Peperomia subgenus Fenestratae: New taxa and nomenclatural changes

Infante G.E.P.; Samain M.-S.; Padilla N.C.; Klopfenstein O.; Albán Castillo J.A.; Ochoa Estrada J.G.; Alomía Collazos L.E.A.; Cordero Jarro G.D.; Alcalá Bacigalupo A.A. · Bradleya (2025)

Resumen

The extremely large genus Peperomia (Piperaceae) is currently divided into 14 subgenera. Most species of one of these, subg. Fenestratae, are characterised by vertically compressed succulent leaves and adaxial transparent tissues. Since the description of this subgenus with 42 species, it has been estimated that there are about 20 more new unpublished taxa. As many of these are morphologically quite similar, geometric morphometrics was used to assess differences in morphology, based on the leaf shapes of 15 of the taxa studied. Peperomia nivalis in its traditional concept was considered as a widely distributed species with many varieties. Then, populations from La Unión, Huánuco as well as from Tarma, Junín, were distinguished as the separate species P. samainiae. However, based on literature, the true type locality of P. nivalis was found to be in Tarma, and the plants found there were recognised as the genuine P. nivalis. Following the analysis of the ten taxa with smooth leaf surfaces usually referred to P. nivalis, P. cajamarcensis is described here replacing the former P. nivalis from the valley of Cajamarca; P. compactifolia and P. sanmarcensis, former varieties of P. nivalis, are raised to the status of species, P. lepadiphylla is reinstated as a separate species and two varieties of it are described-P. lepadiphylla var. cuscoensis and P. lepadiphylla var. santaensis. Following analysis of five taxa with papillate surface similar to P. asperula, including P. cymbifolia and its described varieties, P. goodspeedii and P. occidentalis are raised to species level and P. scalpellifolia is described as a new species. Seven additional species are also described: six from Peru-P. columelloides from Bagua and P. falciformis from Balsas (Amazonas department), P. huamachucensis from Huamachuco and P. otuzcensis from Otuzco (La Libertad department), P. sanfelipensis from San Felipe and P. wankei from Hualgayoc (Cajamarca department)-and P. jubonensis from Ecuador. The concept of P. fissicola is clarified to include P. mitoensis as a synonym and P. reductifolia is raised to species rank replacing P. cereoides var. reducta.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos