Lycianthes chiapensis (Brandegee) Standl.
Descripción
Shrub to woody vine or liana to 25 m tall. Indument of tan, pale yellow to brown, uniseriate, multicellular, stalked, multangulate-stellate (also some simple and dendritic), eglandular, spreading trichomes 0.1–1 mm long, 0.75–1.2 mm in diameter, the rays of the multangulate trichomes 3–6 per whorl, straight, rarely rebranched. Stems greenish-tan when young, sparsely to densly pubescent, sometimes glabrate in age, not compressed when dried in a plant press, becoming woody, sometimes sinuous; upper sympodial branching usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial. Leaves simple, the leaves of the upper sympodia sometimes paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 2.5–14 × 1–4.5 cm, the smaller ones with blades 0.8–7 × 0.5–3.5 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate, elliptic or obovate (sometimes the small geminate leaf nearly orbicular), thin to thick chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent especially along the veins (sometimes nearly glabrous), the base cuneate to rounded, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually undulate, the apex acute to acuminate (rarely rounded on smaller leaves), the petiole 0.2–2.5 cm long, the larger leaf blades with 4–6 primary veins on each side of the midvein. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–3 (5), axillary, oriented horizontally to ascending; peduncles absent; pedicels (5) 7–25 mm and erect to arching in flower, to 40 mm long and erect to arching in fruit, glabrous to moderately pubescent; calyx 2–5 mm long, 3–5 mm in diameter, campanulate, glabrous to moderately pubescent, the margin truncate, slightly membranous, truncate to wavy or shallowly lobed, with 10 erect to spreading, linear appendages 0.25–3 mm long emerging 0.1–1.5 mm below the calyx rim; fruiting calyx enlarged, widely bowl- or plate-shaped to campanulate (very different in the two varieties), the appendages to 5 mm long; corolla 0.6–1.5 cm long, open corolla orientation incompletely known, sometimes rotate to slightly reflexed, nearly entire to stellate in outline, divided ca. 1/3–2/3 of the way to the base, with abundant interpetalar tissue, white, sometimes with a green spot at the base near the insertion of the shorter stamens, nearly glabrous to moderately pubescent with short trichomes abaxially near the veins; stamens subequal to unequal, straight, the four short filaments 0.5–1 mm long, the fifth filament 1–4 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 4–5.5 mm long, lanceolate, free of one another, yellow, sometimes pubescent on the inner face along connective, poricidal at the tips, the pores obovate, sometimes dehiscing distally or toward the style, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 7–10 mm long, linear, straight to slightly curved, glabrous, the stigma capitate to ovoid. Fruit a berry, 5–20 mm long, 5–15 mm in diameter, globose to ovoid, orange to red at maturity, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 5–30 per fruit, 3.5–4.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, flattened, with slightly thickened rim, depressed ovate in outline, yellow-orange to brown, the surface reticulum with minute, serpentine pattern with shallow luminae.A
Forma de vida
TerrestreA
Nutrición
AutotróficaA
Ejemplar revisado
Type. Based on Solanum chiapense Brandegee.A
Distribución
Centroamérica: El Salvador PresenteA; Guatemala PresenteA; Honduras PresenteA; Nicaragua PresenteA, México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA: Campeche Presente; Chiapas Presente; Colima Presente; Guerrero Presente; Jalisco Presente; Michoacán de Ocampo Presente; Oaxaca Presente; Quintana Roo Presente; Tabasco Presente; Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave Presente; Yucatán Presente
Tipo de vegetación
No especificado, -no state-A
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaB
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaC
Estatus del taxón
(A) Como definida actualmente, probablemente una entidad natural (monofilética)A
Discusión taxonómica
Lycianthes chiapensis var. chiapensis
Lycianthes nyssifolia Bitter, Abh. Naturwiss. Verein Bremen 24 [preprint]: 366. 1919.
Type. Guatemala. Suchitepéquez: Las Nubes, Nov 1875, K. Bernoulli & O. Cario 2397 (holotype: GOET [GOET003443]).
Description. Woody vine to 10 m tall, probably taller. Indument of tan, pale yellow to brown, uniseriate, multicellular, stalked, multangulate-stellate (also some simple and dendritic), eglandular, spreading trichomes 0.1–0.5 (1 mm) long, 0.75–1 mm in diameter, the rays of the multangulate trichomes 3–6 per whorl, straight, rarely rebranched. Stems greenish-tan when young, sparsely to moderately pubescent, not compressed when dried in a plant press, becoming woody with age; upper sympodial branching usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial. Leaves simple, the leaves of the upper sympodia sometimes paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 4–14 × 2–4.5 cm, the smaller ones with blades 2–7 × 1.5–3.5 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate, elliptic or obovate (sometimes the small geminate leaf nearly orbicular), thick chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent especially along the veins (sometimes nearly glabrous), the base cuneate to rounded, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually undulate, the apex acute to acuminate (rarely rounded on smaller leaves), the petiole 0.2–2.5 cm long, the larger leaf blades with 4–6 primary veins on each side of the midvein. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–3, axillary, oriented horizontally to ascending; peduncles absent; pedicels 10–25 mm and erect to arching in flower, to 40 mm long and erect to arching in fruit, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; calyx 4–5 mm long, 4–5 mm in diameter, campanulate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, the margin truncate, slightly membranous, wavy or shallowly lobed, with 10 erect to spreading, linear appendages 0.25–3 mm long emerging 0.1–1.5 mm below the calyx rim; fruiting calyx enlarged, campanulate, remaining close to the fruit, 6–8 mm long, 10–13 mm in diameter, the appendages to 5 mm long; corolla 0.7–1.5 cm long, open corolla orientation unknown, stellate in outline, divided ca. 1/3 of the way to the base, with abundant interpetalar tissue, white, additional markings unknown, nearly glabrous to moderately pubescent with short trichomes abaxially near the veins; stamens subequal to unequal, straight, the four short filaments ca. 1 mm long, the long filament 1–2 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 5–5.5 mm long, lanceolate, free of one another, yellow, sometimes sparsely pubescent on inner surface along connective, poricidal at the tips, the pores obovate, dehiscing distally or toward the style, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 8–10 mm long, linear, straight, glabrous, the stigma ovoid. Fruit a berry, 10–20 mm long, 7–15 mm in diameter, ovoid, orange at maturity, glabrous, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 20–30 per fruit, 3.5–4 × 2.5–3 mm, flattened, with slightly thickened rim, depressed ovate in outline, yellow-orange to brown, the surface reticulum with minute, serpentine pattern with shallow luminae.
Chromosome number. Uknown.
Distribution and habitat. Mexico (Chiapas) and Guatemala (Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Suchitepéquez), in tropical moist forest or cloud forest, sometimes on sand formations, 1500–2400 m in elevation.
Common names and uses. None known.
Phenology. Flowering specimens have been collected in June. Specimens with mature fruits have been collected in December and January. The timing of the diurnal movements of the corollas of this species is not known, but the corollas are usually closed on herbarium specimens, indicating that they are probably open for a short time, most likely in the morning.
Preliminary conservation status. Lycianthes chiapensis var. chiapensis is a rarely collected variety of southwestern Guatemala and adjacent Mexico, represented by only 12 collections, three of which are from protected areas. The EOO is 3,020.311 km2, and the AOO is 44 km2. Based on the IUCN (2019) criteria, the preliminary assessment category is Endangered (EN).
Discussion. Lycianthes chiapensis var. chiapensis is an upper elevation wet forest taxon that is localized in the southern tip of Chiapas and the western region of Guatemala along the Pacific slope. Unlike the more common variety, L. chiapensis var. sparsistellata Standl. & Steyerm., this variety is under-collected, and little is known about its appearance and growth form; it is likely a large liana like var. sparsistellata. The lower sympodial units merge into sinuate woody branches as the plant ages. The mature wood is dark brown and lustrous. This variety differs from var. sparsistellata in having a larger flowering calyx that remains campanulate in fruit and adheres to the fruit as it ages; var. sparsistellata has a much smaller calyx that becomes plate-like in fruit. The fruit of var. chiapensis is also larger, ovoid, and has more seeds. This variety was the first variety to be described, and the type specimens mainly have buds on them, but the larger size of the buds are obvious and different from those of var. sparsistellata. In addition, the leaves of var. chiapensis are somewhat thicker in texture and often more glabrous than those of var. sparsistellata. Although most authors of floras have synonymized the two varieties (for example: Gentry and Standley 1974; Nee 1986), they appear to be very different with regard to calyx morphology and fruit size, and so we are keeping them separate in this treatment. Standley and Steyermark (1940) introduced confusion into the description of the two varieties when describing var. sparsistellata for the first time. The type of var. sparsistellata is clearly that of the small calyx form, but then one of the paratypes cited (Purpus 7166 from Cerro del Boquerón, Chiapas) is clearly the large calyx form. In describing var. sparsistellata, the authors chose to emphasize pubescence density and ignored the differences in calyx and fruit size.
Representative specimens examined. Guatemala. Quetzaltenango: Above Mujuliá, between San Martín Chile Verde and Colomba, 1800 m, 1 Feb 1941, P.C. Standley 85684 (F). San Marcos: near Aldea Fraternidad, between San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta and Palo Gordo, west facing slope of the Sierra Madre Mountains, 1800–2400 m, 10–18 Dec 1963, L.O. Williams 26281 (NY). Suchitepéquez: barranca by Loma Grande, above Finca El Naranjo, on Volcán Santa Clara, 1950–2100 m, 2 Jun 1942, J.A. Steyermark 46833 (NY). Mexico. Chiapas: Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo, Poligono III, Cerro Quetzal, 50 km al Sur de la Colonia Independencia, 15.7067, -92.9378, 1856 m, 1 Apr 2001, G. López-Hernández (MO).
Lycianthes chiapensis (Brandegee) Standl. var. sparsistellata Standl. & Steyerm., Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 22(4): 274 1940
Type. Guatemala. Chiquimula: Tixixí (Tishishí), 3–5 miles north of Jocotán, 500–1500 m, 10 Nov 1939, J.A. Steyermark 31555 (holotype: F [0072902F, acc. # 1039909]; isotype WIS).
Description.Shrub to woody vine, beginning as a shrub, becoming a large liana climbing into tree crowns up to 25 m tall and spreading in the crown up to 10 m wide, the lower stem to 15 cm in diameter. Indument of tannish-yellow to brown, uniseriate, multicellular, stalked, multangulate-stellate, eglandular, spreading trichomes 0.25–1 mm long, 0.75–1.2 mm in diameter, the rays 3–6 per whorl, straight, rarely rebranched. Stems light green when young (drying tan), moderately to densely pubescent, not compressed when dried in a plant press, becoming dark brown and woody with age, the stems sinuous, sometimes glabrate; upper sympodial branching usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial. Leaves simple, the leaves of the upper sympodia sometimes paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 2.5–10 × 1–4 cm, the smaller ones with blades 0.8–4 × 0.5–2 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate, elliptic or obovate (sometimes the small geminate leaf nearly orbicular), thin chartaceous to chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent especially along the veins (sometimes nearly glabrous), the base cuneate to rounded, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually undulate, the apex acute to acuminate (rarely rounded on smaller leaves), the petiole 0.2–1 cm long, the larger leaf blades with 4–5 primary veins on each side of the midvein. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–3 (5), axillary, oriented horizontally to ascending; peduncles absent; pedicels (5) 7–24 mm and erect to arching in flower, to 30 mm long and erect to arching in fruit, sparsely to moderately pubescent; calyx (2) 2.5–3.5 mm long, 3–4.5 mm in diameter, campanulate, sparsely to moderately pubescent, the margin truncate, slightly membranous, truncate to wavy or shallowly lobed, with 10 erect to spreading, linear appendages 0.5–2.5 mm long emerging 0.25–0.5 mm below the calyx rim; fruiting calyx enlarged, widely bowl- to plate-shaped, 2–3(4) mm long, 5–8(10) mm in diameter, the appendages not lengthening and often breaking off; corolla 0.6–1.5 cm long, rotate to slightly reflexed in orientation, nearly entire to stellate in outline, divided ca. 1/3–2/3 of the way to the base, with abundant interpetalar tissue, white, the adaxial lobes sometimes with a green spot at the base near the insertion of the shorter stamens, sparsely to moderately pubescent with short trichomes abaxially near the veins; stamens unequal, the four short filaments 0.5–1 mm long, the fifth filament 2.5–4 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 4–5 mm long, lanceolate, free of one another, yellow, pubescent on the inner face, poricidal at the tips, the pores obovate, those of the shorter stamens dehiscing distally or toward the style, those of the long stamen dehiscing toward the style, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 7–8 mm long, linear, straight to slightly curved, glabrous, the stigma capitate. Fruit a berry, 5–10 (13) mm long, 5–10 (13) mm in diameter, globose, green to white when immature, orange to red at maturity, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 5–20 per fruit, 3.5–4.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, flattened, with slightly thickened rim, depressed ovate in outline, yellow-orange to brown, the surface reticulum with minute serpentine pattern and shallow luminae.
Chromosome number. Unknown.
Distribution and habitat. Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz), Guatemala (Baja Verapaz, Chiquimula, El Progresso, probably elsewhere), Honduras (Copán, Cortés, Ocotepeque), Nicaragua (Jinotega, Matagalpa), in primary or secondary cloud forest (including oak forest), montane rain forest, and tropical dry forest, (500) 900–2000 m in elevation (Fig. 27).
Common names and uses. None known.
Phenology. In most parts of the range, flowering specimens have been collected July through November (January to March in Nicaragua). Specimens with immature and mature fruits have been collected throughout the year. In the field in Guatemala, the first author observed that the corollas of this species were still open at noon and closed later in the day.
Preliminary conservation status. Lycianthes chiapensis var. sparsistellata is a widespread variety of cloud forest habitat ranging from Mexico to Nicaragua, represented by 23 collections and occurring in five protected areas. The EOO is 156,415.154 km2, and the AOO is 84 km2. Based on the IUCN (2019) criteria, the preliminary assessment category is Least Concern (LC).
Discussion. Lycianthes chiapensis var. sparsistellata is an upper elevation cloud forest taxon that ranges from Veracruz to Honduras (possibly Nicaragua) mostly along the Caribbean slope. It can grow into a very tall liana that can cover the tree canopy, supported by a very large twining woody stem. The lower sympodial units merge into sinuate woody branches as the plant ages. The mature wood is dark brown and lustrous. This variety is the more common of the two varieties of L. chiapensis and differs from var. chiapensis in having a smaller flowering calyx that becomes plate-like as the plant fruits. The other variety has a larger flowering calyx that adheres to the fruit as it ages and a larger fruit with more seeds. See further discussion of the two varieties under var. chiapensis.
Representative specimens examined. Guatemala. Alta Verapaz: at Orchigonia orchid nursery/preserve outside of the city of Cobán along Guatemala Highway 14, 15.4373, -90.4120, 1487 m, 10 Aug 2017, E. Dean 9507 (DAV). Chiquimula: Cerro Tixixí (Tishishí), 3–5 m north of Jocotán, 500–1500 m, 10 Nov 1939, J.A. Steyermark 31555 (F, WIS). El Progreso: Cerro Pinalón, Sierra de las Minas, San Acasaguastlán, 15.0656, 89.9833, 2230 m, 1 Mar 2007, M. Flores 3548 (MO). Mexico. Chiapas: cima del Cerro Salomón, al NO de Benito Juárez, ca. 44 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapantepec, 16.7708, -94.1953, 1770 m, 7 Apr 1986, M. Ishiki 1451 (NY). Oaxaca: Cerro Sabinal, ca. 2 km al SO de Cerro Guayabitos, ca. 3 km en línea recta al NNO de Díaz Ordaz, ca. 40 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec, al O de la cima del cerro, 16.7333, -94.1917, 1500 m, 21 Dec 1984, T. Wendt 4678 (NY). Veracruz: along trails to base of Volcán Santa Marta, 0–3 km E village of Santa Marta, [18.35, -95.8667], 1100–1200 m, 29 Jun 1982, M. Nee 24700 (F, NY, XAL).A
Lycianthes nyssifolia Bitter, Abh. Naturwiss. Verein Bremen 24 [preprint]: 366. 1919.
Type. Guatemala. Suchitepéquez: Las Nubes, Nov 1875, K. Bernoulli & O. Cario 2397 (holotype: GOET [GOET003443]).
Description. Woody vine to 10 m tall, probably taller. Indument of tan, pale yellow to brown, uniseriate, multicellular, stalked, multangulate-stellate (also some simple and dendritic), eglandular, spreading trichomes 0.1–0.5 (1 mm) long, 0.75–1 mm in diameter, the rays of the multangulate trichomes 3–6 per whorl, straight, rarely rebranched. Stems greenish-tan when young, sparsely to moderately pubescent, not compressed when dried in a plant press, becoming woody with age; upper sympodial branching usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial. Leaves simple, the leaves of the upper sympodia sometimes paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 4–14 × 2–4.5 cm, the smaller ones with blades 2–7 × 1.5–3.5 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate, elliptic or obovate (sometimes the small geminate leaf nearly orbicular), thick chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent especially along the veins (sometimes nearly glabrous), the base cuneate to rounded, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually undulate, the apex acute to acuminate (rarely rounded on smaller leaves), the petiole 0.2–2.5 cm long, the larger leaf blades with 4–6 primary veins on each side of the midvein. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–3, axillary, oriented horizontally to ascending; peduncles absent; pedicels 10–25 mm and erect to arching in flower, to 40 mm long and erect to arching in fruit, glabrous to sparsely pubescent; calyx 4–5 mm long, 4–5 mm in diameter, campanulate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, the margin truncate, slightly membranous, wavy or shallowly lobed, with 10 erect to spreading, linear appendages 0.25–3 mm long emerging 0.1–1.5 mm below the calyx rim; fruiting calyx enlarged, campanulate, remaining close to the fruit, 6–8 mm long, 10–13 mm in diameter, the appendages to 5 mm long; corolla 0.7–1.5 cm long, open corolla orientation unknown, stellate in outline, divided ca. 1/3 of the way to the base, with abundant interpetalar tissue, white, additional markings unknown, nearly glabrous to moderately pubescent with short trichomes abaxially near the veins; stamens subequal to unequal, straight, the four short filaments ca. 1 mm long, the long filament 1–2 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 5–5.5 mm long, lanceolate, free of one another, yellow, sometimes sparsely pubescent on inner surface along connective, poricidal at the tips, the pores obovate, dehiscing distally or toward the style, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 8–10 mm long, linear, straight, glabrous, the stigma ovoid. Fruit a berry, 10–20 mm long, 7–15 mm in diameter, ovoid, orange at maturity, glabrous, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 20–30 per fruit, 3.5–4 × 2.5–3 mm, flattened, with slightly thickened rim, depressed ovate in outline, yellow-orange to brown, the surface reticulum with minute, serpentine pattern with shallow luminae.
Chromosome number. Uknown.
Distribution and habitat. Mexico (Chiapas) and Guatemala (Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Suchitepéquez), in tropical moist forest or cloud forest, sometimes on sand formations, 1500–2400 m in elevation.
Common names and uses. None known.
Phenology. Flowering specimens have been collected in June. Specimens with mature fruits have been collected in December and January. The timing of the diurnal movements of the corollas of this species is not known, but the corollas are usually closed on herbarium specimens, indicating that they are probably open for a short time, most likely in the morning.
Preliminary conservation status. Lycianthes chiapensis var. chiapensis is a rarely collected variety of southwestern Guatemala and adjacent Mexico, represented by only 12 collections, three of which are from protected areas. The EOO is 3,020.311 km2, and the AOO is 44 km2. Based on the IUCN (2019) criteria, the preliminary assessment category is Endangered (EN).
Discussion. Lycianthes chiapensis var. chiapensis is an upper elevation wet forest taxon that is localized in the southern tip of Chiapas and the western region of Guatemala along the Pacific slope. Unlike the more common variety, L. chiapensis var. sparsistellata Standl. & Steyerm., this variety is under-collected, and little is known about its appearance and growth form; it is likely a large liana like var. sparsistellata. The lower sympodial units merge into sinuate woody branches as the plant ages. The mature wood is dark brown and lustrous. This variety differs from var. sparsistellata in having a larger flowering calyx that remains campanulate in fruit and adheres to the fruit as it ages; var. sparsistellata has a much smaller calyx that becomes plate-like in fruit. The fruit of var. chiapensis is also larger, ovoid, and has more seeds. This variety was the first variety to be described, and the type specimens mainly have buds on them, but the larger size of the buds are obvious and different from those of var. sparsistellata. In addition, the leaves of var. chiapensis are somewhat thicker in texture and often more glabrous than those of var. sparsistellata. Although most authors of floras have synonymized the two varieties (for example: Gentry and Standley 1974; Nee 1986), they appear to be very different with regard to calyx morphology and fruit size, and so we are keeping them separate in this treatment. Standley and Steyermark (1940) introduced confusion into the description of the two varieties when describing var. sparsistellata for the first time. The type of var. sparsistellata is clearly that of the small calyx form, but then one of the paratypes cited (Purpus 7166 from Cerro del Boquerón, Chiapas) is clearly the large calyx form. In describing var. sparsistellata, the authors chose to emphasize pubescence density and ignored the differences in calyx and fruit size.
Representative specimens examined. Guatemala. Quetzaltenango: Above Mujuliá, between San Martín Chile Verde and Colomba, 1800 m, 1 Feb 1941, P.C. Standley 85684 (F). San Marcos: near Aldea Fraternidad, between San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta and Palo Gordo, west facing slope of the Sierra Madre Mountains, 1800–2400 m, 10–18 Dec 1963, L.O. Williams 26281 (NY). Suchitepéquez: barranca by Loma Grande, above Finca El Naranjo, on Volcán Santa Clara, 1950–2100 m, 2 Jun 1942, J.A. Steyermark 46833 (NY). Mexico. Chiapas: Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo, Poligono III, Cerro Quetzal, 50 km al Sur de la Colonia Independencia, 15.7067, -92.9378, 1856 m, 1 Apr 2001, G. López-Hernández (MO).
Lycianthes chiapensis (Brandegee) Standl. var. sparsistellata Standl. & Steyerm., Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 22(4): 274 1940
Type. Guatemala. Chiquimula: Tixixí (Tishishí), 3–5 miles north of Jocotán, 500–1500 m, 10 Nov 1939, J.A. Steyermark 31555 (holotype: F [0072902F, acc. # 1039909]; isotype WIS).
Description.Shrub to woody vine, beginning as a shrub, becoming a large liana climbing into tree crowns up to 25 m tall and spreading in the crown up to 10 m wide, the lower stem to 15 cm in diameter. Indument of tannish-yellow to brown, uniseriate, multicellular, stalked, multangulate-stellate, eglandular, spreading trichomes 0.25–1 mm long, 0.75–1.2 mm in diameter, the rays 3–6 per whorl, straight, rarely rebranched. Stems light green when young (drying tan), moderately to densely pubescent, not compressed when dried in a plant press, becoming dark brown and woody with age, the stems sinuous, sometimes glabrate; upper sympodial branching usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial. Leaves simple, the leaves of the upper sympodia sometimes paired and unequal in size, the larger ones with blades 2.5–10 × 1–4 cm, the smaller ones with blades 0.8–4 × 0.5–2 cm, the leaf pairs similar in shape, the blades ovate, elliptic or obovate (sometimes the small geminate leaf nearly orbicular), thin chartaceous to chartaceous, sparsely to moderately pubescent especially along the veins (sometimes nearly glabrous), the base cuneate to rounded, sometimes oblique, the margin entire, usually undulate, the apex acute to acuminate (rarely rounded on smaller leaves), the petiole 0.2–1 cm long, the larger leaf blades with 4–5 primary veins on each side of the midvein. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–3 (5), axillary, oriented horizontally to ascending; peduncles absent; pedicels (5) 7–24 mm and erect to arching in flower, to 30 mm long and erect to arching in fruit, sparsely to moderately pubescent; calyx (2) 2.5–3.5 mm long, 3–4.5 mm in diameter, campanulate, sparsely to moderately pubescent, the margin truncate, slightly membranous, truncate to wavy or shallowly lobed, with 10 erect to spreading, linear appendages 0.5–2.5 mm long emerging 0.25–0.5 mm below the calyx rim; fruiting calyx enlarged, widely bowl- to plate-shaped, 2–3(4) mm long, 5–8(10) mm in diameter, the appendages not lengthening and often breaking off; corolla 0.6–1.5 cm long, rotate to slightly reflexed in orientation, nearly entire to stellate in outline, divided ca. 1/3–2/3 of the way to the base, with abundant interpetalar tissue, white, the adaxial lobes sometimes with a green spot at the base near the insertion of the shorter stamens, sparsely to moderately pubescent with short trichomes abaxially near the veins; stamens unequal, the four short filaments 0.5–1 mm long, the fifth filament 2.5–4 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 4–5 mm long, lanceolate, free of one another, yellow, pubescent on the inner face, poricidal at the tips, the pores obovate, those of the shorter stamens dehiscing distally or toward the style, those of the long stamen dehiscing toward the style, not opening into longitudinal slits; pistil with glabrous ovary, the style 7–8 mm long, linear, straight to slightly curved, glabrous, the stigma capitate. Fruit a berry, 5–10 (13) mm long, 5–10 (13) mm in diameter, globose, green to white when immature, orange to red at maturity, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, lacking sclerotic granules. Seeds 5–20 per fruit, 3.5–4.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, flattened, with slightly thickened rim, depressed ovate in outline, yellow-orange to brown, the surface reticulum with minute serpentine pattern and shallow luminae.
Chromosome number. Unknown.
Distribution and habitat. Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz), Guatemala (Baja Verapaz, Chiquimula, El Progresso, probably elsewhere), Honduras (Copán, Cortés, Ocotepeque), Nicaragua (Jinotega, Matagalpa), in primary or secondary cloud forest (including oak forest), montane rain forest, and tropical dry forest, (500) 900–2000 m in elevation (Fig. 27).
Common names and uses. None known.
Phenology. In most parts of the range, flowering specimens have been collected July through November (January to March in Nicaragua). Specimens with immature and mature fruits have been collected throughout the year. In the field in Guatemala, the first author observed that the corollas of this species were still open at noon and closed later in the day.
Preliminary conservation status. Lycianthes chiapensis var. sparsistellata is a widespread variety of cloud forest habitat ranging from Mexico to Nicaragua, represented by 23 collections and occurring in five protected areas. The EOO is 156,415.154 km2, and the AOO is 84 km2. Based on the IUCN (2019) criteria, the preliminary assessment category is Least Concern (LC).
Discussion. Lycianthes chiapensis var. sparsistellata is an upper elevation cloud forest taxon that ranges from Veracruz to Honduras (possibly Nicaragua) mostly along the Caribbean slope. It can grow into a very tall liana that can cover the tree canopy, supported by a very large twining woody stem. The lower sympodial units merge into sinuate woody branches as the plant ages. The mature wood is dark brown and lustrous. This variety is the more common of the two varieties of L. chiapensis and differs from var. chiapensis in having a smaller flowering calyx that becomes plate-like as the plant fruits. The other variety has a larger flowering calyx that adheres to the fruit as it ages and a larger fruit with more seeds. See further discussion of the two varieties under var. chiapensis.
Representative specimens examined. Guatemala. Alta Verapaz: at Orchigonia orchid nursery/preserve outside of the city of Cobán along Guatemala Highway 14, 15.4373, -90.4120, 1487 m, 10 Aug 2017, E. Dean 9507 (DAV). Chiquimula: Cerro Tixixí (Tishishí), 3–5 m north of Jocotán, 500–1500 m, 10 Nov 1939, J.A. Steyermark 31555 (F, WIS). El Progreso: Cerro Pinalón, Sierra de las Minas, San Acasaguastlán, 15.0656, 89.9833, 2230 m, 1 Mar 2007, M. Flores 3548 (MO). Mexico. Chiapas: cima del Cerro Salomón, al NO de Benito Juárez, ca. 44 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapantepec, 16.7708, -94.1953, 1770 m, 7 Apr 1986, M. Ishiki 1451 (NY). Oaxaca: Cerro Sabinal, ca. 2 km al SO de Cerro Guayabitos, ca. 3 km en línea recta al NNO de Díaz Ordaz, ca. 40 km en línea recta al N de San Pedro Tapanatepec, al O de la cima del cerro, 16.7333, -94.1917, 1500 m, 21 Dec 1984, T. Wendt 4678 (NY). Veracruz: along trails to base of Volcán Santa Marta, 0–3 km E village of Santa Marta, [18.35, -95.8667], 1100–1200 m, 29 Jun 1982, M. Nee 24700 (F, NY, XAL).A