Phthirusa stelis
Content
Description
Scandent plants, epicortical roots at base and occasionally from stems; young internodes slightly compressed, becoming terete, glabrous or essentially so. Petiole about 1 cm long; blade often yellowish or light green, broadly ovate, to 14 x 7.5 cm, apex usually attenuate and base obtuse. Dioecious. Inflorescence both terminal and axillary, in the former case always and in the latter case often compound, consisting of a terminal raceme plus 2-6 lower, lateral racemes each with about 12 pairs of evenly spaced triads, compound inflorescence to 15 cm; triad peduncle to 0.2 cm, terminating in a bract and 2 bracteoles of about equal size, these persisting, acute, subtending 1 sessile flower each. Flower bud to 0.6 cm long, female rather acute and narrow, male blunt. Petals whitish yellow to light red; aborted organs well differentiated in flowers of opposite sex; anther connective forming small, terminal horn. Fruit brick red to orange, ellipsoid, to 1 x 0.5 cm.
Distribution
Guianas present, Southern America: Costa Rica (Costa Rica present), east side of the Andes south to Bolivia present, lowland tropical S America present
As defined here, P. stelis ranges from Costa Rica through most of lowland tropical S America, on the east side of the Andes south to Bolivia; many hundreds of collections studied, at least 120 from the Guianas (GU: 25+; SU: 6; FG: 30+).