Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

NUMBER 77 CAPPARACEAE 61
Badukka (Rheede, 1686, 6:105, pl. 57), as done by Jacobs
(1965:435), and a specimen from the New World in Clifford’s
Herbarium, as cited by Fawcett and Rendle (1914, 3:233).
Linnaeus (1753504) cited Rheede’s illustration and adopted
Rheede’s name for his species epithet. Linnaeus also cited
“Capparis inermis, foliis ovato-oblongis determinate confertis
perennantibus Hort. Cliff. 204*,” the asterisk meaning that a
good description is to be found at the place cited. The decisive
phrase in Linnaeus (1753), “foliis.. . determinate confertis.. .” is
a paraphrase of Linnaeus (1737:204), “foliis.. .per spatia
confertis.. .” (both expressing leaves clustered after a space), a
characteristic of the New World taxon, not the Old World taxon
illustrated by Rheede. In addition Linnaeus (1737) commented
that the Malabar material differs from the American by its
slightly shorter petioles and discussed other characters not
evident in Rheede’s illustration.
It is clear‘that Linnaeus’ concept of the taxon was based on
something other than Rheede’s illustration that he, by the light
of present knowledge, misidentified with his taxon. There is a
specimen in the Linnaean herbarium (664.7) that fits the
Linnaean description, and Fawcett and Rendle (1914, 3:233)
reported a specimen in the Clifford Herbarium. One of these
neotropical specimens (Al-Shehbaz in Howard, I.c., designated
the Hort. Cliff specimen) must be accepted as the lectotype of
Cuppuris baducca Linnaeus, not Rheede’s illustration.
Rheede’s illustration is the type of Cuppuris rheedei A.P.
Candolle, the correct name for the Indian element (see Nicolson
et al., 1988:77).
Capparis flexuosa
Capparis flexuara (Linnaeus) Linnaeus, 1762722.-Dugand, 1%8:220.-
Adams, 1972:305.
Morisoniaflexuara Linnaeus, 1759b314; 1760, Amoen., 5398.
Capparis cynophallophora sensu auctt., non Linnaeus.-Grisebach,
1859:18.-Eichler in Martius, 1865, 3(1):282.-Urban, 1910, 4:254. [See
extensive synonymy in Brim & Wilson,1924,5334.1
Woody, glabrous plant to 9 m; leaves cuneate (to rounded);
petioles 5-10 mm long; sepals and petals greenish white;
stamens white; fruit smooth, torulose, linear (to 1.5 cm wide)
with red pulp and white seeds.
Neotropics, typically near coast; common in Dominica in
west coast scrub to 65 m: Cabrit Swamp (Hodge 428), Dublanc
(Hodge 2532), Grand Savanne (Hodge 3811, Wilbur 7664),
lower Layou River area (Ernst 1501, Webster 13164, Wilbur
7373, Mero area (Ernst 1377, 1883, Stern & Wusshausen
2430), Pointe Ronde (Hodge 2652, 2736), Rodney’s Rock
(Nicolson 1965), Scotts Head (Ernst 1324, Hodge 1630, Wilbur
7598).
Flowers opening by 6:30 A.M. (visited by hummingbirds),
petals and stamens falling by mid-morning. Chromosome
count: n=14 (Ernst 1883).
In the field this species can easily be distinguished by its
light green leaves from Cuppuris hastutu, which has much
darker green leaves. This species is invariably a scrambler,
while C. hastatu becomes an erect shrub.
Capparis hastata
Capparis hastata Jacquin. 1760:23.-Dugand, 1%8:219.--Little et al.,
1974224, pl. 346.
Capparis coccolobifolia Martius ex Eichler in Martius, 1865, 13(1):284.-
Dugand, 1968:228.
Capparis cynophallophora var. latijolia Grisebach, 1859:18.
Capparisj7exucM.a f. hastafa (Jaquin) Dugand, 194151.
Glabrescent erect shrub to 7 m; leaves rigid-coriaceous, k
orbiculate to oblong-elliptic, typically cordate at base; fruit
rugulose at maturity, to 2 cm thick.
Hispaniola to northern South America; fairly common in
Dominica in scrub woodlands to 150 m: Batali River slopes
(Webster 13180), Cabrits (Nicolson 4203), Dublanc (Hodge
2518), Grand Savanne (Hodge 3761), Layou River slopes
(Ernst 1540), Mero (Ernst 1378,1379), Pointe Ronde (Hodge
2651).
This species is generally larger than C. j7exuosu and farther
from the coast at slightly higher elevations.
Capparis indica
Capparis indica (Linnaeus) Druce, 1914 [Feb]:415.-Fawcett & Rendle, 1914
[Jun]: 144.
Breynia indica Linnaeus. 1753:503.
Lepidote shrub or tree to 8 m; leaves dull above, with raised
venation; sepals 2-3 mm long, much shorter than the petals;
petals white, 1-1.4 cm long; stellate-tomentose; fruit linear,
torulose; gynophore lepidote to stellate-pubescent.
Neotropics; occasional in dry scrub woodlands on west coast
to 400 m: Cabrits (Hodge 3718, Whitefoord 3993, Coulibistri
(Wilbur 8113, Grand Savanne (Hodge 3773, Stern &
Wasshamen 2464), lower Layou Valley slopes (Ernst 1266,
Webster 13163), Mero (Ernst 1376), Scotts Head (Ernst 1326),
South Chiltem (Stern & Wasshamen 2535).
Cleome Linnaeus
1. Stamens (lo-) 16-25, equaling petals; petals yellow;
valves of hit persistent . . . , . . . . . . , . C. viscosa
1. Stamens 6, longer than petals; petals white to pink or
purple; valves of fruit deciduous.
2. Stamens (or staminal scars on fruit) halfway between
receptacle and gynoecium; petals white to yellowish,
not covering stamens in bud (aestivation open) . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. gynandra
2. Stamens inserted at or near receptacle (androgynophore