Two new species of Rubus L. (Rosaceae) from the western Andes of Ecuador

Resumen

Two new species of <i>Rubus</i> (Rosaceae) from the western Andes of northern Ecuador are described. <i>Rubuslongistipularis</i> D.A. Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. is a scandent or climbing shrub found in the mountain forests of Chocó Andino from northern Ecuador. <i>Rubusmaquipucunensis</i> D.A. Espinel-Ortiz & Romol. is a vine or climbing shrub found in the rainforests of Chocó Andino from Pichincha and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. The species mentioned here are morphologically differentiated from all the <i>Rubus</i> species from Ecuador with a detailed botanical description, illustrations and photographs. We also report, for the first time, possible hybridisation between <i>R.longistipularis</i> and <i>R.boliviensis</i> Focke, as the samples reviewed showed mixed characteristics from both species.