De Leon pothos (Pothos deleonii), new species (Araceae, Potheae, Pothoideae) from Mindanao, Philippines

NEWS - De Leon pothos (Pothos deleonii sp. nov.), Araceae: Potheae: Pothoideae, closely resembles Pothos philippinensis in sheath and leaf morphology, but differs in inflorescence and flowers. The new species is closely related to Pothos kingii in dark purple inflorescences.

The new species is morphologically similar to P. philippinensis in vegetative characters but differs in purple peduncles, dark burgundy to purplish black sheaths and pendulous petioles and acuminate to caudate leaf tips (vs. acuminate to apiculate).

P. deleonii is most closely related to R. kingii and P. atropurpurascens M. Hotta in having purple cylindrical peduncles, but differs by having much longer, purplish green to dark purple peduncles, 16-18 cm long (vs. 5 cm in P. kingii and 8 cm in P. atropurpurascens), broad ovate spathes, subsessile peduncles and 7/10 of the total spathe length, larger flower diameter (2 mm) and flower orientation.

P. deleonii is only known from a very limited area at two sites in degraded, open-canopy secondary dipterocarp forest in a 500-hectare bird conservation site located in the northern foothills of Mount Kitanglad at elevations of 1150 and 1270 m.

It grows on the ground or at the base of Shorea sp. trees and Alsophila sp. trunks, dbh 12-20 cm. Attached to host plants from the ground up to 4-6 meters, where the plant branches and grows freely, either hanging or supported by vines or branches of adjacent trees.

No specific relationship with plants other than the host plant is known. However, the habitat supports other aroids such as Alocasia sanderiana, A. zebrina and Rhaphidophora sp.

The specific epithet is given in honor of Dr. Miguel David De Leon, a vitreoretinal surgeon and wildlife conservationist who first photographed this new species and advocated the conservation of wild flora, especially orchids and hoyas, fauna especially birds of prey in Mindanao.

Extensive surveys in an area of 500 hectares found only 12 adults. This plant is in a bird conservation area and is continuously monitored by the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservancy. Currently there are no threats, but the small population and distribution of less than 2 hectares, the researchers proposed Critically Endangered based on IUCN criteria (2024).

Original research

Medecilo-Guiang MMP, Cabactulan D (2024) Pothos deleonii (Araceae, Potheae, Pothoideae), a new species from Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines. PhytoKeys 247: 183-190, DOI:10.3897/phytokeys.247.130721

Dlium theDlium

Black jumping spider (Hyllus diardi)

Black jumping spider ( Hyllus diardi ) is an animal species in the Salticidae, black and white spiders, long hair, round head, elongated belly, relatively small, arboreal, perched on leaves in bushes and low trees in forests and agricultural lands. H. diardi has black and white color, shiny surface and white hair all over the body. The head is round, shiny black with a linear white line in the middle. Black eyes on the front of the head. The stomach has an elongated, jointed, black cylindrical shape with black plots at the top of each segment. The legs are long, segmented, shiny black or brownish in color and hairy. Black jumping spiders live arboreal, perch on leaf surfaces, low bushes, trees in forests, agricultural land, roadsides and shade. Very sensitive to human presence and will hide behind leaves to avoid sight. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Suborder: Araneomorphae Infraorder: Entelegynae Superfamily: Salticoi...

Hairy senna (Senna hirsuta)

Hairy senna ( Senna hirsuta ) is a species of plant in the Fabaceae family. It is an upright shrub, growing up to 2.5 meters tall. The leaves are compound on petioles up to 13 cm long. They usually have 2-6 pairs of leaflets, are egg-shaped, and have white hairs, up to 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. The flowers are yellow and arranged at the tips of branches and in the upper leaf axils in clusters of 2-5. The petals are 12-16 mm long, have 6 stamens, 3-8 mm long anthers, and 4 staminodes. Flowering occurs almost monthly. The pods are cylindrical, up to 15 cm long, 4-6 mm wide, and curved. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae Tribe: Cassieae Subtribe: Cassiinae Genus: Senna Mill. in Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4.: [s.p.] (1754) Species: Senna hirsuta (L.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby in Phytologia 44: 499 (1979) Variety: Senna hirsuta var. acuminata (Benth.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby, Senna ...

Awar awar (Ficus septica)

Awar-awar or lagnob or hauli tree or barabar or sirih popar or tobo tobo ( Ficus septica ) is species of plants in Moraceae, trees grow in bushes or in neglected places and sap contained in roots, twigs, leaves and fruit is used to treat poisoning and digestive problems. F. septica is usually 1-5 m high, although in the forest it can be up to 25 m. Round, hollow and bare branches. Roots, twigs, leaves and fruit will emit a yellow sap and sticky if injured. The base of the leaves is large and spiky, arranged alternately or face to face with a stem length of 2.5-5 cm. Large leaf blade, round egg, 9-30x9-16 cm, rounded base and blunt narrow tip, flat-edged, upper side dark green with 6-12 secondary bones pale white. Fruit paired, single or clustered up to 4 items, short-stemmed, at the base has 3 protective leaves, light green or gray green and 1.5 cm in diameter. F. septica is food for 22 animal species including wasps, bats, birds, monkeys and mice as well as seed dispersing vecto...

Dlium