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(Last Modified On 3/21/2013)
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(Last Modified On 3/21/2013)
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Species
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Spigelia anthelmia L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Sp. P1. 149, 1753.-Fig. 1.
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Synonym
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Spigelia multispica Steudel, Flora 26: 764, 1843. Spigelia killipli Ewan, Caldasia 4: 302, 1947.
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Description
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Herb, annual, 15 cm-1.3 m high, the roots usually shallow and fibrous; stems ascending, leafless below the apical leaf whorl (the apical whorl actually consists of 2 decussate and sometimes unequal leaf-pairs not separated by a manifest inter- nodal area) or with 1-2 cauline leaf-pairs reduced in size with respect to the apical whorl, simple or few-branched, glabrous or puberulent on the extreme distal por- tion with simple trichomes 0.1 mm long or less, becoming ? terete and suffrutescent at the base; branches and at least the distal 1/2 of the main stem compressed, green, weak, subsucculent, often faintly striolate. Leaves sessile or with petioles to 10(-20) mm long, the leaves of the terminal whorl often sessile or subsessile; blades 2-18 cm long, 0.8-6.5 cm broad, broadly ovate or rhombic-ovate to lance-oblong or lance-elliptic or lanceolate, apically acuminate or acute, basally acute to broadly rounded or sometimes approaching subtruncate, often decurrent long the petiole, paler green below, membranous, marginally usually ciliate with simple mammil- late trichomes 0.1 mm long or less, glabrous above or with minute scattered mam- millate trichomes, glabrous below or minutely puberulent along the main veins, the midvein and secondaries apparent on both surfaces, sometimes slightly raised below, the 6-14 secondaries arising pinnately from the midvein and arcuate-ascend- ing, the reticulation typically faint or obscure on both surfaces; stipules broadly deltoid, 1-3 mm long. Spikes 1-5, simple or infrequently branched, 3-18 cm long, 10 to 40-flowered, terminal but sometimes overtopped by floriferous branches. Flowers closely aggregated at the tip of the spike, soon separated by 2-7(-15) mm by internodal elongation, the pedicels obsolete to 1 mm long; calyx-lobes free to the base, linear-lanceolate, often dialated at the base, 2-6.5 mm long, unequal or subequal, minutely ciliate marginally and externally along the keeled midrib but otherwise glabrous; corolla rather narrowly funnelform or tubular-funnelform, white to pink or lavender, glabrous, soon fugaceous, the tube 6-16 mm long, 2-4.5 mm broad at the throat, 0.7-1.5 mm broad at the base, the lobes ovate-deltoid or virtually rhombic, 2-3 mm long; anthers included, 0.8-1.5 mm long, the free-portion of filaments ca 2 mm long, attached to corolla-tube somewhat above the middle; ovary ca 0.8 mm long, subglobose, the style extending to the opening of the corolla- throat, with the upper 1,2 (or slightly less) swollen and eventually deciduous, the stigmatic region pubescent. Capsules ca 4 mm long, 5-6 mm broad, compressed at right angles to the septum, conspicuously muricate except at the base, the persistent cupular base navicular, pointed at the ends; seeds brownish, ovoid to suborbicular, 1.5-2 mm long, carnose, externally conspicuously tuberculate.
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Habit
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Herb
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Distribution
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Tropical America, from Mexico and Florida to Peru and Brazil; naturalized in tropical Africa (especially West Africa) and Indonesia.
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Specimen
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BOCAS DEL TORO: Changuinola to 5 mi S at junction of Rios Changuinola & Terebe, Lewis et al. 913 (MO); vic of Chiriqul Lagoon, Fish Creek, von Wedel 2228 (MO). CANAL ZONE: nr mouth of Rio Chagres, Allen 902 (MO, US); Barro Colorado I, Bailey & Bailey 367 (F), Ebinger 614 (MO), Shattuck 1126 (F), 1171 (F, MO), Tyson 4202 (MO); Mojinga Swamp, Bailey & Bailey 584 (F); vic of Cerro Viejo on K164, Blum 1254 (MO); Galena point, Blum & Dwyer 2143 (MO); Fort Kobbe, Duke 3967 (MO); Miraflores Bridge, Dwyer 1008 (F); Chagres, Fendler 283 (MO, US); Pedro Miguel, Bro. Heriberto 90 (US); Ancon, Killip 3328 (US), 12109 (US); Balboa, Standley 25495 (US), 30899 (US); Corozal, Standley 27389 (US); Rio Pedro Miguel, nr East Paraiso, Standley 29926 (US); vic of Balboa, western slope of Ancon Hill, Seibert 112 (F, MO); vic of Miraflores Locks, Stern et al. 70 (MO); Fort Sherman, Tyson & Blum 1672 (MO), Summit Garden, Tyson & Blum 1990 (MO); Gamboa, Tyson et al. 4569 (MO). CHIRIQUI: David airport, Lewis et al. 736 (MO). COLON: Nuevo Chagres, Lewis et al. 1864 (MO). DARIEN: vic of Pinogana, Allen 929 (F, MO, US); Mt Pirri, Goldman 1962 (US); vie of Campamento Buena Vista, Rio Chucunaque above confluence with Rio Tuquesa, Stern et al. 812 (MO, US). LOS SANTOS: 3 mi S of Carreta, ca 5 mi S of Las Tablas, Burch et al. 1228 (MO). PANAMA: nr beach at Nueva Gorgona, Duke 4497 (MO); Rio Pita, 1-3 mi above confluence with Rio Maestra, Duke 4761 (MO); San Jose I, Erlanson 435 (US); Juan Diaz, Killip 3120 (US); Taboga I, Pittier 3624 (US), Woodson et al. 1451 (F, MO); Laguna de Juan Corso, nr Chepo, Pittier 4669 (US); vic of Juan Franco! Race Track, nr Panama, Standley 27745 (US); thickets & forests nr Arraijan, Woodson et al. 1674 (MO). SAN BLAS: Mulatuppu, Rio Ibedi, Duke 8460 (MO); Aligandi, mainland, Dwyer 6811 (MO); mainland opposite Ailigandi, from mouth of Ailigandi River to 2.5 mi inland, Lewis et al. 78 (MO). VERAGUAS: Isla de Uva, Contreras group, Pittier 5107 (US).
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Note
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Spigelia killipii is distinguished from S. anthelmia by Ewan (Caldasia 4: 294, 1947), in his key to species, by the leaves of the apical whorl which are distinctly petiolate and not conspicuously verticillate. The type specimen (Killip 35101, US) from Colombia and an additional specimen from Panama (Killip 3120, US) cited by Ewan were examined. Leaves of the apical whorl present on the stem and branches of both specimens were found to be verticillate or essentially so. The distinctive petioles of the type specimen are much reduced in Killip 3120. The rather striking pubescence of the distal portion of the stem and branches of the type specimen is not evident on Killip 3120. Spigelia killipii is probably best re- garded as conspecific with S. anthelmia, the type specimen being a rather aberrant individual.
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