Vauquelinia
in A. von Humboldt and A. J. Bonpland, Pl. Aequinoct. 1: 140, plate 40. 1807.
Shrubs or trees, (10–)15–80(–100) dm. Stems 1–10+, orientation unknown; bark gray to dark gray, smooth, older plaited; short shoots absent; unarmed; tomentulose to villous-canescent, hairs white, short, tightly crinkled, often tardily to soon glabrescent. Leaves persistent, cauline, erect-ascending to spreading, simple; stipules tardily deciduous, free, subulate to narrowly deltate, margins entire, glandular; petiole present; blade oblong-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate or linear to linear-oblong, (2.2–)3–13(–18.5) cm, leathery, margins flat, usually horny, serrate, serrulate, or crenulate, sometimes doubly serrate, rarely entire, venation pinnate and semicraspedodromous, surfaces tomentulose, sometimes glabrate or puberulent. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 15–25+-flowered, compound corymbs, puberulent to tomentulose; bracts present; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers: perianth and androecium perigynous, 5–10 mm diam.; hypanthium hemispheric, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm, leathery, sericeous, glabrescent, interior proximal surface nectariferous; sepals 5, erect, broadly ovate; petals 5, white, oblong-ovate to oblong-obovate, base clawed, apex rounded to emarginate; stamens 18–20, shorter than petals; torus thickened; carpels 5, connate, free, strigose, styles terminal, distinct; ovules 2. Fruits capsules, broadly ovoid, 4.5–7.5 mm, woody, sericeous, ventrally (fully) and dorsally (in distal 1/2) dehiscent, splitting into 5 follicles; hypanthium persistent; sepals persistent, erect; styles persistent. Seeds 2 per follicle, winged. x = 15.
Distribution
sw United States, Mexico.
Discussion
Species 3 (2 in the flora).
Vauquelinia species are xerophytic. The third species in the genus, V. australis Standley, is known from Oaxaca and Puebla, Mexico.
Selected References
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Leaf margins serrulate or crenulate, teeth 10–35(–50) per 5 cm; sepal margins eglandular. | Vauquelinia californica |
| 1 | Leaf margins usually serrate, sometimes partly doubly serrate, rarely entire, teeth (3–)5–10(–14) per 5 cm; sepal margins glandular. | Vauquelinia corymbosa |