Buddleja marrubiifolia Benth.

  • Authority

    Norman, E. M. 2000. Buddlejaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 81: 1-225. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Buddlejaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Buddleja marrubiifolia Benth.

  • Type

    Type. Mexico. Nuevo León: Near Monterrey. Berlandier s.n. (holotype, K, photo BH).

  • Description

    Species Description - Dioecious much-branched shrub 0.5-2 m tall, with grayish to blackish rimose bark, with persisting old naked twigs, young branches terete, tomentose. Leaves short-petiolate, stipular lines inconspicuous, blades ovate to rhomboid, l-3(-6) x 0.6-1.5(-2.5) cm, membranaceous, or subcoriaceous, densely tomentose on both surfaces, underlain by glandular trichomes, venation pattern obvious below; apex obtuse or rounded, base cuneate, acute, or attenuate, margin crenate. Inflorescence with 1 globose terminal head, head 0.8-1.2 cm diam. with ca. 35 flowers subtended by a pair of bracts. Calyx campanulate, tomentulose and glandular outside, tube 2-3.5 mm long, lobes obtuse, 1-1.5 mm long. Corolla deep yellow, turning orange, salverform, outside tomentulose on upper third of tube, with glandular trichomes and tomentum at base of lobes, inside with scattered warty hairs primarily below the insertion of the stamens, small glandular trichomes in rows above stamens, tube 3-4.5 mm long, lobes orbicular, 1-1.5 x 1.5-2 mm. Stamens subsessile, inserted in upper third of tube, anthers 0.6-1 mm long. Ovary 1-1.5 mm long, tomentose and glandular on upper half, style 1-2 mm long, stigma 0.6-1 mm long, clavate, two-lipped. Capsule oblong-ovoid, 3-4 x 1.52 mm tomentulose and glandular at apex, dehiscing septicidally and loculicidally, valves remaining incurved. Seeds type 5, narrowly ellipsoid, 1-1.3 x 0.20.3 mm with wing 0.1-0.15 mm at chalazal end, seed body 0.9-1.1 mm long. 2n = 38.

  • Discussion

    The flowers are used to tint butter and cheese (Martínez, 1969) as well as vermicelli (Standley, 1924). Decoctions are used against rheumatism and also as an aperitif and diuretic (Standley, 1924). Animals are said to browse on it (Vines, 1960). It was recently introduced as an ornamental around Tucson, Arizona, as well as in Hawaii (Staples, pers. comm.).

    Occasionally I have seen a few fruits produced on a plant with staminate flowers. It is not known if these fruits contain viable seeds. I have also observed a plant which had one flower which produced pollen in a head which otherwise had only female flowers at U of Arizona campus.

    I have placed B. marrubiifolia subsp. occidentalis in synonymy under B. corrugata because the main distinguishing characters of the former, i.e., smaller fruits and an inflorescence of several pairs of heads, are features characteristic of B. corrugata. Buddleja marrubiifolia is related to B. chapalana, B. corrugata, and B. utahensis. It is interesting to note the resemblance of B. marrubiifolia to B. fragifera Leeuwen-berg, a species endemic to arid areas in S Madagascar. The two taxa have a terminal globose head and yellow to orange salverform corolla of about the same dimension in common. This is most likely a case of parallel evolution. Buddleja fragifera is the only desert inhabiting Buddleja of the Old World. It grows in areas with a similar climate to that of the Chaco in South America (Rauh, 1986). However, B. fragifera has succulent leaves and berries, rather than capsules, with fewer, much larger seeds than in B. marrubiifolia (Leeuwenberg, 1979).

    Distribution and Ecology: Buddleja marrubiifolia is native to the Chihuahuan Desert from southern Trans-Pecos, Texas, to San Luis Potosí, Mexico, with one collection also known from the Valley of Mexquital in Hidalgo. It grows on limestone and gypsum soils in canyons and arroyos at 600-2250 m and is associated with Dasyliron leiophyllum, Condalia ericoides, Agave lechuguilla, Fouquieria splendens and Larrea tridentata. Flowering from February to August; fruiting from July to October.

  • Common Names

    azafran, azafran del campo, azafrancillo, azafranillo, salvia, salvilla, woolly butterfly bush

  • Distribution

    United States of America North America| Texas United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Chihuahua Mexico North America| Coahuila Mexico North America| Durango Mexico North America| Hidalgo Mexico North America| Nuevo León Mexico North America| San Luis Potosí Mexico North America| Tamaulipas Mexico North America| Zacatecas Mexico North America| Arizona United States of America North America|