Manihot grahamii Hook.

  • 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 grahamii Hook.

  • Type

    TYPE. Tweedie s n: Brasil, Parana: Woods of the Parana (syntypes, K-3).

  • Synonyms

    Janipha loeflingii var. multifida Graham, Manihot tweedieana Müll.Arg., Manihot tweedieana var. lobata Chodat & Hassl., Manihot tweedieana f. nana Chodat & Hassl., Manihot lobata (Chodat & Hassl.) Pax, Manihot enneaphylla Pax & K.Hoffm.

  • Description

    Description - Arborescent shrubs to low trees with a strong odor of HCN in all parts, to 7.0 m tall, forming an umbrella-like dense canopy of foliage at the top. Roots not tuberous, epidermis rough, dark brown, subepidermis white. Trunk ca 30.0 cm in diameter at base; bark smooth, reddish brown, ca 0.6 cm thick, peeling readily from trunk, latex in small quantity, light yellowish white. Young stems obtuse-angled in cross section, glabrous, moderate olive green (7.5 GY 4/4), internal stem color of younger stems brilliant yellow green. Young shoots strong yellow green (5 GY 6/8). Leaves alternate, stipules long, often to 3.0 cm in length, filiform, glabrous, caducous; petioles usually very long, ca 20.0 cm in length, terete, glabrous strong yellow green (5 GY 7/10), petiole attachment to lamina basal, nonpeltate; lamina greenish without any purplish pigmentation, glabrous, abaxial surface wax pattern smooth, venation camptodromous, veins on the adaxial lamina surface conspicuous, bright yellowish, glabrous; palmately 7-11 lobed; median lobes oblong pandurate, rarely entire, gradually widening from a narrow base to a prominently dilated apical region which abruptly narrows down and terminates in an acuminate apex, usually as long as 15.0-20.0 cm, base of lobes ca 0.5 cm wide, width between base of sinus and petiole-lamina junction ca 1.0 cm, lowest lobes more or less similar in outline as median lobes but smaller. Inflorescence a monoecious profusely branched panicle, often as long as 30.0 cm, all parts glabrous; bracteoles and bractlets setaceous. Pistillate flowers restricted to base of upper 2/3 of the inflorescence, pedicels ca 2.0 cm long, tepal 1.25 cm long, cleft to base into 5 lobes, disc orange-red, ovary subglobose, glabrous. Staminate buds ovoid ellipsoid, flowers large, tepal 1.25 cm long, brilliant yellow green (2.5 GY 9/8) with maroon dots internally at base, glabrous, disc bright orange, 10 lobed, stamens 10, in 2 whorls of 5 each, the superior whorl 0.9 cm long, the inferior 0.7 cm long. Fruits round, not winged, with triangular indentations in stigmatic end, 1.8 cm long from base to apex, 1.9 cm from side to side, dehiscence septicidal. Seeds oblong, 1.2 cm long, with rib-like projections along the lateral edges, caruncle moderately prominent.

  • Discussion

    Cultivated as an ornamental plant in southern United States.

    Hooker first determined that Graham’s Janipha loeflingii var multifida was a distinct species in the genus Manihot. Mueller von Argau (1874) apparently did not see the relationship between Graham’s variety and his new species, M. tweedieana, although he had earlier (1866) transferred correctly Janipha loeflingii H.B.K. var multifida Graham to Manihot.

    Croizat (1944) said that M. tweedieana Muell-Arg. was incorrect because (fide Croizat) Pohl’s M. flabellifolia was the correct species. Croizat incorrectly synonymized tweedieana under Pohl’s flabellifolia even though Pohl’s species itself is but a variation of M. esculenta.

    According to Article 60 of the International Rules, the varietal epithet multifida published by Graham has no priority as a species epithet.

    The roots of Manihot grahami are slender, never enlarged. For this reason, it would not seem to be a good candidate for breeding work to increase yield of M. esculenta. On the other hand if one is breeding for cool temperature tolerance, this species might be useful, particularly if representatives from the southern limits of its range were chosen.

  • Common Names

    Guazu mandioca, Mandioca brava, Mandioca de veado, Mandioca do matto, Mandio-Guazu, Mandio-quazu, Mandio-guazu, Sacha Mandioca

  • Distribution

    This species is native to southeastern Brasil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It has been introduced to the southeastern United States, and now is found frequently naturalized from Louisiana eastward to Florida. It has been confused with M. esculenta in this area. It has, on occasion, been raised in conservatories, and there again, mislabled M. esculenta.

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