Phragmothecacentinelensis (Malvaceae, Malvoideae or Matisioideae), a newly-discovered, critically-endangered canopy tree species from a cloud forest in Pacific Ecuador.

Abstract

During floristic inventories in remnant cloud forests of the Centinela Ridge of the Chocó Region of Ecuador, where less than 7 km² of forest patches remain across an area of approximately 500 km², we recently collected a new species in the genus Phragmotheca Cuatrec. We describe and illustrate this new species and contrast its morphology with known congeneric species. Due to its small range, threatened habitat and active targeting by loggers, this species is assessed as Endangered under IUCN Criterion B1B2ab(I,ii,iii,v).