Jatropha hieronymi Kuntze
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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. Argentina. Prov. Jujuy: Orán, Oct 1873, P. G. Lorentz & G. Hieronymus 852 (holotype: B; photos of holotype: DAV, F, MICH, NY, UC; isotype: NY).
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Synonyms
Jatropha ricinifolia Fenzl ex Baill.
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Description
Species Description - Shrub, to 4 m tall. Stems: green when young, becoming gray-brown; ± succulent, leaf scars round, forming a sharp spine-like protrusion, bark peeling in thin, brown sheets on lower portions near base, latex watery in younger shoots but cloudy in older. Leaves: evergreen in moister climates but deciduous to semievergreen with a few leaves at shoot apices in drier regions; stipules branched, stipitate glands, 2-5 mm long, petioles 7-14 cm long and 2-2.5 mm in diam.; blades cordate in outline, 9-17 x 7-12.5 cm, 5-lobed, lobes 3.7-6.7 cm wide, membranous or ± coriaceous, base cordate, margins coarsely serrate-dentate with bristle tips (not glandular), apex acuminate, venation palmate with 7(-9) primary veins; glabrous on both surfaces or rarely sparsely pubescent on veins on abaxial side and sometimes glaucous (plants from Argentina). Inflorescences: terminal becoming lateral with continued growth; many-flowered cymes, bracts setaceous-glandular to ± lacerate, 5-12 mm long; peduncles 11.5-18 cm long, sparsely pubescent; pedicels 1.5-3 mm long. Staminate flowers: sepals reddish brown on abaxial side and green on adaxial; ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 3-4.5 x 1-2.5 mm, connate ca. ¼ at base, margins dentate and sometimes with short, glandular cilia, apex acute-acuminate and sometimes apiculate, glabrous on both surfaces; corollas rotate-campanulate, yellow and often with a red tinge in bud and on abaxial side at petal apex, petals obovate, 9-11 x 3.5-4.5 mm, distinct but imbricate, apex acute, glabrous on both surfaces; stamens 8, monadelphous-uniseriate, filaments 2-4 mm long. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but slightly larger, sepals 3.5-5(-8.5) x 1-2.5 mm; petals 10.5-12 x 4-7.5 mm; carpels 3, styles nearly sessile, connate, stigmas massive. Capsules: 3-locular, distinctly lobed and carinate, spherical, 2-2.3 cm long and wide. Seeds: yellow mottled with light brown spots, oval, 1.1-1.4 x 1-1.1 cm, caruncle large and prominent.
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Discussion
In describing the plant, Kuntze (1898) made a clear distinction between J. hieronymii and J. weddelliana on the bases of differences in growth habit and vegetative and floral characteristics. Yet, even some recent publications (e.g., Fernández Casas & Pizarro Dominguez, 2006) have attempted to show close affinity between the two taxa. There is little similarity between them, other than technical features of the section Peltatae and geographical distribution. Those authors cited specimens 230, 352, 414 & 752 (GOET) also collected in 1873, as syntypes. However, there is no evidence in Kuntze’s (1898) protologue that he actually saw or annotated these specimens.
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Distribution
Argentina and Bolivia, extending into Paraguay at mid to higher elevations, scattered in moister sites of chaco vegetation in flat-lands. Flowering during active growth in spring and summer rainy seasons.
Cochabamba Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America| Santa Cruz Bolivia South America| Tarija Bolivia South America| Chaco Paraguay South America| Catamarca Argentina South America| Chaco Argentina South America| Jujuy Argentina South America| Salta Argentina South America| Santiago del Estero Argentina South America|