Monographs Details:
Authority:
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 87: 1-178. (Published by NYBG Press)
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2003. Meliococceae (Sapindaceae):
Family:
Sapindaceae
Sapindaceae
Synonyms:
Talisia pygmaea Radlk., Talisia humilis Mattos
Talisia pygmaea Radlk., Talisia humilis Mattos
Description:
Species Description - Shrub with underground horizontal stems and numerous erect, aerial stems with determinate growth reaching 40 cm in height, and forming a dense clump reaching 3 m across. Underground stems are thicker than the aerial ones, producing scattered adventitious roots; aerial stems striate, appressed ferruginous-puberulent, mature stems lenticellate. Leaves paripinnate or less often imparipinnate; distal process filiform, 2-5 mm long; leaflets 6-16, alternate or opposite, lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, (3) 4.5-15 × 1.2-2 (-4.2) cm, coriaceous, the adaxial surface glabrous, dull or slightly shiny, the abaxial surface densely to sparsely covered with appressed, yellowish hairs, or glabrous, the venation brochidodromus, with primary and secondary veins prominent on abaxial surface, tertiary veins reticulate, the margins entire, the apex acute or obtusely acuminate, the base obtuse, slightly unequal; petiolules pulvinate, 1-1.5 mm long, puberulent; rachis 3.5-22 cm long, terete, bisulcate along adaxial surface, puberulent; petioles 1.5-8 cm long, flattened-canaliculate along adaxial surface, puberulent, slightly enlarged at the base. Thyrses panicle-shaped or with few lateral branches, axillary or terminal, to 23 cm long; cataphylls wanting; axes to 15 cm long, angled, striate, appressed ferruginous-pubescent and usually furfuraceous; bracts subulate, persistent, 2-2.5 mm long; dichasia simple or compound, sessile or shortly pedunculate; pedicels 1.5-2.5 mm long, articulate at upper third. Calyx 2.5-3 mm long, tomentulose to tomentose, the sepals free to the base, deltate or deltate-elliptic, concave, obtuse at apex; petals oblanceolate, 4-4.5 mm long, erect at anthesis, sparsely papillate and puberulent on adaxial surface, puberulent on lower third of abaxial surface, the apex apiculate, the base clawed-attenuate; appendages as long as the petals, adnate to petal along half of their length, lanceolate, erect, villose on adaxial surface, puberulent-papillate on abaxial surface; disc cup-shaped, 5-lobed, tomentulose, ca. 0.5 mm tall; stamens 8, the filaments of unequal length, 0.6-2.3 mm long, pubescent, the anthers 0.9 mm long, ovate, glabrous, apiculate at apex; ovary ovoid, ferruginous, tomentulose, the stigma trigonous, tomentulose, papillate. Fruits ovoid, densely ferruginous-tomentose, 1.8-2 × 1-1.7 cm, depressed at apex, with a short apiculum, the pericarp 2.8-3.2 mm thick, the endocarp glabrous. Seed one per fruit, known only in immature stage.
Species Description - Shrub with underground horizontal stems and numerous erect, aerial stems with determinate growth reaching 40 cm in height, and forming a dense clump reaching 3 m across. Underground stems are thicker than the aerial ones, producing scattered adventitious roots; aerial stems striate, appressed ferruginous-puberulent, mature stems lenticellate. Leaves paripinnate or less often imparipinnate; distal process filiform, 2-5 mm long; leaflets 6-16, alternate or opposite, lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, (3) 4.5-15 × 1.2-2 (-4.2) cm, coriaceous, the adaxial surface glabrous, dull or slightly shiny, the abaxial surface densely to sparsely covered with appressed, yellowish hairs, or glabrous, the venation brochidodromus, with primary and secondary veins prominent on abaxial surface, tertiary veins reticulate, the margins entire, the apex acute or obtusely acuminate, the base obtuse, slightly unequal; petiolules pulvinate, 1-1.5 mm long, puberulent; rachis 3.5-22 cm long, terete, bisulcate along adaxial surface, puberulent; petioles 1.5-8 cm long, flattened-canaliculate along adaxial surface, puberulent, slightly enlarged at the base. Thyrses panicle-shaped or with few lateral branches, axillary or terminal, to 23 cm long; cataphylls wanting; axes to 15 cm long, angled, striate, appressed ferruginous-pubescent and usually furfuraceous; bracts subulate, persistent, 2-2.5 mm long; dichasia simple or compound, sessile or shortly pedunculate; pedicels 1.5-2.5 mm long, articulate at upper third. Calyx 2.5-3 mm long, tomentulose to tomentose, the sepals free to the base, deltate or deltate-elliptic, concave, obtuse at apex; petals oblanceolate, 4-4.5 mm long, erect at anthesis, sparsely papillate and puberulent on adaxial surface, puberulent on lower third of abaxial surface, the apex apiculate, the base clawed-attenuate; appendages as long as the petals, adnate to petal along half of their length, lanceolate, erect, villose on adaxial surface, puberulent-papillate on abaxial surface; disc cup-shaped, 5-lobed, tomentulose, ca. 0.5 mm tall; stamens 8, the filaments of unequal length, 0.6-2.3 mm long, pubescent, the anthers 0.9 mm long, ovate, glabrous, apiculate at apex; ovary ovoid, ferruginous, tomentulose, the stigma trigonous, tomentulose, papillate. Fruits ovoid, densely ferruginous-tomentose, 1.8-2 × 1-1.7 cm, depressed at apex, with a short apiculum, the pericarp 2.8-3.2 mm thick, the endocarp glabrous. Seed one per fruit, known only in immature stage.
Discussion:
The specific epithet refers to the distinctive narrow leaflets of this species. Talisia pygmaea was treated as distinct from T. angustifolia by Radlkofer because of its cinnamomeus (yellowish brown) branches (vs. subferruginous light reddish brown), its ovate-lanceolate leaflets with sessile or decurrent bases and glabrous adaxial surface (vs. lanceolate, petiolulate and sparsely pilose) and its few-branched thyrses (vs. many-branched). However, none of these characters have proven to be consistent nor do they correlate with each other; they represent extremes in variation of these characters. Furthermore, differences in pubescence on many of the specimens examined is age related. Talisia subalbens Radlkofer seems to be closely related to T. angustifolia, due to its similar habit and general appearance. However, T. subalbens can be distinguished from T. angustifolia by the subcordate or cordate base of the leaflets. Talisia veraluciana Guarim Neto is morphologically very similar to T. angustifolia, however, T. veraluciana can be distinguished from it by its arboreal habit and by its larger flowers.
The specific epithet refers to the distinctive narrow leaflets of this species. Talisia pygmaea was treated as distinct from T. angustifolia by Radlkofer because of its cinnamomeus (yellowish brown) branches (vs. subferruginous light reddish brown), its ovate-lanceolate leaflets with sessile or decurrent bases and glabrous adaxial surface (vs. lanceolate, petiolulate and sparsely pilose) and its few-branched thyrses (vs. many-branched). However, none of these characters have proven to be consistent nor do they correlate with each other; they represent extremes in variation of these characters. Furthermore, differences in pubescence on many of the specimens examined is age related. Talisia subalbens Radlkofer seems to be closely related to T. angustifolia, due to its similar habit and general appearance. However, T. subalbens can be distinguished from T. angustifolia by the subcordate or cordate base of the leaflets. Talisia veraluciana Guarim Neto is morphologically very similar to T. angustifolia, however, T. veraluciana can be distinguished from it by its arboreal habit and by its larger flowers.
Phenology. Flowers from August to February and fruits in October, January and February.
Distribution:
Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Paraguay South America| Amambay Paraguay South America|
Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Paraguay South America| Amambay Paraguay South America|