Spigelia hamellioides, Kunth

Zappi, Daniela C., 2016, A new name and considerations on Spigelia multispica Steud. and its varieties, Phytotaxa 265 (2), pp. 173-176 : 175

S. hamellioides Kunth in Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth (1819: 185). Lectotype (designated here): Colombia, prope

Guaduas Novo-Granatensium, Bonpland & Humboldt s.n. (P00670862, isolectotype P00506413).

S. multispica Steudel (1843: 764) . Lectotype (designated here): Suriname, in sylvis distr. Pará, VIII.1842, Hostmann & Kappler 851a P00507680 , isolectotypes: G00368321 , MO-694152, S-R-5848).

S. multispica var. discolor Progel (1868: 263) . Lectotype (designated here): French Guiana, Poiteau ( K000573348 ), syn. nov.

S. multispica var. concolor Progel (1868: 263) nom. illeg. (ICBN art. 52.1) based on the type of S. multispica Steud.

S. laevigata Progel (1868: 263) . Lectotype (designated here): French Guiana, Cayenne , Martin s.n. ( K000573351 ), syn. nov.

S. filipes Rusby (1920: 81) . Lectotype (designated here): Venezuela, Lower Orinoco , Eleanor Creek, V.1896, H.H. Rusby & R.W. Squires 145 ( NY00297394 ; isolectotype- K000573334 , BM000757838 ).

S. killipii Ewan (1947: 302) . 1947. Holotype: Colombia, Int. El Chocó. Dense forest near junction of Rio Condato and Rio San Juan, 100- 150m, 20.IV.1933, E.P. Killip 35101 (US00112915, isotype US 00901886, BM000757855 ).

S. persicarioides Ewan var. insularis Ewan (1947: 302) . Holotype: Colombia, Dept. Nariño, South end of Gorgona Island, 9.II.1939, E.P. Killip & H. Garcia 33105 (US00112921, iso-. BC, BM, US 00930981).

Brazilian records for this species:— Pará : ‘ St. Anna’ [ Ilha do Bananal], Burchell 9306 (n.f.), l.c. 9307 ( K000573349 ) ; Lageira , airstrip on Rio Maicuru, 0°55’00”S, 54°25’59”W, 17. V.1981, J. J. Strudwick 3189 ( NY) ; Abaetetuba , Comunidade Rio Urubueua de Fátima, 1°37’09”S, 48°58’34”W, 27. V.2012, P. H. B. Moura 01 ( MFS) ; l.c., Vila de Beja , 1°37’08”S, 48°48’45”W, 16.III.2002, A. S. L. Silva et al. 3532 ( SP). Maranhão: Maracassumé River, Cachoeira, 31.XI.1932, L. Fróes 2010 ( K, NY) ;

A species with wide geographic distribution in northern South and Central America, Spigelia hamellioides was first described for Colombia, and nowadays includes some of the taxa listed by Ewan (1947) in his treatment of the genus.

Distribution:—Amazonian Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Panamá.

According to by Jørgensen et al. (2015), S. sessilifolia Rusby is a synonym of S. hamellioides Kunth , however, close examination of the type specimens revealed that the spikes with flowers inserted close together and the straight, short calyx limb bear strong resemblance with the features found in S. flemmingiana , leading to a change in synonymization (below).