Banisteriopsis campestris (A.Juss.) Little

  • Authority

    Gates, Bronwen. 1982. Banisteriopsis, Diplopterys (Malpighiaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 30: 1-238. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Malpighiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Banisteriopsis campestris (A.Juss.) Little

  • Type

    Type. A. Saint Hilaire s.n., Brazil, Minas Gerais fl (holotype, P; isotypes, P 2 sheets).

  • Synonyms

    Banisteria campestris A.Juss., Banisteria campestris var. rotundata Griseb., Banisteria campestris var. glaucescens Griseb., Banisteria campestris var. ovata Griseb., Banisteria wettsteinii Kralik

  • Description

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    Species Description - Virgate shrublet or shrub to 1.5 m with woody xylopodium. Branches terete, loosely sericeous, rarely glabrate, the bark dark brown. Stipules minute, triangular, sericeous on both sides. Leaves sometimes ternate or 4 at a node, the petiole 1-4(-7) mm long, loosely sericeous, eglandular, the lamina 3.1-7.5(-11.5) cm long, 1.5-4.1 (-7.8) cm wide, narrowly elliptic to orbicular or ovate, rarely obovate, smaller in the inflorescence, cuneate to cordate at the base, acute to apiculate or rarely emarginate at the apex, with the margin flat to slightly revolute, abaxially with 1-2 pairs of peltate glands beside the costa basally, adaxially his-pido- to velutino-pubescent, abaxially sparsely to densely tomentose, the hairs stalked, T-shaped, the trabecula flexuous to straight, rugose, with the veins impressed adaxially, prominent abaxially. Inflorescence terminal, dischasial, of 4-flowered umbels up to 3(-5) times branched, lax to dense, sericeous, bracts and bracteoles 1.2-2.2 mm long, lanceolate to triangular, sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially, persistent; pedicels sessile, 8-17 mm long, 0.8-1.2 mm wide, 0.5-0.8 mm without the hairs, sericeous. Sepals sericeous abaxially, minutely sericeous adaxially near the base, glabrous apically, ovate, rounded at the apex, 2.6-3.6 mm long, 2.0-2.6 mm wide, the glands red, 1.2-2.2 mm long, 0.6-1.0 mm wide, the 4 lateral sepals projecting 1.5-2.5 mm beyond the glands. Petals pink, becoming paler in age, lacerate, the 4 lateral petals reflexed between the sepals, the claw 1.0-1.8 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, the limb 7.0-10.5 mm long and 6.0-10.0 mm wide, orbicular, eglandular, the antero-lateral petals more concave than the postero-lateral ones, the posterior petal with the claw erect, 3.0-4.5 mm long, up to 1.0 mm wide at the apex, the limb 6.0-9.0 mm long, 5.0-8.5 mm wide, broadly obovate, reflexed, plane to convex, with the basal fimbriae enlarged and gland-tipped. Stamens with the filaments 1.6-4.0 mm long, connate basally, the locules glabrous, 0.9-1.6 mm long, the connectives yellow, those of the stamens opposite the petals 0.3-0.9 mm long, 0.3-0.7 mm wide and 0.1-0.4 mm deep, not glandular, those of the stamens opposite the sepals 0.6-1.4 mm long, 0.4-1.2 wide, 0.2-1.2 mm deep, with the middle glandular and enlarged, especially in the stamens opposite the 3 anterior sepals. Ovary 0.8-1.0 mm tall, white-sericeous, the styles equal, straight and parallel, 3.0-3.8 mm long, tapering apically to 0.3-0.4 mm in diameter, stigmas capitate. Fruit with carpophore up to 3.5 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, the nut 6.0-8.0 mm tall, 4.0-5.0 mm long, rugose to tuberculate, appressed-pubescent, grey to green, the wing (11-) 15-27 mm long, 9-19 mm wide, appressed-sericeous, the upper margin straight to arcuate, the lower margin semicircular.

  • Discussion

    Collected in flower in every month of the year, and in fruit in January to May and August to November.

    This is a very common, widespread and distinctive species, although within the species there is considerable variation with regard to leaf shape and size, type and density of pubescence on the leaves, degree of branching of the inflorescence, and size and shape of the fruit wing. Their appear to be certain syndromes of characters within this variation, but there are no discontinuities that make a satisfactory subdivision of the species possible. In addition, although these combinations of characters are usually typical of a particular geographical area, individuals with these characters may be found throughout the range of the species. A further consideration is that some pubescence variation appears to be age related; from my own observations in the field, in the herbarium and on seedlings I have grown, it is apparent that the pubescence of the first formed leaves is very different from that of later formed leaves. This factor further confuses the situation. Thus it seems that here is a group that needs detailed field observations and biosystematic study to establish the nature of its variation. In the absence of such data, I shall simply record the variation pattern as I have observed it.

    1. In rocky campos of the Serra do Espinhaço, near Diamantina, decumbent individuals are common (e.g., Anderson 11558, 35204). In addition, many of these plants have leaves which are not rugose, only the main lateral veins being impressed above, and have a smaller fruit wing (10-18 mm long, cf. 15-27 mm long for “typical” campestris), and many have dense sericeous pubescence. However, in travelling from Diamantina to São João da Chapada, a continuous transition was observed between these decumbent, sericeous-leaved individuals to erect individuals with sericeous pubescence and non-rugose leaves, to plants with rugose leaves, sparse pubescence, and plants with larger fruits. Southwards from Diamantina, beyond Datas, decumbent individuals were found with small fruit wings but sparse pubescence and rugose leaves. Since the edaphic conditions of the rocky campos are so unusual, transplant and breeding experiments are needed to determine to what extent the variation is genetic in origin. Any decision about the taxonomic status of these individuals must await such data.

    2. Near Lagôa Santa and Belo Horizonte in southeastern Minas Gerais, many specimens have obovate emarginate leaves, longer petioles, hispid leaf pubescence, and a more branched habit.

    3. Specimens from the Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, have leaves which are glabrous to glabrate abaxially, although hairs are sometimes present on the veins. However, southwards towards the Distrito Federal, the density of hairs on the veins increases, and hairs occur on the lamina between the veins.

    4. Some collections from near Corinto, Minas Gerais, and eastwards towards Diamantina, show much branched inflorescences (4-7 times branched), form large shrubs, and their leaves and branches are glabrate.

    In addition, there are a few specimens of anomalous individuals which should be mentioned. Martius 1165, Riedel 1839 and Claussen s.n. pp have narrowly lanceolate leaves. They are readily distinguished from B. angustifolia, which has narrowly lanceolate leaves, by the sparse pubescence adaxially, the rugose leaves and the leaf margin which is flat or only slightly revolute.

  • Distribution

    Common in the cerrado on deep red soil throughout the Planalto region of Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America|