Declieuxia cordigera var. divergentiflora (Pohl ex DC.) J.H.Kirkbr.

  • Authority

    Kirkbride, Joseph H., Jr. 1976. A revision of the genus Declieuxia (Rubiaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (4): 1-87.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Declieuxia cordigera var. divergentiflora (Pohl ex DC.) J.H.Kirkbr.

  • Discussion

    7c. Declieuxia cordigera var divergentiflora (Pohl ex de Candolle) Kirkbride, stat nov. Declieuxia divergentiflora Pohl ex de Candolle, Prodr. 4: 480, 1830. Psyllocarpus divergentiflorus Pohl ex de Candolle, in synonymy, Prodr. 4: 480, 1830. Type: Brazil, Minas Gerais, Paracatú, Pohl 856 (holotype G-DC; isotypes F, G, W). Declieuxia cordigera is a perennial herb which appears to put up new unbranched stems each year. A few plants of D. cordigera var cordigera did have branches at the upper nodes. In some instances, the apex of the primary stem had been destroyed. In other cases, the apex of the primary stem was occupied by an inflorescence or infructescence. Several plants of D. cordigera var divergentiflora showed limited primary branching at the upper nodes, and several specimens of D. cordigera var angustifolia from the vicinity of the city of São Paulo showed numerous primary branching. These types of branching would suggest that the stems are capable of being biennial. Some aspects of the leaf morphology of D. cordigera are highly variable, most particularly size, relative width, and pubescence. Declieuxia cordigera var angustifolia shows the greatest variation in these characters. The separation of D. cordigera var cordigera from D. cordigera var angustifolia and var divergentiflora based upon leaf blade shape and the shape of the base of the leaf blade is not absolute. There are several collections, such as Irwin, Maxwell, Wasshausen 20326 from Serra do Cipó and Loefgren 102 from Tatui, which consist of plants with cordate leaf bases and others with obtuse leaf bases. One locule of one flower of D. cordigera var cordigera was found to contain two ovules which appeared to be normal. The “funiculous” was similar to that of the other uniovulate locule of the flower. There was no apparent development of a placenta-like structure as in D. coerulea. The range of distribution of D. cordigera var cordigera, though restricted, coincides with that of D. oenanthoides. This reflects the fact that D. cordigera var cordigera is found in habitats, principally open forms of “cerrado” vegetation (Goodland, 1971; Eiten, 1972), similar to those of D. oenanthoides. The distribution of D. cordigera var angustifolia correspondes to the southeastern limits of cerrado (sensu lato) vegetation with the exception of two or three stations in Minas Gerais, most particularly the one at Lagôa Santa based upon Warming’s collections. Declieuxia cordigera var divergentiflora appears to be found in the river valleys of southwestern Goiás and east central Minas Gerais. Declieuxia cordigera appears most closely related to D. passerina, for further discussion, refer to D. passerina.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Known from the valley of the Rio São Marcos, the vicinity of Paracatú and of Cabeceiras, and Serra do Catuni. Map 7.

    Brazil South America|