Pavonia spiciformis Krapov.

  • Authority

    Fryxell, Paul A. 1999. Cavanilles (Malvaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 76: 1-284. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Malvaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pavonia spiciformis Krapov.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Bahia: Gandu, rd. to Algodão, Santos 1179 (holotype, CEPEC-n.v.; isotype, CTES).

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs to 3 m tall, the stems minutely stellate-pubescent to glabrescent, more or less sulcate. Leaf blades elliptic, truncate (and minutely auriculate at base), entire, rounded-acute, penninerved, the midrib slightly raised above, prominently raised beneath, to 31 x 11 cm, glabrous; petioles 6-9 cm long, with a few obscure stellate hairs on the adaxial side, otherwise glabrous; stipules single or divided into 2-3 elements, lanceolate or ligulate, persistent. Inflorescences terminal, spiciform, leafless, with short internodes; pedicels 4-8 mm long, densely puberulent; involucellar bracts ca. 8, lanceolate, 10 x 1.5-2 mm, minutely stellate-pubescent; calyx 12 mm long, more densely pubescent than the involucel, the hairs yellowish, ca. half-divided, the lobes more or less 3-ribbed; petals subequal to or slightly exceeding the calyx, cream-colored (fide collector); androecium subequal to corolla; styles emergent from corolla, with capitate stigmas. Fruits unknown.

  • Discussion

    Illustration. Krapovickas (1982a: pl. 6, fig. 1).

    Pavonia spiciformis has spiciform inflorescences, as the names indicates, and in common with P. spectabilis and P. ducke-limae. It differs from the former in its more numerous involucellar bracts (ca. 8 vs. 5), its glabrous petioles, and its compound stipules. It differs from the latter in its shorter pedicels and its included staminal column.

  • Distribution

    Known only from the type collection from Bahia, Brazil, sympatric with Pavonia sancti. The type locality is at 13°50'S, 39°35'W.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America|