Jorge Brito hanging flower (Ceratostema jorgebritoi) and Siete Iglesias hanging flower (Ceratostema sieteiglesiana)

Jorge Brito hanging flower (Ceratostema jorgebritoi) dan Siete Iglesias hanging flower (Ceratostema sieteiglesiana)

NEWS - Ceratostema jorgebritoi has unique spirally arranged leaves and is the second species in the genus with tetrameric flowers. Ceratostema sieteiglesiana is distinguished by its spirally arranged leaves and distinctive five-winged hypanthium, further enhanced by conspicuous calyx branches. Both are new species.

Jorge Brito hanging flower (C. jorgebritoi) is similar to C. flexuosum (A.C. Sm.) J.F. Macbr., but has tetrameric flowers with oblong (vs. lanceolate) petal lobes, 5-9 acuminate (vs. 3-5 acuminate) and spirally arranged (vs. distichous).

Terminal inflorescence (vs. axillary), larger floral bracts (26.0×9.5 mm vs. 4.0-5.0×2.0 mm), longer hypanthium (3.4-10.1 mm vs. 3.0-4.0 mm), lanceolate-deltaic calyx lobes (vs. oblong) with a pointed apex (vs. acuminate) and narrow triangular corolla lobes (vs. lanceolate).

The species is found in Gualaquiza, Morona-Santiago, southeastern Ecuador. It grows in the eastern Andean foothills at elevations of 1600-1800 meters in primary forest and disturbed secondary areas. The researchers propose a conservation status of EN (Endangered). The name is dedicated to Jorge Brito-Molina, a biologist who has made significant contributions to terrestrial amphibians and micromammals.

Siete Iglesias hanging flower (C. sieteiglesiana) is similar to C. zamorana M.M.Jiménez & Vélez-abarca, but leaves are smaller (1.7-5.5×0.6-2.5 cm vs. 7.7-12.7×3.7-6.5 cm), inflorescences are short to very short-stalked (vs. long-stalked), flower parts are pubescent (vs. pruinose), flower stalks are shorter (1.92.7 cm vs. 2.2-4.1 cm) and subterete (vs. subquadrangular).

Bracteoles subulate (vs. ovate), calyx lobes longer (12.7-19.1 mm vs. 11.3-12.5 mm), sinus and apex pointed (vs. acuminate), corolla lobes longer (28-30 mm vs. 15-16 mm), outer black (vs. magenta) and filaments longer (9.5-13.1 mm vs. 4.5 mm).

C. sieteiglesiana is endemic to the forests around the city of San Juan Bosco, Morona-Santiago, Ecuador. The new species was found at 1500-1700 m elevation in a layered forest containing trees and saplings covered with moss. Conservation status EN (threatened). Named after the type location of this rare species, the Municipal Conservation ecological area Siete Iglesias.

Original research

Marco M. Jiménez, Gabriel A. Iturralde, J.R. Kuethe, Leisberth Vélez-Abarca & Henry X. Garzón-Suárez (2024). New species of Ceratostema (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from the southeast Andes of Ecuador-I. Phytotaxa 663 (3): 111-126, DOI:10.11646/phytotaxa.663.3.1

Dlium theDlium

Screw tree (Helicteres isora)

Screw tree ( Helicteres isora ) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae family. It is a shrub or small tree, up to 8 meters tall. It has gray bark and alternate leaves, up to 22 cm long and 17 cm wide, oval in shape, with serrated edges and hairs. The flowers are red or white and reach a total length of 5.5 cm. The fruit is green when unripe, brown or gray when dry, twisted, spiral-shaped, and pointed at the tip. The seeds are black or brown, shiny, and diagonal, triangular, or rectangular. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Subfamily: Helicteroideae Tribe: Helictereae Genus: Helicteres Pluk. ex L. in Sp. Pl.: 963 (1753) Species: Helicteres isora L. in Sp. Pl.: 963 (1753) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Helicteres baruensis var. ovata DC. in Prodr. 1: 476 (1824) Helicteres chrysocalyx Miq. ex Mast. in J.D.Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 1: 365 (1874) Helicteres corylifolia Buch.-Ham. ex Dillwyn in Rev. Hortus Malab....

Red lip (Syzygium myrtifolium)

Pucuk merah or daun pucuk merah or red lip ( Syzygium myrtifolium ) is a plant species in the Myrtaceae, a medium tree with a cylindrical trunk and produces cambium, up to 5 meters high, bark rough and light brown, many branches and strong roots. S. myrtifolium has oval-shaped leaves, pointed tip and base, up to 7 cm long, up to 2 cm wide, a vein in the middle, flat margins, shiny surface, bright red leaf buds and will turn green over time. The flowers are compound and arranged in panicles. The flowers bloom with a stigma in the center and are white. The fruit is round and up to 1 cm in diameter, the middle of the upper surface has a depression and is shiny black when ripe. This species grows in forests, agricultural land, roadsides and abandoned lands. This tree has a root structure that goes deep into the ground and is sturdy so it is often used to rehabilitate land, prevent landslides and store water reserves. This tree has a greater ability to absorb CO2 than other types of pla...

Breng (Coldenia breng)

Breng ( Coldenia breng ) is a species of plant in the Boraginaceae family. It is a herbaceous plant that grows along the ground, with radial, cylindrical stems, red, multi-branched, alternate, and white-haired. C. breng has alternate leaves along the stem, oval to nearly round, up to 2.5 cm long, up to 1.5 cm wide, and white-haired. This plant grows in floodplains, seasonally inundated riverbanks, and drying rice fields. It thrives in sandy or silty soils and is drought-tolerant. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Boraginales Family: Boraginaceae Subfamily: Cordioideae Genus: Coldenia L. in Sp. Pl.: 125 (1753) Species: Coldenia breng Aryo Bandoro Dlium TheDlium YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium

Dlium