Magnolia juliana Archila, Tribouill. & O. E. Alvarado 2024, sp. nov.

Magnolia juliana Archila, Tribouill. & O.E.Alvarado, sp. nov. (Figs 8–10) Type:— GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Municipio de Cobán, Comunidad ChiOnk, 1350 m, 15°31’46”N 90°24’18”W, 7 Jun 2023, collected by Fredy Archila & Otto Alvarado Archila & Tribouillier MG-116 (holotype: BIGU! 84953 (fl, fr); isotype BIGU! (fl, fr)). Magnolia juliana resembles M. tribouillieriana, but it can be differentiated by its elliptic-obovate leaves with acuminate apex (vs. lanceolate-oblong to lanceolate-obovate leaves with acute apex), smaller flowers (7.5–7.7 vs. 8–9 cm in diam.), orbiculate sepals (vs. oblong-elliptic), and outer petals with obtuse apex (vs. acute apex; Table 2). Tree 12 m tall, 30 cm dbh. Petiole subterete, 2.2–2.6 cm long. Leaves elliptic-obovate, 12–16 × 5.6–5.8 cm, dark green above, glaucous below, glabrous, apex acuminate, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire, secondary veins 12–14 on each side of the midrib. Peduncle 5.5 × 0.8 cm. Perule 1.7–1.9 cm long, pubescent, ferruginous trichomes, glaucous. Flowers solitary, 7.5–7.7 cm in diam.; bracts 2, embracing, glabrous, the outer one 4.0–4.2 × 4.4–4.6 cm, globose, the inner one 3.5–3.8 × 2.2–2.5 cm, obovate; sepals 3, brown with green and light purple spots, orbiculate, rounded apex, 3.5–3.6 × 3.5–3.6 cm; petals 6, white, arranged in 2 series of 3, the outer series elliptic, apex acute, 3.1–3.2 × 1.8–2.0 cm, the inner series elliptic, apex obtuse, 4.2–4.3 × 1.8–2.1 cm; staminophore fuchsia, 1.0–1.1 × 0.7–0.8 cm; stamens 90–92, 1.1–1.2 × 0.17 cm; gynoecium ellipsoid, 1.6–1.7 × 1.1–1.2 cm, green, glabrous, glaucous, stigma persistent, 0.3 cm long, with an apiculate apex recurved outwards; carpels 39–48, 1.5–1.7 × 0.7–0.8 cm. Fruit oblongoid, 6.2–7.2 × 2.9–3.6 cm, glabrous, green; seeds 1–2 per carpel, covered with a red sarcotesta. Etymology:— This species honours Julia Wellman, who lived in the city of Cobán and died at the age of 74, a posthumous recognition of her efforts for Magnolia conservation. She realised the magnolia diversity (coj in Mayan Q’eqchi’) in her property and decided to preserve the forest remnants despite pressure for extensive forest clearance to plant coffee and cardamom. Distribution, habitat and ecology:— Known thus far only from the type locality, a private property with around 30 ha of cloud forest remnants (Fig. 4). Three other undescribed species of Magnolia occur in this area, and they cooccur with Pinus maximinoi (Pinaceae), Quercus skinneri Bnth (Fagaceae) and Pouteria sapota (Sapotaceae). Phenology:— Flowering, fruiting June. Conservation status:— After an exhaustive field exploration around the type locality, no additional localities were found, and most of the area has been transformed to agricultural land. In accordance with the IUCN guidelines (2024), this new species is assessed as vulnerable (VU D2) due to its exceptionally small and restricted population and the fact that it is protected in a private land. In situ and ex situ propagation programs are urgently needed because this new species does not occur within the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas (SIGAP) (CONAP 2011). Additional specimens examined:— GUATEMALA. Alta Verapaz: Municipio de Cobán, Comunidad ChiOnk, 1350 m, 15°31’46”N 90°24’18”W, 15 Jun 2023, collected by Fredy Archila & Otto Alvarado, Archila & Tribouillier MG-148 BIGU! 89764.