Theobroma flaviflorum (Malvaceae: Byttnerioideae), a New Species from the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

A new species of Theobroma from the Southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica is described and illustrated. Theobroma flaviflorum is restricted to the Osa Peninsula, where it has been collected on stream banks. The new species shows an unusual combination of characters including yellow flowers and globose mature fruits without ribs that are slightly sunken toward the apex and borne on terminal leafy terminal branches. The new species is compared with T. angustifolium, T. cirmolinae, and T. stipulatum which also have flowers that are yellow or orange; and with T. grandiflorum, T. hylaeum, and T. subincanum, which have similarly shaped fruits. A key for the Mesoamerican species of Theobroma is provided, as well as some notes for two of the species of Theobroma also reported for this region.

Automated summary

A new species of Theobroma called Theobroma flaviflorum is described and illustrated in this article. This species is found exclusively on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, specifically on the banks of streams. The unique characteristics of this new species include yellow flowers, round fruits without ribs that are slightly sunken at the top, and are carried on leafy branches at the end. The article also compares this new species with similar species of Theobroma and provides a key for identifying Mesoamerican species of the genus.