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Plukenetia huayllabambana sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from the upper Amazon of Peru
Author(s) -
Bussmann Rainer W.,
Téllez Carolina,
Glenn Ashley
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2009.00460.x
Subject(s) - biology , euphorbiaceae , amazon rainforest , botany , ecology
A new species of Plukenetia from the Peruvian Department of Amazonas is described. Plukenetia huayllabambana R. W. Bussmann, C. Téllez & A. Glenn sp. nov. seems to be endemic to rocky patches in the cloud forest region of Mendoza. The species is similar to Plukenetia volubilis L., a species widely known from the Caribbean and Latin America, and Plukenetia stipellata L. J. Gillespie, which is only known from Central America. Both of these species occur only up to about 1200 m a.s.l., while Plukenetia huayllabambana has only been found above 1300 m a.s.l. The new species distinctly differs in its small number of stamens, stylar column length, and very large fruits and seeds. In Peru, Plukenetia spp. are widely known as ‘Sacha Inchi’ (forest Peanut), and Plukenetia huayllabambana could have a good potential to become an income source for the local communities.