Adelia barbinervis
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Adelia barbinervis is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae that is native to southern Mexico and northern Central America. The Huastec Maya cultivated the plant as a famine food.
Description
Adelia barbinervis is a shrub, or as a tree[1] that grows to be 2–9 meters tall.[2] The bark is spinescent, thin, and gray to whitish.[2][3]
The leaves grow with an alternate (spiral) pattern.[4][5] The upper side is dark green and hairless while the underside is paler and pubescent (covered with short, soft hairs) along the veins.[2] Rarely, the underside of the leaf is tomentose, i.e. densely covered in short, matted hairs.[4] The leaves have 5–7 lateral veins. The axils of the veins have tufts of hair called domatia.[2][4] The leaves are lanceolate (pointy at both ends) with a length of 4–9Script error: No such module "String".cm and a width of 2–3.5Script error: No such module "String".cm. The margins are entire. The leaves are connected to their twig by a 2–5Script error: No such module "String".mm petiole, which is pubescent. The inconspicuous stipules at the base of the petiole are pubescent and, like the leaves, lanceolate.[4]
Plants flower from November to January.[2] The species is dioecious: male and female flowers are not found on the same plant. Flowers grow from the axils of the leaves.[4] The male flowers grow in cymose fascicles of 10–30 flowers. The male pedicels are pubescent and just 3.5–7Script error: No such module "String".mm long. Male flowers have 3–5 greenish or whitish ovate sepals, which are about 2Script error: No such module "String".mm long and pubescent on both sides. Male flowers have 8–12 whitish stamens, each with 2-mm filaments and globose anthers, that are joined at the base. The female flowers have longer pedicels, 15–30Script error: No such module "String".mm long. Female flowers have 5–7 green, linear-lanceolate sepals 2–3Script error: No such module "String".mm long, the upper surfaces of which are puberulent. The ovary is tomentose.[2][4] The three[2] yellow or white[6] 1.5–2Script error: No such module "String".mm styles are flat and widened, joined at the base, and have lacerate (jagged) edges at the apex.[2][4]
The species produces fruit from January to April.[2] The fruit is a green, pubescent, three-lobed capsule 1.1Script error: No such module "String".mm in diameter[2] that dehisces when dry.[7] The smooth, pale seeds inside are 3.5–4.5Script error: No such module "String".mm long and subglobose.[4]
Taxonomy
Adelia barbinervis was first described by Cham. & Schltdl. and was published in Linnaea 6: 362 in 1831.[1] Ricinella barbinervis (Cham. & Schltdl.) Müll.Arg., published in Linnaea 34: 154 (1865), is a homotypic synonym of Adelia barbinervis.[1]
The specific epithet barbinervis means "bearded veins"[8] and refers to the leaves’ domatia.[2]
Adelia barbinervis is closely related to A. triloba.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Adelia barbinervis is native to seasonally dry climates from Mexico to Nicaragua,[1] where it is found in tropical rainforests,[4] tropical deciduous forests, and secondary forests[2] at elevations of 0–500Script error: No such module "String".m. It is common in milpa regrowth ecosystems.[9]
Uses
The Huastec Maya cultivated the plant as a famine food, cooking the shoots and tender leaves as greens.[9] The wood is used as firewood.[2]
References
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