Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

138 MALPIGHIACEAE-MALVACEAE SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY
Used in various artifacts by Caribs (Hodge and Taylor,
1957570).
Malpighia Linnaeus
The West Indian Cheny, widely misidentified as Malpighia
punicifolia Linnaeus, is Malpighia emarginata Sesse &
Mocino ex A.P. Candolle, according to Vivaldi (in Cuatrecasas
and Croat, 1980:899). It is cultivated at Canefield Estate
(Nicolson 4218), Morne Daniel (Whitefoord 6127), and at the
Cherry Lodge Hotel in Roseau (DHN!), for which the hotel is
named.
Malpighia coccigera
Malpighia coccigera Linnaeus, 1753:426.
Leaves ovate, small (-1 cm long), spiny-toothed; flowers
pink.
Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Martinique; in
Dominica only known from Cabrits: Inner Cabrite of Prince
Rupert’s Head 19 Jun 1792 (Anonymous [Finlay?] s.n. at K),
crest of NE side of West Cabrit (Nicolson 4207), sine loc.
(Imray 412 at K).
Stigmaphyllon Adr. Jussieu
The attribution of Stigmaphyllon emarginatum (Cavanilles)
Adr. Jussieu (as Stigmaphyllon lingulatum (poiret) Small) to
Dominica by Vdez (1957: 103) on the authority of Britton and
Wilson (1924,5:441), who stated“St. Martii to St. Lucia,” has
not been confirmed. This species is superficially similar to S.
diversifolium but the leaves are glabrate at maturity.
Stigmaphyllon ovatum (Cavanilles) Niedenzu was attributed
to Dominica by Vklez (1957:103) as Brachypterys ovata
(Cavanilles) Small on the authority of Britton and Wilson
(1924, 5:439), who cited “Guadeloupe to Trinidad.” This
species grows in wet coastal areas (mangroves), a rare habitat
on Dominica.
1. Leaf-blade small (to 6 cm), obtuse to rounded and
short-apiculate at apex; petiole to 1 cm long; styles
unequal, the shorter with a slender beak, xerophyte
...................... S. diversjfolium
1. Leaf-blade large (>6 cm), long-acuminate at apex; petioles
to 5 cm long: styles k equal, all foliaceous at apex;
mesophyte .................. S. puberum
Stigmaphyllon diversjfolium
Stigmaphyllon diversifoliwn (Kunth) Adr. Jussieu, 1840:290.-Grisebach,
1860: 119.
Banisieria diversifolia Kunth, 1822, 5:159.
Stigmaphyllon cordifoliwn Niedenzu, 1899:8.
Vine or shrub; leaves elliptic, lanceolate or ovate, tomentose
beneath, apex acute, obtuse, or truncate; petals erose, yellow;
samara smaller, the wing to 2 cm long.
Lesser Antilles; frequent in Dominica in lowland dry scrub
on west coast: Batali River (Webster 13175), Cabrits (Hodge
371 7, 4010), Dublanc (Hodge 2540), Grand Savanne (Beard
244, 1459, Ernst 1413, Hodge 3807, Stern & Wasshausen
2539, Wilbur 7641), Massacre (Whitefoord 4638), Mero
(Chambers 2508, 2509), Pointe Ronde (Chambers 2659,
Hodge 2646), Spanish Mt. (DHN!), Tarou Cliffs (Nicolson
1860). Apparently flowering throughout the year.
Stigmaphyllon pu beru m
Siigmaphyllon puberwn (L. Richard) Adr. Jussieu, 1840:289.
Banisieria pubera L. Richard, 1192 109.
Kalhbuli.
Vine; leaves lanceolate or elliptic, apex acuminate; petals
fimbriate, yellow; samara large, the wing >3 cm long.
Northern South America to Belize, West Indies; occasional
in Dominica in mesic (secondary?) woodlands to 700 m: Carib
Reserve (Hodge 3356, Howard 554, Taylor 18), Clarke Hall
(Ernst 171 I, 1299, Stern & Wasshausen 2422), Hatton Garden
(Hodge 2956), La Chaudikre (Hodge 3641), Layou Bridge
(Whitefoord 4381), Morne Anglais [Couliaboune] (Eggers
651), Pont Casd area (Howard 11716), Rosalie (Ernst 1358).
Flowering April to August, fruit quickly maturing.
Stems used as twine by Caribs was reported by Hodge and
Taylor (1957571).
MALVACEAE
There is a commonly cultivated hedge shrub in Dominica
with bright red, non-spreading petals, which I assume is
Malvaviscus arboreus Cavanilles, although no voucher has
been seen. Adjanohoun et al. (1985:137, pl. 136) reported
medicinal use on Dominica.
1. Petals (3-)4 cm long or longer; fruit a loculicidal capsule
or indehiscent.
2. Leaves 3-5-lobed.
3. Plant not covered with glands .... Abelmoschus
3. Plant covered with black glands .... Gossypium
2. Leaves not or only very shallowly lobed.
4. Calyx truncate; fruit indehiscent ..... Thespesia
4. Calyx 5- or 10-lobed; fruit dehiscent.
5. Leaves serrate, * broader than long; fruits 4-5 cm
long, broadly winged, stipitate, stellatepubescent,
long-perllcellate ...... Wercklea
5. Leaves entire to crenulate, usually longer than
broad; fruits smaller and not as above.
6. Fruits depressed, 5-winged, hispid ...
Fioria
6. Fruits ovoid, longer than broad ... Hibiscus
1. Petals to 3 cm long; fruit a schizocarp of several to many
separating carpels (mericarps).