Govenia polychroma, a new species of Orchidaceae from Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Govenia polychroma, a new orchid species from central Veracruz, Mexico is described and illustrated. It is similar to G. matudae, G. praecox and G. rubellilabia in the relatively small flowers, two leaves and globose corms, but differs from all previously described species in the purplish-magenta petals with yellow apices and the strongly conduplicate, narrowly channeled column foot. Due to its small geographical range (less than 1 km2) and the small number of both populations (two) and individuals (14), the new species is considered as endangered.