Hamelia xerocarpa Kuntze var. xerocarpa

  • Authority

    Elias, Thomas S. 1976. A monograph of the genus Hamelia (Rubiaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26: 81-144.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hamelia xerocarpa Kuntze var. xerocarpa

  • Description

    Distribution and Ecology - Specimens examined. COSTA RICA. Limon: Livingston on Rib Reventazon, Rowlee & Stork 751 (US); vicinity U.S.D.A. Rubber Experiment Station, Los Diamantes on Rio Santa Clara, Holm & litis 421 (F, NY); Jimenez, Cooper 10200 (F, frag.; US) ; Zent Farm, Tonduz 14754 (F, frag.). PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: Changuinola Valley, Lincoln Creek, Dunlap 572 (F, US); Carretera, Wedel 648A (F, GH, MO); vicinity of Chiriqui Lagoon, Wedel 1171 (F, GH, MO); Water Vahey, Wedel 742 (F, GH, MO); Old Bank Island, Wedel 2024 (GH, MO, US); Fish Creek lowlands, Wedel 2381 (F, H, MO, US); without exact locality, Wedel 151 (F, GH, MO). Darien: between Punta uayabo Grande and Punta Guayabo Chiquita, Stern & Chambers 177 (A, MO, NY, S). COLOMBIA. Antioquia: along streams near Guapa, Haught 4605 (US). Santander: a. 15 miles S E of Barranca Bermeja, Castaneda 4991 (NY, US). Sur de Santander: icinity of Puerto Berrio, between Rib Carare and Rib Magdalena, Haught 1751 (F, S), 2176 (F, NY,US).

  • Discussion

    H. magniloba Wernham, Jour. Bot. London 49: 209. 1911 (holotype, Tate 200, K). H. Rowleei Standi., Jour. Wash. Acad. Sci. 15: 7. 1925 (holotype, Rowlee & Stork 75, US!). H. Haughtii Standi., Publ. Field Mus. Bot. 22: 116. 1940 (holotype, Haught 2176, F!; isotypes, NY!, US!). It is unfortunate that neither Wernham nor Standley examined the type of Hamelia xerocarpa before describing the three species here reduced to synonymy. These species, all based on single collections, are undoubtedly conspecific with H xerocarpa var. xerocarpa. The following characters were used by Wernham and by Standley as distinctive: length of the corolla, size of the corolla lobes, length of the anthers and filaments and degree of pubescence of the leaves. Although Standley (1934) separated H. xerocarpa from H. magniloba and H. rowleei on the basis of its having subulate calyx lobes, an examination of the holotype of H. xerocarpa revealed only narrowly ovate lobes. Standley probably did not have access to the type when he treated Hamelia in the North American Flora. Hamelia haughtii was established by Standley on the basis of the "abundant, long, soft pubescence of the leaves and inflorescence." A critical study of the above characters was made on 16 collections represented by 39 sheets of material, each assigned to one of the four species in question. Of the corohas measured, 37.5% were 2.2-2.6 cm long, 37.5% were 2.7-3.1 cm long, and the remaining 25% were 3-3.6 cm long. It is interesting that the holotype of Hamelia xerocarpa {Kuntze 2028) with a coroha of 1.5 cm long, lacks mature flowers, although this was not noted in the original description. A nearly continuous gradation of measurements was observed, falling within the range of 2.2-3.6 cm, thus eliminating the separation of these taxa on the basis of corolla length. A continuum can be observed from a densely long pilose condition of the leaves {Wedel 151) to a moderately phose condition {Cooper 10200, Wedel 1171). No difference was found in the relative lengths of the anthers and filaments.

  • Distribution

    Specimens examined. COSTA RICA. Limon: Livingston on Rib Reventazon, Rowlee & Stork 751 (US); vicinity U.S.D.A. Rubber Experiment Station, Los Diamantes on Rio Santa Clara, Holm & litis 421 (F, NY); Jimenez, Cooper 10200 (F, frag.; U S ) ; Zent Farm, Tonduz 14754 (F, frag.). PANAMA. Bocas del Toro: Changuinola Valley, Lincoln Creek, Dunlap 572 (F, US); Carretera, Wedel 648A (F, GH, MO); vicinity of Chiriqui Lagoon, Wedel 1171 (F, GH, MO); Water Vahey, Wedel 742 (F, GH, MO); Old Bank Island, Wede

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