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Taxonomic novelties in the subfamily Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) for the Colombian Amazon

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Abstract

Two new species of Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) from the Colombian Amazon are described: Aechmea cardenasii and A. andaquiensis. Aechmea cardenasii is significantly different from other species of Bromelioideae, although it roughly resembles A. rubiginosa because of its simple, strobilate inflorescence. Aechmea andaquiensis belongs to a taxonomic complex that includes A. abbreviata, A. angustifolia, and A. roeseliae, but it is unique among these species due to its oblong-spathulate leaf blades and short inflorescences with densely floccose-ferruginous floral bracts. Additionally, an unexpected record of the Chocó-centered genus Ronnbergia in the eastern Andean slopes of Caquetá is reported. Finally, a short discussion is provided about the problematic usage of binomials of Streptocalyx instead of Aechmea for taxonomic catalogues. This discussion is based on the necessity to add A. confusa to the Catalogue of Colombian Plants.

Resumen

Se describen dos especies nuevas de Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) para la Amazonía colombiana: Aechmea cardenasii y A. andaquiensis. Aechmea cardenasii es significativamente diferente a cualquier otra especie de Bromelioideae, sin embargo comparte algunas similitudes con A. rubiginosa, como la inflorescencia simple y estrobilada. Aechmea andaquiensis pertenece a un complejo taxonómico que incluye a A. abbreviata, A. angustifolia y A. roeseliae, pero difiere de estas principalmente por sus hojas oblongo espatuladas y sus cortas inflorescencias con brácteas florales densamente flocoso ferrugineas. Adicionalmente, se documenta un registro inesperado de Ronnbergia, un género característico del Chocó biogeográfico, para el piedemonte amazónico del departamento de Caquetá. Finalmente, se discute la problemática de seguir usando binomios de Streptocalyx en lugar de Aechmea en catálogos taxonómicos. Esta discusión se basa en la necesidad de adicionar a A. confusa al Catálogo de Plantas de Colombia.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and the Instituto Amazónico de Investigaciones Científicas SINCHI for the facilities provided for the development of this research. We are grateful to Colciencias (Colombia-BIO Expeditions) for financing the expedition to Belén de Los Andaquíes. We thank all the members of the Fundación Tierra Viva and participants of the Colombia-Bio Expedition to the Andean-Amazonian Transition of Caquetá for their valuable help in the field. Finally, we are grateful to Marcela Morales for the beautiful illustrations included in this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Julian Aguirre-Santoro.

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Aguirre-Santoro, J., Betancur, J. Taxonomic novelties in the subfamily Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae) for the Colombian Amazon. Brittonia 71, 15–24 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-018-9548-y

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