Cinchona pubescens Vahl

  • Authority

    Andersson, Lennart. 1998. A revision of the genus (Rubiaceae--Cinchoneae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 80: 1-75.

  • Family

    Rubiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cinchona pubescens Vahl

  • Description

    Species Description - Tree to 10 m tall and 20 cm dbh. Young branches sparsely to densely pubescent. Stipules sparsely pubescent throughout, 1.2-2.6 X 0.5-1.5 cm; petioles 1.2-5 cm long, sparsely puberulous or hirtellous; leaf blades thin, papyraceous when dry, 8.3-23 X 5.3-21 cm (often larger on vegetative shoots), elliptic or ovate to suborbicular (length: width ratio 1.12.1), cuneate to rounded or truncate (occasionally subcordate) at base, rounded to obtuse at apex, secondary veins 7-11 pairs, level to prominulous above, prominulous beneath, tertiary venation ± distinctly visible, adaxial surface usually matte, usually ± puberulent or hirtellous on midrib and secondary veins, sometimes also on intervenous surface, sometimes entirely glabrous, abaxial surface ± puberulent or hirtellous on veins beneath, usually also on intervenous surface, margin not revolute, domatia absent (or very indistinct, pouch-shaped). Inflorescence axes ± densely pubescent. Calyx 1.3-2.8 mm long with lobes 0.4-1.2 mm, sparsely to densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside, or occasionally with a few scattered hairs <0.2 mm long, without colleters or occasionally with groups of colleters at or somewhat below the sinuses; corolla pinkish or purplish, paler at base, tube 8.8-14 mm long, glabrous inside, or sparsely villous close to stamen attachments, lobes 3.9-6 mm long; filaments attached 3.5-6.7 mm (35-50% of tube length) above base of corolla tube, 4.4-5.5 mm long in short-styled flowers, 1.1-2.5 mm in long-styled ones, anthers 2.8-3.9 X 0.6-0.9 mm; ovary densely pubescent, 1.8-3.3 X 1.3-2.4 mm; style 3.5-4.7 mm long in short-styled flowers, 8.59.7 mm in long-styled ones, stigmatic lobes 1.5-3.1 (4.1) mm; disk glabrous or ± hirtellous. Capsules ellipsoid to subcylindrical, 13-41 X 5-7 mm, acropetally dehiscent, with ± chartaceous endocarp 0.10.3 mm thick. Seeds 6.9-12 X 2.1-2.8 mm including wing, wing margin sparsely to densely irregularly dentate (to rarely subfimbriate in basiscopic part).

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution and habitat. From mountains of central Costa Rica (Alajuela and Guanacaste) and NE Venezuela (Sucre) along the Andes S to central Bolivia (Santa Cruz); at altitudes between 600 and 3300 m (Fig. 12A). Cinchona pubescens has been commonly cultivated outside its natural range, in South America as well as in Africa and Asia. It seems only rarely and probably briefly to have become established outside plantations, however.

  • Discussion

    Type. “Peru.” Without further notes (probably from Ecuador, prov. Loja, Nudo de Cajanuma; see La Condamine, 1738), J. de Jussieu s.n. (holotype, C; isotypes, photo F-22802, P-JU 9900). Cinchona cordifolia Mutis, Papel Periódico de Santa Fé 111: 465. 1793. Cinchona pubescens [var.] cordata DC., Prodr. 4: 353. 1830, nom. nov. Cinchona rugosa Pav. ex DC., Prodr. 4: 353. 1830, pro syn. Cinchona pubescens [var.] cordata DC. Cinchona cordifolia [var.] vera Wedd., Hist. Nat. Quinquinas 57. 1849. Type. Colombia. Without further notes, Mutis 4597 (lectotype, MA, designated by Andersson, 1994: 54; isolectotype, US). Cinchona purpurea Ruiz & Pav., Fl. Peruv. Chil. 2: 52. 1799; Cinchona pubescens [var.] purpurea (Ruiz & Pav.) Wedd., Hist. Nat. Quinquinas 54. 1849. Type. Peru. Huánuco: “de Ircutumam 1787,” Ruiz & Pavón s.n. (lectotype, MA, designated by Andersson, 1994: 54; isolectotypes, B-W, G, G-DC, MA-numerous). Cinchona ovata Ruiz & Pav., Fl. Peruv. Chil. 2: 52. 1799; Cinchona pubescens [var.] ovata (Ruiz & Pav.) DC., Prodr. 4: 353. 1830; Cinchona pallescens [var.] ovata (Ruiz & Pav.) Howard, Proc. Internad. Hortic. Exhib. Bot. Congr. London 213. 1866; Quinquina ovata (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 295. 1891. Cinchona ovata [van] vulgaris Wedd., Hist. Nat. Quinquinas 60. 1849. Cinchona rubicunda Tafalla ex Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. V, 11: 362. 1869, pro syn. C. ovata. Type. Peru. Huánuco: “habitat in Peruviae Andibus praesertim ad Pozuzo et Panao nemora,” Ruiz & Pavón s.n. (lectotype, G-DC, designated by Andersson, 1994: 54; isolectotypes, B-W, G). Cinchona purpurea Vell., Quinogr. Portug. 23. 1799. Type. Same as that of C. purpurea Ruiz & Pav. (lectotype designated here). Cinchona palescens Vell., Quinogr. Portug. 33. 1799. Cinchona caloptera Miq., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. 4: 273. 1868-1869 nom. superfl. Type. Same as that of Cinchona ovata Ruiz & Pav. (lectotype designated here). Cinchona pallescens Vitman, Summae Pl. Suppl. 1: 262. 1802. Type. Same as that of Cinchona ovata Ruiz & Pav. (lectotype designated here). Cinchona rotundifolia Pav. ex Lamb., 111. Cinchona 5. 1821; Cinchona cordifolia [var.] rotundifolia (Lamb.) Wedd., Hist. Nat. Quinquinas 57. 1849. Type. Ecuador. Loja: “in nemoribus in Loxa Quitensium Peruviae,” [Tafalla in] Pavón (n.v.). Cinchona pelalba Pav. ex DC., Bibl. Univ. 41: 152. 1829. Type. “Perou Mr Pavon 1826” (lectotype, G ex herb. Moricand, designated by Andersson, 1994: 54). Cinchona pelletieriana Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. III, 10: 8. 1848; Cinchona pubescens [var.] pelletieriana (Wedd.) Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ill, 11: 270. 1849. Type. Peru. Puno: “San Juan del Oro, Prov. de Cara-baya,” Weddell 4365 (lectotype, P-JU 9911, designated by Andersson, 1994: 54; isolectotypes, P-numerous, mainly without numbers). Cinchona purpurascens Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ill, 10: 8. 1848. Type. Bolivia. La Paz: “prov. de Yungas,” Weddell 4114 (lectotype, P, designated here; isolectotypes [all sterile], K, L, P-JU 9918, US). Cinchona rufinervis Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ill, 10: 8. 1848; Cinchona ovata [var.] rufinervis (Wedd.) Wedd., Hist. Nat. Quinquinas 60. 1849. Type. Peru. Puno: “Vallée de Tambopata, Carabaya,” Weddell 4363 (lectotype, P-JU 9916, designated by Andersson, 1994: 55; isolectotypes, K, L, US). Cinchona chomeliana Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ill, 10: 9. 1848. Type. Bolivia. La Paz: “prov. de Yungas,” Dec 1846, Weddell 4113bxs (lectotype, P, designated by Andersson, 1994: 55; isolectotypes, P-4). Cinchona lechleriana Schltdl., Linnaea 26: 728. 1854. Type. Peru. Puno: “in montibus pr. San Govan [San Gabán] Inb. 1854,” Lechler in Hohenacker 2347 (G, K, P, W ). Cinchona succirubra Pav. ex Klotzsch, Abh. Akad. Berlin 1857: 60. 1858; Cinchona succirubra [var.] vera Howard, Proc. Internad. Hortic. Exhib. Bot. Congr. London 214. 1866; Quinquina succirubra (Klotzsch) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 295. 1891. Type. Ecuador. Bolívar: San Antonio on trail to Guaranda, [Tafalla in] Pavón 464 (holotype, B-destroyed, photo F-93; isotypes, G, K, MA). Cinchona tucujensis H. Karst., Fl. Columb. 1: 17, t. 9. 1858. Type. Venezuela. Mérida: “Carache (Tucujo),” Karsten s.n. (lectotype, W, designated here). Cinchona lutea Pav. in Howard, 111. Nueva Quinol. Pav. t. [14]. 1859. Type. Ecuador. “Ynta,” 1804, [Tafalla in] Pavón 516 (lectotype, MA, designated by Andersson, 1994: 55, photo GB; isolectotype, K). Cinchona coronulata Miq., J. Bot. Neerl. 1: 140. 1861. Type. Peru. Puno: “auf der Ostseite der peruvianischen Anden bei San Gavan [San Gabán] gesammelt,” Lechler in Hohenacker 349 (lectotype, L 602700, designated here). Cinchona govana Miq., J. Bot. Neerl. 1: 142. 1861. Type. Peru. Puno: “San Govan” [San Gabán], Lechler in Hohenacker 350 (n.v.). Cinchona decurrentifolia Pav. in Howard, I11. Nueva Quinol. Pav. t. [23]. 1862. Type. Ecuador. Loja: “ex Loxa,” 1805, [Tafalla in] Pavón 555 (lectotype, MA, designated by Andersson, 1994: 55, photo F-29632; isolectotypes, G, P). Cinchona subsessilis Miq., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. 4: 272. 1868-1869. Type. Peru. Puno: “ad oras Rio grande provinciae Carabayae Novbr [18]53,” Hasskarl 3 (lectotype, L 952116568, designated here; isolectotypes, L 908.212-815, 908.212-836, 952.116-569). Cinchona platyphylla Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. V, 11: 362. 1869. Type. Based on “Cinchona cordifolia” of Weddell, Hist. Nat. Quinquinas (1849). Cinchona rosulenta Howard ex Wedd., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. V, 12: 66. 1869. Type. Colombia. Santander: Vélez, 1846, Purdie s.n. (K). Cinchona cordifolia [var.] macrocarpa Wedd. ex Howard, Proc. Internad. Hortic. Exhib. Bot. Congr. London 214. 1866. Type. Bolivia. La Paz: “Prov. de Larecaja entre Sorata et Tipuani . . . 1852,” Weddell s.n. (lectotype, P, designated here). Cinchona colorata Laubert ex B. D. Jacks., Ind. Kewensis 1: 535. 1895. Type. Not designated; based on Laubert’s (Bull. Pharm. I, 7: 294, 1810) description of “La cascarilla colorada,” a common trade name for forms of C. pubescens. Cinchona goudotiana Klotzsch ex Triana, Revista Acad. Colomb. Ci. Exact. Fís. Nat. 2: 390. 1938; pro syn. C. cordifolia Mutis. Nomenclatural notes. The interpretation of C. purpurea Vell, is based on Vellozo’s citation of the manuscript of Flora Peruviana, and the vernacular name quina morada, occurring under C. purpurea in the published work. Cinchona purpurea Vell, is, therefore, typified on the same type as Cinchona purpurea Ruiz & Pav. (1799), thereby becoming a “non-name.” Cinchona palescens Vell, is interpreted on the basis of Vellozo’s citation of the manuscript of the Flora Peruviana, and of Ruiz’s (Quinología) “artigo VII” and the vernacular name quina pálida, both of which are also cited in the published version of Flora Peruviana-the vernacular name there as cascarillo pálido. Cinchona palescens Vell. is, therefore, typified on the same type as Cinchona ovata Ruiz & Pav. That Vitman intended his Cinchona pallescens as a legitimate name for Ruiz’s cascarillo pálido is obvious both from the citation of Ruiz’s Quinología (without directly citing the vernacular name), the meaning of the names, and the citation of the locality “Pazuzu [Pozuzo], et Panao.” Ruiz’s cascarillo pálido had already been given the name Cinchona ovata by Ruiz & Pavon (1799), however. Cinchona pallescens Vitman is therefore typified on the same specimen as Cinchona ovata Ruiz & Pav. By including in synonymy, without reservations, the reference to “C. pallescens Ruiz et Pav. Fl. Peruv. mss.,” Miquel seems to have included also the type of Cinchona palescens Ruiz ex Vellozo. The name was therefore superfluous when published and is automatically typified. The specimen designated as lectotype of C. coronulata is the only specimen located with the number cited in the protologue. It is not annotated by Miquel, however. Vernacular names. Oreja de mula, quina lanuda (Colombia); hoja ahumada, hoja de zambo, quinoa, roja, rosada (Ecuador). Cinchona pubescens is characterized by its thin-textured, large, proportionally broad leaf blades, which are matte above and usually ± densely hirtellous beneath. It is quite variable, especially with respect to size, shape, and indumentum of the leaf blades. Part of this variation seems to depend on unordered local differentiation, and part of it may depend on clinal variation in response to altitude. Variability is also, obviously, further increased by hybridization and introgression. Cinchona pubescens is readily confused with C. antioquiae, C. barbacoensis, C. capuli, and C. micrantha, which see for differences. Further problems with identification may be caused by its comparatively common hybrids (which see), especially with C. calisaya and C. macrocalyx.