|
(Last Modified On 1/28/2013)
|
|
|
|
(Last Modified On 1/28/2013)
|
|
Genus
|
GUAPIRA Aubl.
|
|
PlaceOfPublication
|
Hist. P1. Guian. 1:308; 3: t. 1i9. 1775.
|
|
Synonym
|
Gynastrurn Neck. Elem. 1:224. 1790. Torrubia Vell. F. Flum. 139. 1825; Icon. 3: t1 15 . 1827
|
|
Description
|
Dioecious trees and shrubs. Leaves opposite to irregularly approximate. In- florescences terminal, frequently at the tips of short lateral branches, corymbosely thyrsiform. Flowers small, immediately subtended by 1-3 minute bracteoles. Staminate flowers campanulate; stamens usually 6-8, unequal, widely exserted, the short tube of the filaments adnate to the stipe of the pistillode. Pistillate flowers tubular to tubular-carnpanulate, the limb of the perianth erect or spreading, the staminodes about as long as the ovary and with enlarged sterile anthers, the short tube of the filaments adnate to the stipe of the pistil. Anthocarps fleshy, eglandular, the limb of the perianth persistent and rather fleshy.
|
|
Habit
|
trees and shrubs
|
|
Distribution
|
Numerous species in the Antilles, and Central and South America.
|
|
Note
|
There can be little doubt that Guapira Aubl. is congeneric with Torrubia Vell. as suggested by Heimerl (in Engl. Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2. 161:127. 1934) and not an indecipherable verbenacea as previously held by many (although questioned by Bentham & Hooker). The specimen illustrated by Aublet obviously is pistillate and, with the understandable error of the four to five minute "'leaflets of the calyx [i. e. bracteoles]", is a good representation of Torrubia for its time, particularly with respect to the fruit with its persistent perianth limb ("Druipa monosperma . . coronata denticulis corollas, quae evadit pvlposa"), and the persistent style crowned by a penicillate stigma. With the exception of the supernumary bracteoles, the figure of the flower also is good, showing the spreading perianth limb characteristic of so many South American Torrubias, and the widely exserted style and penicillate stigma. The single species described by Aublet, G. guianensis, perhaps is con- specific with Torrubia eggersiana (Heimerl) Standl. Perhaps too many transfers from Pisonia to Torrubia already have been made by Britton and by Standley, and one might be inclined to submit Torrubia as a candidate for conservation over Guapira in order to avoid additional transfers to the latter. I am inclined not to do so, however, for the following reasons. Tor- rubia has not generally been considered as distinct from Pisoiia, and consequently the transfers to the former are not in wide use; transfer to Guzapira therefore would entail little mental adjustment and inconvenience at this date. Both Torrubia and Guapira are based upon rather inadequate antique illustrations, but those of the latter are definitely more capable of critical interpretation than the former; it furthermore will be much easier to associate G. guianensis with a modern species than T. opposite Vell.
|
|
Key
|
a. Anthocarps globose or subglobose; pistillate perianths about 2 mm. long, the limb spreading; stamens about half exserted; leaves predominantly elliptic and acuminate ...............1 G ............................ 1. G. COSTARICANA aa. Anthocarps oblong-fusiform; pistillate perianths about 3 mm. long, the limb erect; stamens about one-third exserted; leaves predominantly obovate and obtuse.- ............. ... 2. G. STANDLEYANA
|
|
Tag
|
|
|
|
Project Name
|
|
Tag
|
|
|
|