Two Keys to Jaltomata species of Colombia and Venezuela |
revised 2011 |
Link to Jaltomata homepage | The information on this page may be cited as a communication with professor Thomas Mione, Central Connecticut State University, Biology Department, Copernicus Hall, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, Connecticut 06050-4010, United States of America. | Link to the Jaltomata of Colombia and Venezuela |
1. Corolla rotate, crateriform or infundibular (varies with phenology) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1. Corolla tubular, more than 3X longer than the width at midlength, green; high elevations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. viridiflora 2. Corolla not white (purple, blue, pale-green) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2. Corolla white . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. Stems and leaves with dense vestiture of gland-tipped hairs, shrub, 3-5 flowers per inflorescence, flowers purplish to blueish, J. sinuosa (J. glandulosa is a synonym) 3. Stems and leaves glabrous to moderately hairy, the hairs (when present) not gland-tipped, herbs with black/purple fruit . 4 4. Filaments curved to sigmoid, style curved, anthers of a flower vary in size (easily seen prior to anther dehiscence), common below 1200 m of elevation, associated with coffee plantations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. repandidentata 4. Filaments straight, style straight, anthers of a flower are the same size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. procumbens 5. Plants glabrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5. Leaves and stems with a vestiture of mostly gland-tipped hairs, up to 10 flowers per inflorescence, flowers to 18 mm in diameter, fruits red . . . . . . . . . J. sanctae-martae 6. Filaments villous along lower half, calyx diameter (at fruit maturity) less than 16 mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. auriculata 6. Filaments glabrous, calyx diameter (at fruit maturity) greater than 16 mm . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. nitida |
1. Corolla rotate, crateriform or infundibular (varies with phenology) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1. Corolla tubular, more than 3X longer than the width at midlength, green; high elevations . . . . . . J. viridiflora 2. Hairs of the leaves and stems gland-tipped, fruits orange to red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2. Hairs of leaves and stems not gland-tipped or plants glabrate, fruit color variable . . 4 3. Flowers purplish to blueish, 3-5 flowers per inflorescence . . . . J. sinuosa (J. glandulosa is a synonym) 3. Flowers white, to 10 flowers per inflorescence, flowers to 18 mm in diameter, fruits red . . . . . . . J. sanctae-martae 4. Corolla pale-green, fruits purple/black . . . . . . 5 4. Corolla white, fruits orange to red . . . . . . . . . 6 5. Filaments curved to sigmoid, style curved, anthers of a flower vary in size (easily seen prior to anther dehiscence), common below 1200 m of elevation, associated with coffee plantations . . . J. repandidentata 5. Filaments straight, style straight, anthers of a flower are the same size . . . J. procumbens 6. Filaments villous along lower half, calyx diameter (at fruit maturity) less than 16 mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. J. auriculata 6. Filaments glabrous, calyx diameter (at fruit maturity) greater than 16 mm . . . . J. nitida |
A future worker might find, after more collections are made and/or more fieldwork is done, that the type specimens of J. auriculata and J. nitida represent extremes of variation of one species. I am suggesting that this could possibly be the case because I have not seen many collections of either, and both are glabrate, have white flowers and orange to red fruits. A future worker may also find that J. sanctae-martae and J. antillana (Greater Antilles) are actually conspecific (the same species). I have not studied living plants of J. sanctae-martae, and would like to do so before being sure that it is not the same species as J. antillana. If a future worker wonders whether J. procumbens and J. repandidentata actually represent one variable species, please know that I spent some time doing field work in Bolivia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua (I saw J. repandidentata in all three) and spent a tremendous amount of time growing black/purple fruited accessions, and I am absolutely certain that J. procumbens and J. repandidentata are distinct and defendable species. |