Buddleja mendozensis Gillet ex Benth.

  • Authority

    Norman, E. M. 2000. Buddlejaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 81: 1-225. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Buddlejaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Buddleja mendozensis Gillet ex Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Argentina. Mendoza: Near Mendoza, Gillies s.n. Sep 1824 (holotype, K; isotypes E, GH).

  • Synonyms

    Buddleja tenuifolia Griseb., Buddleja mendozensis var. tenuifolia (Griseb.) Hieron., Buddleja lucae Niederl., Buddleja kurtzii Kraenzl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Dioecious shrub 0.2-2 m tall, the bark grayish, young branches subterete, tomentose. Leaves quite variable, petioles to 1 cm long, stipular lines marked, blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, or ovate, 0.5-5(-8) x 0.2-2 cm, subcoriaceous to membranaceous, above glabrescent to tomentose, glandular trichomes often conspicuous, below tomentose to lanose; apex acute to acuminate, base decurrent, obtuse or hastate, margin entire, sinuate, or serrate. Inflorescence of 2-5 pairs of small heads in the axils of upper or subterminal leaves. Heads sessile or short pedunculate with 1-5 sessile or subsessile flowers. Calyx tubular, tomentose outside, tube 2-3 mm long, lobes acute, 0.8-1.5 mm long. Corolla yellowish to orange, subsalverform, tomentose outside, inside with warty hairs in upper part of tube, the tube 3.5-4.5 mm long, lobes suborbicular, 1.2-2 x 1.2-2 mm. Stamens sessile, inserted 1 mm below sinus, anthers 1-1.2 mm long. Ovary 1.5-2 mm, tomentose, style 1.5-3 mm long, stigma clavate, 0.7-1.2 mm long. Capsule cylindrical, 3.5-5 x 2-3 mm, tomentulose and glandular, dehiscing septicidally, loculicidally at apex, valves acute. Seeds type 5, fusiform, 0.7-0.9 x 0.3-0.41 mm long, wingless, embryonic mass 0.6-0.9 mm long. 2n = 38.

  • Discussion

    Used as an infusion in childbirth to prevent hemorrhage (Hieronymus, 1882) and to speed up delivery (Ariza Espinar, pers. comm.). Giberti (1981) mentions its use in northern Argentina for treating “el corazon” and “golpes internos.”

    This widespread species is very variable vegetatively. The lack of discontinuity, when many specimens are examined, has led me to decide not to recognize the extremes taxonomically. I describe each “morphological type” and its main but not exclusive distribution pattern.

    1. Northern La Pampa, south and central Mendoza: Stunted, highly branched shrubs with subsessile elliptic leaves, 0.5 x 0.5 cm. This element was described by Niederlein as Buddleja lucae from Sierra Lucas, collected 2 Jun 1879. If this date is correct, Sierra Lucas would be near Choele-Choel, Río Negro, judging from the collection data in Lorenz & Niederlein (1881). Ariza Espinar (1973) indicates that there is only one specimen of this entity at CORD from Sierra Lucas with Niederlein’s handwriting, but with 30 Jun 1879 as the collecting date. However on that day, the expedition was near Sierra Chachahuen, southern Mendoza. I concur that southern Mendoza is a more likely location for this plant than Río Negro.

    2.Central Mendoza, San Juan, San Luís, La Rioja: Leaves entire often dimorphic, the smaller ones subsessile, lanceolate; the larger ones with petiole up to 1 cm, 2.5 x 1.5 cm, oblong-lanceolate, margin lobate or serrate. This entity can be seen in the type material of B. mendozensis which Gillies collected near the city of Mendoza.

    3. Catamarca: Leaves with petioles up to 1.5 cm, ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, up to 8 x 2 cm, often tomentose on both surfaces, margin entire or coarsely serrate; flower heads often subterminal in axils of leaves. A good illustration is found in Giberti (1981). Smith (1937) erroneously referred to this morphotype as Buddleja lucae. Ariza Espinar (1973) suggests that this entity represents hybrids between B. mendozensis and B. cordobensis. This hypothesis is unlikely as the latter is not found in Catamarca. This entity was proposed by Hieronymus (photo F neg. 18173) as a new species, B. schickendantzii, but was never published.

    4. Córdoba and Santiago del Estero: Leaves subsessile, linear, 1.3 x 0.1-04 cm, entire or subentire usually with numerous axillary leaves which give a crowded appearance to the branches. This entity is the basis for Buddleja tenuifolia Griseb. However, some specimens from around the city of Cordoba, i.e. Maldonado 775, have much larger leaves, to 6 x 1 cm, with conspicuous serrations. This was puzzling, until I found that plants grown in central Florida from seeds of Antón & Ariza Espinar 57, which have the typical “tenuifolia” characteristics, had juvenile leaves totally unlike their parents and were a good match to the Maldonado specimens.

    Some specimens are more or less intermediate in leaf size and inflorescence between B. mendozensis and B. tucumanensis and may represent hybrids: ARGENTINA. Salta: Iruya, Hurrell 707 (LP). Tucumán: Tafi del Valle, Lourteig 1227 (SI).

    Hybridization is also likely between this species and B. cordobensis. This is discussed under the latter species.

  • Common Names

    salvia de la hora, salvilora, salvialora, salvia blanca

  • Distribution

    Widespread in xeric and subxeric areas of Argentina, from Jujuy to southern Mendoza and La Pampa at 600-3000 m, growing on rocks or in barrancas, and washes on rocky outcrops. Flowering primarily from August to January; fruiting from September to March. In central Florida it blooms in March and April.

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