Studies in Neotropical Araliaceae. XI. Three new species of Sciodaphyllum P. Browne from the eastern Andean Cordillera in Colombia

Three new species of Sciodaphyllum (Araliaceae) are described and illustrated, all from highland areas in the northern part of the eastern Andean Cordillera of Colombia. Sciodaphyllum bipyrenum is distinguished by its bicarpellate ovary with a disc that bulges above the calyx, a bifid stylar column in fruit, and fruits with two-ribbed, triangular or tetrangular pyrenes. Sciodaphyllum bullatifructum is characterized by dense, sericeous, whitish indument that covers the abaxial surface of the leaflet blades and the fleshy hemispheric protuberances on the exposed distal portion of the fruit. Sciodaphyllum foliobracteatum is unique in the genus in having each of its secondary inflorescence axes subtended by a stipular ligule at the base of a distinctly leaf-like structure, and it is also characterized by having 7 to 9 free petals and the largest fruits known in the genus. A distribution map is provided along with color photos of each species and a preliminary risk of extinction assessment (following the IUCN Red List criteria); S. bipyrenum and S. bullatifructum are assessed as Critically Endangered, whereas S. foliobracteatum is considered to be Endangered.