Amorphophallus adamsensis ( Araceae ) , a new species from Ilocos norte , Philippines

There are ten known species of Amorphophallus in the Philippines, and an eleventh is herein described and named as Amorphophallus adamsensis. It resembles A. dactylifer and A. rostratus. Diagnostic characters of this new species are provided.

A new species is hereby presented as Amorphophallus adam sensis L.M.Magtoto, D.G.Mones, K.A.Ballada, C.M.Austria, R.M.Dizon, W.V.Alangui, A.A.Reginaldo, W.M.Galvan, K.T.Dizon & Hett.This was seen from the locality of Adams, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.Photos of the plant were initially identified by colleagues as A. dactylifer, but it was found to be different after a closer examination of its inflorescence.The species description is based on single specimen of leaf, inflorescence, and infructescence.Etymology.The species epithet refers to the locality where this species was found.

Amorphophallus adamsensis
Tuber depressed globose, 17 cm diam and 10 cm high, fusiform offsets numerous on upper half close to peduncle/petiole base.
Leaf solitary; petiole 123 cm long, 3 cm diam, background colour dark greyish to purple green, with numerous elliptical light greyish to purple markings with slightly raised to raised margins at lower half and diamond-shaped markings on upper part; lamina 139 cm diam, rachises winged distal from the basal branching, basal parts naked with few petiolulate leaflets; leaflets oval to elongate elliptic, 9.5-24 cm long, 3.5-6 cm in width, long acuminate (acumen 2.5-5 cm long), glossy green above.Inflorescence solitary, long peduncled; peduncle 158 cm long, 3.5 cm diam, green to purplish brown background, having generally elliptic whitish green to whitish purple markings with lighter raised margins; spathe narrow triangular, 53 cm long, 28 cm diam; base strongly convolute, subglobose, with distinct constriction from the lateral-ventral sides distinguishing it from the limb; base outside light green with purplish hue, with scattered irregularly shaped slightly raised whitish green spots; base inside light green with white spots, lower part clothed with purple to brown unbranched finger-like projections; limb 3 times longer than base, adpressed against the appendix, strongly costate at the centre, pale green costa and veins; limb inside purple to brown with white spots, limb outside the same; limb auriculate; spadix sessile, much longer than spathe, 99 cm long; female zone cylindric, 9 cm long, c. 3.5 cm diam, flowers slightly distant; male zone cylindric, 12 cm long, 3 cm diam at the top, flowers distant; appendix narrowly fusiform to narrowly elongate, top subacute, 79 cm long, base with few short shallow ridges, dark reddish purple; ovaries depressed globose, 4 mm diam, 3 mm high, unilocular, basal placentation; style 3 mm long, 1 mm diam, slightly curvate, dark purple; stigma large, deeply 3-lobed, surface white, with numerous thin finger-like projections; fruit with globular base and conical tip, 4 mm high, 3.5 mm diam; pollen bright orange.
Notes -Amorphophallus adamsensis resembles A. dac tylifer and A. rostratus (Table 1) but can be distinguished from both by having much longer leaflets with longer acumen; narrow triangular and much longer spathe, the base of which is clothed inside with purple to brown unbranched finger-like projections; lobed or auriculate limb; and much longer male zone with distant flowers.
In addition, A. adamsensis differs from A. dactylifer by having a longer peduncle, narrower spathe, and a much longer spadix Petiole colour dark greyish to purple green background colour greyish green pale green or olive green (reddish when young) Petiole markings elliptic, light greyish to purple markings elliptic to elongate-elliptic, whitish or green larger and smaller, orbicular, whitish with slightly raised to raised margins at spots, the latter with a whitish margin, those greenish spots and tiny, blackish green lower half at the base of the petiole strongly raised, dots, not raised crust-like, upper part of petiole with obscure, dark reddish brown, narrowly elliptic to nearlinear spots Lamina diam 139 cm to c.

Table 1
Comparison of the morphology of A. adamsensis with A. dactylifer and A. rostratus.
appendix; from A. rostratus by having a longer and larger petiole with elliptic markings, a larger lamina with naked basal rachis, much longer and larger oval to elongate elliptic leaflets, arching over limb, a longer and larger female zone, depressed globose ovaries, and longer and larger styles. and