Argylia radiata (L.) D.Don

  • Authority

    Gentry, Alwyn H. 1992. Bignoniaceae--part II (Tribe Tecomeae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 25: 1-370. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bignoniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Argylia radiata (L.) D.Don

  • Type

    Type. Peru. Moquegua?: 17°40'S latitude, Feuille s.n. (not seen; type illustration: Feuillée, J. obs. 2: 732, t. 22. 1714).

  • Synonyms

    Bignonia radiata L., Argylia canescens D.Don, Argylia feuillei DC., Argylia puberula DC., Argylia tenuifolia C.Presl, Oxymitus argylioides C.Presl, Argylia chrysantha Phil., Argylia eremophila Phil., Argylia glabriuscula Phil., Argylia villosa Phil., Argylia digitalina Phil., Argylia viridis var. digitalina (Phil.) Reiche

  • Description

    Species Description - Hemicryptophytic perennial herb, 0.2-1 m tall, variably pubescent from almost completely glabrous to minutely glandular-puberulous to velutinous with flexuous multi-celled trichomes, the leaves clustered near base. Leaves mostly alternate, palmately 5-11-foliolate, the primary leaflets more or less ovate or obovate in general outline and ca. 1-11 cm long by 0.5-6 cm wide, deeply pinnatifid with the individual pinnae usually again pinnatifid, the ultimate segments linear or narrowly oblanceolate, obtuse to acutish, 0.5-5 mm wide, variably pubescent from more or less glabrous to glandular-puberulous to densely tomentose below, the petiole glabrous to pubescent, striate-ridged, 3-15(-22 fide Gleisner & Ricardi) cm long. Inflorescence a simple long pedunculate terminal raceme, with flowers clustered toward apex or along upper third or half, the pedicels 0.4-1 cm long, subtended by a basal linear bracteole 2-8(-12 fide Gleisner & Ricardi) mm long. Flowers with the calyx 4-12 mm long, deeply 5-parted to near base, the teeth sublinear to lanceolate, 3-11 mm long, sparsely to densely glandular-puberulous to glandular-pilose, the trichomes multicelled and flexuous, usually in part subdendroid with short lateral arms; corolla yellow to red or deep maroon, when yellow with dark red or purple spots in throat (occasionally white fide Gleisner & Ricardi), tubular-campanulate above a rather elongate basal tube, 3.5-5.5 cm long, 0.9-1.8 cm wide at mouth of tube, the tube 2-4.5 cm long, the lobes 0.5-1 cm long, glandular-puberulous outside, inside pilose with rather short stiff trichomes in floor of tube, with a very few gland-tipped trichomes at base of filaments; stamens didynamous, the thecae divaricate, 3-4 mm long, glabrous; pistil 2.5-5 cm long, the ovary narrowly oblong, lepidote-glandular and minutely glandular-puberulous, 2-3 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide; disk 0.5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide. Fruit a linear capsule, tapering apically, the calyx persistent, 5-10(-12 fide Gleisner & Ricardi) cm long, 3-5 mm wide, longitudinally striate-costate, sparsely glandular-puberulous; seeds thin, transversely oblong, 3-4 mm long, 4-7 mm wide, slightly and narrowly apically winged.

  • Discussion

    This is the only Argylia species that ranges north of Chile and Argentina, and the only species fully treated here.

  • Distribution

    Dry xeromorphic vegetation, in Chile especially along the coast from 15°20'S in Aconcagua Province north to Antofagasta Province; disjunct in the southern lomas of Peru; 0-875 m elevation.

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