CALATHEA CROATII (MARANTACEAE), A NEW ENDEMIC SPECIES FROM PANAMA.

Calathea croatii H. Kenn., endemic to Panama, is described as new for inclusion in Flora Mesoamericana. It occurs in montane wet to cloud forest habitat and is only known from one collection each from Prov. Chirquí, Com. Ngäbe-Buglé and Prov. Coclé. It shares a similar habit, leaf venation and inflorescence morphology with the closely related C. guzmanioides L.B. Sm. & Idrobo. Calathea croatii differs from C. guzmanioides in the glabrous vs. tomentose major veins of the adaxial leaf surface and the bracts ovate to narrowly ovate with apex acute vs. broadly ovate to broadly elliptic with broadly obtuse to rounded apex (bract length to width ratios 2.62-2.75 vs. 0.95-1.78:1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]