The species is also notable for its elevated orbits, many blunt knob-like spines, and dorsal spines greatly
exserted from the fin membrane (Hart 1973; Mecklenburg and others 2002).
Diagnosis: Caudal fin convex to truncate, or slightly concave; upper and lowermost rays slightly
exserted; dorsal fin rays 16 or 17, third to 10th spines subequal; anal fin pointed in males, rounded in females, rays 7; pectoral fin slightly pointed, reaching vertical at anus, rays 18-20; pelvic fin pointed, 2th ray slightly elongated, reaching anus.
Staminate flowers Staminate Staminate inflorescence inflorescence of dense, puberulent, congested cymules appearing capitate, appearing capitate, 10 mm diameter, 10 mm diameter, peduncle 10-15 mm densely puberulent, long, many flowered, peduncle 8-10 mm pedicels very short, long, many-flowered, and stamens well stamens somewhat
exserted.
exserted.
The most peculiar characters of this taxon are located in the flowers, which are strongly zygomorphic with an urceolate and markedly bilateral calyx; sepals are light yellow (lower altitude populations) or purple (higher altitude populations); there are existing populations that show yellow-purplish sepals as an intermediate character; the adaxial sepals are larger than the abaxial; the abaxial are suborbicular to broadly ovate-cordate, forming a distinctive banner like hood, keeled, 4-6 x 6-8 mm; petals are subincluded or barely
exserted, purplish or brownish, especially on the veins.
Style 25-35mm long, straight, glabrous, conspicuously
exserted; stigma truncate.
In HN, species with
exserted, gular or included stamens were fairly equal to each other ([chi square]= 0.25, P = 0.8825), while most species in other regions possessed stamens deeply included in the corolla tube (Fig.
On its first arrival it seemed very thirsty, and with
exserted maxillae drank eagerly of drops of water" (Beagle 172-3).
Leaflets obovate; stamens
exserted; corolla red orange passing to pink after pollination; capsules with margins with wavy wings ...
The implicated traits include: a red, deep, narrowly tubular corolla; a lack of evident scent; absence of any conspicuous "landing platform"; and, anthers/stigmas
exserted just enough to daub and pick up pollen on the hovering hummingbird's facial feathers as it imbibes nectar (Grant and Grant, 1968; Wilson et al., 2004).
This new species most resembles Guzmania dissitiflora from SW Colombia and NW Ecuador on account of its often rheophytic growth habit and barely
exserted corolla but differs by its shorter floral bracts (19-26 vs.