Jatropha integerrima Jacq.

  • Authority

    Dehgan, Bijan. 2012. . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 110: 1--274. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Jatropha integerrima Jacq.

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs 2.5-5 m tall. Stems: dark brown and somewhat striated, erect, much branched; latex clear in younger shoots but cloudy in older branches. Leaves: stipules obsolete, petioles 1-5.5 cm long; blades heteromorphic, elliptic-ovate, obovate, lyrate, or panduriform, often shallowly 3-lobed-hastate, 7.5-15.3 x 2.9-12.5 cm, membranous to ± coriaceous, base rounded, cordate or cuneate, apex acuminate, margins entire but sometimes with 2-4 basal glands or filiform, eglandular hairs, venation pinnate but sometimes with 2 weak laterals from base, or palmate when lobed, glabrous on both surfaces. Inflorescences: terminal and subterminal, many-flowered cymes, peduncles 5.2-21 cm long, coflorescences absent; bracts lanceolate, 10-12 mm long, pedicels 2-8 mm long. Staminate flowers: sepals reddish brown, ovate, 2.5-3(-4) x 1-1.7 mm, distinct, margins entire, apex obtuse, glabrous on both surfaces; corollas rotate, dark red to scarlet, or pink, petals 8.4-12.1 x 2.5-43 mm, distinct or coherent, obovate, apex obtuse, covered with tufts of hairs on basal portion of adaxial sides but glabrous on abaxial; stamens 10, ± bisenate (5 + 5), filaments of outer series 7-9 mm long and those of inner series 9-12 mm, filaments of both series connate ½-¾ of length; anthers 2.0-3.5 mm long. Pistillate flowers: like staminate but sepals 3 1-3 8 X 1.2-2.2 cm; petals 9-17 x 5-10 mm; carpels 3, ovary glabrous; styles 3-4 mm, connate of length Capsules: oval, 1-1.3 x 0.7-1.1 cm, glabrous, explosively dehiscent. Seeds: cream-colored and mottled with red and black spots, ellipsoidal, 7-10 x 4-6.5 mm, caruncle small but conspicuous, lobed.

  • Discussion

    The priority of Jatropha integerrima over J. hastata is well established in taxonomic literature. Pohl (1827) noted Adenoropium integerrimum as a synonym of J. integerrima Jacq. Although Pax (1910) included both species in his monograph, McVaugh (1945a) and a his subsequent publications treated J. hastata as a synonym. Jatropha hastata, however, was considered a variety of J. integerrima by Fosberg (1976). Priority integerrima may be based on Jacquin's (1763) original protologue, where he described both taxa but mentioned J. integerrima first. The insignificant morphological differences between the two taxa were considered insufficient to justify recognition of two distinct entities.

    Jatropha integerrima (sensu lato) may be morphologically the most difficult species complex in the genus. To further complicate matters, it is one of the most widely cultivated ornamental plants in tropical and subtropical regions and has become spontaneous in many areas. It probably consists of hybrids involving three or four related species (J. integerrima, J. pauciflora, J. glaucovirens, J. tupifolia), which occur more or less sympatrically in western Cuba (see Fig. 61, below). A vast majority of the specimens enumerated below show dimorphic or heteromorphic leaves, and as a result, more than one type specimen often has been designated for the same or different collections. In recognizing J. integerrima var. hastata, Fosberg (1976) noted that “It may well be that this distinctive population owes its numbers to vegetative horticultural manipulations.” In fact, because selected, nursery-grown plants are usually Vegetatively propagated, the morphological diversity is more often apparent in wild-collected specimens.

    Although Pax (1910: 51) recognized four species in the group, he clearly expressed his hesitation in doing so: “J. pandurifolia, integerrima, hastata, et glaucovirens inter se valde affines sunt et vix floris structura disernuntur. Characteres androecei teste cl. Müller Argoviensis in speciebus diversae non omnino constantes inveni. Foliorum ambitus tamen differentias specificas praebet.” Similarly, McVaugh (1945b) noted the difficulty in recognizing distinct species in the group, acknowledging that J. pandurifolia, J. integerrima, J. hastata, J. glaucovirens, and J. pauciflora are separable only by leaf characteristics. However, upon careful examination of living plants and numerous herbarium specimens for this treatment, I have determined that J. angustifolia, J. integerrima, J. tupifolia, J. paxii, and (somewhat reluctantly) J. glaucovirens can be distinguished as distinct entities.

    Chaturvedi & Jehan (1982) suggested recognition of J. pandurifolia as a variety of J. integerrima, based on similarities of floral, pollen grain, and leaf surface morphology. Observation of numerous cultivated plants with panduriform leaves in much of the tropics clearly negates such consideration. Leaves of seed- and Vegetatively propagated plants are panduriform mainly at the juvenile stage and only rarely in later stages but ultimately develop 3-lobed leaves similar to those of 7. integerrima and J. glaucovirens. The same observation applies to J. integerrima var. hastata. Uniformity of their foliar characteristics is the result of vegetative propagation.

    Here I recognize only two varieties of Jatropha integerrima, primarily based on foliar and floral morphology

    Distribution and Ecology: Native in western Cuba and common on limestone cliffs and humus pockets in woodlands. (See Fig. 61, below.) Specimens from other islands of the West Indies are probably from cultivated or naturalized plants. The type of Jatropha acuminata (= J. integerrima) from Haiti [Roquefeuille s.n. (P-JU)], for example, was collected before 1788 and probably represents an early introduction. The species has also been reported naturalized in Florida, U.S.A.; a number of Central American countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama; and also in South America, including Colombia and Peru. I have observed cultivated plants in Brazil, Bolivia, and Costa Rica. Although beyond the scope of this work, cultivated plants of J. integerrima have been reported and personally observed in south Asian countries, such as Indonesia, where it is commonly used in median highway plantings; Thailand; Philippines; and India. I have also seen cultivated plants in the Canary Islands. Flowering and fruiting all year, but prolific blooming occurs in the spring and summer.