Novelties in the orchid flora of Venezuela II — Cranichideae

Abstract

Two new orchid species in tribe Cranichideae, collected in the context of the project “Flora de Orquídeas de los Estados Amazonas y Bolívar, Venezuela” (Orchid Flora of Amazonas and Bolívar states, Venezuela”) are described and illustrated. Ligeophila gavilanesis (subtribe Goodyerinae) is similar to L. unicornis but differs in having broader (1.75—2.90 versus 0.93—1.50 cm) narrowly elliptic to oblong- lanceolate (not lanceolate) leaves, flowers with oblong-lanceolate, obtuse (not broadly lanceolate, acute) epichile lobules, and an unappendaged (i.e., lacking an oblong, compressed projection) epichile. Sarcoglottis maroaënsis (subtribe Spiranthinae) is similar to S. metallica but the new species differs in the cream flowers with dark reddish veins in the sepals, petals, and labellum, and the leaves of different color. In flower color it is similar to S. ventricosa but the inflorescence of Sarcoglottis maroaënsis is more lax and not lanate, the flowers are smaller, and the lateral sepals and labellum are different. We report an isotype of Sarcoglottis stergiosii not cited in the protologue and a specimen collected in the Colombian Amazon.