Serjania tenuis Radlk.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 1993. Systematics of Serjania (Sapindaceae) Part I: A Revision of Serjania Sect. Platycoccus. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 67: 1-91.
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Family
Sapindaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, s.d. (fl), Martius 1245 (holotype, M , n.v.; isotypes, CGE, F, GH, K, MO-2 sheets, NY; Photo GH, M O from B.
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Description
Species Description - Woody vine. Stems to 1 cm in diam., obtusely five-angular, with three to five prominent ribs, glabrous and smooth; cross section of stem with a central, obtusely triangular, large stele and three peripheral, smaller, terete or subterete steles, these not included in central one. Stipules deltoid, 0.9-1.5 mm long, glabrous. Leaves temate; petioles not winged, terete, as long or shorter than leaflets, adaxially furrowed, glabrous except for few erect or inflexed hairs, 0.5 mm long, on adaxial surface; leaflets membranous to chartaceous, with acuminate or mucronate apex, the terminal leaflet larger, ovate, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, (3-)6-11 × 2.1-5.2 c m, with attenuate base, the laterals oblong or lanceolate, (3-)4.2-7.5(-9) x 1.6-3.5(-4.2)cm, with oblique, rounded base, sessile or shortly petiolulate (1-1.5 mm long), the upper surface glabrous, except for a few erect or inflexed hairs, 0.3-0.5 mm long on midvein, the lower surface glabrous, tiie margins entire, scarious, crenate or remotely and obtusely serrate, ciliate and slightly revolute, the teeth glandular, the veins mixed craspedodromus, the primary and secondaiy veins slightly prominent on both surfaces. Inflorescence axillary, 1.5 times longer than subtending leaf; axis 4-angular, usually coiling, glabrous; rachis subterete or angular, striate, sparsely coveted with minute, ca. 0.2 mm long, yellowish or whitish, curly hairs; bracts and bracteoles subulate, ca. 1 mm long, margins with glandular hairs; cincinni altemate, 0.5-3 mm long, with same indument as rachis, 3-6-flowered; pedicels 2-4 mm long, articulate close to base, sparsely covered with minute whitish hairs. Flowers with sepals obtuse at apex, the outer sepals 1.2-2.5 mm long, ovate, the inner sepals (2.5-)3-4.6 mm long, oblong or wide ovate, third and fifth sepals connate 7/8 of their length; petals white or slight yellow, 4-5.5 mm long, spatulate or oblanceolate, sparsely covered witii minute papillae on adaxial surface, the apex rounded; appendages ofcentral petals 3-4 mm long, basally connate with petals to 2 mm, hoodshaped, with fleshy, crown-shaped apex and ciliate margins, the appendages of lateral petals 3 mm long, witfi slightly fleshy apex and ciliate margins; disk with two or four glands, the central glands ca. 0.8 mm long, ovate in outline, with obtuse apex, the lateral glands obsolete or less often sUghtly developed; torus enlarged; filaments densely covered with white, inflexed hairs, the antiiers ellipsoid, ca. 0.5 mm long; ovary oblong or ellipsoid, densely covered with white, inflexed, minute hairs. Fruits 2.1-3.2 cm long, outline ovate, sparsely covered with minute, erect, whitish hairs with swollen bases, the base cordate, the apex retuse; locules flattened, with slightly prominent veins; outline of wing not constricted below locule; endocarp densely covered with whitish, floccose hairs. Seeds flattened, with oblong outUne, dark brown, ca. 3 mm long (immature); embryo with bipUcate, smaller, adaxial cotyledon and curved, larger, abaxial cotyledon.
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Discussion
Fig. 40a-h. Field observations. The inflorescences of 5. tenuis are pendant. Serjania tenuis is morphologically similar to S. communis and S. unidentata. However, it differs from the former by its temate leaves (vs. bitemate), essentially glabrous parts (vs. variously pubescent), and embryo with bipUcate cotyledons (vs. straight). From S. unidentata it differs by its stems with a central and three peripheral steles (vs. a central surrounded by 6-7 peripheral steles), and embryo with bipUcate cotyledons (vs. straight). The name tenuis (thin or slender) probably refers to the slender fruits of this species.
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Distribution
Distribution and Phenology. Serjania tenuis is endemic to the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Fig. 41). It is naturally distributed along coastal, open areas from where it invades secondary formations. It has been collected from sea level to 950 m elevation elevation. Serjania tenuis flowers mostly from January to July and fruits in May.
Brazil South America|