Lepanthes chalalensis (pleurothallidinae), a new species endemic to the santander department in ColombiaAbstract.
We propose Lepanthes chalalensis as a newly identified species confined to the north-east Andes of Colombia. We randomly placed 341 sampling plots across the Eastern Cordillera, including transformed and natural habitats. Here, we provide a detailed description, illustrating images, ecological discussions, a taxonomic key for the new entity, and a conservation status analysis. The species is highly geographically restricted (in 2 out of 341 sampling plots) and has a low population size (26 adult individuals). While L. chalalensis shows a resemblance to L. velosa from Ecuador, it can be distinguished by the wide lower lobe of the petals, which is long ciliated, the lip laminae, which are reduced and bear stiff cilia, and the appendix length, which appear to be twice as long as the lip blades. The species should be considered a conservation concern due to its high rarity.
Keywords: Eastern Cordillera; endemics; Neotropics; standardized sampling
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Map composed by E.Parra-Sánchez using QGis 3.241. Left panel shows the distribution of Lepanthes chalalensis (red dots), L. deformis Luer & Hirtz (green dots), and Lepanthes sp. as aff. deformis (blue triangle; Pérez-Escobar O., pers. comm.). Right panel displays study area within Colombia (black box), and elevation (digital elevation model from 
Drawn by Daniel Amaya-Jiménez from the plant that served as type. A. Habit. B. Abaxial view of the leaf with flower. C. Flower. D. Dissected perianth. E. Zoom of the petal’s lobe. F. Lip in natural position – view. G. Lip in natural position without column front view and lip expanded. H. Zoom on the lip’s apex.
Photographed and prepared by Eugenio Restrepo from the plant that served as type (Parra-Sanchez 2401, VALLE). A. Leaf plus flower in abaxial view. B. Flower, frontal view. C. Flower, lateral view. D. Dissected perianth. E. Plant habit.
Photographs by Melisa Alegría-Valencia (A-C) and Holguer López (D). Prepared by Eugenio Restrepo from the plant that served as type, except D (Parra-Sanchez 2401, VALLE). A. Entire flower preserved in spirit showing the “silver-like crystals” present in sepals, petals, column, and lip. B. Frontal view of the petals fully extended, note that the long cilia that can be seen in-vivo are not striking in the image. C. Frontal view of the lip, at the left the laminae not extended and extended at the right depicting the long sinus, and laminae extended. D. Flower in semilateral view showing the relation between the appendix and the lip length.
Photographs by Robinson Galindo-Tarazona (A), David Haelterman (B), and Andreas Kay (C). Prepared by Eugenio Restrepo. A. Lepanthes chalalensis E.Restrepo & E.Parra. B. Lepanthes velosa Luer & Hirtz. C. Lepanthes deformis Luer & Hirtz.