new post instead of edit for those interested.
from Flora of Peru book linked above.
Ovule 1 in each cell
Ovules erect or ascending
Corolla lobes valvate
Ovules affixed to teh base of the ovary
Ovary with 2 or more cells, the septum thick
Flowers perfect; stamens inserted usually in the throat of the corolla; plants usually trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent
Fruit drupaceous; plants not scandent
=Psychotrieae Tribe
Psychotria alba
A shrub or tree, 2-6 meters high, the branchlets glabrous or nearly so; stipules large, brown, obtuse, caducous; leaves short-petiolate, the blades mostly 7-16cm. long, elliptic-oblong to obovate, acute or acuminate, acute or attenuate at the base, glabrous or sometimes sparsely puberulent beneath, usually darkening when dried; inflorescence usually pedunculate, ovoid or rounded, little if at all longer than the leaves, with opposite or verticillate basal branches, the bracts minute, deciduous; flowers short-pedicellate; calyx minutely denticulate; corolla white, 4 mm. long, minutely puberulent or glabrate; fruit subglobose, 4mm. long, red or blackish.
Psychotria carthaginensis
A nearly glabrous shrub 1-3 meters, high; stipules large, thin, obovate, obtuse, brownish; leaves short-petiolate, the blades lance-elliptic to oblong-obovate, broadest at or above the middle, acute or acuminate, acute to attenuate at the base, puberulent beneath along the nerves or glabrate; inflorescencepedunculate, paniculate, open, usually radiately branched at the base, many-flowered, the minute bracts deciduous; calyx obsoletely denticulate; corolla white, glabrous or minutely puberulent, 4mm. long; fruit red, 4mm. long.
....
The determinations of some of the specimens cited ar more or less uncertain. In this species the leaves often are domatiate beneath, that is, provided along the costa with small, sack-like structures that house parasites.
Psychotria viridis
A shrub or small tre, 4.5 meters high or less, glabrous or nearly so; stipules large, thin, acuminate, ferruginous, caducous; leaves darkening when dried, thin, short petiolate, obovate or obovate-attenuate to the base; inflorescence pedunculate, spicate-paniculate, open, many-flowered, the minute flowers sessile in distant glomerules; corolla greenish white; fruit red, 4-5mm. long.
the new mission, find a good book on plant morphology terms
anyone know one of those that describes all them fancy words with pictures? i can say i dont know abotu half those words lol.
but one thing i noticed as that viridis has green tint corolla and alba has a white one...it struck me once i read both as viridis=green and alba=white...so i wonder how important a feature this may be...and if the latin names were assigned due to this feature?
Edited by kadakuda, 22 May 2011 - 11:51 PM.
