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(Last Modified On 6/6/2013)
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(Last Modified On 6/6/2013)
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Species
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Stevia caracasana DC.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Prodr. 5: 121. 1836.
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Note
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TYPE: Venezuela, near Caracas, Vargas 108 (G-DC, not seen, US, microfiche).
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Synonym
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Stevia elliptica Hook. & Arn., Bot. Beech. Voy. 424. 1841. TYPE: Mexico, between San Blas and Tepic, Nayarit, Sinclair (K, holotype, not seen). Stevia hirtiflora Schultz-Bip., Linnaea 25: 274. 1853. TYPE: Mexico, near Regla, Hidalgo, Ehrenberg 30 (P, holotype, not seen). Stevia elongata var. caracasana (DC.) B. L. Robinson, Contr. Gray Herb. 90: 141. 1930.
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Description
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Unbranched or sparingly branched rhizomatous perennial herbs; stems often brownish or purple, terete, slightly striate, densely puberulous. Leaves opposite; blades ovate, 3-10-cm long and 2-5 cm wide, the base cuneate or rarely sub- truncate, usually abruptly decurrent onto petiole, the margins serrate to serrulate, the apex usually short-acute to obtuse, the surfaces with glandular punctations, the upper surface glabrous to sparsely short-pilose, the lower surface sparsely puberulous to pilose along veins, glabrous or scarcely puberulous on areoles, the veins distinctly trinervate near base; petioles 5-10 mm long, winged distally, sometimes indistinct from lamina. Inflorescence usually laxly paniculate, the primary branches opposite, often spreading at more than 450, densely corymbose terminally, densely puberulous to pilose with few to many stipitate glandular hairs, the ultimate branches mostly 0-3 mm long, rarely to 7 mm long; sub- involucral bracts sometimes broadly elliptical to ovate and prominent. Heads ca. 7-10 mm high; involucral bracts mostly narrowly oblong-lanceolate, mostly ca. 6 mm long and 1.2 mm wide, slightly striate, with some glandular punctations, puberulous, with few to many stipitate glandular hairs, the apex usually sharply acute, the margins scarcely scarious; corolla pink or pinkish, 5-6 mm long, hirsute mostly on lobes and limb, with scattered minute glandular punctations, the lobes equal, ca. 1 mm long. Achenes 3.54.0 mm long, short- to long-hispid; pappus a low, serrate crown of united scales 0.1-0.3 mm long, 4 achenes of head often bearing 3 barbellate basally winged awns alternating with scales.
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Habit
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herbs
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Distribution
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distributed from central Mexico southward through Central America to Colombia and Venezuela.
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Note
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The species is similar to S. ovata but can be distinguished by the stipitate glandular hairs on the branches of the inflorescence and on the involucral bracts. Fully developed specimens of the species can also be distinguished by the more thyrsoid paniculate inflorescences with shorter more spreading lateral branches.
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Specimen
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CHIRIQUI: Pastures around El Boquete, 1000-1300 m, Pittier 2865 (US). COCLE: Picacho de Ola, 350-600 m, Pittier 5073 (US).
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