Melochia siphonandra (Turcz.) Dorr
Descripción
An erect, annual, simple or branched herb to suffrutex, the stem hollow, 0.3-0.65 meter high, the primary root not as thick as the base of the stem, secondary roots abundant, the young stems glabrous or with a few glandular, stellate, forked, or simple curved hairs 0.1-0.5 mm. long in a narrow longitudinal line, internodes 1.5-6.2 cm. long; stipules 3-7.4 mm. long, 0.7-1.3 mm. wide, lanceolate, ciliate, hairs simple, 0.1-0.7 mm. long; petiole 0.2-5.0 cm. long, tomentulose in a longitudinal line on the upper surface, hairs stellate, forked, a few glandular, 0.1-0.5 mm. long.
Lamina 3-7.5 cm. long, 0.9-6.2 cm. wide, lanceolate to broadly ovate, the base rounded, truncate or subcordate, the apex acute, subglabrous, both surfaces with a few simple appressed hairs 0.1-0.5 mm. long, mostly on the veins, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 0.7-3.1 mm. wide, 0.3-1.6 mm. high, 9-12 pairs of primary veins, 2 are basal.
Inflorescences axillary, 0.7-2.8 cm. long, in the axils of the upper 6-10 leaves and sometimes also terminal, extending 1-1.5 cm. beyond the first leaf, umbellate and capitate as well as pedunculate and non-pedunculate in the same axils, 2 or 3 flowers per peduncle, 5-8 flowers per axil, the peduncle 0-1.6 cm. long, the pedicels 0-14.0 mm. long; bracts 2 or 3 immediately subtending the flower, 1.5-5.0 mm. long, 0.3-0.9 mm. wide, lanceolate, ciliate, hairs simple, 0.1-0.5 mm. long.
Calyx membranous, 1.5-2.4 mm. long, 2.3-3.2 mm. wide, with scattered simple and sometimes also a few glandular hairs 0.1-0.2 mm. long, the teeth distant, 0.5-0,8 mm. long, 0.2-0.6 mm. wide at the base, nearly linear toward the apex, the sinus rounded to truncate; petals rose, reddish lilac, or purple, 3.8-4.7 mm. long, 1.3-1.7 mm. wide, obovate to obovate-oblong, free from the staminal tube or attached to it for 0.5 mm., the claw 0.2-0.4 mm. long.
Androecium and gynoecium nearly equal in length. Stamens 2.1- 2.4 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, the anther 0.5-0.8 mm. long, 0.3-0.5 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex; pistil 2.2-2.5 mm. long, the styles filiform, free for 0.8-1.2 mm., united for 0.3 mm., the ovary globular-ovoid, hirsute-tomentulose, hairs simple, 0.1-1.0 mm. long, stipe none.
Fruit 2.7—4.0 mm. long, 3.8—4.8 mm. wide, globular, pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels very shallow, extending a fourth to a fifth of way to the center of the fruit, covered with glandular and simple hairs 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the stipe 0-0.2 mm. long; dehiscence loculicidal along the dorsal and ventral sutures, later septicidal, the fruit falling apart; seeds 1.7-2.3 mm. long, 1.0-1.4 mm. wide, blackish brown, 1 per cell.A
Lamina 3-7.5 cm. long, 0.9-6.2 cm. wide, lanceolate to broadly ovate, the base rounded, truncate or subcordate, the apex acute, subglabrous, both surfaces with a few simple appressed hairs 0.1-0.5 mm. long, mostly on the veins, the margin irregularly crenate-serrate, serrations 0.7-3.1 mm. wide, 0.3-1.6 mm. high, 9-12 pairs of primary veins, 2 are basal.
Inflorescences axillary, 0.7-2.8 cm. long, in the axils of the upper 6-10 leaves and sometimes also terminal, extending 1-1.5 cm. beyond the first leaf, umbellate and capitate as well as pedunculate and non-pedunculate in the same axils, 2 or 3 flowers per peduncle, 5-8 flowers per axil, the peduncle 0-1.6 cm. long, the pedicels 0-14.0 mm. long; bracts 2 or 3 immediately subtending the flower, 1.5-5.0 mm. long, 0.3-0.9 mm. wide, lanceolate, ciliate, hairs simple, 0.1-0.5 mm. long.
Calyx membranous, 1.5-2.4 mm. long, 2.3-3.2 mm. wide, with scattered simple and sometimes also a few glandular hairs 0.1-0.2 mm. long, the teeth distant, 0.5-0,8 mm. long, 0.2-0.6 mm. wide at the base, nearly linear toward the apex, the sinus rounded to truncate; petals rose, reddish lilac, or purple, 3.8-4.7 mm. long, 1.3-1.7 mm. wide, obovate to obovate-oblong, free from the staminal tube or attached to it for 0.5 mm., the claw 0.2-0.4 mm. long.
Androecium and gynoecium nearly equal in length. Stamens 2.1- 2.4 mm. long, the filaments united up to the anthers, the anther 0.5-0.8 mm. long, 0.3-0.5 mm. wide, oblong, emarginate at both ends, nearly to the middle from the apex; pistil 2.2-2.5 mm. long, the styles filiform, free for 0.8-1.2 mm., united for 0.3 mm., the ovary globular-ovoid, hirsute-tomentulose, hairs simple, 0.1-1.0 mm. long, stipe none.
Fruit 2.7—4.0 mm. long, 3.8—4.8 mm. wide, globular, pentagonal, the sulci between the carpels very shallow, extending a fourth to a fifth of way to the center of the fruit, covered with glandular and simple hairs 0.1-0.7 mm. long, the stipe 0-0.2 mm. long; dehiscence loculicidal along the dorsal and ventral sutures, later septicidal, the fruit falling apart; seeds 1.7-2.3 mm. long, 1.0-1.4 mm. wide, blackish brown, 1 per cell.A
Tipo de vegetación
Selva bajaB
Categoría IUCN
No incluidaC
Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010
No incluidaD