Melochia spicata (L.) Fryxell
Descripción
Usually a perennial, sometimes annual, erect, spreading, decumbent or procumbent, usually branched herb, sometimes sufrutex, rarely a small frutex, sometimes with two to several slender shoots from near the base, 0.3-2.0 meters high, the root as thick as the base of the stem, sometimes 2-3 times thicker and 0.8-2.0 cm. wide, the young stems with a large pith, sometimes hollow, hirsute, villous, lanate, sericeous or tomentose, hairs sometimes ferruginous, tan or golden, simple, forked, glandular, sometimes stellate in longitudinal lines, sometimes predominantly stellate all around the stem, 0.1-2.0 (-2.5) mm. long, internodes (0.3-) 0.6-6.5 cm. long; stipules (2-) 4.2-9.5 mm. long, (0.3-) 0.6-1.7 (-3.1) mm. wide, deltoid-or ovate-acuminate or lanceolate, rarely sublinear or oblong, hirsute-tomentose or sericeous, ciliate, hairs simple, sometimes also forked, stellate, and glandular, 0.1-2.0 mm. long; petiole 0.1-6.2 cm. long, pubescence similar to that of the young stems.
Lamina 1.5-10.5 cm. long, 0.9-8.5 cm. wide, the basal laminae sometimes smaller, usually ovate, sometimes oblong-ovate, lanceolate or suborbicular, the base usually rounded to subcordate, sometimes cordate or truncate, the apex usually acute, sometimes rounded, the upper surface green and subglabrous to hirsute, villous, sericeous, or tomentose and tan-canescent, hairs simple, sometimes also a few forked and stellate, or entirely stellate, rarely as many as 10-12 rays per hair, 0.2-2.0 mm. long, the lower surface green and subglabrous or tan- or ferruginous-canescent, and sericeous or tomentose, hairs simple, glandular, sometimes also forked and stellate or entirely stellate, 0.1-2.0 mm. long, sometimes both surfaces velvety or woolly to the touch, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 0.6-4.1 mm. wide, 0.2-2.0 mm. high, (4-) 5-12 pairs of primary veins, usually 2 (-3) are basal, the second pair stronger, veins prominent beneath.
Inflorescences predominantly terminal, usually spicate, sometimes subcapitate, usually coarctate, sometimes lax, extending 1.0-33.5 cm. beyond the first leaf, the flowers at 2-28 nodes, usually 1-5 (-15) flowers at a node, the internodes 0.1-3.0 cm. long, also axillary, 0.7-1.0 cm. long, at 1-6 nodes, rarely flowers at nodes not subtended by leaves on the middle portion of the stem or the terminal inflorescence interrupted by leaves at about 3 nodes, peduncle usually none, sometimes 0.1 cm. long, pedicels none or very short, 0-1.6 mm. long; bracts usually long, 3.5-11.0 mm. long, 0.3-1.0 (-2.5) mm, wide, deltoid-acute to deltoid-acuminate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate to sublinear, sometimes subfalcate, 2 or 3 subtending the abaxial side of each flower, merely touching or united at their very base, usually one more below, ciliate and hirsute, sericeous or tomentose, hairs simple and sometimes glandular, forked, or stellate, 0.2-2.0 mm. long.
Calyx 3-6 mm. long, 3-5 mm. wide, hirsute, sericeous or tomentose, sometimes ciliate, hairs simple, sometimes also forked, stellate, or glandular, 0.1-2.0 mm. long, the teeth 0.8-2.5 mm. long, 0.4r-2,l mm, wide, deltoid- to ovate-acute or ovate-acuminate, the sinus acute to rounded and the teeth then rather distant; petals usually pink or purple, sometimes violet, blue, rarely yellow, white, white distally and yellow proximally, or white with pink stripes, 6.0-12.7 mm. long, 1.9-4.5 mm. wide, usually obovate-cuneate, sometimes oblanceolate-cuneate, attached to the stamens for 1.5-3.0 mm., the claw 1-3 mm. long.
Longistylous form. Stamens 3.5-6.2 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, scattered simple, sometimes also forked, hairs 0.1-0.3 mm. long on the tube, the anther 1.1-1.7 mm. long, 0.5-0.9 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex, sacs slightly spreading at the apex; pistil 5.7- 9.0 mm. long, the styles free for 3-5 mm., united for 0.7-1.7 (-2.7) mm., papillose at the apex for 1.8-2.5 mm., the ovary ellipsoid, ovoid or globular, the ovary, particularly the apex, and base of styles rather densely sericeous-tomentose, hairs simple, sometimes also forked and stellate, 0.4-1.5 mm. long, stipe none.
Brevistylous form. Stamens 6-8 mm. long, the filaments free for 2.0-3.4 mm., glabrous or with scattered hairs 0.1-0.2 mm. long, the anther 1.0-1.7 mm. long, 0.5-0.9 mm. wide, shape similar to that above; pistil sometimes consisting of 6 carpels, 3.8-5.2 mm. long, the styles free for 1.5-2.2 mm., united for 0.8-1.5 mm., papillose for 0.8 mm., the ovary ovoid or globular, densely sericeous, hairs 0.5-1.5 mm. long.
Fruit 3.0-3.3 mm. long, sometimes a rostrum 1 mm. long present, 3.4-3.9 mm. wide, globular, slightly depressed, obtusely pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels very shallow, extending a fifth to a fourth of way to the center of the fruit, hirsute-tomentulose, mostly near the apex, hairs simple, sometimes also forked and stellate, 0.1- 1.5 mm. long, stipe none; dehiscence loculicidal, first all along the dorsal, then along the ventral suture, tardily septicidal, the fruit falling apart; seeds trigonal, 1.7-2.2 mm. long, 1.1-1.7 mm, wide, reddish brown, usually 1 per cell.A,1
1. as M. villosa
Lamina 1.5-10.5 cm. long, 0.9-8.5 cm. wide, the basal laminae sometimes smaller, usually ovate, sometimes oblong-ovate, lanceolate or suborbicular, the base usually rounded to subcordate, sometimes cordate or truncate, the apex usually acute, sometimes rounded, the upper surface green and subglabrous to hirsute, villous, sericeous, or tomentose and tan-canescent, hairs simple, sometimes also a few forked and stellate, or entirely stellate, rarely as many as 10-12 rays per hair, 0.2-2.0 mm. long, the lower surface green and subglabrous or tan- or ferruginous-canescent, and sericeous or tomentose, hairs simple, glandular, sometimes also forked and stellate or entirely stellate, 0.1-2.0 mm. long, sometimes both surfaces velvety or woolly to the touch, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 0.6-4.1 mm. wide, 0.2-2.0 mm. high, (4-) 5-12 pairs of primary veins, usually 2 (-3) are basal, the second pair stronger, veins prominent beneath.
Inflorescences predominantly terminal, usually spicate, sometimes subcapitate, usually coarctate, sometimes lax, extending 1.0-33.5 cm. beyond the first leaf, the flowers at 2-28 nodes, usually 1-5 (-15) flowers at a node, the internodes 0.1-3.0 cm. long, also axillary, 0.7-1.0 cm. long, at 1-6 nodes, rarely flowers at nodes not subtended by leaves on the middle portion of the stem or the terminal inflorescence interrupted by leaves at about 3 nodes, peduncle usually none, sometimes 0.1 cm. long, pedicels none or very short, 0-1.6 mm. long; bracts usually long, 3.5-11.0 mm. long, 0.3-1.0 (-2.5) mm, wide, deltoid-acute to deltoid-acuminate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate to sublinear, sometimes subfalcate, 2 or 3 subtending the abaxial side of each flower, merely touching or united at their very base, usually one more below, ciliate and hirsute, sericeous or tomentose, hairs simple and sometimes glandular, forked, or stellate, 0.2-2.0 mm. long.
Calyx 3-6 mm. long, 3-5 mm. wide, hirsute, sericeous or tomentose, sometimes ciliate, hairs simple, sometimes also forked, stellate, or glandular, 0.1-2.0 mm. long, the teeth 0.8-2.5 mm. long, 0.4r-2,l mm, wide, deltoid- to ovate-acute or ovate-acuminate, the sinus acute to rounded and the teeth then rather distant; petals usually pink or purple, sometimes violet, blue, rarely yellow, white, white distally and yellow proximally, or white with pink stripes, 6.0-12.7 mm. long, 1.9-4.5 mm. wide, usually obovate-cuneate, sometimes oblanceolate-cuneate, attached to the stamens for 1.5-3.0 mm., the claw 1-3 mm. long.
Longistylous form. Stamens 3.5-6.2 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, scattered simple, sometimes also forked, hairs 0.1-0.3 mm. long on the tube, the anther 1.1-1.7 mm. long, 0.5-0.9 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex, sacs slightly spreading at the apex; pistil 5.7- 9.0 mm. long, the styles free for 3-5 mm., united for 0.7-1.7 (-2.7) mm., papillose at the apex for 1.8-2.5 mm., the ovary ellipsoid, ovoid or globular, the ovary, particularly the apex, and base of styles rather densely sericeous-tomentose, hairs simple, sometimes also forked and stellate, 0.4-1.5 mm. long, stipe none.
Brevistylous form. Stamens 6-8 mm. long, the filaments free for 2.0-3.4 mm., glabrous or with scattered hairs 0.1-0.2 mm. long, the anther 1.0-1.7 mm. long, 0.5-0.9 mm. wide, shape similar to that above; pistil sometimes consisting of 6 carpels, 3.8-5.2 mm. long, the styles free for 1.5-2.2 mm., united for 0.8-1.5 mm., papillose for 0.8 mm., the ovary ovoid or globular, densely sericeous, hairs 0.5-1.5 mm. long.
Fruit 3.0-3.3 mm. long, sometimes a rostrum 1 mm. long present, 3.4-3.9 mm. wide, globular, slightly depressed, obtusely pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels very shallow, extending a fifth to a fourth of way to the center of the fruit, hirsute-tomentulose, mostly near the apex, hairs simple, sometimes also forked and stellate, 0.1- 1.5 mm. long, stipe none; dehiscence loculicidal, first all along the dorsal, then along the ventral suture, tardily septicidal, the fruit falling apart; seeds trigonal, 1.7-2.2 mm. long, 1.1-1.7 mm, wide, reddish brown, usually 1 per cell.A,1
Distribución
México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA
Elevación
0 – 2300 mA
Ecología y Hábitat
Primarily in savanna and pineland, but also in various other habitats, in wet or dry clay, sandy, loam, or serpentine soil.A
Tipo de vegetación
Bosque de pino, SabanaA
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaB
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaC