A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution

Jorge Armijos-Barros; Diego Pablo González-Sánchez; Dario Nole-Nole; Lars Markesteijn; Adrián Escudero; Andrea Jara-Guerrero; Carlos Iván Espinosa

doi:10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409

A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution

Jorge Armijos-Barros
, Diego Pablo González-Sánchez
, Dario Nole-Nole
, Lars Markesteijn
, Adrián Escudero
, Andrea Jara-Guerrero
, Carlos Iván Espinosa

School of Environmental & Natural Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

A new species of Malvaceae, Spirotheca zapotillana, is described from the Equatorial Pacific region of South America. The species occurs in seasonally dry tropical forests of El Oro and Loja provinces in southern Ecuador. It is characterized by a strictly tree-like habit, elliptical leaflets with acute apices, glandular floral receptacles, glabrous styles, oblong capsules, and reniform seeds. A morphological description of the new species is provided, along with data on its habitat and distribution, an assessment of its conservation status, and an updated key for the genus.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	181-192
Number of pages	12
Journal	PhytoKeys
Volume	265
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409
Publication status	Published - 31 Oct 2025

Keywords

Bombacoideae
Equatorial Pacific
disjunction
endemism
plant taxonomy

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10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409Licence: CC BY

Armijos-Barros, et al. (2025) PhytoKeys, 265, 181–192Final published version, 8.15 MBLicence: CC BY

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Armijos-Barros, J., González-Sánchez, D. P., Nole-Nole, D., Markesteijn, L., Escudero, A., Jara-Guerrero, A., & Espinosa, C. I. (2025). A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution. PhytoKeys, 265, 181-192. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409

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title = "A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution",

abstract = "A new species of Malvaceae, Spirotheca zapotillana, is described from the Equatorial Pacific region of South America. The species occurs in seasonally dry tropical forests of El Oro and Loja provinces in southern Ecuador. It is characterized by a strictly tree-like habit, elliptical leaflets with acute apices, glandular floral receptacles, glabrous styles, oblong capsules, and reniform seeds. A morphological description of the new species is provided, along with data on its habitat and distribution, an assessment of its conservation status, and an updated key for the genus.",

keywords = "Bombacoideae, Equatorial Pacific, disjunction, endemism, plant taxonomy",

author = "Jorge Armijos-Barros and Gonz{\'a}lez-S{\'a}nchez, \{Diego Pablo\} and Dario Nole-Nole and Lars Markesteijn and Adri{\'a}n Escudero and Andrea Jara-Guerrero and Espinosa, \{Carlos Iv{\'a}n\}",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "31",

doi = "10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409",

language = "English",

volume = "265",

pages = "181--192",

journal = "PhytoKeys",

issn = "1314-2011",

publisher = "Pensoft Publishers",

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Armijos-Barros, J, González-Sánchez, DP, Nole-Nole, D, Markesteijn, L, Escudero, A, Jara-Guerrero, A & Espinosa, CI 2025, 'A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution', PhytoKeys, vol. 265, pp. 181-192. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409

TY - JOUR

T1 - A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution

AU - Armijos-Barros, Jorge

AU - González-Sánchez, Diego Pablo

AU - Nole-Nole, Dario

AU - Markesteijn, Lars

AU - Escudero, Adrián

AU - Jara-Guerrero, Andrea

AU - Espinosa, Carlos Iván

PY - 2025/10/31

Y1 - 2025/10/31

N2 - A new species of Malvaceae, Spirotheca zapotillana, is described from the Equatorial Pacific region of South America. The species occurs in seasonally dry tropical forests of El Oro and Loja provinces in southern Ecuador. It is characterized by a strictly tree-like habit, elliptical leaflets with acute apices, glandular floral receptacles, glabrous styles, oblong capsules, and reniform seeds. A morphological description of the new species is provided, along with data on its habitat and distribution, an assessment of its conservation status, and an updated key for the genus.

AB - A new species of Malvaceae, Spirotheca zapotillana, is described from the Equatorial Pacific region of South America. The species occurs in seasonally dry tropical forests of El Oro and Loja provinces in southern Ecuador. It is characterized by a strictly tree-like habit, elliptical leaflets with acute apices, glandular floral receptacles, glabrous styles, oblong capsules, and reniform seeds. A morphological description of the new species is provided, along with data on its habitat and distribution, an assessment of its conservation status, and an updated key for the genus.

KW - Bombacoideae

KW - Equatorial Pacific

KW - disjunction

KW - endemism

KW - plant taxonomy

U2 - 10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409

DO - 10.3897/phytokeys.265.162409

M3 - Article

C2 - 41210105

SN - 1314-2011

VL - 265

SP - 181

EP - 192

JO - PhytoKeys

JF - PhytoKeys

ER -

A new tree species from seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador, Spirotheca zapotillana sp. nov. (Malvaceae), resolves a putatively disjunct distribution

Abstract

Keywords

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