Banisteriopsis oxyclada (A.Juss.) B.Gates

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Banisteriopsis oxyclada (A.Juss.) B.Gates

  • Type

    Type. d Orbigny 804, Bolivia, Chiquitos, Santa Anna, fl fr (lectotype, P). Claussen s.n., Brazil, Minas Gerais, fl (syntype, P). I have chosen the d Orbigny specimen as lectotype since the original description includes a description of both flowers and fruits, and this specimen has both.

  • Synonyms

    Banisteria oxyclada A.Juss., Banisteria albicans Griseb., Banisteria oxyclada f. brevialata Nied., Banisteria oxyclada var. rhombifolia Skottsb.

  • Description

    Species Description - Liana; young branches and inflorescence branches flattened, densely white- or golden-tomentose, old branches terete, eventually glabrate, bark grey. Stipules 1-2 mm long, on old branches borne on a conspicuous raised interpetiolar ridge, tomentose. Leaves with the petiole 14-25(-40) mm long, white-tomentose, canaliculate, bearing l(-5) pairs of cupulate glands near the apex, the lamina 6.0-14.2(-18.0) cm long, 5.0-11.1(-14.8) cm wide, ovate, obtuse to cordate at the base, apiculate at the apex, bearing a pair of glands basally beside the costa and 1-2 pairs of stipitate glands up to 0.4 mm in diameter near the margin abaxially, adaxially densely velutinous to glabrate, abaxially densely white-tomentose to sericeous, the hairs T-shaped, the trabecula 0.4-0.8 mm long, straight to flexuous, with the venation prominent abaxially, and flat adaxially. Inflorescence of 4-flowered umbels borne in large, dense, axillary and terminal cymes, white-tomentose; bracts and bracteoles 1.5-1.8 mm long, triangular, tomentose, persistent; peduncle 0-4 mm long, pedicels (8-) 11-17 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm in diameter, 0.7-0.9 mm without the hairs, tomentose to loosely sericeous. Sepals ovate, acute and often inrolled at the apex, sericeous abaxially, sparsely sericeous near the apex adaxially, 3.2-3.8 mm long, the anterior sepal 1.5-2.0 mm wide, the 4 lateral sepals 2.5-3.0 mm wide, each Eglandular, the glands 2.4-2.6 mm long, 0.8-1.0 mm wide, the sepals projecting 1.4-1.5 mm beyond the glands. Petals white to pink, the 4 anterior petals reflexed between the sepals, the claws 0.6-1.5 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, the limbs 7.5-13.0 mm long, 7.0-10.0 mm wide, laciniate, eglandular, orbicular, the antero-lateral petals cochleate, the posterior petal with the claw erect, yellow, 3.0-3.5 mm long, up to 1.3 mm wide, apically constricted, thick and fleshy, the limb 6.5-9.5 mm long, 4.5-8.5 mm wide, obovate, fimbriate to laciniate, the basal fimbriae enlarged and gland-tipped. Stamens with the filaments 2.5-4.0 mm long, basally connate, those of the posterior 3 stamens flexuous and inflexed between the posterior styles, the locules 0.6-1.2 mm long, glabrous, the connectives of the stamens opposite the petals and opposite the postero-lateral sepals 0.4-0.8 mm long, 0.3-0.8 mm wide, 0.1-0.6 mm deep, with only those opposite the antero-lateral petals glandular, those of the stamens opposite the 3 anterior sepals glandular and enlarged, 1.2-1.8 mm long, 0.9-1.1 mm wide, 0.7-1.2 mm deep, those opposite the antero-lateral sepals projecting 1.0-1.2 mm beyond the locules. Ovary 1.2-1.4 mm tall, white-sericeous, the anterior style 3.0-3.2 mm long, tapering to 0.2 mm wide apically, straight, the posterior styles lyrate, diverging, 3.6-3.8 mm long, tapering to 0.15 mm wide apically, the stigmas capitate. Samara with carpophore up to 1.5 mm long, up to 1 mm wide, the nut 8-11 mm tall, 4.5-5.0 mm long, smooth to rugose, appressed-pubescent, the wing (22-)28-40 mm long, 11-16 mm wide, appressed-sericeous, the hairs sessile, persistent, T-shaped, the trabecula straight, 0.2 mm long. Chromosome number, n = 10. Voucher, Anderson 11144.

  • Discussion

    Collected in flower November to June and in fruit March to July.

    This species is very close to B. muricata, from which it is distinguished by its longer petioles, larger leaves with tomentose pubescence, the prominent interpetiolar ridge, and larger flowers with thicker pedicels.

    Throughout most of its range the abaxial leaf pubescence is tomentose, the hairs very dense with flexuous trabeculae, giving the leaf a dense opaque white appearance. However, in Goiás, some collections have leaves which are shining metallo-sericeous abaxially, the trabeculae straight and aligned more or less parallel to each other. I do not consider this variation to have any taxonomic significance.

  • Common Names

    Cipó folha de prata, Cipó prata

  • Distribution

    Large vine over trees and at gallery margins throughout the Planalto of Brazil, and apparently extending to Bolivia and Paraguay.

    Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Peru South America| Paraguay South America|