Abstract
We describe and illustrate a new species of Besleria (Gesneriaceae) from the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. This new species is morphologically similar to B. florida, B. microphylla, B. silverstoneana, and B. solanoides. We include a morphological key to distinguish B. brevisepala from similar species. We also studied pollen morphology to provide support for taxonomic differences among Besleria species from the Andean forest of Colombia. We investigated the pollen characteristics of the genus and assessed their use for taxonomic differentiation in this group through light and electron microscopy. Pollen grains were subjected to acetolysis, measured, photographed, and described qualitatively. We analyzed qualitative and quantitative data using descriptive and multivariate statistics. The pollen grains of Besleria were monad, isopolar, small, with circular amb; oblate to suboblate, 3-porate, with circular to oval pores, without annulus, operculate, and with vestibulum. The exine was tectate, perforate, and microreticulate with narrow muri and small lumina of slightly different shape and dimension. Our results confirm that Besleria is a eurypalynous genus, which allowed the identification of pollen morphological characteristics that are important for species differentiation.
References
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<p>Barth, O.M. & Melhem, T.S. (1988) <em>Glossário ilustrado de palinologia</em>. Campinas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 74 pp.</p>
<p>Bellonzi, T.K., Dutra, F.V., Souza, C.N., Rezende, A.A. & Gasparino, E.C. (2020) Pollen types of Sapindaceae from Brazilian forest fragments: apertural variation. <em>Acta Botanica Brasilica </em>34: 327–341. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062020abb0022</p>
<p>Chautems, A. & Kiyama, C.Y. (2003) Gesneriaceae. <em>In</em>: Wanderley, M.G., Shepherd, G.J., Giulietti, A.M. & Melhem, T.S. (eds.)<em> Flora fanerogâmica do Estado de SaÞo Paulo Vol. 3</em>. Fapesp/Rima, São Paulo, pp. 75–103.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L. (2013) <em>Sistemática y fitogeografía del complejo Besleria aggregata (Mart.) Hanst. (Gesneriaceae) en Colombia</em>. Universidad del Valle, Cali, 35 pp.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L. (2019) <em>Palinología y morfología de Besleria (Gesneriaceae) de Colombia</em>. Universidad del Valle, Cali, 152 pp.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L., Giraldo-Rodríguez, A. & Torres-González, A.M. (2017) Two new species of <em>Besleria</em> (Gesneriaceae) from the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 332: 181–188. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.332.2.5</p>
<p>Erdtman, G. (1960) The acetolysis method. A revised description. <em>Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift</em> 54: 561–564.</p>
<p>Faegri, G. & Iversen, J. (1964) <em>Textbook of modern pollen analysis.</em> 2nd ed. Scandinavian University Books, Copenhagen, 237 pp.</p>
<p>Fritsch, K. (1922) Neue <em>Besleria </em>Arten. <em>Repertorium pecierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis </em>18: 8. https://doi.org/10.1002/fedr.19220180105</p>
<p>Fritze, K.J. & Williams, N.H. (1988) The taxonomic significance of pollen morphology in the <em>Columnea alliance </em>(Gesneriaceae: Gesnerioideae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em>. 75: 168–191. https://doi.org/10.2307/2399471</p>
<p>Fourny, A.C., Mendonça, F.C., Lopes, C.T. & Gonçalves, E.V. (2010) Palinologia de espécies de Genesriaceae Rich. & Juss. ocorrentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. <em>Acta Botanica Brasilica</em>. 24: 812–824. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-33062010000300024</p>
<p>Gasparino, E.C., da Cruz-Barros, M., Chautems, A. & Galleti, S.R. (2011) Palinotaxonomia de <em>Besleria</em> L. e <em>Napeanthus</em> Gardn. (Beslerieae/Napeantheae—Gesneriaceae) com ênfase nas espécies ocorrentes no Estado de São Paulo. <em>Revista Brasileira de Botânica</em> 34: 321–333. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-84042011000300007</p>
<p>Hoehne, F.C. (1958) Novidades da familia das Gesneriaceae do Brasil. <em>Sellowia</em> 9: 41.</p>
<p>Kattan, G., Restrepo, C. & Giraldo, M. (1984) Estructura de un bosque de niebla en la cordillera occidental, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. <em>Cespedesia</em> 13: 23–43.</p>
<p>Klotzsch, J.F. & Hanstein, J.L. (1864) Gesneriacea. <em>In</em>: Martius, K.F.P. (ed.) <em>Flora brasiliensis. </em>Vol. 8, fasc. 36. R. Oldenbourg, Munich and Leipzig, p. 398.</p>
<p>Kunth, K.S. (1818) Gesnereae. <em>In</em>: Humboldt, A. & Bonpland, A. (eds.) <em>Nova genera et species plantarum. </em>Vol. 2, 4th ed. Librariae Graeco-Latino-Germanicae, Paris, pp. 398.</p>
<p>Kvist, L.P., Skog, L.E. & Amaya-Márquez, M. (1998) Los géneros de Gesneriaceae de Colombia. <em>Caldasia</em> 20: 12–28.</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species plantarum</em>. Salvius, Stockholm, pp. 619.</p>
<p>Luegmayr, E. (1993a) Pollen characters of old world Gesneriaceae (Cyrtandroideae). <em>Grana</em> 32: 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173139309429985</p>
<p>Luegmayr, E. (1993b) Pollen of Hawaiian <em>Cyrtandra</em> (Gesneriaceae) including notes on southeast Asian taxa. <em>Blumea</em> 38: 25–38.</p>
<p>Martius, C.F.P. (1829) <em>Besleria</em>. <em>In</em>: <em>Nova genera et species plantarum brasiliensium. </em>Vol. 3. Lindauer<em>, </em>München, pp. 44–45.</p>
<p>Melhem, T.S., Cruz-Barros, M.A.V., Corrêa, A.M.S., Makino-Watanabe, H., Silvestre-Capelato, M.S.F. & Gonçalves-Esteves, V.L. (2003) Variabilidade polínica em plantas de Campos do Jordão (São Paulo, Brasil). <em>Boletim do Instituto de Botânica</em> 16: 1–104.</p>
<p>Minitab, LLC (2020) <em>Getting Started with Minitab for Windows 19</em>. 63 pp. [www.minitab.com]</p>
<p>Morales, M. & Armenteras, D. (2013) Estado de Conservación de los Bosques de niebla de los Andes Colombianos, un análisis multiescalar. <em>Boletín Científico Centro de Museos de Historia Natural</em> 17: 64–72.</p>
<p>Morton, C.V. (1944) Taxonomic studies of tropical American plants. <em>Systematic Plant Studies </em>29: 23.</p>
<p>Punt, W., Hoen, P.P., Blackmore, S., Nilsson, S. & Le Thomas, A. (2007) Glossary of pollen and spore terminology. <em>Review of Paleobotany and Palynology</em> 143: 1–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.06.008</p>
<p>R Core Team. (2017) <em>R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing</em>, Vienna, Austria. [https://www.R-project.org/]</p>
<p>Roubik, D.W. & Moreno, J.E. (1991) Pollen and spores of Barro Colorado Island. <em>Monograph in Systematic Botany</em>. <em>Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 36: 1–268.</p>
<p>RUNAP (2010) <em>Cuenca alta del rio Cauca</em>. Registro Único Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia. Available from: https://runap.parquesnacionales.gov.co/area-protegida/578 (Accessed 7 July 2021)</p>
<p>Salgado-Labouriau, M.L., Vanzolini, P.E. & Melhem, T.S. (1965) Variation of polar axes and equatorial diameters in pollen grains of two species of <em>Cassia</em>. <em>Grana Palynologica</em> 6: 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173136509429142</p>
<p>Skog, L.E. (1979) Gesneriaceae. <em>In</em>: Woodson, R.E. & Schery, R.W. (eds.) <em>Flora of Panama.</em> Vol. 65. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, pp. 783–998. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-018-1526-z</p>
<p>Skog, L.E. (1996) The Gesneriaceae of the Guianas. <em>Gloxinian</em> 46: 48–53.</p>
<p>Souza, C.N., Araujo, A.O., Chautems, A., Cruz-Barros, M.A.V. & Gasparino, E.C. (2018) Pollen morphology in Brazilian species of Gloxiniinae (Gesneriaceae): variation in apertures and pattern of ornamentation. <em>Plant Systematics and Evolution </em>304: 981–993.</p>
<p>Weber, A. (2004) Gesneriaceae. <em>In: </em>Kubitzki, K. & Kadereit, J.W. (eds.) <em>The families and genera of vascular plants. </em>Vol. 7. Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 63–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18617-2_8</p>
<p>Wiehler, H. (1975) <em>Besleria </em>L. and the re-establisnment of <em>Gasteranthus </em>Benth. (Gesneriaceae). <em>Selbyana</em> 1: 150–156.</p>
<p>Wiehler, H. (1983) A synopsis of the neotropical Gesneriaceae. <em>Selbyana</em> 6: 1–219.</p>
<p>Williams, N. (1978) Pollen structure and the systematics of the neotropical Gesneriaceae. <em>Selbyana</em> 2: 310–322.</p>
<p>Zar, J.H. (1999) <em>Biostatistical analysis</em>. 4th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 663 pp.</p>
<p>Barth, O.M. & Melhem, T.S. (1988) <em>Glossário ilustrado de palinologia</em>. Campinas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 74 pp.</p>
<p>Bellonzi, T.K., Dutra, F.V., Souza, C.N., Rezende, A.A. & Gasparino, E.C. (2020) Pollen types of Sapindaceae from Brazilian forest fragments: apertural variation. <em>Acta Botanica Brasilica </em>34: 327–341. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062020abb0022</p>
<p>Chautems, A. & Kiyama, C.Y. (2003) Gesneriaceae. <em>In</em>: Wanderley, M.G., Shepherd, G.J., Giulietti, A.M. & Melhem, T.S. (eds.)<em> Flora fanerogâmica do Estado de SaÞo Paulo Vol. 3</em>. Fapesp/Rima, São Paulo, pp. 75–103.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L. (2013) <em>Sistemática y fitogeografía del complejo Besleria aggregata (Mart.) Hanst. (Gesneriaceae) en Colombia</em>. Universidad del Valle, Cali, 35 pp.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L. (2019) <em>Palinología y morfología de Besleria (Gesneriaceae) de Colombia</em>. Universidad del Valle, Cali, 152 pp.</p>
<p>Cortés, O.L., Giraldo-Rodríguez, A. & Torres-González, A.M. (2017) Two new species of <em>Besleria</em> (Gesneriaceae) from the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. <em>Phytotaxa</em> 332: 181–188. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.332.2.5</p>
<p>Erdtman, G. (1960) The acetolysis method. A revised description. <em>Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift</em> 54: 561–564.</p>
<p>Faegri, G. & Iversen, J. (1964) <em>Textbook of modern pollen analysis.</em> 2nd ed. Scandinavian University Books, Copenhagen, 237 pp.</p>
<p>Fritsch, K. (1922) Neue <em>Besleria </em>Arten. <em>Repertorium pecierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis </em>18: 8. https://doi.org/10.1002/fedr.19220180105</p>
<p>Fritze, K.J. & Williams, N.H. (1988) The taxonomic significance of pollen morphology in the <em>Columnea alliance </em>(Gesneriaceae: Gesnerioideae). <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden</em>. 75: 168–191. https://doi.org/10.2307/2399471</p>
<p>Fourny, A.C., Mendonça, F.C., Lopes, C.T. & Gonçalves, E.V. (2010) Palinologia de espécies de Genesriaceae Rich. & Juss. ocorrentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. <em>Acta Botanica Brasilica</em>. 24: 812–824. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-33062010000300024</p>
<p>Gasparino, E.C., da Cruz-Barros, M., Chautems, A. & Galleti, S.R. (2011) Palinotaxonomia de <em>Besleria</em> L. e <em>Napeanthus</em> Gardn. (Beslerieae/Napeantheae—Gesneriaceae) com ênfase nas espécies ocorrentes no Estado de São Paulo. <em>Revista Brasileira de Botânica</em> 34: 321–333. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-84042011000300007</p>
<p>Hoehne, F.C. (1958) Novidades da familia das Gesneriaceae do Brasil. <em>Sellowia</em> 9: 41.</p>
<p>Kattan, G., Restrepo, C. & Giraldo, M. (1984) Estructura de un bosque de niebla en la cordillera occidental, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. <em>Cespedesia</em> 13: 23–43.</p>
<p>Klotzsch, J.F. & Hanstein, J.L. (1864) Gesneriacea. <em>In</em>: Martius, K.F.P. (ed.) <em>Flora brasiliensis. </em>Vol. 8, fasc. 36. R. Oldenbourg, Munich and Leipzig, p. 398.</p>
<p>Kunth, K.S. (1818) Gesnereae. <em>In</em>: Humboldt, A. & Bonpland, A. (eds.) <em>Nova genera et species plantarum. </em>Vol. 2, 4th ed. Librariae Graeco-Latino-Germanicae, Paris, pp. 398.</p>
<p>Kvist, L.P., Skog, L.E. & Amaya-Márquez, M. (1998) Los géneros de Gesneriaceae de Colombia. <em>Caldasia</em> 20: 12–28.</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species plantarum</em>. Salvius, Stockholm, pp. 619.</p>
<p>Luegmayr, E. (1993a) Pollen characters of old world Gesneriaceae (Cyrtandroideae). <em>Grana</em> 32: 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173139309429985</p>
<p>Luegmayr, E. (1993b) Pollen of Hawaiian <em>Cyrtandra</em> (Gesneriaceae) including notes on southeast Asian taxa. <em>Blumea</em> 38: 25–38.</p>
<p>Martius, C.F.P. (1829) <em>Besleria</em>. <em>In</em>: <em>Nova genera et species plantarum brasiliensium. </em>Vol. 3. Lindauer<em>, </em>München, pp. 44–45.</p>
<p>Melhem, T.S., Cruz-Barros, M.A.V., Corrêa, A.M.S., Makino-Watanabe, H., Silvestre-Capelato, M.S.F. & Gonçalves-Esteves, V.L. (2003) Variabilidade polínica em plantas de Campos do Jordão (São Paulo, Brasil). <em>Boletim do Instituto de Botânica</em> 16: 1–104.</p>
<p>Minitab, LLC (2020) <em>Getting Started with Minitab for Windows 19</em>. 63 pp. [www.minitab.com]</p>
<p>Morales, M. & Armenteras, D. (2013) Estado de Conservación de los Bosques de niebla de los Andes Colombianos, un análisis multiescalar. <em>Boletín Científico Centro de Museos de Historia Natural</em> 17: 64–72.</p>
<p>Morton, C.V. (1944) Taxonomic studies of tropical American plants. <em>Systematic Plant Studies </em>29: 23.</p>
<p>Punt, W., Hoen, P.P., Blackmore, S., Nilsson, S. & Le Thomas, A. (2007) Glossary of pollen and spore terminology. <em>Review of Paleobotany and Palynology</em> 143: 1–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.06.008</p>
<p>R Core Team. (2017) <em>R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing</em>, Vienna, Austria. [https://www.R-project.org/]</p>
<p>Roubik, D.W. & Moreno, J.E. (1991) Pollen and spores of Barro Colorado Island. <em>Monograph in Systematic Botany</em>. <em>Missouri Botanical Garden</em> 36: 1–268.</p>
<p>RUNAP (2010) <em>Cuenca alta del rio Cauca</em>. Registro Único Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia. Available from: https://runap.parquesnacionales.gov.co/area-protegida/578 (Accessed 7 July 2021)</p>
<p>Salgado-Labouriau, M.L., Vanzolini, P.E. & Melhem, T.S. (1965) Variation of polar axes and equatorial diameters in pollen grains of two species of <em>Cassia</em>. <em>Grana Palynologica</em> 6: 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173136509429142</p>
<p>Skog, L.E. (1979) Gesneriaceae. <em>In</em>: Woodson, R.E. & Schery, R.W. (eds.) <em>Flora of Panama.</em> Vol. 65. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, pp. 783–998. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-018-1526-z</p>
<p>Skog, L.E. (1996) The Gesneriaceae of the Guianas. <em>Gloxinian</em> 46: 48–53.</p>
<p>Souza, C.N., Araujo, A.O., Chautems, A., Cruz-Barros, M.A.V. & Gasparino, E.C. (2018) Pollen morphology in Brazilian species of Gloxiniinae (Gesneriaceae): variation in apertures and pattern of ornamentation. <em>Plant Systematics and Evolution </em>304: 981–993.</p>
<p>Weber, A. (2004) Gesneriaceae. <em>In: </em>Kubitzki, K. & Kadereit, J.W. (eds.) <em>The families and genera of vascular plants. </em>Vol. 7. Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 63–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18617-2_8</p>
<p>Wiehler, H. (1975) <em>Besleria </em>L. and the re-establisnment of <em>Gasteranthus </em>Benth. (Gesneriaceae). <em>Selbyana</em> 1: 150–156.</p>
<p>Wiehler, H. (1983) A synopsis of the neotropical Gesneriaceae. <em>Selbyana</em> 6: 1–219.</p>
<p>Williams, N. (1978) Pollen structure and the systematics of the neotropical Gesneriaceae. <em>Selbyana</em> 2: 310–322.</p>
<p>Zar, J.H. (1999) <em>Biostatistical analysis</em>. 4th ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 663 pp.</p>