Revision of Reldia (Gesneriaceae)

Reldia (Gesneriaceae) includes terrestrial herbs with alternate leaves, inflorescences which often possess both primary and secondary pedicels but are epedunculate, small white, spurred flowers, a nectary usually reduced to a dorsal gland, and a bivalved capsule. The genus is distributed from Panama to northern Peru. In the present work five species are recognized: Reldia alternifolia from Panama; R. minutiflora, originally described from Peru, but distributed from this country north to Panama; two new species from eastern Ecuador, R. calcarata and R. multiflora, and one new species from Colombia, R. grandiflora. Two varieties of R. minutiflora are recognized, var. minutiflora and var. veraguensis. Reldia occurs in forested, deeply shaded and highly humid ravines usually along streams. The altitude ranges from sea level up to 2500 meters.