Jatropha clavuligera Müll.Arg.
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Authority
Dehgan, Bijan. 2012.
. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 110: 1--274. (Published by NYBG Press) -
Family
Euphorbiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Shrubs, to 1.5 m tall. Stems: reddish brown turning gray, erect or ascending, succulent, glabrous; latex clear in young stems but cloudy and sticky in older branches. Leaves: persistent, stipules branched, stipitate glands, 4-10 mm long; petioles reddish, with glandular cilia on upper surface, 5.5-9 long, 1-2 mm in diam.; blades cordate in outline, deeply lobed to nearly dissected to 5- 7 segments, 7-16 x 5.5-10 cm, segments lanceolate-elliptic (narrower in plants from Peru than in plants from Bolivia), membranous, bases cordate, margins covered with dense, brown, glandular cilia, apex acute-acuminate, venation palmate with 5-7 primary veins, pubescent and verrucate on both surfaces. Inflorescences: terminal and lateral, paniculate cymes, bracts 0.8-10 mm, margins glandular, pubescent on both surfaces; peduncles of main florescences 2.5-6 cm long, those of coflorescences 1-2.5 cm, densely pubescent; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Staminate flowers: sepals ovate-lanceolate, 4.5-5 x 1.5-2 mm, distinct, margins glandular-ciliate, apex acuminate, glabrous on adaxial surface but pubescent on abaxial; corollas campanulate, solid pinkish red or with white margins, petals obovate, 4.5-6.5 x 2.5-4 mm, distinct, apex round, reflexed, glabrous on both surfaces; stamens (8 or 9-) 10, diadelphous-biseriate (5 + 5), filaments connate to ½ of length, outer series 1.5-2.5 mm and inner series 1.8-3 mm long; basal glands spherical. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but sepals 5.5-7 x 3-4 mm and petals 5-7.5 x 3-4 mm; carpels 3, styles ca. 1 mm long, distinct; stigmas horseshoe-shaped, fleshy; basal glands fusiform. Capsules: spherical, 3-lobed, 0.8-1 cm in diam., pubescent. Seeds: yellow with reddish brown spots, oval, 6.5-7 x 3-3.5 mm, caruncle prominent.
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Discussion
Pax (1910) cited Jatropha pedatipartita with Kuntze as the authority but added “n. sp.,” specifically referring to it as a new species but noting its close affinity with J. clavuligera. The differences in my opinion are not sufficient to justify recognition of J. pedatipartita as a species distinct from J. clavuligera, hence, its designation as subspecies.
Distribution and Ecology: Primarily in Dept. Cochabamba, Bolivia and Dept. Cajamarca, Peru, locally common on dry, steep, sandstone hillsides with depau-parate vegetation at ca. 600-2600 m. Three collections by Lehman at BM, presumed to be from Colombia, have been doubtfully annotated as J. clavuligera [bei Nieva, Tolima, Feb 1889, 2769 (BM); near Cali and Río Dagna, Cauia, 9 Feb 1882, Lehmann 1871 (BM); near Río Dagna, Betaeazé, 24 Jul 1881, Lehmann 744 (BM)]. No other specimens have been seen from Colombia, and it is doubtful that the species occurs there. Flowering and fruiting in spring through fall.