Jacaranda subalpina Morawetz

  • Authority

    Gentry, Alwyn H. 1992. Bignoniaceae--part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-370. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bignoniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Jacaranda subalpina Morawetz

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Serra da Mantiqueira, Eng. Passos to Pouso Alto, turnoff to Agulhas Negras mountains, 1800 m, 44°41'W, 22°26'S, 10 Jan 1975, Gottsberger & Morawetz 18-10175 (holotype, RB; isotypes, K, MO, WU).

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree 5-12 m tall, the branchlets somewhat flattened, densely puberulous. Leaves bipinnate, 25-45 cm long, with 11-23 pinnae, the leaflets (9-) 17-23(-27) per pinna, sessile, narrowly elliptic or oblong, obtuse to acute at apex, cuneate at base, 0.8-4 cm long, 0.4-1.8 cm wide, the terminal larger, entire to few-dentate or crenate, above dark green, the nerves obviously impressed, sparsely puberulous, below greenish gray, the main veins puberulous. Inflorescence a narrow terminal panicle, few-flowered, the branches puberulous, the lower bracts bipinnate, the bracteoles minute, caducous. Flowers with the calyx broadly cupular or infundibuliform, 6-11 mm long, 6-11 mm wide, irregularly 5-dentate, gray-puberulous; corolla purple with white throat, broadly campanulate-infundibuliform, 4.5-6.5 cm long, 3-5 cm wide at mouth, the lobes ca. l.5 cm long, glandular-puberulous outside, the lobes puberulous, inside glabrous except at level of stamen insertion; stamens dithecate, the thecae divaricate, the staminode clavate, the apex entire, glandular-villous; ovary glabrous; disk annular-patelliform. Fruit a subwoody capsule, elliptic or narrowly elliptic or oblong, 5-6.5 cm long, 2.6-3.5 cm wide, the margin not undulate, the surface somewhat minutely verrucose.

  • Discussion

    This species is close to widespread and heterogeneous J. puberula but occurs at higher altitudes than J. puberula and has a much more densely pubescent corolla and broader more coriaceous calyx than any material of J. puberula. The fruit of J. subalpina is smaller (5-6.5 x 2.6-3.5 cm vs. 6-9 cm x 3-6 cm in J. puberula). Its leaflets are also more elliptic to oblong (rather than elliptic-rhombic as typical for J. puberula) and are puberulous along the nerves, not just in the axils.

  • Distribution

    Endemic to montane rain forests at higher altitudes in the Serra da Mantiqueira of southern Rio de Janeiro State and adjacent São Paulo; 1600-1800 m.

    Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|