Banisteriopsis anisandra (A.Juss.) B.Gates

  • Authority

    Gates, Bronwen. 1982. Banisteriopsis, Diplopterys (Malpighiaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 30: 1-238. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Banisteriopsis anisandra (A.Juss.) B.Gates

  • Type

    Type. A. de Saint-Hilaire C?-549, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Rio Manso, fl (holotype, P; isotypes, P).

  • Synonyms

    Banisteria anisandra A.Juss., Banisteria clausseniana A.Juss., Banisteriopsis clausseniana (A.Juss.) W.R.Anderson & B.Gates

  • Description

    Species Description - Liana, young branches flattened, densely and minutely tomentose, older branches terete, eventually glabrate, grey-brown. Stipules up to 1.5 mm long, glabrate, their bases joined by a prominent interpetiolar ridge. Leaves opposite or subopposite, the petiole 7-20(-32) mm long, white-tomentose, ridged abaxially, bearing a pair of large sessile glands apically, the lamina 5.0-16.7(-22.0) cm long, 2.2-8.1(-11.8) cm wide, elliptic or rarely narrowly elliptic, obtuse to truncate at the base, obtuse to apiculate or rarely emarginate at the apex, with the margin slightly revolute, adaxially tomentose, soon glabrate except the midrib, abaxially densely white-tomentose, with the reticulation prominent adaxially and the lateral veins prominent abaxially. Inflorescence of large axillary panicles bearing reduced leaves, the flowers borne in pairs on the lateral branches, densely tomentose to tomento-velutinous; bracts and bracteoles 1.2-2.5 mm long, narrowly oblong, rounded or obtuse at the apex, sparsely tomentose abaxially, involucrate, persistent; pedicels 7—10(—12) mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm in diameter, golden-tomentose sessile or pedunculate, the peduncle up to 3 mm long. Sepals 2.0-4.0 mm long, 2.0- 3.0 mm wide, ovate to oblong, rounded and often revolute at the apex, sparsely tomentose abaxially, glabrous adaxially, the 4 lateral sepals Eglandular, the glands 1.0-1.6 mm long and 0.6-1.3 mm wide, the sepals projecting 1.5-2.5 mm beyond the glands. Petals yellow, glabrous, dentate, the 4 lateral petals reflexed between the sepals, the claw 2.0-3.0 mm long, the limb 7.0-10.0 mm long, 6.5-9.0 mm wide, rotund to orbicular, the antero-lateral petals slightly larger and more concave than the postero-lateral petals, the posterior petal with the claw erect, 3.0-3.5 mm long, 0.5-0.6 mm in diameter, the limb 6.0-7.0 mm long and 5.0-5.5 mm wide, oblong, plane. Stamens with the filaments 2.0-3.4 mm long, that opposite the anterior sepal longer, and that opposite the posterior petal shorter than the others, the others subequal, those of the 3 posterior stamens inflexed between the posterior styles; anthers with the locules 0.8-1.2 mm long, glabrous, the connectives of the stamens opposite the 3 anterior sepals 1.0-1.4 mm long, 0.8-1.1 mm wide, 0.7-1.0 mm deep, obovate, glandular and enlarged apically, projecting a little above the locules, those opposite the petals and the posterolateral sepals 0.5-0.9 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, 0.1-0.6 mm deep, oblong, eglandular or those opposite the antero-lateral petals and postero-lateral sepals glandular apically, not projecting beyond the locules. Ovary 0.8-1.2 mm tall, apically sericeous, the styles equal or subequal, 2.4-3.2 mm long, diverging, stigmas capitate. Fruit with carpophore up to 2.5 mm long and 0.8 mm wide, the nut 4-8 mm tall and 3-4 mm long, rugulose, appressed-sericeous to glabrate, with a "tooth" at the base of the lower margin, the wing 18-28 mm long, 8-13 mm wide, narrower at the base, the lower margin arcuate, appressed-sericeous to glabrate, the hairs stiff and straight, the trabecula 1.0-1.5 mm long, bearing a shallow rounded appendage at its base up to 2.5 mm long and 1 mm tall. Sepals enlarged, up to 6 mm long in fruit.

  • Discussion

    Collected in flower from August to October, and in fruit in September and October.

    This species is most closely related to Banisteriopsis gardneriana, from which it can be distinguished by its dense, white, tomentose abaxial leaf pubescence, the reticulation prominent on the adaxial leaf surface, its small calyx glands, and three stout equal styles. It has the habit of a liana when growing in forest, and will vine upon itself forming dense thickets when growing in open cerrado. Unlike most cerrado species of Banisteriopsis which flower in the rainy season, B. anisandra flowers in the dry winter season. Few fruiting collections have been made, perhaps because it produces few fruits, or perhaps because the fruits mature rapidly and are immediately dispersed.

  • Common Names

    cipó de prata

  • Distribution

    In cerrado in Minas Gerais, Goiás and the Distrito Federal of Brazil, and occasionally collected in São Paulo and Bahia.

    Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|