Physalis longiloba O.Vargas, M.Martínez & Dávila
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Authority
Hind, D J. 2013. The identity of
(Compositae: Heliantheae: Coreopsidinae) from Santa Cruz, Eastern Bolivia. Kew Bull. 68 (3): 505-510. -
Family
Solanaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
TYPE: MEXICO. Jalisco. Autlán de Navarro, Sierra de Manantlán, passing Rincón de Manantlán along creek, 2100 m, 19º35'55"N, 104º12'35"W, 26 Apr 1997 (fl, fr), Vargas 873 (HOLOTYPE: IBUG; ISOTYPES: ENCB, IEB, MEXU, NY, ZEA).
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Suffrutex rhizoimnatosus, prostratus, ad nodos caulinos basales radicans, glabrescens. Folia ovata vel late ovata, apice acuminata, margine integra vel dentata, textura aliquantum coriacea. Alabastrum ovatumn, apiculatum. Corolla rotato-campanulata, maculis comnpositis. Antherae purpureae. Calyx in fructu 5-angulatus, duplo longior quam latioi- lobis peranguste triangularibus, acuminatis vel filiformibus.
Species Description - Suffrutescent with a slender and horizontal rhizome to 1 m long. Stem smooth with lenticels, ca. 90 cm long, repent, rooting at the lower nodes, young parts puberulent with simple, unbranched, eglandular hairs, but soon glabrate. Leaves alternate at the base and soon geminate with the smaller leaves 1/3 the size of the larger; petiole 1.5-3.6 cm long; lamina 3.6-7.9(-10.2) X 2.1-6.1 cm, ovate to broadly ovate, apex acuminate, base oblique, cuneate to subcordate, margin entire, undulate or dentate with coarse teeth ca. 5 mm long. Flowers solitary, the buds ovate-apiculate 0.6-1 cm long, strigose; flowering pedicels 0.6-1.5 cm long; flowering calyx 0.9-1.5 cm long, 5-6.5 mm wide at the base of the lobes, lobes lanceolate-acuminate to narrowly acuminate, 5.5-9 mm long, glabrescent. Corolla yellow, 1-1.7 cm long and 1.5-2.2 cm diam., campanulate-rotate, reflexed, with 5 separated brown maculae to 7 mm long, each macula composed of several aggregated smaller dots (rarely single solid blotch), pubescent at the insertion of filaments. Stamens with purple filaments, anthers purple drying blue 3-4 mm long, connective yellow. Style to 9 mm long, stigma clavate. Fruiting pedicels 0.8-1.4 cm long, calyx 5-angled, 3-4.2 X 1.3-2 cm, with narrowly triangular to acuminate lobes 0.8-1.2 cm long, lobes sometimes almost filiform and then entangling among themselves. Fruit a berry 1.1 cm wide, green. Seeds numerous, kidney-shaped, foveolate, light yellow, ca. 2.1 X 1.6 mm.
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Discussion
It grows abundantly on slopes, open areas and paths in the cloud forest, pine-oak forest, and near reservoirs. It flowers and fruits from September to May.
Etymology. The epithet refers to the long lobes of the flowering calyx.
Physalis longiloba is superficially similar to P. lignescens Waterf. in its suffrutescent habit, prostrate stems, geminate leaves slightly dentate, and 5-angled fruiting calyces. However, P. longiloba has a flowering calyx to 1.5 cm long with long acuminate lobes to 9 mm long. The flowering calyx of P. lignescens is short, less than 9 mm long, with short triangular lobes not exceeding 4 mm in length.
Both species are endemic to Jalisco (Vargas et al., 1998) and restricted to different areas of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Physalis lignescens is known only from the Nevado de Colima region, whereas P. Iongiloba is restricted to the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve. Further, they are phenologically different: P. lignescens flowers and fruits from July to August, whereas P. longiloba flowers and fruits from September to May.
Physalis longiloba could also be confused with P. gracilis Miers because they share a prostrate habit, rooting at the lower nodes and geminate leaves. However, P. gracilis has a 10-angled fruiting calyx, whereas that of P. Iongiloba is 5-angled. In addition, P. gracilis in fruit has pedicels to 2.4 cm long while those in P. longiloba are to 1.4 cm long.
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Distribution
Physalis longiloba is known only from the Sierra de Manantlán, at elevations around 2100 m.
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