Two New Species of Sciodaphyllum (Araliaceae) from the Andes of Northwestern Colombia

Abstract

Sciodaphyllum montanum Idarraga, Jimenez-Mont. & Lowry and S. undulatum Jimenez-Mont., Idarraga & Lowry (Araliaceae) from the northern region of the Central and Western Cordilleras of the Andes in Colombia are described and illustrated. Sciodaphyllum montanum differs from other members of the genus mainly by a bulging disc up to 1.1 mm in height and a 3- to 4-carpellate ovary, and S. undulatum is distinguished by its undulate leaflet margin and the conspicuous scarlike amorphous lenticel 4.9–11 mm in diameter located abaxially on the base of the petiole. Notes are provided on possible taxonomic affinities of each species, as well as on their ecology and geographic distribution. Extinction risk assessments are given following the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, which indicate that both S. montanum and S. undulatum are Near Threatened (NT).