TY -JOUR
AU -Mary Ann C. Bautista
AU -Maverick N. Tamayo
AU -Jean Marie L. Diego
AU -Peter W. Fritsch
AU -Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante
AU -Jiro T. Adorador
TI -Two new species of <i>Psychotria</i> (Rubiaceae, Psychotrieae) endemic to tropical subalpine ultramafic forest in the Philippines
PY -2026
DA -2026-07-13
JO -Taiwania
VL -71
IS -3
SP -597
EP -606
UR -https://taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/2208
AB -Two new species of <i>Psychotria</i> (Rubiaceae) endemic to tropical subalpine ultramafic forest in the Philippines, namely <i>P. bermarii</i> from Mt. Guiting-Guiting in Sibuyan Island and <i>P. tagbanuarum</i> from the Victoria–Anepahan Mountain Range and Mt. Mantalingahan on Palawan Island, are described and illustrated. Both species are morphologically similar to <i>P. panayensis</i> of the Gitingensis group but differ in having smaller coriaceous leaves with fewer secondary veins. Additionally, <i>P. bermarii</i> differs in its shorter inflorescence, sessile flowers, and ridged pyrenes, whereas <i>P. tagbanuarum</i> differs in its puberulent petioles and deltoid bracteoles. Both species also resemble <i>P. macgregorii</i> of the Subalpina group but differ in their monochotomous inflorescences. These discoveries raise the number of <i>Psychotria</i> species known in the Philippines to 117, highlighting the country’s unique floristic assemblage of tropical subalpine ultramafic forest and underscoring the urgent need to protect these habitats and preserve their ecological integrity.
DO -10.6165/tai.2026.71.597