Euphorbia sciadophila Boissier (1862: 57)

Silva, Otávio Luis Marques Da, Cordeiro, Inês & Caruzo, Maria Beatriz Rossi, 2014, Synopsis of Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, Phytotaxa 181 (4), pp. 193-215 : 205-207

19. Euphorbia sciadophila Boissier (1862: 57) ( Fig. 6C–E ).— Leptopus brasiliensis Klotzsch & Garcke in Klotzsch (1860: 45). Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. São Paulo: Prope Ipanema, J.B.E. Pohl s.n. (BR 05102464!, isolectotype W); remaining syntypes: same locality, L. Riedel s.n. (LE); Minas Gerais, A.F. Regnell s.n. (B).

Distribution and habitat:— Euphorbia sciadophila occurs in Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. In the State of São Paulo the species occurs in forest edges, usually in shaded environments.

Representative Specimen:— BRAZIL. São Paulo: Atibaia , 28 October 2013, O.L.M. Silva & R. Hoinaski 94 (SP) .

Taxonomic notes:— Euphorbia sciadophila may be easily recognized among the other Euphorbia species from the state of São Paulo by its cyathial glands with fimbriate appendages, not observed in any other species. Also, the species shows very long petiolate, ovate leaves and foveolate seeds.

The name Leptopus brasiliensis was considered, after the recognition of Euphorbia in its broad sense, as a synonym of Euphorbia brasiliensis Lamarck (1788: 423) (which was recognized as a synonym of Euphorbia hyssopifolia by Govaerts et al. [2000]), but, after analyzing the protologue and type collection assigned to Leptopus brasiliensis , we concluded that this name does not fit to any species of the section Aniysophyllum. Furthermore, Leptopus brasiliensis was indicated by Boissier on his treatment of tribe Euphorbieae for Candolle’s Prodromus ( Boissier 1862) , where the name Euphorbia sciadophila was proposed, as a synonym of this species.

For some reason, Govaerts et al. (2000) thought that L. brasiliensis would be a combination for Euphorbia brasiliensis , what led to its equivocal recognition as synonym of E. hyssopifolia , but what happened is that the epithet

“ brasiliensis ” was already in use in Euphorbia when Boissier transferred several species from other genera to Euphorbia in its broad sense, so the author needed to create a new name, Euphorbia sciadophila .

Figures

FIGURE 6. A–C: Euphorbia prostrata. A. habit, B. branch with cyathia. C. cyathium. D–F: Euphorbia sciadophila. D: habit, E: branch with cyathia, F. cyathium. G–H: Euphorbia serpens. G. habit, H. branch with cyathia. Photos: O.L.M. Silva.