Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott, Arac. Betreff.

Freitas, Rafaelle Neves, Silva, Maria Francilene Souza, Paiva, Jousimar Silva, Mayo, Simon Joseph & de Andrade, Ivanilza Moreira, 2017, Taxonomic survey of the Araceae Juss. in the coastal region of Piauí state, northeast Brazil, including the Rio Parnaíba Delta, Iheringia, Série Botânica 72 (3), pp. 341-350 : 344

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.21826/2446-8231201772304
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/953F87E1-FFB4-FFC2-0CD8-FBD7FB0BFB61
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott, Arac. Betreff.
status

Treatment

3. Montrichardia linifera (Arruda) Schott, Arac. Betreff. View in CoL 1: 5.185 4.

( Figs. 1 View Figs H-N, 2C)

Robust, arborescent helophyte 1-6 m in height; stem dimorphic, the proximal part a horizontal subterranean rhizome that bends upward distally to form the tall aerial stem, which branches at the base to form a new rhizome; aerial stems elongated, erect with grey-green internodes 0.2-26 × 2-35.9 cm, becoming shorter and greener at stem apex; cataphylls of main stem 2.2-17.3 cm long. Leaves 3-7, forming a crown at the stem apex, deciduous below and leaving most of the stem leafless; petiole 14.5-45.9 × 3-10 cm, green with flat, wide base, curving upwards at the apex to make the leaf blade almost vertical; sheath 8.2-29.5 cm long, more than half the length of the petiole, margin marcescent, apical ligule 0.2-13.9 cm; leaf blade 16.0-56.9 × 11-45.2 cm, cordate to sagittate, coriaceous, upper surface green, lower surface paler, apex obtuseacuminate, base cordate to sagittate, margin undulate; midrib and primary lateral veins prominent on lower surface and slightly yellowish, primary lateral veins 6-10 pairs. Inflorescences 1-2 per floral sympodium; peduncle 6-11.3 cm long, cylindrical, dark green. Spathe 10.5-21 × 8-10 cm, erect, slightly constricted, lower third forming closed tube, externally green and internally rose-colored at the base, upper two-thirds forming a spreading blade, boat-shaped, externally green and internally white-cream-colored, entire spathe caducous after flowering. Spadix 8-19 × 6-8.2 cm, lower zone female, shorter, yellowish, upper zone male, longer, cream-colored. Flowers unisexual, perigon absent; male flower an androecium of 4-6 free stamens; stamen 4-5 × 3-6 mm, truncate at apex, anthers sessile; female flower with prismatic-cylindrical gynoecium 2-3 × 1-2 mm, ovary unilocular, ovules 1-2 per locule. Infructescence olive green, robust, subcylindrical to globose, 6.5-26.5 × 6.8-30.4 cm. Fruit a berry, 1.9-3.2 × 1.8-2.2 cm. Seed 1.5-3 × 1.5-2 cm, pericarp brown, hard.

Phenology: Flowering and fruiting in every month of the year, but more so in the months of April, July, and from August to December.

Selected material: Ilha Grande: Santo Izidório , 14. V .2011 , fl. and fr., Freitas 38 ( HDELTA); Canto do Igarapé , 14.IV.2012, fl. e fr., Freitas 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 ( HDELTA); Tatus , 08.VII.2012, fl. and fr., Freitas 84, 85, 86, 87 ( HDELTA). Parnaíba : Braço do Rio Igaraçu , 24. I .2012 , fl. and fr., Freitas 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 ( HDELTA).

Comments: Montrichardia linifera forms large and dense populations along the margins of rivers and streams. It is used by the local community for making rafts. The stinging sap from the stem of this species is used to stop bleeding. The mature plant has a dimorphic stem with an underground rhizome, producing erect, aerial branches.

It is endemic to South America, occurring from Venezuela in the north to Southeast Brazil ( WCSP 2015). Within Brazil it occurs in the North (Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, Roraima), Northeast (Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe) and Southeast (Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro) ( Coelho et al. 2015).