellow large spot, gynostemium white with
deep purple and yellow spots towards the column foot.
Floral bracts about 24 mm long, ovate–lanceolate, acute,
greenish. Pedicellate ovary 15 mm long, green, black-
ish spotted. Sepals and petals relatively thick, margins
reflexed. Dorsal sepal 33  mm long, 5–6  mm wide,
linear–ligulate to linear–lanceolate, acute to shortly
acuminate. Petals 27 mm long, 4 mm wide, somewhat
oblique, linear–lanceolate, acute. Lateral sepals 32 mm
long, 6  mm wide, obliquely linear–ligulate to linear–
lanceolate, acute. Lip 12 mm long in total, 10 mm wide,
distinctly three-lobed near the middle, thick; the middle
lobe 5–6  mm long, 6–7  mm wide, transversely ellip-
tic to rhombic in outline, distinctly notched in front,
somewhat rugose and thickened along midline, mar-
gins thinner, erose and slightly undulate; lateral lobes
obliquely triangular–obovate, apex rounded, upcurved;
callus oblong, thick, in the basal part covered by erect,
somewhat thick hairs. Gynostemium 4  mm long;
clinandrium minutely papillate; column foot 2  mm
long; viscidium hippocrepiform.
Ecology: Terrestrial in disturbed, very humid mon-
tane forest. Alt. 2650–2700  m a.s.l. This species is
Figure 6. Maxillaria barrerana – dissected perianth. A, dorsal sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D,E, lip. Scale bars = 10 mm. (holotype;
drawn by A. Król)
BOTANY LETTERS   163
abundant in the area of transition between montane
forest and subparamo. Several populations of about
10–15 specimens were found in Valle near the pathway
of La Siberia.
Paratypus: Colombia. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco, below the Torre meteorological station,
2650  m, 5 January 2013, Kolanowska & Medina 466
(MEDEL; UGDA – photos, illustration).
Notes: M. sibundoyensis is similar to M. floribunda
Lindl. from which it is easily distinguished by the wider,
linear–ligulate to linear–lanceolate sepals and petals (vs
sepals and petals lanceolate in M. floribunda), obliquely
triangular–obovate lip lateral lobes with rounded apex (vs
lip lateral lobes obliquely elliptic, acute), transversely ellip-
tic to rhombic lip middle lobe (vs middle lobe transversely
broadly ovate to suborbicular), oblong, thick callus, in
the basal part covered by erect, somewhat thick hairs (vs
callus oblong, scabrous). The other species with which the
new entity can be compared is M. caveroi D.E. Benn. &
Christenson from Peruvian Amazonia. Both species have
flowers of similar size, but the lip of M. sibundoyensis is
three-lobed near the middle (vs three-lobed above basal
2/3), the upper surface of the lip is glabrous (vs sparsely
covered with long delicate trichomes), and the gynoste-
mium is 3 times shorter than lip (vs twice shorter).
Maxillaria barrerana Szlach., Kolan., Lipińska & R.
Medina, sp. nov. (Figures 6 and 7)
Diagnosis: Species similar to M. patens Schltr., dis-
tinguished by the longer sepals and petals, densely pap-
illose lip with undulate, erose–crenulate margins of the
middle lobe and apical margins of lateral lobes which are
rounded at the apices, as well as by the short lip callus
which is glabrous on the upper surface and ciliate along
margins.
164   D. L. SZLACHETKO ET AL.
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco. Vereda Minchoy, collected without flowers
14 May 2006. Flowered in cultivation in March–April
and November–December, R. Medina 339 (holotypus,
HPUJ; MEDEL – photos; UGDA –drawing and photos
of type).
Paratypus: Colombia. Putumayo: Mpio. San Francisco,
collected without flowers in La Esperanza pathway, old
road Minchoy-Mocoa. Flowered in cultivation in March
2008, R. Medina 358 (MEDEL).
Etymology: Dedicated to Mario Camilo Barrera,
the director of the Buenoy Yumartán Aldea Ecológica
Foundation.
Description: Pseudobulbs up to 3  cm long, 2  cm
wide, rather inconspicuous, oblong elliptic, laterally
compressed, enclothed completely with leafy sheaths,
unifoliate. Basal bladeless sheaths up to 3.8  cm long.
Leaf and leafy sheaths prominently petiolate; peti-
ole up to 3 cm long, conduplicate; blade up to 14 cm
long and 2  cm wide, lanceolate to oblong–lanceolate.
Inflorescence arising from the base of the pseudobulb,
shorter than the leaf. Peduncle up to 130 mm, covered
Figure 7. Maxillaria barrerana. A, habit; B, lip; C, flower; D, gynostemium. Photos by R. Medina.
with 4–5 bracts, shorter than internodes. Flowers con-
spicuous, medium-sized, sepals and petals white pink-
ish flushed, lip pinkish-yellow, whitish papillate on the
outside, white inside, gynostemium pinkish, reddish
spotted on the ventral surface. Floral bracts 20–35 mm,
oblong–lanceolate, acute, with hyaline margins. Ovary
up to 28 mm long, slightly shorter than bract, covered
with short black hairs. Dorsal sepal 80 mm long, 7 mm
wide at the base, ovate–lanceolate at the base, attenuate
and elongate towards acute apex. Petals 55  mm long,
4 mm wide at the base, linear–lanceolate at base, nar-
rowed towards the acute apex, falcate and twisted. Lateral
sepals 75 mm long, 8 mm wide at the base, similar in
shape to the dorsal one, but falcate at base. Lip 18 mm
long, 9 mm wide thick, fleshy, three-lobed in the apical
third, densely farinaceous all over upper surface and
in the apical half of the lower surface; the middle lobe
5 mm long, oblong–ovate, very thick, more or less trian-
gular in cross-section, margins crenulate and irregularly
undulate, upcurved and apically touching each other;
lateral lobes 13 mm long, oblong–triangular, rounded
and undulate apically; callus prominent, occupying the
 BOTANY LETTERS   165

basal third of the lip, oblong, glabrous on the upper sur-

face, densely ciliate along margins. Gynostemium short,
massive; clinandrium minutely papillate; column foot
about 8 mm long, slender; viscidium strap-like.
Ecology: Epiphytic in very humid low montane forest
at 1900 m of elevation.
Notes: The new species belongs to the Maxillaria
lepidota complex and resembles M. patens Schltr. known
from Colombia and Ecuador, but the lip callus of the
new species is shorter and occupies the basal third of
the lip (vs callus extending up to the middle of the lip),
the margins of the lip middle lobe and apical margins of
both lateral lobes are undulate and erose–crenulate (vs
margins of the lobules entire, flat), the lip on both sides is
densely papillose on most of the surfaces (vs lip papillose
exclusively on the upper surface of the middle lobe), and
the lip callus is glabrous on the upper surface and ciliate
along margins (vs callus sulcate, glabrous), lip lateral
lobes are rounded (vs obliquely elliptic–lanceolate,
subacute). In general, the flowers of M. patens can
have twice longer sepals and petals than M. barrerana.
M. barrerana is somewhat similar to Colombian
congener M. lepidota Lindl. and M. longissima Lindl.
from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador, as well as to
Ecuadorian M. ecuadorensis Schltr. M. barrerana differs
from M. longissima in by the lip form (especially oblong–
ovate lip middle lobe) and the prominent lip callus.
Additionally, M. longissima is characterized by sepals Figure 8.  Maxillaria citrinilabia – dissected perianth. A, dorsal
and petals slightly oblique at base. Those segments are sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D,E, lip. Scale bars = 5  mm.
prominently falcate in the lower third or quarter in M. (holotype; drawn by A. Król)
barrerana. M. lepidota has similar lip general form, but
the lip middle lobe is acute with prominent protruding Description: Pseudobulbs up to 3 cm long and 2 cm
keel on the lower surface, the callus is glabrous, and wide, oblong–ellipsoid, laterally compressed, unifoliate,
the lip upper surface is minutely papillose, the flowers enclothed in three sheaths, of which the uppermost is
segments are shorter (up to 5 cm) than those observed leafy, both lower ones bladeless. Leaf shortly petiolate;
in the new entity. M. ecuadorensis differs from the new petiole about 1 cm long, conduplicate; blade up to 9 cm
entity mostly in the lip structure which is sparsely long and 3.8 cm wide, elliptic to ligulate–elliptic, obtuse,
farinaceous beyond callus. The lip basal part is elliptic– green–reddish on the upper surface, deep red below.
triangular, the callus is supported laterally by additional Inflorescence arising from the base of pseudobulb,
thickenings on each side, and the epichile is narrowly longer than leaf. Peduncle 13–15 cm long, exceeding leaf,
oblong to ligulate, finely and regularly undulate. erect, covered with 6 more or less imbricating bracts.
Maxillaria citrinilabia Szlach., Kolan., Lipińska & Flowers medium-sized, rather showy, salmon-pink on
R. Medina, sp. nov. (Figures 8 and 9) the outside, turning yellow towards the base, sepals and
Diagnosis: Species resembling M. visseri D.E.Benn. petals yellowish on the inner surface, lip yellow, with
& Christenson, distinguished by the smaller flowers, large reddish spot on the outside near the apex. Floral
basally prominently falcate lateral sepals and petals, the bracts 30 mm long, oblong–lanceolate, acute, hyaline on
rugose ovary, the prominent, smooth lip middle lobe, margins. Ovary 30 mm long, terete. Dorsal sepal 36 mm
as well as by the subdensely ciliate lip disc and callus. long, 5–6 mm wide, narrowly linear–lanceolate, long–
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San acuminate, acute, widest at the base, margins recurved.
Francisco, Vereda La Esperanza, camino viejo de Petals 30 mm long, 3 mm wide, linear–filiform, long–
Minchoy, collected without flowers 5 February 2006. acuminate, falcate. Lateral sepals 38–40  mm long,
Flowered in cultivation in April and June, R. Medina 230 6–8 mm wide, oblong–ovate at base, then recurved and
(holotypus, HPUJ; MEDEL – photos; UGDA – drawing long acuminate, acute, somewhat twisted. Lip 10 mm
and photos of type). long in total, very thick, canaliculate, three-lobed in
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the lip the apical fifth; the middle lobe 2–3  mm long, 4  mm
coloration. wide, transversely elliptic, very thick, almost triangular
166   D. L. SZLACHETKO ET AL.

Figure 9. Maxillaria citrinilabia. A, habit; B, gynostemium; C, flower; D, lip (side view). Photos by R. Medina.

in cross-section, margins undulate and crispate, some-

what recurved; lateral lobes oblong rectangular, obtuse,
somewhat undulate; callus oblong in the basal half of
the lip, ciliate, lip ciliate in the apical half on the outer
surface. Gynostemium 4 mm long, massive; clinandrium
ciliate; column foot 5  mm long, massive; viscidium
hippocrepiform.
Ecology: Epiphytic in humid montane forest at
1900 m of elevation.
Notes: Maxillaria citrinilabia appears to be rather
a distinct species within the M. lepidota complex. It
is somewhat similar to Peruvian M. visseri D.E.Benn.
& Christenson, but differs from this species by having
slightly smaller flowers, with minutely rugose ovary
(vs ovary tuberculose), prominent, smooth lip middle
lobe (vs middle lobe short, wrinkled) and subdensely
ciliate disc and callus (vs disc with sparsely dispersed
short cilia on the outer surface, callus villose on the
basal half only). Lateral sepals and petals of the new
species are prominently falcate in the basal third or
quarter, whereas in M. visseri those segments are
basally oblique. The new species is somewhat similar
to M. reichenheimiana Endrés & Rchb. f. reported from
Meso- and South America. The latter, however, has
much wider leaves, lanceolate petals, apiculate middle
lobe of the lip and disc with a ligulate, glabrous callus
extending to 2/3 of the lip.
Figure 10.  Maxillaria pubicolumna – dissected perianth. A,
Maxillaria pubicolumna Szlach., Kolan., Lipińska & dorsal sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D, lip. Scale bar = 10 mm.
R. Medina, sp. nov. (Figures 10 and 11) (holotype; drawn by A. Król)

Figure 11. Maxillaria pubicolumna. A, habit; B, lip and gynostemium; C, flower; D, gynostemium. Photos by R. Medina.
Diagnosis: Species resembling M. woytkowskii
C.Schweinf. and M. cuzcoensis C.Schweinf., distin-
guished by the lip being covered by resin on the upper
surface and hirsute on the underside of the middle lobe,
the irregularly crenate and undulate lip middle lobe, the
gynostemium being pubescent just below stigmatic area
and by the minutely ciliate and crenate clinandrium.
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco, Vereda Minchoy, collected without flowers
2 April 2006. Flowered in cultivation in May 2006, R.
Medina 42 (holotypus, HPUJ; MEDEL – photos; UGDA
– drawing and photos of type).
Etymology: In reference to the pubescent
gynostemium.
Description: Pseudobulbs 4  cm long, 2  cm wide,
ellipsoid to suborbicular, much compressed, unifoliate,
enclothed in three sheaths, of which the uppermost is
leafy, lower two are bladeless. Leaf petiolate; petiole up
to 4 cm long, conduplicate, stiff; blade up to 16.5 cm long
and 2.7  cm wide, oblong elliptic, leathery, stiff, acute.
Leafy sheath much shorter; petiole up to 3  cm long;
blade up to 6 cm long and 2 cm wide, otherwise likes
leaf. Inflorescence 12 cm long, much shorter than leaf,
peduncle covered with 3–4 bracts. Flowers medium-sized,
showy, sepals brownish-red on the outside, salmon-pink
on the inner surface, petals salmon-pink on both surfaces,
lip yellowish, reddish spotted, covered with whitish resin
on the inner surface, gynostemium greenish, yellowish
towards the apex, with irregular brownish or reddish
spots. Floral bracts 30  mm long, oblong–lanceolate,
BOTANY LETTERS   167
obtuse, margins hyaline. Ovary 20–23 mm long. Dorsal
sepal 30  mm long, 6  mm wide, lanceolate, shortly
apiculate or mucronate at the apex. Petals 20–22  mm
long, 4–5 mm wide, oblong–lanceolate, acute, somewhat
oblique. Lateral sepals 34 mm long, 6 mm wide, obliquely
oblong–lanceolate, mucronate apically. Lip 20 mm long
in total, three-lobed in apical fifth or so, rather thick; the
middle lobe 4 mm long and wide, obovate–obtriangular,
acute, margins crisped and somewhat undulate; lateral
lobes oblong ovate, somewhat undulate in the upper
part; callus prominent, oblong, reaching to 3/4 of the
total lip length, the upper surface covered by resinous
secretion. Gynostemium 12 mm long, massive, slightly
falcate; clinandrium slightly crenulate along margins,
pubescent below stigma; column foot 8 mm long, stout;
viscidium hippocrepiform.
Ecology: Epiphyte in very humid montane forest at
1900 m of elevation.
Notes: It is one of just a few Maxillaria species with
an almost entire or gently three-lobed lip near the apex.
Maxillaria pubicolumna resembles somewhat Peruvian M.
woytkowskii C.Schweinf. and M. cuzcoensis C.Schweinf.
M. pubicolumna differs from both species in the minutely
ciliate and crenate apical clinandrium (vs clinandrium
with minutely erose margins in M. woytkowskii, tridentate
at the apex in M. cuzcoensis), pubescent gynostemium
just below stigmatic area (vs gynostemium glabrous), the
lip covered by resin on the upper surface and hirsute on
the underside of the middle lobe (glabrous in both M.
woytkowskii and M. cuzcoensis). Unlike M. woytkowskii
168   D. L. SZLACHETKO ET AL.
Figure 12. Maxillaria rubroglossa – dissected perianth. A, dorsal
sepal; B, petal; C, lateral sepal; D,E, lip. Scale bars = 6  mm.
(holotype; drawn by A. Król)
Figure 13. Maxillaria rubroglossa. A, habit; B, lip; C, flower; D, gynostemium. Photos by R. Medina.
and M. cuzcoensis, the lip middle lobe of M. pubicolumna
is irregularly crenate and undulate.
Maxillaria rubroglossa Szlach., Kolan., Lipińska &
R. Medina, sp. nov. (Figures 12 and 13)
Diagnosis: Species similar to M. litensis from which
it differs in the flowers colour, basally twisted, falcate
lateral sepals, the glabrous lip disc with prominent callus,
the flap-like rostellum remnant lobes and the glabrous
clinandrium.
Typus: Colombia. Dept. Putumayo: Mpio. San
Francisco, collected 9 April 2006 in Minchoy pathway,
R. Medina 304 (holotypus, HPUJ; UGDA – drawing and
photos of type).
Etymology: In reference to the red-colored apical part
of the lip.
Description: Pseudobulbs up to 3  cm long, 2.7  cm
wide, ellipsoid to almost orbicular, laterally compressed,
unifoliate, enclothed by 4–5 bladeless sheaths 4–4.5 cm
long. Leaf petiolate; petiole up to 10.5 cm long, almost
terete, sulcate, stiff; blade up to 24 cm long and 7.5 cm
wide, oblong–elliptic, acute, rather stiff. Inflorescence
basal, much shorter than leaf. Peduncle enclothed by
4–5 sheaths. Flowers showy, medium-sized, sepals and

petals salmon-pink to orange, lip middle lobe bloody-
brown, lateral lobes beige, gynostemium pink, turning
yellow–green towards column foot. Floral bracts 25 mm
long. Pedicellate ovary 35 mm long. Sepals and petals
relatively thick. Dorsal sepal 35 mm long, 8 mm wide,
oblong–lanceolate above linear basal third, acute, basal
margins reflexed. Petals 30 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, lin-
ear–lanceolate, acute, falcate, somewhat twisted. Lateral
sepals 35 mm long, 6–7 mm wide, oblong–lanceolate,
acute, falcate, twisted at base. Lip 12–13  mm long in
total, thick, three-lobed in apical fifth; the middle lobe
2.5–3 mm long, 4 mm wide, transversely elliptic, rounded
at the apex, much thickened, smooth, shining; lateral
lobes oblong–triangular, obtuse, upcurved, hence can-
aliculate; callus formed in the lower two-thirds, oblong,
prominent at the apex, glabrous. Gynostemium 7–8 mm
long, massive, clavate; clinandrium slightly, irregularly
crenate along margin; column foot 5 mm long, massive;
viscidium inverted V-shaped.
Ecology: Terrestrial in very humid montane forest at
1900 m elevation.
Notes: Maxillaria rubroglossa is another rather dis-
tinct species among Colombian Maxillaria. It can be
compared to Ecuadorian congener M. litensis Dodson,
from which it can be distinguished due to the beige-
coloured flowers (vs flowers white), basally twisted lat-
eral sepals, which are falcate (vs lateral sepals spreading,
not twisted), glabrous lip (vs disc densely furfuraceous)
with prominent callus (vs callus short) and glabrous api-
cal clinandrium. A distinct feature of the new species is
the rostellum remnant. Its lateral lobes are flap-like and
the sinus between them is very deep and broad. This spe-
cies can be compared with M. nigrescens Lindl. described
from Venezuela, but also collected in Colombia, which
has dark copper–purple flowers, a blackish-purple lip
with a yellow apex. This species has almost twice longer
sepals and petals than the new entity, the lip is obscurely
three-lobed, rectangular in general outline, with a short,
triangular and thin apex.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Mario Camilo Barrera T. and the founda-
tion Buenoy Yumartán Aldea Ecológica for their assistance
during the studies in Sibundoy valley. We would like to thank
Anna Król for preparing the illustrations. We are grateful
to the anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the
manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
The research described here was supported by the Foundation
for Polish Science (Fundacja na rzecz Nauki Polskiej, FNP)
and by the Grantová agentura České republiky (GA ČR; grant
no. 14-36098G).
BOTANY LETTERS   169
Notes on contributors
Dariusz L. Szlachetko is a professor of botany and head of the
Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation
of the University of Gdańsk, Poland, member of inter alia
the Botanical Society of America, Polish Botanical Society,
American Society of Plant Taxonomists, International
Association for Plant Taxonomy, and some scientific com-
mittees of the Polish Academy of Sciences. His research inter-
ests are concentrated on the biodiversity and taxonomy of
orchids. He has published numerous papers on African and
Neotropical orchids, first orchid floras of Cameroon, Gabon,
Guinea, Ivory Coast, French Guiana, French Polynesia, etc.
He has been completing materials to the orchid floras of
Colombia, Guatemala, Central-West Africa and NE part of
the Guyana Upland.
Contribution: participation in species description and prepa-
ration of their diagnoses and taxonomic discussions.
Marta Kolanowska PhD, is an assistant professor at
the University of Gdańsk and a researcher at the Czech
Academy of Sciences, member of American Society of Plant
Taxonomists, Botanical Society of Japan and Polish Botanical
Society. Marta’s main research interests include taxonomy
and biodiversity of Neotropical orchids, systematics of
Habenaria as well as ecological niche modelling.
Contribution: field studies in the department of Putumayo,
preparation of map and new species characteristics.
Ramiro Medina Trejo is a collaborator of “Buenoy Yumartan
Aldea Ecologica” foundation and orchid grower. Ramiro’s
research interests are focused on the diversity of orchids in
the Sibundoy valley.
Contribution: field studies in the department of Putumayo,
photographic documentation.
Monika Lipińska MSc, is a PhD student and technician at
the University of Gdańsk as well as a Vice President of Polish
Orchid Society. Monika’s main research interests include
the taxonomy of Neotropical orchids, with emphasis on
the genus Maxillaria sensu lato, their biodiversity and floral
micromorphology.
Contribution: participation in the preparation of the manu-
script and graphic processing of the provided line drawings.
ORCID
Marta Kolanowska   http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5347-5403
Monika Lipińska   http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3116-0237
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