Dichapetalum donnell-smithii var. chiapasense (Standl.) Prance

  • Authority

    Prance, Ghillean T. 1972. Dichapetalaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 10: 1-84. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Dichapetalaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Dichapetalum donnell-smithii var. chiapasense (Standl.) Prance

  • Type

    TYPE. Matuda 619, Mexico, Chiapas, Monte Ovando, fr (holotype, MICH).

  • Synonyms

    Dichapetalum chiapasense Standl., Dichapetalum gentlei Lundell

  • Discussion

    The following material of this species is intermediate between the two varieties, and is not placed in either here. MEXICO. Chiapas: Matuda 645 fl (MICH, MO, US); Miranda 7881 fl (MEXU). GUATEMALA. Izabal: Snedaker D-131 fl (F). BRITISH HONDURAS. Corozal: Gentle 501 fr (F, K, MEXU, MICH, US). El Cayo: Lundell 6163 fl (GH, MICH, NY, S). Stann Creek: Gentle 2644 fr (A, F, K, MEXU, MICH, NY); 2880 fl (A, F, K, MICH, NY). HONDURAS, Atlantida: Yuncker et al 8732 fr (F, GH, K, MICH, MO, NY, S, US).

    Various workers have recently merged the two species D. donnell-smithii and D. chiapasense. There is considerable overlap between these two species when all available material is studied, and it seems best to regard them as a single rather variable species. I have studied the variation in some detail, and find some correlation between the variables. While there is considerable overlap, material previously referred to as D. chiapasense tends to have a narrower more oblong leaf and glabrous or sparsely pubescent leaf undersurface, while that of typical D. donnell-smithii has broader and more elliptic leaves with a hirsute lower surface. This variation can be seen in Figure 8 which is a pictorialized scatter diagram of the collections studied. Species lying to the left of line A-B fall into one group which I have called variety donnell-smithii, while those to the right of the line fall into variety chiapasense. The area encircled contains specimens which are difficult to assign to either variety, and most of them are unassigned in this work.

    Since the variation does not appear to be ecologically or geographically correlated, and since there is overlap, I regard the two extremes as varieties rather than subspecies.

    Dichapetalum gentlei which was described recently falls well within the range of variation in this species and is treated as a synonym of var chiapasense.

  • Distribution

    Southern Mexico, Guatemala, British Honduras and Honduras in scrub and forests.

    Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Petén Guatemala Central America| Alta Verapaz Guatemala Central America| Huehuetenango Guatemala Central America| Suchitepéquez Guatemala Central America| Honduras Central America| Atlántida Honduras Central America| Comayagua Honduras Central America| Corozal Belize Central America| Cayo Belize Central America| Belize Central America| Stann Creek Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America|