Melochia nodiflora Sw.
Descripción
An erect or spreading herb to slender, branched shrub 0.5-4.0 meters high, the taproot somewhat thicker than the stem, the young stems puberulous, hairs simple and forked, 0.1-0.2 (-0.6) mm. long, internodes 1.3-3.2 cm. long; stipules soon deciduous, 1.7-5.2 mm. long, 0.7-2.9 mm. wide, deltoid- to ovate-acute, hirsute-ciliate, hairs scattered, appressed, 0.2-0.8 mm. long; petiole 0.6-4.3 cm. long, hirsute-tomentose, hairs simple and forked, 0.4-1.0 mm, long.
Lamina 3.5-7.5 (2-11.9) cm. long, 1.5-5.3 (1.0-7.7) cm. wide, usually ovate, sometimes also ovate-lanceolate, the base rounded to cordate, or subtruncate, the apex acute, the upper surface green, subglabrate, a few scattered, simple, appressed hairs 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the lower surface green, subglabrate or puberulous, a few scattered simple, rarely also forked and stellate hairs, appressed or erect, 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 1.5-4.8 mm. wide, 0.7-2.0 mm. high, 7-10 pairs of primary veins, usually 2 are basal, the second pair thicker than the first.
Inflorescences axillary, in heads of 2-10 flowers at the upper 15-20 nodes, peduncle usually none, rarely 0.4-0.6 cm. long, sometimes naked axillary branches up to 7.5 cm. long with flowers at several nodes, the pedicel 0-2 (-3) mm. long; bracts 1.7-3.0 mm. long, 0.2- 1.1 mm. wide, rarely wider and 2 united, deltoid-acute to deltoid acuminate or nearly linear, hirsute-ciliate, hairs simple, 0.3-0.7 mm. long.
Calyx sometimes dull red in the fruiting stage, 3.2-7.0 mm. long, 3-3.8 mm. wide, not accrescent, hirsute-ciliate, hairs simple and forked, 0.1-1.0 mm. long, the teeth 2-3 mm, long, 0.5-1.5 mm. wide, deltoid-acute to deltoid-acuminate or ovate-acuminate, the sinus acute; petals most commonly pink, also purplish, white with red or pink veins, pale pink with purplish-red veins, white, rarely yellow, 3.7-4.9 (-7.0) mm. long, 1.4-2.1 mm. wide, obovate, oval or elliptic, the claw 0-0.5 mm. long, base of petals shortly and loosely united to the staminal tube.
Longistylous form. Stamens 2.7-3.0 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, the anther 0.7-0.9 mm. long, 0.4-0.6 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex, sacs slightly divergent at the apex; pistil 3.2-3.5 mm. long, the styles 1.3-2.0 mm. long, free to the ovary, papillose at the apex for 0.5 mm., the ovary ovoid or orbicular, hirsute, hairs simple, to 0.5 mm. long.
Brevistylous form not seen.
Fruit rarely of 6 carpels, 3.0-3.5 mm. long, 3.9^4.5 mm. wide, oblate-spheroid, pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels extending half way to the center of the fruit, hirsute, hairs simple, 0.4-1.0 mm. long, stipe none; dehiscence septicidal into cocci open along the ventral suture; seeds2-2.2 mm. long, 1.1-1.4 mm. wide, trigonal, brown or tan.A
Lamina 3.5-7.5 (2-11.9) cm. long, 1.5-5.3 (1.0-7.7) cm. wide, usually ovate, sometimes also ovate-lanceolate, the base rounded to cordate, or subtruncate, the apex acute, the upper surface green, subglabrate, a few scattered, simple, appressed hairs 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the lower surface green, subglabrate or puberulous, a few scattered simple, rarely also forked and stellate hairs, appressed or erect, 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 1.5-4.8 mm. wide, 0.7-2.0 mm. high, 7-10 pairs of primary veins, usually 2 are basal, the second pair thicker than the first.
Inflorescences axillary, in heads of 2-10 flowers at the upper 15-20 nodes, peduncle usually none, rarely 0.4-0.6 cm. long, sometimes naked axillary branches up to 7.5 cm. long with flowers at several nodes, the pedicel 0-2 (-3) mm. long; bracts 1.7-3.0 mm. long, 0.2- 1.1 mm. wide, rarely wider and 2 united, deltoid-acute to deltoid acuminate or nearly linear, hirsute-ciliate, hairs simple, 0.3-0.7 mm. long.
Calyx sometimes dull red in the fruiting stage, 3.2-7.0 mm. long, 3-3.8 mm. wide, not accrescent, hirsute-ciliate, hairs simple and forked, 0.1-1.0 mm. long, the teeth 2-3 mm, long, 0.5-1.5 mm. wide, deltoid-acute to deltoid-acuminate or ovate-acuminate, the sinus acute; petals most commonly pink, also purplish, white with red or pink veins, pale pink with purplish-red veins, white, rarely yellow, 3.7-4.9 (-7.0) mm. long, 1.4-2.1 mm. wide, obovate, oval or elliptic, the claw 0-0.5 mm. long, base of petals shortly and loosely united to the staminal tube.
Longistylous form. Stamens 2.7-3.0 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, the anther 0.7-0.9 mm. long, 0.4-0.6 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex, sacs slightly divergent at the apex; pistil 3.2-3.5 mm. long, the styles 1.3-2.0 mm. long, free to the ovary, papillose at the apex for 0.5 mm., the ovary ovoid or orbicular, hirsute, hairs simple, to 0.5 mm. long.
Brevistylous form not seen.
Fruit rarely of 6 carpels, 3.0-3.5 mm. long, 3.9^4.5 mm. wide, oblate-spheroid, pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels extending half way to the center of the fruit, hirsute, hairs simple, 0.4-1.0 mm. long, stipe none; dehiscence septicidal into cocci open along the ventral suture; seeds2-2.2 mm. long, 1.1-1.4 mm. wide, trigonal, brown or tan.A
Distribución
México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA
Elevación
0 – 1800 mA
Ecología y Hábitat
In moist thickets, along the roadside, in cultivated ground, in waste ground, in sandy or open woods, in pastures, in wet or dry places on rocky, calcareous or sandy soil.A
Tipo de vegetación
Pastizal de otro tipoA
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaB
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaC