(Last Modified On 5/8/2013)
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(Last Modified On 5/8/2013)
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Genus
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Cobaea Cav.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Icon. Descr. PI. 1: 11. 1791, non Necker (1790).
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Synonym
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Rosenbergia Oersted, Vidensk. Meddel. Dansk. Naturhist. Foren. Kj0benhavn 1856: 30. 1856.
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Description
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Lianas, stems herbaceous. Leaves alternate, pinnately-compound, the ter- minal leaflet modified into a tendril, the laterals broad. Inflorescences solitary, axillary. Flowers large, regular; sepals herbaceous, divided to the base, not rupturing in age; corolla campanulate, violet, yellow, brownish-purple, or green, with oval or long-caudate lobes; stamens inserted at the corolla base, the filaments pubescent basally, the anthers dorsifixed, versatile; ovary ovoid, glabrous,
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Habit
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Lianas
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Description
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attenuate to the style. Capsules much longer than the persistent calyx, septicidal, 3-locular; seeds numerous, large, flat, broadly winged.
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Distribution
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A montane rain forest genus extending from Mexico to Venezuela and continuing in the Andes from Colombia to northern Chile. The approximately 19 species are mostly known from a few localized collections. Many species are known from only the type collection.
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Reference
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Standley (Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 17: 448-458. 1914)
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Note
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The species proposed by Standley were, for the most part, recognized by Grant (Natural History of the Phlox Family. The Hague. 1959), but certain of these seem tenuous. A detailed study of the genus is much in order. Material of only one species from Panama has been examined, but, due to their presence in neighboring Costa Rica and possible occurrence in Panama, three other species are included in the key.
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Key
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a. Corolla lobes linear or with linear tips. b. Calyx lobes densely long-villose; corolla lobes ovate basally, abruptly contracted into a long linear tip - C. aschersoniana (Costa Rica) bb. Calyx lobes glabrous or minutely pilose; corolla lobes either linear or gradually tapering from the base. c. Corolla yellow; calyx segments villose-ciliate -C. gracilis (Costa Rica) cc. Corolla purple or greenish-purple; calyx segments glabrous ---------------- 1. C. panamensis aa. Corolla lobes ovate-triangular to orbicular -C. scandens (Costa Rica)
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