Declieuxia aspalathoides Müll.Arg.
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Authority
Kirkbride, Joseph H., Jr. 1976. A revision of the genus Declieuxia (Rubiaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 28 (4): 1-87.
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Family
Rubiaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Subshrub or shrub 15-150 cm tall with several erect fastigiate frequently branched stems, the young stems terete and puberulous, the older stems glabrate to puberulous, the internodes (2-)3-7(-13.5) mm long, with abbreviated or rarely elongated branchlets in leaf axils, the elongated branchlets without smaller branchlets in leaf axils. Stipules unidentate or unequally tridentate, the lobes subulate, acute at apex, puberulous, the central lobe 0.4-3.3 mm long, ca twice as long as the lateral lobes, sometimes decurrent. Leaves ternate or quaternate, with fascicles of smaller leaves in axils, sessile; blade coriaceous-chartaceous, strongly revolute, linear-subulate, acute at apex, straight at base 2.5-8.5(-13) x 0.4-1 mm, (4.2-)8.5-16 times longer than wide, the flat midrib and intercostal areas above glabrous to sparsely hispidulous or densely puberulous, the prominent midrib and intercostal areas beneath glabrous to sparsely puberulous, the secondary and tertiary venation not evident. Inflorescences reduced axillary cymules, 5-7 X 4-6 mm, sessile or subpedunculate, bearing 2-8 flowers, with 1 or 2 axes, the axes terete, to 0.8 mm long, glabrous or rarely puberulous; peduncle terete, 0.2-1 mm long, glabrous to puberulous. Flowers heterostylous, subpedicellate with pedicels terete, 0.2-0.4 mm long, glabrous or glabrate, ebracteate or subtended by 1-2 bracts, the bracts revolute, linear, acute at apex, 2-6.5 X 0.1-0.5 mm; hypanthium transversely elliptic to broadly ovate in outline, 0.3-0.6 x 0.6-0.8 mm, glabrous or rarely papillate; calyx lobate or gamosepalous, the lobes when present linear to narrowly elliptic, apex acute to broadly acute, 0.2-1.3 X 0.1-0.3 mm, glabrous, the tubular calyx 0.1 mm long, glabrous; corolla blue or white, salverform, the tube 2.5-4.6 mm long, orifice 0.7-1.5 mm in diam, 0.5 mm at base, exterior glabrous to glabrate or rarely puberulous, the lobes subelliptic to suboblong to subovate, the apex broadly acute, 1.6-2 x 0.8-1.2 mm, glabrous or rarely puberulous outside; stamens with the filaments ca 0.3 or 1-1.2 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 0.7-1.1 mm long, glabrous with the apex smooth; style 1.9-2.5 or ca 5 mm long, glabrous. Fruit with the emargination ca 0.3 mm, sessile or subpedicellate, the pedicel 0.3-0.5 mm long, glabrous or rarely glabrate, the mericarps circular to oblong in outline, ca 1.5 X 1.2-1.5 mm, ca 0.3 mm thick, glabrous or rarely papillate, slightly rugose.
Distribution and Ecology - Distribution. Known from the Brazilian states of Sergipe, Bahia, and northeastern Minas Gerais and the Distrito Federal. Map 12.
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Discussion
12. Declieuxia aspalathoides Müller Argoviensis, Flora 59(28): 438, 1876. Type: Brazil, Bahia, editis montanis ad Villa de Rio das Contas, Martius 1972 (holotype M, fragment G; isotype M). Declieuxia aspalathoides is related to D. diamantinae from which it is separated by leaf blades (4.2-)8.5-16 times longer than wide, smaller inflorescences with fewer flowers, 2-8, and much shorter axes, and smaller mericarps. Declieuxia aspalathoides seems to be more advanced based upon sometimes nondecurrent stipules, smaller leaves, reduced axillary inflorescences with fewer flowers and shorter axes, and the calyx lobate or gamosepalous.