Brittonia, 32(3), 1980, pp. 368-371.

9 1980, by the New York BotanicalGarden, Bronx, NY 10458

SPIRANTHES DENDRONEURA (ORCHIDACEAE), A NEW

SPECIES FROM CHIHUAHUA

C. J. SHEVIAK AND R. A . BYE, JR.

Sheviak, C. J. (Biological Survey, New York State Museum, The State Edu-
cation Department, Albany, NY 12230) and R. A. Bye, Jr. (Department of En-
vironmental, Population and Organismic Biology and the University of Colorado
Museum, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309). Spiranthes dendroneura
(Orchidaceae), a new species from Chihuahua. Brittonia 32: 368-371. 1980.--
Spiranthes dendroneura, a new species from the pine-oak forests of northwestern
Mexico, resembles S. parasitica and S. valerioi in the slender leafless flowering
habit, the solitary, tuberously thickened root, and the calli at the base of the lip,
but differs by the distinctive shape of the lip which lacks a red central thickening.

C o n t i n u i n g floristic w o r k in t h e S i e r r a M a d r e O c c i d e n t a l o f C h i h u a h u a , M e x i c o ,
by the second author has periodically yielded poorly known taxa (Bye & Soltis,
1979) o r u n d e s c r i b e d s p e c i e s ( B y e & C o n s t a n c e , 1979; C o n s t a n c e & B y e , 1976).
O n e such n e w p l a n t , a d i m i n u t i v e Spiranthes, is t r e a t e d h e r e . T h e p l a n t s w e r e
first c o l l e c t e d in 1973 f r o m a d r y o p e n field in p i n e - o a k f o r e s t s o u t h o f t h e Bar-
r a n c a del C o b r e . T h e s p e c i m e n s f r o m this c o l l e c t i o n w e r e i n c l u d e d w i t h a set o f
o t h e r o r c h i d s g i v e n to t h e first a u t h o r f o r d e t e r m i n a t i o n a n d w e r e r e c o g n i z e d as
u n d e s c r i b e d . W i t h f a m i l i a r i t y g a i n e d f r o m this a n d s u b s e q u e n t c o l l e c t i o n s , it h a s
b e c o m e a p p a r e n t t h a t t h e p l a n t s w a r r a n t d e s c r i p t i o n at t h e specific level.

Spiranthes dendroneura S h e v i a k & B y e , sp. n o v . (Fig. 1)

Herba perennis erecta 10-20 cm alta, gracilis simplex glabra, pallide vinoso-ferruginea, radicibus
solitariis tuberoso-incrassatis 20-27 mm longis et 4-7 mm diam. descendentibus, foliis radicalibus
fugacibus hysteranthis, caulibus gracilibus usque ad 1 mm diam. bracteis (5) 7-8 vaginantibus scariosis
instructis, spicis laxis 25-50 mm longis, 6-8 mm diam., bracteis floriferis scariosis acuminatis 5-7 mm
longis. Flores (3) 4-8 (9), inter se distantes (ad 9 ram) secundi vel in spiram laxam contorti, ovafio
erecto 2-4 mm longo, 1.5-2.0 mm diam., perianthio horizontali vel leviter ascendenti, sepalis et
petalis pallide vinoso-ferrugineis, nervis vifido-luteis ferruginescentibus labello albo, in centro viridi-
lutescenti nervis viridio-luteis instructo, ferruginascentibus, sepalis lateralibus 4 mm longis, 1 mm
latis, lanceolatis acutis uninerviis, sepalo dorsali 5 mm longo 1.5 mm lato lanceolato acuto uninervi,
petalis 4 mm longis 1 mm latis lanceolatis subacutis uninerviis, labello 4 mm longo 2.5 mm lato
membranaceo vel in centro laminae succulento ovato obtuso prope basin dilatato, nervis lateralibus
patenti-ramosis, tuberculis basalibus humilibus rotundatis obscuris, rostelli rostro brevi, seminibus
ellipsoideis vel fusiformibus saepe tortilibus, monoembryonatis. Folia matura ignota.
S l e n d e r e r e c t p e r e n n i a l h e r b , w h o l l y g l a b r o u s , 10-20 c m tall. R o o t s o l i t a r y ,
t u b e r o u s l y t h i c k e n e d , 2 0 - 2 7 m m l o n g , 4 - 7 m m t h i c k , d e s c e n d i n g . Leaves ap-
p e a r i n g a f t e r a n t h e s i s , f u g a c e o u s , w h o l l y b a s a l . Stem and inflorescence p a l e v i n a -
c e o u s - r u s t . Stern s l e n d e r , to 1 m m t h i c k , b e a r i n g (5) 7 - 8 l o o s e l y s h e a t h i n g s c a r -
i o u s b r a c t s 8 - 1 8 m m long. Spike lax, 2 5 - 5 0 m m l o n g , 6 - 8 m m in d i a m e t e r . Floral
bracts s c a r i o u s , o v a t e , a c u m i n a t e , 5 - 7 m m long. Flowers (3) 4 - 8 (9), s p a c e d to
9 m m a p a r t , in a l o o s e s p i r a l to n e a r l y s e c u n d ; o v a r y e r e c t , 2 - 4 m m l o n g , 1.5-2
m m in d i a m e t e r ; p e r i a n t h h o r i z o n t a l to s l i g h t l y a s c e n d i n g ; s e p a l s a n d p e t a l s p a l e
v i n a c e o u s - r u s t , s t r i p e d with v i n a c e o u s - r u s t ; lip w h i t e , b e c o m i n g g r e e n - y e l l o w
c e n t r a l l y , v e i n e d w i t h g r e e n - y e l l o w , t h e v e i n s b e c o m i n g rust. Lateral sepals 4
m m long, 1 m m w i d e , l a n c e o l a t e , a c u t e , 1 - n e r v e d ; d o r s a l s e p a l 5 m m l o n g , 1.5
m m w i d e , l a n c e o l a t e , a c u t e , 1-nerved. Petals 4 m m long, 1 m m w i d e , l a n c e o l a t e ,
a c u t i s h , b u t with t h e v e r y tip blunt, 1 - n e r v e d . Lip 4 m m long, 2.5 m m w i d e ,
m e m b r a n a c e o u s to f l e s h y c e n t r a l l y , o v a t e , o b t u s e , s o m e w h a t d i l a t e d b a s a l l y , with
d e n d r i t i c v e n a t i o n ; b a s a l calli l o w , r o u n d e d , o b s c u r e . Rostellum with a s h o r t
1980] S H E V I A K & BYE: S P I R A N T H E S 369

FIG. 1. Spiranthes dendroneura Sheviak & Bye. A. Lip, x 16. B. Seed, x 175. C. Plant, x 1.4.
370 BRITTONIA [VOL. 32

beak. Seeds ellipsoidal to fusiform, often spiralled or contorted, monoembryonic.

Mature leaves unknown.
TYPE: MEXICO. CHIHUAHUA: Municipio de Urique, Saw~irare, near Napuchi
and NE of Samachique (27~ 107~ S of Barranca del Cobre, at 2400 m
elev., 2 Jun 1973, R. A. Bye, Jr. 3944 (HOLOTYPE: NYS; ISOTYPE: COLO).
Other specimens: MEXICO. CHIHUAHUA: Type locality, 3 Jun 1978, R. A.
Bye, Jr. 8565 (COLO).
Spiranthes dendroneura appears to be closely allied to S. parasitica A. Richard
& Galeotti and S. valerioi Ames & Schweinfurth [S. parasitica R. & G. var.
valerioi (A. & S.) L. Williams]. In general aspect it immediately suggests these
species, being small and slender, leafless at anthesis, and of a curious pale pur-
plish tan color throughout. The obscure calli at the base of the lip are comparable
in the three, and at once separate them collectively from the superficially similar
S. Ilaveana Lindley var. violacea (A. Richard & Galeotti) Ames & Correll. The
solitary, tuberously thickened root is particularly suggestive of S. parasitica.
From this species S. dendroneura is immediately separable by the lack of the red
central thickening of the lip which is characteristic of S. parasitica. From both
S. parasitica and S. valerioi, which lacks the red coloration, S. dendroneura is
further distinct in the shape of the lip, which is broadly ovate and, in comparison
with its length, much broader than those of the other two species. It furthermore
lacks the supramedian constriction and suborbicular apical dilation of S. paras-
itica and S. valerioi. In some material of S. dendroneura, however, it is possible
to see a slight constriction separating the broadly expanded basal portion of the
lip from the short-oblong apical segment, further suggesting a probable relation-
ship among the three species. Spiranthes dendroneura also differs from its rel-
atives in the slightly smaller flowers and from the pubescent S. parasitica in
being wholly glabrous.
The most distinctive feature of S. dendroneura is the pattern of venation of
the lip. Unlike its relatives and nearly all other small-flowered Spiranthes, in
which the nervature consists of a few parallel strands, S. dendroneura has a
distinct dendritic proliferation of the more laterally positioned veins. The branch-
es spread into the dilated portions of the lip and may reflect an elaboration of the
vascular system coincident with a broadening of the lip from an ancestral form
similar to that found in the species' closest relatives. The nerves are clearly
evident, at first outlined in greenish yellow on the white lip, and later becoming
brown as the center of the lip darkens to a deep yellow. In pressed material the
color patterns generally persist, although a brownish suffusion may develop cen-
trally and obscure the nerves in this region. This nervature is so distinctive that
it has contributed the specific epithet.
Leaf form of the species is unknown. In the field the plants have been collected
only in bloom, and in cultivation they have produced one or few oblong, sessile
leaves about 1 cm long. Whether these leaves are characteristic of the species or
the products of poor culture is not yet known.
Spiranthes dendroneura occurs in sunny openings in dry pine-oak forests of
southwestern Chihuahua. This region experiences a cool, dry winter, after which
the leafless spikes of this orchid appear in late spring or early summer. The leaves
appear later in the summer after seed dispersal and are relatively short-lived,
senescing in late summer or autumn. The single tuberous root supports the inflo-
rescence and later the developing leaves. During the summer a new root is pro-
duced, generally growing downward at an oblique angle, and the root of the
preceding year withers. In cultivation, exclusion of pollinators from a single spike
precluded seed set, indicating that this plant is not apomictic.
1980] S H E V I A K & BYE: S P I R A N T H E S 371

Acknowledgments
The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. W. A. Weber for constructive
comments and for improving the Latin description; to Dr. L. A. Garay for the
use of the facilities of the Oakes Ames Orchid Herbarium and for his criticism
and support of Sheviak's work on Spiranthes; to Rev. L. Verplancken of Creel,
Chihuahua, for several years of encouragement and support of Bye's field work;
and to Deborah Morrison for drawing the figure of the plant. The first author's
work on Spiranthes has been supported by the American Orchid Society Fund
for Education and Research; Botanical Museum and Department of Biology,
Harvard University; and Biological Survey, New York State Museum. The sec-
ond author gratefully acknowledges financial support from National Science
Foundation Grant GB-35047; National Geographic Society; Botanical Museum
and the Department of Biology, Harvard University; and Department of EPO
Biology, Graduate School and University of Colorado Museum, University of
Colorado, for field work during which data and specimens were obtained.
Published by permission of the Director, New York State Museum, State Ed-
ucation Department, Journal Series No. 298.

Literature Cited
Bye, R. A., Jr. & L. Constance. 1979. A n e w species of Tauschia (Umbelliferae) from C h i h u a h u a ,
Mexico. Madrofio 26: 44-47.
- - & D. E. Soltis. 1979. Parnassia townsend6 (Saxifragaceae), a M e x i c a n endemic. Southw.
Naturalist 24: 209-222.
Constance, L. & R. A. Bye, Jr. 1976. N e w C h i h u a h u a n Umbelliferae. Bot. Mus. Leafl. 24: 225-240.

AVAILABLE

Flora of West Pakistan

Forty-five incomplete sets of the "Flora of West Pakistan" are available for
free distribution. This flora so far consists of 131 published plant families. Each
family treatment is a separate part or number having few to many pages. We
would be glad to send an incomplete set to libraries or individuals who want
them. Requests should be sent to Plant Taxonomy Laboratory, Pakistan Flora
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questers would have to fill in the remaining plant families by requesting individ-
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