Pavonia spinifex (L.) Cav.

  • Authority

    Fryxell, Paul A. 1999. Cavanilles (Malvaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 76: 1-284. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Malvaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pavonia spinifex (L.) Cav.

  • Type

    Type. Plumier, Pl. Amér., pl.1 (1755).

  • Synonyms

    Pavonia aristata Cav., Pavonia spinifex var. grandiflora DC., Hibiscus spinifex L., Pavonia spinifex var. ovalifolia Cav., Typhalea spinifex (L.) C.Presl, Lassa spinifex (L.) Kuntze

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs 1-2 m tall, the stems sparsely and minutely stellate-pubescent to glabrate, with narrow longitudinal lines of minute recurved hairs. Leaf blades ovate, mostly 4-12 x 2.5-8 cm, basally truncate to cordate, serrate, acute, sparsely pubescent (the hairs often simple) to glabrate above, stellate-pubescent beneath; petioles 0.5-3 cm long; stipules 5-10 mm long, subulate to filiform. Flowers solitary in the leaf axils, the pedicels 1-2 cm long; involucellar bracts 5-7, ligulate, 10-12 x 1 mm, ciliate; calyx 8-11 mm long, ciliate; corolla yellow, 2-2.5 cm long; genitalia subequal to the corolla to slightly exserted. Fruits 8-10 mm diam. (excluding spines), the mericarp body 6 mm high; mericarps 3-spined, the spines 6-7 mm long, retrorsely barbed, the central spine erect, the lateral spines radiate.

  • Discussion

    Additional illustrations. Britton (1918: 237); Bot. Reg. 4: t. 339 (1819); Cavanilles (1787: pl. 45, fig. 2); Fawcett & Rendle (1926: fig. 50).

    When Cavanilles transferred Hibiscus spinifex L. to Pavonia, he cited it as from Peru, in reference to plants cultivated in the Paris botanical garden from seeds collected in “Maragnon, Peru,” presumably by Dombey (P-JU no. 12341c, as microfiche). These plants are evidently representatives of P sepioides. However, the name P spinifex was based on Hibiscus spinifex, which Linnaeus published in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae (1759), although Cavanilles’s reference is evidently to the 12th edition (1767) of this work, in which Linnaeus provides an expanded description. The 10th edition (the protologue) specifically cites Plumier’s plate 1, which is the type. Plumier’s drawings were based on West Indian plants, so it is clear that the name Pavonia spinifex applies to the West Indian species here described, despite Cavanilles’s misunderstanding of its origins. De Candolle contributed to the misunderstanding when he published the name P spinifex var. grandiflora (see above synonymy) and erroneously attributed it to Mexico. This geographic error was perpetuated by St.-Hilaire & Naudin (1842), Giirke (1892b), and other subsequent authors.

    Stafleu and Cowan (1983: 301) note that Plumier’s drawings were often based on specimens of Surian, and that the Surian herbarium is preserved at P. The basis for Plumier’s drawing (his fig. 1) is a specimen of Surian preserved in the Jussieu herbarium (P-JU no. 12341b, seen as microfiche), but the existence of this specimen does not alter the fact that the drawing is the type. Moreover, the drawing, although highly stylized, is clearly identifiable with the Caribbean species, exhibiting the broadly ovate leaves, 3-spined mericarps, and exserted stigmas that are characteristic of it.

    Gürke (1892b) divided Pavonia spinifex into two varieties, var. genuina (cited as from Peru, Panama, Florida, and the West Indies) and var. communis (with citation of Brazilian collections). Although his description of the former variety satisfactorily describes the Caribbean P spinifex (including mention of the distinctively exserted stigmas), his inclusion of South American elements among his specimen citations has led subsequent authors to confound P spinifex and P sepium. These two species are not only allopatric but they are also distinct morphologically (see Table IV) and need not be confused.

    Skovsted (1935) reported the chromosome number as 2n = 112 and Davie (1933) reported 2n = 42. Neither author states the origin of his material or cites voucher specimens except to cite various botanical gardens as seed sources, so it is uncertain what species they in fact counted. Since Pavonia spinifex, P. sepium, and P. communis have been freely confused in the literature, in the herbarium, and in botanical gardens, and since P. communis has been reported as 2n = 112 (Krapovickas & Cristóbal, 1965), it is considered probable that Skovsted in fact had a plant of the latter species that he reported as P. spinifex. It is difficult to suggest what plant Davie may have studied. The only other count of 2n = 42 is for P. arachnoidea (Bates, 1976), a species that is unlikely to be confused with P. spinifex and one that is not likely to be found in botanical garden collections.

  • Common Names

    Abutilon espinoso, cadillo, cadillo amarillo , cadillo americano, cadillo de tres pies, cadillo espinoso, cousin, cousin piquant, gingerbush, grand cousin, majagüilla de costa , majagüilla espinosa, namble, petit cousin, piquant cousin, spiny abutilón, spur bur

  • Distribution

    Pavonia spinifex occurs in the Greater and Lesser Antilles (with one record from Trinidad) and extends N to Florida and Georgia and to the Bahama Archipelago, growing in forest, shrubland, and savanna at 0-1000 m elevation.

    United States of America North America| Florida United States of America North America| Georgia United States of America North America| Bermuda South America| Bahamas South America| Long Island Bahamas South America| New Providence Bahamas South America| Cuba South America| Camagüey Cuba South America| La Habana Cuba South America| Matanzas Cuba South America| Las Villas Cuba West Indies| Santiago de Cuba Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| Sancti Spíritus Cuba South America| Cienfuegos Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Saint Catherine Jamaica South America| Manchester Jamaica South America| Haiti South America| Dominican Republic South America| La Altagracia Dominican Republic South America| Azua Dominican Republic South America| Barahona Dominican Republic South America| Independencia Dominican Republic South America| La Vega Dominican Republic South America| San Juan Dominican Republic South America| Santiago Dominican Republic South America| El Seibo Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Virgin Islands South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Antigua and Barbuda South America| Barbados South America| Montserrat South America| Saba South America| Saint Barthélemy South America| Sint Eustatius South America| Saint Kitts Saint Kitts and Nevis South America| Saint Martin South America| Guadeloupe South America| Dominica South America| Martinique South America| Saint Lucia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America|