Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77 MALVACEAE 14 1
Stiffly hispid herbs to 2 m; petals 1.5 cm long, yellow.
South America and West Indies; in Dominica along roads:
Barakua (Nicolson 4069), East Cabrits (Whitefoord 5260),
Carib Reserve (Hodge 3294), bridge above Clarke Hall (Ernst
1294), Hatton Garden (Hodge 3007).
Malachra capitata
Malachra capitata Linnaeus, 1767a:458.
Velutinous herbs; petals 1 cm long.
Central America and West Indies; cited for Dominica by
Urban (1920,8:420).
The fact that there are no recent collections suggests this
record is dubious; it does occur in Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Malvastrum A. Gray, nom. cons.
Malvastrum americanum
Maivasirwn americanwn (Linnaeus) Torrey in Emory, 1859, 2:38.-Adams,
1972: 159.-Hill; 1982:187.
Maiva americana Linnaeus, 1753:687.
Suffrutescent herb; inflorescence terminal, spicate; petals
yellow; fruiting carpels without spines.
Tropics; reported for Dominica by Velez (1957:104) as
Malvastrum spicatum.
Malvastrum coromandelianum (Linnaeus) Garcke has a
similar distribution, including Guadeloupe and Martinique
(Hill, 1982:324) and was recently (1990) collected at the Fort
Shirley ruins of the Cabrits (Hill 21322). Adjanohoun et al.
(1985135, pl. 102) reported medicinal usage in Dominica. It
differs from M. americanum by its solitary axillary, pedicellate
flowers and 3-spined fruiting carpels.
Pavonia Cavanilles, nom. cons.
It is difficult to dispose of the attribution of Pavonia spinifex
(Linnaeus) Cavanilles to Dominica by Velez (1957:104). On
one hand VClez failed to include the armed-fruited Antillean
species P. fruticosa, which does occur on Dominica, and
“spinifex” might be a misidentification of P. fruticosa.
Secondly, it is possible that, by a slip of the pen, he meant P.
paludicola, then known as spicata (called P. racemosa by him)
by “spinifex.” Finally, it is possible he did see P. spinifex from
Dominica, although I have seen no material. Pavonia spinifex
does occur in Martinique and Guadeloupe and may be expected
in Dominica. It has spiny carpels like P. paludicola, but the
leaves are ovate and serrate while the flowers are axillary and
solitary.
1. Inflorescence k capitate; mericarps armed, the awns with
P. fruticosa
deflexed hairs; leaves serrate, lanceolate ...
1. Inflorescence racemose; mericarps unarmed, leaves k
entire, ovate ................. P. paludicola
Pavonia fruticosa
Pavoniafruticosa (Miller) Fawcett & Rendle, 1926,5:130.
Sidafruticosa Miller. 1768.
Urena typhalaea Linnaeus, 1771:258.
Pavonia typhaiaea (Linnaeus) Cavanilles, 1787,3:134.
Herb or small shrub.
South America and West Indies; weed in plantations and
roadsides on Dominica: Grand Savanne (Ernst 2123), Syndicate
(Ernst 1896, Whitefoord 3945).
Pavonia paludicola
Pavonia piudicoia Nicolsm in Howard, 1989,5241.
Malache scabra B. Vogel in Trew, 1772:50, pl. 90.
Pavonia spicaia Cavanilles, 1787,3:136, pl. 46, nom. illeg.
Aiihaea racemosa Swartz, 1788:102, nom. illeg.
Pavonia racemosa Swartz, 1800:1215, nom. illeg.
Malache spicaia Kuntze, 1891, 1:70, nom. illeg.
Pavonia scabra (B. Vogel) Cifem, 1936, 321.Stehle et al., 1937,
1: 104.Stehle, 1943:42, non Presl.
Small sprawling shrub; flowers yellowish.
Neotropics; in water along river in Dominica: Indian River
estuary (Hodge 3744), sine loc. (Imray s.n. at GH).
Cavanilles’ name is illegitimate because he cited earlier
Malache scabra Vogel in synonymy and, by his comments,
appears to indicate errors in Ehret’s illustration published by
Trew, rather than exclude it.
Sida Linnaeus
Sida glabra Miller (also known as Sida glutinosa Cavanilles)
was reported for Dominica by Velez (1957: 105) on his
own recognizance. This species occurs around the Caribbean
but its actual distribution in the Lesser Antilles is obscure (at
US we have materials from Antigua, St. Barthelmy, Montserrat,
and Guadeloupe). Fournet (1978:1502) reported it from
several localities in Martinique. It would key here to S. urens,
from which it differs by having pedicels 1-2 cm long and it has
much shorter pubescence.
Sida spinosa Linnaeus was also reported for Dominica by
V6lez (1957:105), on the authority of Britton and Wilson,
1924, 5:551), who stated “West Indies, south to Barbados,
Grenada, and Aruba.” It would key to Sida wens but differs by
its 1.2 cm pedicels and its thin stellate pubescence. The leaves
are much smaller than in Sida glabra, which approximates S.
urens, but is instantly differentiated from both by being densely
pubescent (velvety) on the lower leaf surface.
1. Petioles 1 cm or longer; leaves rounded to cordate at base.
2.
2.
Plants densely stellate-pubescent (velvety); pedicels to
1.5 cm long in fruit; carpels -10, each 2-awned, awns
slender, retrorsely hispid and as long as the carpels
....................... S. cordifolia
Plants thinly covered with spreading, elongate hairs;
pedicels ~0.5 cm long; carpels 5, each 2-callose
......................... S. urens