Thespesia

Trees [shrubs]. Stems erect, glabrous or hairy when young, usually glandular-punctate, not viscid. Leaves: stipules persistent or deciduous, lanceolate or falcate; blade ovate, unlobed [3-lobulate], base deeply cordate [shallowly cordate to ± truncate], margins entire, surfaces glabrate [hairy], with abaxial foliar nectaries. Inflorescences axillary solitary flowers, [sometimes aggregated apically]; involucel present, bractlets caducous, 3, distinct. Flowers: calyx not accrescent, not inflated, lobes truncate [to 5-lobed], not ribbed; corolla yellow [white or rose], with [without] maroon spot at base, usually fading pinkish orange; staminal column usually included; ovary 3–5-carpellate, style 3–5-branched; stigmas clavate. Fruits capsules, erect, somewhat inflated, oblate, coriaceous [ligneous], lepidote [glabrous or hairy], indehiscent [dehiscent]. Seeds 3–5 per locule, short-hairy [glabrous]. x = 13.

Distribution

Fla., Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands (Papua New Guinea), Australia, introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, n South America.

Discussion

Species 17 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

Fosberg, F. R. and M.-H. Sachet. 1972. Thespesia populnea (L.) Solander ex Corrêa and Thespesia populneoides (Roxburgh) Kosteletzky (Malvaceae). Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 7: 1–13.

Lower Taxa

Thespesia populnea