New Species of Stenospermation and Xanthosoma (Araceae) from Bajo Calima, Valle Department, Colombia

The genus Stenospermation, with 43 known species (including those proposed here), ranges from Guatemala to the Guianas, Brazil, and Bolivia. It is primarily Andean in distribution with most species occurring in Colombia and Ecuador. The genus is disjunct with many fewer species in eastern South America. Most species occur at middle elevations, and thus it is interesting to see so many species (a total of 14 in the Bajo Calima region) found in the area of Bajo Calima, which is near sea level. Stenospermation is clearly the most poorly known genus in the family, with probably as many as four fifths of the total species remaining undescribed. Xanthosoma is more widespread than Stenospermation, ranging from Mexico and the West Indies to Argentina and occurring over a wide elevational and ecological range. The genus has 60 published species with an additional eight to 10 more known unpublished species in Ecuador alone. Still, while there are undoubtedly other new species to be described, it is unlikely that the genus will end up with more than 100 species.