Manihot maguireiana Rogers & Appan

  • Authority

    Rogers, David J. & Appan, S. G. 1973. Manibot, Manihotoides (Euphorbiaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 13: 1-272. 1 chart. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Manihot maguireiana Rogers & Appan

  • Type

    TYPE. Cardona 530: Venezuela, Bolivar: Rio Paragua, Isla el Casabe, alt ca 265 m, 21 Apr 1943 (holotype, VEN; isotypes, A, US).

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Frutices gracili, 1.0-1.5 m altus. Folia trilobus, lobi cernui; mediani lobi lanceolati inciso margine, raro intigra margine, basis racemi, ca 3.0 cm longi. Capsulae parvae, ca 0.9 cm longae.

    Description - Slender shrubs, 1.0-1.5 m tall, stems ascending. Young stems grayish brown, glabrous; mature stems dark purplish brown, glabrous. Leaves alternate; stipules caducous, filiform, less than 0.5 cm long, glabrous; petioles short, less than 4.0 cm long, terete, glabrous, dark purplish tinged, petiole attachment to lamina basal, nonpeltate; lamina membranaceous, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial surface silvery gray, wax pattern on the abaxial lamina surface shows discrete rings with irregular sides at magnifications of ×40; venation frequently craspedodromous, sometimes camptodromous, veins glabrous; lamina 3 lobed, lobes usually deflexed; median lobes lanceolate with incised margin, rarely with entire margin, ca 7.0 cm long, ca 2.0 cm wide, the lobules along the lobe margin attenuate, ending in a fine point, the extension of a secondary vein, apex acuminate, base of lobes extremely constricted, less than 0.2 cm wide, width between base of sinus and petiole-lamina junction less than 0.2 cm; lowest lobes more or less similar to median lobes in size and outline, slightly nonsymmetric. Inflorescence monoecious, terminal, short racemes, simple or a cluster of 2 arising from a common base, ca 3.0 cm long, all parts glabrous; bracteoles semifoliaceous, ca 1.0 cm long, 0.2 cm wide, margin entire, rarely serrate; bractlets semifoliaceous, ca 0.75 cm long, 0.1 cm wide. Pistillate flowers restricted to the base of the inflorescence, pedicels 1.0-2.0 cm long; tepal 0.9 cm long, yellowish green with purplish streaks on the outside, pale pinkish inside, cleft to base into 5 lobes; ovary subglobose; the trifid stigma sparsely lobed and lobulate. Staminate buds ovoid-ellipsoid; flowers small, tepal 0.9 cm long, yellowish green with pinkish streaks externally, pale pinkish internally, cleft 1/3 way down into 5 lobes; stamens 10, in 2 whorls of 5 each, the superior whorl 0.7 cm long, the inferior 0.5 cm long, Capsules small, 0.9 cm long, subglobose, surface smooth, without wings, apex rounded. Seeds small, 0.7 cm long, oblong, caruncle not prominent.

  • Discussion

    Manihot maguireiana is the most distinct species of section Graciles, remaining as a separate unit in the computer analysis until the c-value .80. Its closest relatives are M. gracilis subsp gracilis, and M. triphylla.

    Its geographical distribution is distinct, northernmost in the section Graciles.

  • Distribution

    (Fig 7 ID). Venezuela, state of Bolivar. Alt to 500 m. Frequent on rocky ridges and in savannas.

    Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America|