Disciphania sagittaria Barneby

• Authority

  Mori, S. A. 1987. The Lecythidaceae of a lowland Neotropical Forest: La Fumée mountain, French Guiana. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 44: 1-190.

• Family

  Menispermaceae

• Scientific Name

  Disciphania sagittaria Barneby

• Description

  Latin Diagnosis - Foliis parvis sagittiformibus simul ac floribus minutis (± 1 mm longis) in genere suo praestans, a sympatrica D. cryptobotrya Barneby forsan propiuscule affini foliis haud peltatis, caulibus hinc-inde setulosis sepalisque glabris facile distinguenda. Gracilis scandens, ramulis annotinis volubilibus glabratis nunc juxta internodium setis patulis rectis rufescentibus horridulis, foliorum laminis aliis glabris aliis facie superiori parcius secus margines densius setulis patulis conspersis seu acumen versus ciliolatis; petiolus plerumque 2-5 cm longus gracilis inferne tortus sed vix ampliatus; foliorum lamina cordato-sagittata submembranacea opaca olivacea subtus pallidior, acumine lineari-lanceolato 8-15 mm longo incluso 3-8 cm longa, 2-5 cm lata, sinu basali aperto 4-16 mm alto, lobis basalibus nunc argute angulatis nunc rotundatis obtusis, tota ex ipso basi palmatim 5-7-nervia, nervis primariis supra paullo infra altius prominulis, secundariis cum reticulo clauso subtili supra immersis infra prominulis, areolis ultimis minimis diametrum 0.5 mm vix attingentibus; inflorescentiae [male] in ramulis gracillimis brevibus sub-corymbosae paucae pauci- sed densiflorae, cum pedunculo filiformi 1.5-2 cm longae, rachi bracteisque minutis glaberrimis; flos [male]: sepala 6 fere a basi inter se libera ± 1-1.1 mm longa, intus ad medium costa incrassata percursa margines versus submembranacea externa paullo longiora ac angustiora oblanceolata obtusa 0.6 mm lata, interiora obovata 0.65 mm lata magis concava; petala 6 membranacea squamiformia inter se libera, majora 0.4 mm longa apice obscure 3-denticulata 0.25 mm lata; staminum 3 inter se a basi liberorum 0.6 mm longorum filamenta erecta haud dilatata 0.15 mm longa antherarum thecis contiguis erectis 0.45 mm longis subaequilatis ter breviora; inflorescentia [female] fructusque ignoti.

• Discussion

  Type. BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro, anno 1891, A. Glaziou 18,129 (holotype, NY!). Glaziou (Mém. Soc. Bot. Fr. 3: 16. 1905) lists this number from “Cantagallo,” presumably the Canta-galo situated at the north base of the Serra dos Orgãos in state of Rio de Janeiro. The type-number 18129 of D. sagittariia was listed by Glaziou (1905) as Cocculus filipendula Mart., and a duplicate, perhaps sterile, was passed over by Diels for the same thing, now known as Ungulipetcilum filipendula (Mart.) Mold. There is a general similarity in the foliage, but Ungulipetcilum differs in the whole structure of the flowers, which are borne in cymosely composite, not simply spicate inflorescences. The only close relatives of D. sagittaria seem to be D. cubijensis and the more nearly sympatric D. cryptobotrya. The latter has similarly small and inconspicuous staminate spikes, but the leaf-blades and stems are quite glabrous, the blades themselves peltate and not cordate-sagittate, while the flowers are externally setulose and not glabrous. Except that it is externally glabrous the staminate flower of D. sagittaria resembles that of D. cubijensis and its incipiently corymbose (or pseudo-corymbose) inflorescence is of the same basic design, even though the individual spikes are much shorter and fewer-flowered. The difference in leaf-shape is here, of course, the most marked diagnostic feature.