Rourea Aubl. subgen. Rourea sect. Multifoliolatae Forero, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26(1): 37. 1976.

Toledo, Cassio A. P., Souza, Vinicius Castro & Lucas, Eve J., 2020, Nomenclatural and taxonomic updates in Rourea subgen. Rourea sect. Multifoliolatae (Connaraceae), PhytoKeys 169, pp. 137-175 : 137

Rourea Aubl. subgen. Rourea sect. Multifoliolatae Forero, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26(1): 37. 1976.

Type.

Rourea blanchetiana (Progel) Kuhlm.

Description.

Lianas, subshrubs, shrubs or scandent shrubs, rarely treelets, (0.35-) 0.5-4(-7) m tall; branchlets usually lenticelate. Leaves alternate, (3-)9-41-foliolate, loosely disposed or congested, without stipules; petiole and rachis with glandular trichomes or eglandular; leaflets subsessile or pulvinulus 1-2 mm long; blades usually oblong, narrowly elliptic or narrowly ovate, less frequently elliptic, ovate or narrowly obovate, occasionally orbicular on basal leaflets, chartaceous, less frequently coriaceous or membranaceous, abaxially brownish, greenish or glaucous, rarely vinaceous, glabrous, subglabrous, hirsute or villous, base slightly asymmetric to asymmetric, rarely symmetric, apex usually rounded or narrowly rounded, less frequently obtuse, rarely acute (apical leaflets), margin flat, slightly revolute or revolute; secondary venation brochidodromous, tertiary venation reticulate. Inflorescences in cymes, occasionally panicles or thyrses, axillary or subterminal, rarely terminal; peduncle, rachis and lateral branches (if present) with glandular trichomes or eglandular. Flowers loosely disposed or congested apically; pedicel with glandular trichomes or eglandular; sepals 5, slightly connate at base, outer surface with glandular trichomes or eglandular; petals 5, epunctate; stamens 10, connate at base by (0.8-)1-1.5 mm, shorter series 5, epipetalous, longer series 5, episepalous, anthers rimose; carpels 5, only 1 developing into a fruit, free, sessile, stigma lobate, ovules 2, only 1 developing into a seed. Fruits follicular, ellipsoid, straight, calyx accrescent, sepals ascending; seeds 1, ellipsoid, black, without endosperm, arillode covering the base.

Diversity and distribution.

Rourea subgen. R. sect. Multifoliolatae is composed of 12 species exclusively found in the Brazilian states of Bahia, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

Recognition.

This section is characterised by multifoliolate leaves, leaflets relatively small, normally oblong or narrowly elliptic with rounded apex (Fig. 1 ), inflorescences mostly with glandular trichomes and stamens connate at base by (0.8-)1-1.5 mm. Species of this section vegetatively resemble several Leguminosae due to the characteristics cited above, but differ because Connaraceae members do not bear stipules.

Figures

Figure 1. Leaves in Rourea subgen. R. sect. Multifoliolatae: A R. discolor B R. martiana C R. tenuis D R. cnestidifolia.