Novelties in Psittacanthus (Loranthaceae) from Colombia: a new species and four new records for the Andean and Amazon Regions

Abstract

Background and aims – Psittacanthus is the largest genus of neotropical mistletoes within Loranthaceae, comprising approximately 110 species. With 37 species recorded to date, Colombia stands as the most diverse country for this group of aerial hemiparasites. Despite this richness, a comprehensive national or regional taxonomic revision of these mistletoes is currently lacking. This study aims to update the knowledge of Colombian Psittacanthus diversity by describing a new species and reporting new records for the country.

Material and methods – This study is based on an extensive literature review and the examination of herbarium material of Psittacanthus. We examined herbarium specimens using both physical collections and high-resolution digital images. Morphological analyses were conducted using dried and rehydrated samples, following the standardized specialized terminology for neotropical mistletoes. Taxonomic descriptions and diagnoses were developed to establish and test taxonomic hypotheses, ensuring a rigorous comparison between focal taxa and previously described species.

Key results – A new species for the Colombian Andes is described, and four new records for the Amazonian and Andean–Amazonian Piedmont of Colombia are reported. Psittacanthus job-kuijtii sp. nov. is described and illustrated herein; this species inhabits the moist lowland forests of the Colombian inter-Andean valleys, which are areas containing exceptional biodiversity. Furthermore, P. amazonicus, P. lamprophyllus, P. pilanthus, and P. zonatus are recorded for the first time for Colombia. The description of this new species and the additional records increase the known diversity of Colombian Psittacanthus to 41 taxa and a total of 111 species for the genus.

Citation

Carmona-Gallego, I., Roldán-Palacio, F. J., & Murillo-Serna, J. S. (2026). Novelties in Psittacanthus (Loranthaceae) from Colombia: A new species and four new records for the Andean and Amazon Regions. Plant Ecology and Evolution, 159(2), 347–355. https://doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.188691