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Issue: Vol. 767 No. 1: 16 Jul. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-07-16
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.767.1.3
Page range: 26-34
Abstract views: 52
PDF downloaded: 3

Closing the Passiflora spectabilis debate: identifying the true species and a new member from the Andean transition forests of central Perú

School of Environment; Faculty of Sciences; University of Auckland; City Campus for science and engineering; Symonds Street; Auckland; New Zealand
Master’s Program in Tropical Botany; Faculty of Biological Sciences; Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Lima 15081; Peru
Independent nature researcher; Comunidad campesina Cuispes; Amazonas department; Peru
Eudicots Amazon Granadilla Iquitos Maracujá Oxapampa Passionflower

Abstract

The genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae) exhibits remarkable diversification across Peru’s heterogeneous landscapes, where ecological variation promotes high species endemism. During targeted fieldwork and herbarium studies in 2025, comparative analyses of populations historically attributed to Passiflora spectabilis revealed consistent morphological, ecological, and phenological differences between lowland Amazonian and premontane Andean populations. The latter, characterized by smaller reniform stipules, shorter floral diameter, corniculate sepals with elongated fleshy awns, and a distinct lavender‑magenta corona, is herein described as Passiflora ruparupa sp. nov. The new species inhabits Andean cloud forests above 900 m, entirely allopatric from P. spectabilis which occurs only below 250 m in Amazonian floodplain habitats. Integrating field, herbarium, and photographic data, this study highlights the significance of ecological context in disentangling cryptic diversity within Passiflora and enriches understanding of Peru’s rapidly diversifying flora.

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How to Cite

Kuethe, J., Chávez-Corcuera, G. & Allen, J.P. (2026) Closing the Passiflora spectabilis debate: identifying the true species and a new member from the Andean transition forests of central Perú. Phytotaxa 767 (1): 26–34. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.767.1.3