Banisteriopsis nummifera (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 nummifera (A.Juss.) B.Gates

  • Type

    Type. Salzmann pl. Bras. exs. 92, Brazil, Bahia, fl yng fir (holotype, P-JU; isotype, G).

  • Synonyms

    Banisteria nummifera A.Juss., Banisteria blanchetiana A.Juss., Banisteria sellowiana var. blanchetiana (A.Juss.) Nied., Banisteria gardneriana var. nummifera (A.Juss.) Nied., Banisteria gardneriana f. luschnathiana Nied., Banisteria gardneriana f. blanchetiana Nied., Banisteria cinerea Rusby, Banisteria sphaerandra Rusby, Banisteria sellowiana f. grandifolia Nied.

  • Description

    Species Description - Liana, branches sparsely appressed-sericeous or glabrous. Stipules minute, triangular. Leaves with the petiole 7-22 mm long, sparsely appressed-sericeous to glabrous, apically Eglandular, the lamina 4.3-19.0 cm long, 2.0-8.8 cm wide, narrowly ovate to ovate or elliptic, obtuse to cordate at the base, obtuse to acuminate at the apex, with the margin slightly revolute, glabrous adaxially, appressed-sericeous to glabrous abaxially, with the reticulation prominent adaxially and the lateral veins prominent abaxially. Inflorescence of large axillary panicles bearing very reduced leaves, appressed-sericeous to glabrate, the side branches bearing 6-12 flowers borne alternately or in pairs; bracts and bracteoles 0.8-1.4 mm long, triangular, sparsely appressed-sericeous to glabrate, involucrate, persistent; pedicels sessile or short-stalked, 5-10 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm in diameter, sparsely appressed-sericeous to glabrate. Sepals 2.2-3.4 mm long, 1.6-2.8 mm wide, elliptic, rounded and often revolute at the apex, sparsely appressed-sericeous or glabrous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, the 4 lateral sepals Eglandular, projecting 1.0-2.0 mm beyond the glands, the glands 1.0-2.0 mm long, 0.6-1.4 mm wide. Petals yellow, glabrous, dentate to lacerate, the 4 lateral petals reflexed between the sepals, the claw 1.5-2.0 mm long, the limb 6.0-11.0 mm long and 5.0-9.0 mm wide, elliptic to orbicular, the antero-lateral petals larger and more concave than the postero-lateral petals, the posterior petal with the claw erect, 2.5-4.0 mm long, constricted at the apex, the limb 5.0-8.0 mm long and 4.0-7.5 mm wide, broadly obovate, plane. Stamens with the filaments 2.0-3.6 mm long, those opposite the sepals longer than those opposite the petals, or those opposite the postero-lateral petals as long as those opposite the sepals; anthers with the locules 0.6-1.2 mm long, glabrous, the connectives of the stamens opposite the 3 anterior sepals 0.8-1.3(-1.8) mm long, 0.7-1.0(-1.8) mm wide, 0.5-0.9 mm deep, obovate, sometimes swollen and glandular apically and projecting 0.2-0.6 (-1.0) mm beyond the locules, those opposite the petals 0.5-1.0(-1.4) mm long, 0.4-0.7(-0.9) mm wide, 0.2-0.4 mm deep, oblong, not projecting beyond the locules. Ovary 0.8-1.4 mm tall, sericeous or glabrous, the styles 2.2-3.0 mm long, stout and subequal, diverging from the base, stigmas capitate. Fruit with carpophore up to 2.5 mm long and 0.6 mm wide, the nut 6-8 mm tall, 3-5 mm long, rugulose, appressed-sericeous to glabrate, the hairs stiff and irritating, the trabecula 1.0-1.6 mm long, the distal margin with a prominent tooth, the wing 2232 mm long, 11-15 mm wide, oblong, appressed-sericeous to glabrate like the nut, with the sepals enlarging in fruit.

  • Discussion

    Collected in flower in January and from May to November, and in fruit from August to November.

    There is probably more than one taxon represented by the variation I have included in B. nummifera, but I failed to find any consistent basis for subdivision. The character which shows most obvious variation is the abaxial leaf pubescence; some individuals are densely and persistently appressed-sericeous, others are at first appressed-sericeous, and soon or eventually glabrate, whereas some individuals are always glabrous. However, this character does not seem to correlate with geography or other characters that vary, such as leaf size and shape, inflorescence pubescence, number of flowers on the side branches of the inflorescence, flower size, and degree of enlargement of the stamen connectives.

    Specimens of Banisteriopsis nummifera with sericeous leaves can be distinguished from B. gardneriana by their three stout equal styles. Glabrous specimens can be distinguished from B. sellowiana by their larger flowers and larger leaves.

  • Distribution

    In rain forest in Amazonia and Bolivia, in the Atlantic coastal forest of SE Brazil and also in gallery forest in the Planalto of Brazil.

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