Tropicos | Name - Hillia triflora (Oerst.) C.M. Taylor

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Hillia triflora (Oerst.) C.M. Taylor

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Published In: Selbyana 11: 30. 1989. (Selbyana)

Synonymy

Ravnia triflora Oerst.

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 10/12/2009)

Acceptance : Accepted

Project Data (Last Modified On 3/20/2014)

Notes : This species belongs to Hillia subg. Ravnia, and is pollinated by hummingbirds. The swollen corolla form is unique in Hillia and unusual in Rubiaceae: the tube is well developed and about twice as wide in the middle as at the base or the mouth, and the lobes are small and recurved. This species was erroneously reported from Mexico by Taylor (1994), based on a misidentification of Hillia loranthoides. Hillia triflora is commonly collected. This species has variation in two unusual features within Rubiaceae, the degree of swelling of the corolla tube and anisophylly; two nearly distinct groups of plants can be separated based on the development of these features, and are recognized as varieties.

Distribution : Wet lowland, premontane, and montane forests at 700-1700 m, Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia.

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Key to the Varieties of Hilla triflora

1. Leaves at each node approximately equal in size on flowering shoots; mature corolla tube not or moderately inflated, up to 1.6 times as wide at the widest portion as long; Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia.....var. triflora

1. Leaves at each node strongly anisophyllous on flowering shoots, the larger leaf at least 1.5 times as long as the shorter leaf; mature corolla tube strongly inflated, at its widest portion 1.8 or more times a wide as long; Costa Rica to northwestern Colombia....var. pittieri

Lower Taxa