Banisteriopsis malifolia (Nees & Mart.) B.Gates

  • Authority

    Gates, Bronwen. 1982. Banisteriopsis, Diplopterys (Malpighiaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 30: 1-238. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Banisteriopsis malifolia (Nees & Mart.) B.Gates

  • Type

    HT: ; BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: between Tamboril and Valos, Prinz von Neuwied s.n. (BR; IT: BR)

  • Synonyms

    Malpighia malifolia Nees & Mart., Banisteria crotonifolia A.Juss., Banisteria crotonifolia var. angustifolia Griseb.

  • Description

    Species Description - Subshrub, shrub or bushy tree to 3 m, the branch ends weakly vining. Young branches terete, densely golden-brown-velutinous to appressed-sericeous, older branches with pale punctate lenticels, eventually glabrate, the bark dark- to reddish-brown. Stipules minute or up to 1 mm long, triangular, appressed-sericeous to glabrate. Leaves with the petiole 2-7 mm long, up to 2 mm in diameter, golden-velutinous or appressed-sericeous, eglandular, with the lamina 2.8-7.4(-10.2) cm long, 1.7-5.7 cm wide, smaller in the inflorescence, narrowly elliptic to broadly elliptic or ovate, plane to rugose, obtuse to cordate at the base, acute to apiculate at the apex, with the margin plane to revolute, bearing a single pair of peltate glands 0.8-1.0 mm in diameter beside the costa at the base abaxially, short-velutinous or appressed-pubescent becoming glabrate adaxially, sparsely to densely tomentose or sericeous abaxially, the hairs T-shaped with the trabecula 1.2-2.8 mm long, straight to flexuous, and the stalk 0.04-0.20 mm long, flat to rugose, with the veins very impressed or not adaxially, prominent abaxially. Inflorescence of 4-flowered umbels on leafy shoots, the umbels borne in cymes on terminal shoots, densely golden-velutinous or white-appressed-sericeous; bracts and bracteoles 1.8-2.8 mm long, lanceolate to broadly oblong, sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, caducous in bud; pedicels sessile, 9-16(-24) mm long, 0.6-1.0 mm wide, 0.4-0.6 mm without hairs, velutinous or appressed-sericeous. Sepals white-sericeous abaxially, sparsely minutely velutinous throughout adaxially, 3.5-5.3 mm long, 2.0-2.5 mm wide, elliptic to oblong, rounded and sometimes revolute at the apex, with the glands 2.3-3.0 mm long, 0.9-1.6 mm wide, the sepals projecting 1.6-2.3 mm beyond the glands. Petals white or pale pink, sometimes with pink veining, becoming pale yellow in age, dentate to laciniate, the 4 lateral petals reflexed between the sepals, the claw 1.5-2.5 mm long, 0.4-0.8 mm wide, the limb 8.0-11.0 mm long, 7.5-10.0 mm wide, the anterolateral petals cochleate, the postero-lateral petals plane, orbicular, eglandular, the posterior petal with the claw erect, 3.0-4.0 mm long, up to 1.3 mm wide at the apex, not constricted, the limb 6.5-9.5 mm long, 6.0-8.5 mm wide, plane to convex, with the basal teeth not glandular or gland-tipped. Stamens with the filaments 2.0-4.5 mm long, connate basally, the locules 1.0-1.6 mm long, sparsely pilose, the connectives yellow, glandular, those opposite the petals 0.6-1.2 mm long, 0.4-0.9 mm wide, 0.2-0.7 mm deep, those opposite the sepals 0.9-1.4 mm long, 0.7-1.2 mm wide, 0.4-0.9 mm deep, projecting a little beyond the locules. Ovary 1.0-1.4 mm long, white-sericeous; styles equal, straight and parallel, 2.5-3.5 mm long, tapering to 0.3-0.5 mm wide, stigmas capitate. Fruit with carpophore 0.6-1.2 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, the nut 5-7 mm tall, 4-5 mm long, appressed-pubescent, the wing (10-) 15-25 mm long, 7-14 mm wide, with appressed T-shaped hairs, the trabecula up to 1.8 mm long, glabrescent, with the wings of the 2 posterior samaras rotated to lie parallel with that of the anterior samara, the locule densely hairy inside.