Gesneria viridiflora subsp. acrochordonanthe L. E. Skog

Gesneria viridiflora subsp. acrochordonanthe L. Skog

Plantae fruticosae, caule lignoso, cortice ferrugineo glabro verrucoso ad apicem resinoso. Folia alterna; petiolus sulcatus, 0.9–1.8 cm longus, 1–3 mm in diametro, rubellus, verrucosus; lamina elliptica vel obovata, 6.8–11.9 cm longa, 2.1–4.8 cm lata, coriacea, ad basim acuta, ad margines serrulata vel serrate, apice rotundo vel acuto, pagina adaxiali viridi glabra praeter venam mediam puberulenti, pagina abaxiali ferruginea glabra vena media prominente resinosa. Inflorescentiae 1– ad ∞-florae, pedunculis teretibus 9.7–16.2 cm longis 2–3 mm in diametris verruculosis, bracteis ellipticis ca 3 mm longis verrucosis, pedicellis teretibus 0.6–1.5 cm longis 2 mm in diametris; tubus floralis turbinatus, ca 5 mm longus, 4 mm in diametro, ferrugineus, verrucosus, resinosus; calycis lobi 5, late lineares, 5–6 mm longi, 2 mm lati, extus et intus ferruginei, resinosi, apice quam basi aliquantulum crassiore; corolla campanulate, tubo (in corollis immaturis visis) 6 mm longo viridulo maculas rubras ferenti verrucoso resinoso, limbo 5-lobato, lobis superioribus 4 mm longis, 5 mm latis ad margines fimbriatis trichomata glandulosa gerentibus, lobis lateralibus 3 mm longis 5 mm latis ad margines integris, lobo basali 4 mm longo 6 mm lato ad margines integro, staminibus 4, filamentis ad corollae basim 1 mm adnatis curvatis, antheris binatim conniventibus, ovario inferiore apice puberulente disco annulari. Capsula turbinata 0.6–1.0 cm longa 6–8 mm lata grosse verrucosa costis obscuris, seminibus elongatis fusi-formibus, 1 mm longis minus quam 0.25 mm latis ferrugineis apicibus elongatis.

TYPE-COLLECTION.—St. Louis du Sud, Bonnet-Carré, Haiti, E. Ekman H9236 (S, holotype; EHH, K, US Figure 78a, isotypes).

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY.—This subspecies is known from southwestern Haiti in the Massif de la Hotte, in forests on limestone and lateritic soil at altitudes from 1000–1200 m. Gesneria viridiflora subsp. acrochordonanthe has been collected in flower only in November. The plants are probably bat-pollinated and may be visited by any of the flower-feeding bats found on Hispaniola (Figure 79).