Dichorisandra acaulis, Cogniaux, 1894

Pellegrini, Marco Octávio de Oliveira & Almeida, Rafael Felipe de, 2016, Rediscovery, identity and typification of Dichorisandra picta (Commelinaceae) and comments on the short-stemmed Dichorisandra species, Phytotaxa 245 (2), pp. 107-118 : 115

Key to species of the Dichorisandra acaulis group

1. Inflorescences sessile, main axis reduced; pedicels much longer than or the same size as the floral buds.......................................2

- Inflorescences pedunculate, main axis elongate; pedicels much shorter than the floral buds...........................................................3

2. Stems unbranched; leaves adaxially glabrous, abaxially setose, hairs hyaline; flowers scentless, sepals externally glabrous, rarely sparsely setose at base, anthers dehiscent through two apical pores, connectives glabrous ...... Dichorisandra acaulis ( Fig. 6A–B )

- Stems branched to unbranched; leaves pilose on both sides, hairs light-brown; flower scented, sepals externally pilose, anthers dehiscent through one apical pore, connectives pilose............................................................... Dichorisandra odorata ( Fig. 6E–F )

3. Inflorescences either terminal or basal, perforating the leaf-sheaths; anthers dehiscent through two apical pores............................. ..................................................................................................................................................................... Dichorisandra perforans

- Inflorescences exclusively terminal, not perforating the leaf-sheaths; anthers dehiscent through one apical pore...........................4

4. Young leaves never maculated, leaves adaxially sparsely velutine, abaxially sparsely pilose; inflorescences pendulous, short pilose, bracteoles loose from the cincinnus; sepals externally glabrous .................................... Dichorisandra nutabilis ( Fig. 6C–D )

- Young leaves with brown macules, leaves adaxially glabrous, abaxially lanate; inflorescences erect, lanate, bracteoles imbricate; sepals externally sparsely lanate........................................................................................................ Dichorisandra picta ( Fig. 1–4 )

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photo of the lectotype of Dichorisandra picta Lodd. Plate from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

FIGURE 2. Photo of the lectotype of Dichorisandra picta Hook.f., R. Pearce s.n. (K000543688).

FIGURE 3. Photo of the original illustration of Dichorisandra picta Hook.f. Plate from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

FIGURE 4. Dichorisandra picta. A–B. Habit. A. Individuals in natural habitat, showing young leaves with brown macules. B. Same individuals in cultivation at the Jardim Botânico Plantarum, showing mature leaves without brown macules. C–D. Flowers and inflorescences. C. Detail of the flowers, showing completely cream-coloured anthers. D. Detail of the inflorescence, showing the densely lanate peduncle, scarious bracts and bracteoles and flowers with anthers with purple apex. E. Detail of the fruit.A–B & D by A. Campos- Rocha, C & E by I.G. Costa.

FIGURE 6. Dichorisandra acaulis morphological group. A–B. Dichorisandra acaulis. A. Habit, showing sessile inflorescence. B. Detail of the flowers and fruits. C–D. Dichorisandra nutabilis. C. habit, showing pedunculate and pendulous inflorescence. D. detail of the flowers and fruits. E–F. Dichorisandra odorata. E. habit, showing sessile inflorescence. F. detail of the flower.A–B by M.O.O. Pellegrini, C by A. Tuler, D modified from Aona-Pinheiro & Amaral (2012), E–F by L. Kollmann.