Glossoloma wiehleri (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the northwestern Andes of Ecuador

Abstract

A new species of Glossoloma is described from the western Andean slopes of the Pichincha Province in northern Ecuador. Glossoloma wiehleri J.L.Clark & Tobar is differentiated from all other congeners by an epiphytic habit, elongate scandent shoots that exceed four meters in length, and coriaceous leaves with a velutinous indument on the lower leaf surface. The new species is illustrated, featured with field images from recent expeditions, and assigned the category of Endangered (EN) according to IUCN Criteria.