ISSN 2325-4785

New World Orchidaceae – Nomenclatural Notes

Nomenclatural Note – Issue No. 85

November 17, 2020.

A New Species of Telipogon Kunth, Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko, is Described
From Santander, Colombia.

Carlos Uribe-Vélez1, Ruben P. Sauleda2 and Dariusz L. Szlachetko3

1
Calle 115 #5-23 Bogota, Colombia.
2
6442 SW 107 Ct. Miami, Fl, 33173.
3
Department of Plant Taxonomy and Nature Conservation, University of Gdańsk, Wita
Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.

Abstract
A new species of Telipogon Kunth (Orchidaceae) is described from Santander, Colombia.

The genus Telipogon Kunth is characterized by small plants with large flowers which grow at
higher elevation in the Andes in Colombia. The column has bristly hairs that simulate the females
of bristly tachinid flies (Dressler, 2003). The flowers are pollinated by males that mistake the
column for a female fly and pollinia have been found hooked on the legs of male tachinid flies
(Dressler, 2003).

At present there are 271 species of Telipogon recognized and 72 species listed for Colombia
(WCSP, 2018). A species originally described from Ecuador, Telipogon stinae Dodson &
Dalström was recently discovered in the area known as La Bota Caucana and added to the flora of
Colombia (Uribe-Velez & Sauleda, 2020). In addition, a new species, Telipogon bota-caucanensis
Uribe-Velez and Sauleda, was also recently described from the same area (Uribe-Velez & Sauleda,
2020a).

We here describe a new species from Santander, Colombia.

Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda and Szlachetko, sp. nov.

Type: Colombia, Department of Santander, exact locality unknown. Collector: Jose Luis Aguirre
Restrepo, s.n. (Holotype: HPUJ).

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Etymology

This species is named in honor of Dr. Carlos Uribe-Vélez of Bogota, Colombia. Dr. Carlos
Uribe Velez is a surgeon-doctor who is known as the "father of knee surgery" in Colombia and at
the same time a renowned orchid grower, photographer and writer. Dr. Carlos Uribe Velez is at the
present time writing "Orquídeas, Tesoro de Colombia" a monumental illustrated treatment of
the orchids of Colombia in honor of Padre Pedro Ortiz Valdivieso. He has published the first
three volumes and is now working on the fourth volume of what will be at least six volumes.

Diagnosis
Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko is similar to T. octavioi Dodson & R. Escobar. It
differs in the shape of the callus. Telipogon octavioi has a triangular callus where T. uribevelez has
a cordate callus. The callus of T. octavioi has a smooth callus where T. uribevelezii has rigid hairs
on the lateral edges and has a central ridge with short ridig hairs. The tips of the petals in T.
octavioi are slightly acuminate where T. uribevelezii the petals are apically rounded. Telipogon
uribevelezii is also similar to Telipogon yolandae P. Ortiz but differs in the hairs on the column. In
T. uribevelizii the hairs are longer on the lateral edges and shorter on in the center, in T. yolandae
the hairs are all the same length.

Description

Plants epiphytic to 21 mm tall including inflorescence. Roots thick, fleshy, white, with green tips,
to 3 mm thick. Leaves distichous, coriaceous, obovate, obtuse, to three-leaved, to 8 mm long, 5
mm wide. Inflorescence from the axils of the leaves, simple, 1–2 flowered; peduncle flattened to 4
mm long, rachis to 2 mm long, with 2-3 floral bracts, bracts distichous, lanceolate, acute. Pedicel,
slightly arching, triquetrous, to 8 mm long. Flowers nonresupinate to 1 cm wide, successively
opening; dorsal sepal basally greenish-yellow, with faint reddish-brown stripes apically, ovate-
triangular, acute, to 5 mm long, 4 mm wide, concave; lateral sepals greenish-yellow, with reddish-
brown stripes apically, obovate, slightly oblique, acute, concave; petals spatulate-ovate, widest
near the middle, cuneate at the base, obtuse-rounded, with reddish-brown strips, to 5 mm wide, 5
mm long; labellum entire, sessile, orbicular to slightly elliptic, obtuse-rounded, not acuminate, to 6
mm wide, 5 mm long; callus cordate, to 2 mm wide, dark reddish-purple, with a central ridge,
lateral margins with rigid hairs, central ridge with short rigid hairs; column to 2 mm wide, 2 mm
long, covered with hairs of different length (longer on the sides, shorter in the center; stigma
apical, suborbicular, concave; anther apical, cordiform, bilocular; pollinarium with four pollinia
with Y-shaped caudicle and hooked viscidium.

2
Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko.
3
Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko.

Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko.

4
Telipogon octavioi Dodson & R. Escobar.

Telipogon yolandae P. Ortiz

5
Telipogon uribevelezii Sauleda & Szlachetko.

Telipogon octavioi Dodson & R. Escobar Telipogon yolandae P. Ortiz.

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Literature Cited

Dressler, R. L., 2003. The Genus Telipogon. Delightful Andean Dwarfs with New Species from
Panama. Orchids. The Bulletin of the American Orchid Society. Vol. 72, no 2.

Uribe-Velez, C. and R. P. Sauleda, 2020. Telipogon stinae Dodson & Dalström (Orchidaceae) an
Addition to the Flora of Colombia. New World Orchidaceae – Nomenclatural Notes,
Nomenclatural Note – Issue No. 72.
Uribe-Velez, C. and R. P. Sauleda, 2020a. A New Species of Telipogon Kunth (Orchidaceae) is
Described from the Bota Caucana, Department of Cauca, Colombia. New World Orchidaceae –
Nomenclatural Notes, Nomenclatural Note – Issue No. 78.

WCSP (2018). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet.