Matelea pubiflora

Herbs. Stems 2–15, decumbent, trailing, or occasionally climbing, not twining, often branched near base, 20–110 cm, often purplish, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes. Leaves with 1 or 2 colleters on each side of petiole; petiole 0.5–3 cm, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes; blade ovate to deltate, 0.5–4 × 0.4–2.8 cm, base shallowly to deeply cordate, with 0–2 laminar colleters, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes, especially so on veins abaxially. Inflorescences solitary, umbelliform, extra-axillary, sessile or subsessile, 1–6-flowered. Pedicels 3–5 mm, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes. Flowers: calyx lobes spreading, ovate to lanceolate, 2–3 mm, apex acute, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes; corolla green, yellow, brown, and/or pink tinged, not reticulate, campanulate, tube 2.5–4 mm, lobes spreading, deltate to ovate, 2–3.5 mm, densely pilose to hirsute adaxially; corona united to corolla and column near base, composed of 5 erect, united segments forming a ring at base, each with an adaxial incurved appendage, maroon to dark brown, 1–1.5 mm, glabrous; apical anther appendages white, green to brown at base, rounded; style apex rounded, flat. Follicles not striate, ellipsoid to ovoid, 4.5–8.5 × 1.8–3.5 cm, apex acute, sparsely muricate, hirsute to glabrate. Seeds tan to light brown, orbicular to ovate, 7–11 × 6–9 mm, margins broadly winged, chalazal end erose, faces minutely rugose; coma 2–4 cm.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Aug; fruiting Apr–Sep.
Habitat: Dry sandhills and sand ridges, savannas, oak and pine-oak woods.
Elevation: 10–30 m.

Fla., Ga.

Discussion

Matelea pubiflora is uncommon in Georgia, where it is considered to be of conservation concern, and increasingly so in Florida due to habitat loss. It is most common in open sand on and around the central Florida ridges and uplands, where it can be found in turkey oak woods and pine and oak savannas, lending the common name of sandhill spinypod. The species tolerates moderate levels of disturbance.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa