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Peperomia subgenus Tildenia is a poorly known group of geophytic species occurring in seasonal habitats in 2 biodiversity hot spots (Mexico-Guatemala and Peru-Bolivia) with few species reported from the countries in between. Recent fieldwork combined with detailed study of herbarium specimens of this subgenus in Mexico and Central America resulted...
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The genus Peperomia is represented by eight species in Uruguay: P. catharinae, P. comarapana, P. hispidula, P. increscens, P. pereskiifolia, P. psilostachya, P. tetraphylla and P. trineuroides. Peperomia psilostachya is reported for the first time for the flora of Uruguay, from material collected in moist hillside and riverside forests from the nor...
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The Saña River Valley in Northern Peru is unusual for the western slopes of the Peruvian Andes because of its nearly year-round regime of precipitation instead of marked seasonal dry winters. This results in unexpected plant diversity. We surveyed the species of Peperomia (Piperaceae), occurring in this valley from 300 to 3000 m elevation, based on the study of specimens from ten herbaria and field collections, resulting in a total of 81 accessions, of which 48 were made by the authors. We found 16 different taxa: Peperomia cacaophila , from Ecuador, is reported for the first time in Peru; P. cymbifolia , P. dolabriformis and P. emarginulata are reported for the first time for the Saña River Valley; other widely distributed species like P. fraseri , P. galioides , P. haematolepis , P. hispidula , P. inaequalifolia , P. microphylla , and P. rotundata were also found. Five species new to science are described: P. pilocarpa , P. riosaniensis , close to P. palmiformis from Amazonas; P. sagasteguii , related to P. trinervis , P. symmankii , close to P. ricardofernandezii from Piura, and P. vivipara , related to P. alata. A key to the species of Peperomia from the Saña River Valley, based on vegetative characters, is provided.
Two new geophytic species of Peperomia subgenus Tildenia (Piperaceae) from Central Peru are described; (1) Peperomia pachyspadix is a new species from Huancavelica. It is phenotypically similar to P. andina from Cajamarca, but its leaves are not as thick and they lack the funnel shape and purple color of the abaxial side; it is also similar to P. wernerrauhii from Hunuco, but its leaves and tubers are larger. The new species can be distinguished from the abovementioned ones by the spadix, many times shorter and twice as thick. The seeds of P. andina, P. wernerrauhii and P. pachyspadix are similar in shape but the latter has the largest of all three. (2) Peperomia fundus-oculi is a new species with epigeous tuber discovered on the eastern Andean slopes of Ayacucho. Plants are morphologically like P. chutanka for its exposed and branched aerial tubers. Its leaves have a shape similar to this species but are not as succulent, they lack the purplish color of the abaxial side, and they have a characteristic pattern on its adaxial side, with a whitish iridescent spot in the center, with irregular margins, from where nerves emerge, giving the impression of the eye fundus, hence its name in Latin. Its anthers, ovaries, and fruits are also shorter than those of P. chutanka.
We present an overview of the diversity, distribution and conservation status of all 60 species of the genus Peperomia (‘radiator plants’, Piperaceae), which are currently known from the state of Veracruz in Mexico, including a taxonomically updated reference list that includes information about life form, overall distribution, endemism and occurrence in Mexican states and municipalities of Veracruz. Specifically, for this latter state we provide information on elevational range, habitat and distinguishing characters useful for identification or uses. Moreover, we realize an assessment of conservation status considering IUCN Red List categories and criteria at regional level. About 45% of Peperomia species from Veracruz belong to a threatened category, mainly because of the continued loss and fragmentation of natural habitats.
