Pfaffia grandiflora
Content
Description
Suffrutescent, clambering and vining perennial to 10 m, usually pubescent. Leaves lanceolate to broadly ovate, 2.0-13.5 x (1-) 2.5-5.0 cm, acuminate at apex, rounded to acute at base, glabrous above, rufous-strigose beneath. Inflorescence a diffuse terminal panicle, overall to ca. 50 cm long, of pedunculate, to 8.1 cm long spikes; rachis and peduncles densely rufous-pubescent; flowers distant, borne singly at intervals along rachis of spikes; bracts and bracteoles subequal, broadly ovate, 1-2 mm long, rufous-tomentose or lanate. Tepals 5, subequal, elliptical, 3.0-4.3 x 2 mm, white, strigose on back, lanate inside from below with a tuft of straight hairs of 5 mm long and exceeding perianth, giving the open, expanded flower the appearance of being floccose within; stamens 5, basal tube exappendiculate; stigma capitate. Fruit included, to 2 mm long; seed reddish-brown, ca. 1.5 mm long.
Distribution
Guyana present, Northern America, Puerto Rico present, South America present
Puerto Rico, Mexico to South America; disturbed habitats; 26 collections studied, none from Guyana. Stützer (1935) cited the following specimens from Guyana: Barima R., Jenman 7120 (K); Barama R., coll. Oct. 1841-1844, Ri. Schomburgk 1527 (K).