Banisteriopsis hypericifolia (A.Juss.) W.R.Anderson & B.Gates

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Banisteriopsis hypericifolia (A.Juss.) W.R.Anderson & B.Gates

  • Type

    Type. A. de Saint-Hilaire Catal. Bl, 1691, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Sobrado, fl fr (holotype, P; isotypes, F, fragment, P).

  • Synonyms

    Banisteria hypericifolia A.Juss., Banisteria rigida A.Juss.

  • Description

    Species Description - Much-branched shrub to 1 m, or shrublet with wand-like stems, sometimes with twining tips, to 2 m; young branches terete, at first sparsely sericeous, soon glabrous, green, drying black, old branches pale brown, glabrous. Stipules minute, triangular. Leaves opposite or 3 or 4 at a node, the petiole 1-2 mm long, glabrous, eglandular, the lamina (1.0-)2.5-6.6(-9.0) cm long, (0.5-)1.2-6.4(-7.5) cm wide, ovate to rotund, truncate to cordate at the base, short acuminate at the apex, with the margin revolute and bearing numerous small glands towards the apex, glabrous on both sides, with the veins prominent on both sides. Inflorescence of axillary 4- or 6-flowered umbels or condensed racemes, glabrous; bracts and bracteoles 1.2-2.0 mm long, triangular, glabrous, involucrate, persistent; pedicels sessile, 15-25(-30) mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm in diameter, glabrous. Sepals 2.2-3.0 mm long, 1.6-2.0 mm wide, elliptic, sparsely sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, the 4 lateral sepals Eglandular, projecting up to 2.0 mm beyond the glands, the glands 1.2-2.7 mm long, 1.0-1.6 mm wide, free apically. Petals yellow, externally sericeous, lacerate, orbicular, the 4 lateral petals reflexed between the sepals, the claw 2.0-4.0 mm long, the limb 7.5-11.0 mm long and wide, plane, the antero-lateral petals slightly larger than the postero-lateral petals, the posterior petal with the claw erect, 3.0-3.4 mm long, up to 0.8 mm wide, fleshy, the limb 6.5-9.0 mm long and wide. Stamens with the filaments erect, those opposite the sepals 2.6-3.8 mm long, subequal, those opposite the petals 2.0-2.6 mm long, subequal, those opposite the postero-lateral petals slightly longer than those opposite the other petals; anthers reflexed with the locules glabrous, 1.2-1.8 mm long, the connectives papillate, those opposite the sepals 1.0-1.4 mm long, 0.60.8 mm wide, 0.5-0.7 mm deep, obovate, those opposite the petals 0.9-1.2 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, 0.3-0.6 mm deep, oblong. Ovary 1.0-1.4 mm tall, densely hairy apically, styles straight and parallel or slightly diverging, 2.2-3.0 mm long, equal, stigmas capitate. Fruit of 3 samaras, the carpophore up to 2 mm long and 1 mm wide, the nut 5-7 mm tall, 4-6 mm long, globose, sparsely sericeous, with a series of ridges radiating from the areole forming crests distally, bearing a shallow appendage on the upper edge up to 2 mm tall and 5-7 mm along the base, the wing 16-29 mm long, 8-16 mm wide, sparsely sericeous to glabrate, oblong, with the base of the wing curving in to meet the nut one-third of the perimeter from the base of the areole.

  • Discussion

    Collected in flower in January to June, and in fruit in January to April, and August.

    This species occurs in two different habits: that of a low, much-branched bushy shrub with small leaves and few flowers, distinguished in the past as B. rigida, and that of a subshrub, with unbranched, wand-like stems up to 2 m tall, often twining at the tip, with larger leaves, often ternate, and many flowers. This is the form of B. hypericifolia which is most commonly collected as it is very showy, and the type is of this form. Personal observations in the field in 1975 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, near Diamantina, with Dr. W. Anderson revealed that the 'hypericifolia’ form is the aspect of this species when regenerating after damage by cutting or burning; in a few specimens the wand-like branches were actually arising within the burnt skeleton of a “rigida”-type plant, from the same rootstock. If undisturbed subsequently, side branches develop from the bases of the wand-like stems and by successive branching give rise to the ‘rigida ’ form after a few years.

  • Common Names

    margadin

  • Distribution

    On white sand or crystalline outcrops in the Serra do Espinhaco in Bahia and Minas Gerais, Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|