Jatropha nudicaulis Benth.
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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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Type
Type. Ecuador, s.d. ([female], [male]), A. Sinclair s.n. (neotype here designated: K).
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Description
Species Description - Shrubs, 1-2.5 m. Stems: gray, smooth, sparsely branched, succulent and quite fleshy, leaf scars round and somewhat protruding; latex copious, clear in actively growing shoots but cloudy in older branches Leaves: deciduous; stipules unbranched, stipitate glands, 2-5 mm long; petioles 4-6.8(-13.0) long and 1.3-1.5(-2) mm in diam.; blades peltate, orbicular in outline, shallowly and evenly 5- to7-lobed, 7.5-15.5 x 4-9.5 cm, lobes acute, 2.6-5 cm, membranous or + coriaceous, base cordate, margins entire or with few to many, short, stipitate glands, apex acuminate, venation palmate with 5-7 primary veins; glabrous on both surfaces. Inflorescences: terminal, many-flowered cymes peduncles 5-14 cm long and 0.3-1 mm in diam.; bracts oblong-ovate, 3-7 mm, margins with a few glandular teeth near the acuminate apex, glabrous; pedicels 3-6 mm. Staminate flowers: sepals pinkish, ovate to elliptic-triangular, 2-4.5 x 1-2 mm, distinct to connate ca. ½ of length, margins glandular-denticulate, apex acute, glabrous on both surfaces; corollas rotate, orange-red, petals obovate, 9-12(-14) x 3.5-5.5 mm, distinct but imbricate on lower Vá, apex round, not reflexed, glabrous on both surfaces; stamens 8, biseriate (3 + 5) and filaments connate to ca. ½ of length at anthesis but soon uniseriate, 4-6 mm. Pistillate flowers: like staminate, but sepals 2-4.8 x 1.2-2.3 mm; petals 10-14 x 3.2-5.8 mm; carpels 3, styles green, 3-4 mm long, distinct. Capsules: spherical, 1.3-1.6 cm diam., glabrous, ecarinate, explosively dehiscent. Seeds: yellow to orange-brown with dark brown mottling, oval, 8-10 x 6-7 mm, caruncle large and distinctly lobed.
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Discussion
McVaugh (1945b) mentioned that Jatropha nudicaulis occurs in Colombia and Ecuador, but he had not seen any specimens from Colombia. Pax (1910) noted that he had not seen specimens from either country (specimen non vidi) but cited Hinds s.n. (K) from Colombia and A. Sinclair s.n. (K) from Ecuador without specifically assigning a type. I have seen the specimens by Sinclair (K 1867) and Hinds [Colombia. Salaqui, 1841, R. B. Hinds s.n. (K 1854)], and both appear to be J. nudicaulis. According to Jørgensen & León-Yánez (1999), Hinds (1812-1847) and Sinclair (d.1861) both took part in the Voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur and Harrier. However, in describing J. nudicaulis, Bentham (1844), who provided the botanical descriptions but was not on the voyage, cited “Monte Christi” in Colombia as the collection site without additional information, other than flowering. It is very likely that Bentham was actually referring to the village of Montecristi in Ecuador. There does not appear to be any locality in Colombia under the name Monte Christi. Moreover, Salaqui is far north in Colombia and a considerable distance from Montecristi in Ecuador. Because the Hind s.n. (K) specimen is possibly from a doubtful locality and the only reported collection from Colombia, I designate Sinclair s.n. (K) as the neotype.
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Distribution
Southeastern Colombia to Ecuador at ca. 500-1000 m in seasonally dry, xeric habitats. Flowering and fruiting primarily during the active growing season but sometimes sporadically during the dry season.
Colombia South America| Guayas Ecuador South America| Loja Ecuador South America| Manabí Ecuador South America| Ecuador South America|