Dorstenia arifolia Lam.

  • Authority

    Berg, Cornelius C. 2001. Moreae, Artocarpeae, and (Moraceae): With introductions to the family and and with additions and corrections to Flora Neotropica Monograph 7. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 83: 1-346. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Moraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Dorstenia arifolia Lam.

  • Type

    Type. Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: probably nr. Rio de Janeiro, Dombey s.n. (holotype, P).

  • Synonyms

    Dorstenia faria Paiva ex Spreng., Dorstenia quadrata Desv., Dorstenia cyperus Vell., Dorstenia ficifolia Fisch. & C.A.Mey., Dorstenia mandiocana B.Fischer & M.Meyer, Dorstenia tentaculata Fisch. & C.A.Mey., Dorstenia peltata Spreng., Dorstenia multiformis Miq., Dorstenia strangii Carauta, Dorstenia maris C.Valente & Carauta, Dorstenia drakena L., Dorstenia multiformis var. arifolia (Lam.) Bureau, Dorstenia fischeri Bureau

  • Description

    Species Description - Herb, subacaulescent, with at least the lower part of the stem subterranean; stem 5-15 mm thick, puberulous to hirtellous with straight and uncinate hairs; internodes short, occasionally to 1.2 cm long. Leaves in spirals, rosulate to ± spaced; lamina narrowly cordiform to ovate or to subsagittiform, occasionally peltate, 10-35 × 8-18 cm, chartaceous, entire to pinnately or subpalmately lobed to parted; apex (sub)acute to acuminate; base cordate with a wide to narrow sinus, sometimes with overlapping lobes; margin ± irregularly and finely to coarsely crenate-dentate; upper surface glabrous; lower surface (on the main veins densely) minutely puberulous with straight hairs, intermixed with sparse to rather dense longer uncinate hairs; lateral veins 3-9 pairs, in entire leaves usually (faintly) loop-connected; tertiary venation subscalariform to reticulate; petiole 8-42 cm long, abaxially, especially in the upper part, minutely puberulous; stipules triangular, 0.3-0.8 cm long, faintly plurinervate, often ± distinctly carinate and the margins involute or revolute, puberulous with minute straight hairs and slightly longer, often ± retrorse uncinate hairs. Inflorescences with the receptacle greenish outside, flowering face purplish or red-brown; peduncle 9-20 cm long, minutely puberulous with straight to curved, often slightly retrorse hairs; receptacle eccentrically, sometimes almost centrally, attached, discoid, often ± convex, elliptic to suborbicular in outline, 1-2.5 cm long or 0.8-1.5 cm diam., the outside minutely puberulous, the margin entire, ± irregularly lobed, shortly appendiculate or with 10-20, to 3.5 cm long, stipiform to filiform appendages, the fringe very narrow; bracts in 1-3 rows on the margin, appressed or some of them radiating and/or on the appendages, ovate to oblong, 0.5-1.5 mm long, glabrous; staminate flowers among the pistillate ones; tepals 2; stamens 2; filaments longer than the perianth; stigmas equal in length, 0.3-0.5 mm long. Endocarp body ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, distinctly tuberculate.

  • Discussion

    Dorstenia arifolia is in its vegetative parts very similar to D. ramosa, as D. drakena is to D. contrajerva. Dorstenia arifolia is a variable species. The bracts can be appressed, or especially the larger submarginal ones can be radiating; they can be sessile or borne on short and ± radiating appendages. Specimens with sessile bracts and those with bracts on appendages have been placed in different species (Carauta et al., 1974a; Carauta, 1978a). Recognition of distinct taxa appears not to be justified because of the presence of many intermediates. The distribution of these forms suggests the possibility of geographical separation and ecological differentiation, parallelled by the two subspecies of D. ramosa, but far less clear. Specimens with a shortly appendiculate receptacle are more common farther inland (Serra do Mar) and found at higher elevations (400-1800 m) than the form with sessile and usually appressed bracts. The peltate lamina of the type collection of D. fischeri may be regarded as an aberration. The same applies for the lingulate receptacles of the type collections of D. maris and D. ficifolia.

  • Distribution

    In eastern Brazil (from Bahia to São Paulo); in moist and shaded places, often on sandy soil; to 1800 m.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|