Piper quinchasense

Description. Piper quinchasense is similar to P. parianum, it differs from the latter in having all leaf blades peltate (vs. leaves deeply lobed to peltate), and inflorescence peduncle 4 - 5 cm long, (vs. peduncle 1 - 2.7 cm long). Shrub, 3 m tall, branched in the upper portion only, exhibiting stilt roots (Fig. 2 C). Internodes 5 - 10 x 2.5 - 4.6 cm, green when young and becoming brown when maturing, tomentose, idioblasts not evident. Prophylls not seen. Petioles 4.5 - 8.5 cm long, vaginate the entire length (Figs 2 D, 3 J), tomentose, idioblasts evident. Leaf blades (28) 35 - 49 x 7.5 - 19 cm, oblong-lanceolate, base obliquely-peltate, asymmetric to truncate, peltate, petiole inserting 2.5 - 10.5 cm from the margin, on the adaxial surface leaf blade is depressed and umbonate above petiole insertion (Fig. 2 E), blade medially asymmetric, apex long attenuate, green on the adaxial surface and green-silver on the abaxial surface when alive (Fig. 2 E, F), coriaceous, chartaceous when dry, drying dark maroon on the adaxial surface and ochre on the abaxial surface, glabrous with visible idioblasts on the adaxial surface (Fig. 3 K), sparsely tomentose on the blade and veins densely tomentose on the abaxial surface (Fig. 3 I), eciliate, margin folds towards the abaxial surface appearing to form irregular spaced teeth; pinnately nerved to the distal third, 4 - 6 pairs of secondary veins, curved and ascending, diverging in angles that decrease towards the apex (from 80 - 30 degrees) and spacing slightly decreasing towards the base, tertiary veins forming areoles 1.2 - 1.8 x 0.5 - 1 cm, rectangular and not uniform in size, perpendicular to secondary nerves, nerves not impressed on the adaxial surface, elevated on the abaxial surface. Inflorescences a simple spike, terminal, pendulous; peduncle 4.5 - 5 cm long, tomentose, green, idioblasts not evident; rachis length in flower 12 - 19 cm x 3 - 4 mm, rachis length in fruit 25 - 27 cm. Floral bracts cucullate, sagitate from above (Fig. 3 F), 1.8 - 2.3 x 0.9 - 1.0 mm, pellucid dotted, pedicel fimbriate on the distal portion (Fig. 3 E), forming bands around the spike (Fig. 3 B). Flowers sessile with 4 stamens (Fig. 3 C), filaments 0.25 - 0.40 mm long, anthers 0.3 - 0.6 x 0.16 - 0.26 long, with connective glabrate, longitudinally dehiscent, dithecous (Fig. 3 D), ovary four carpellate, four stigmas sessile, not persistent in fruit, 0.4 - 0.5 mm long (Figs 2 B, 3 G). Fruits obpyriform, 2.1 - 2.4 x 1.0 - 1.6 mm, glabrous, green when alive, brown when dry (Fig. 3 G). Seeds smooth, pellucid dotted, obpyriform, 1.9 - 2.1 x 1.0 - 1.3 mm, glabrous, brown when dry (Fig. 3 H).