Peixotoa A.Juss. (Jussieu 1833: 59)

de Almeida, Rafael F., de Morais, Isa L., Pellegrini, Marco O. O. & van den Berg, Cassio, 2023, Molecular phylogeny and character-mapping support the synonymy of Cordobia and Gallardoa in Mionandra (Malpighiaceae), Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (3), pp. 352-364 : 352

Peixotoa A.Juss. (Jussieu 1833: 59)

Figs 2 , 6

Type species.

Peixotoa glabra A.Juss.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from Mionandra s.l. by its stipules completely connate, leaves long-petiolate, never hirsute-sericeous; umbels 4-flowered; sepals connate at base, coriaceous, revolute only at apex; petals orbicular, margin dentate; fertile stamens 5, staminodes 5, antherodes globose, conspicuous; style apex capitate; mericarps with wings well-developed, dorsal wing dominant.

Distribution, habitat, and ecology.

Peixotoa comprises 29 species occurring in dry forests, rainforests, and savannas in Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and eastern Paraguay in South America (Fig. 2 ).

Notes.

Peixotoa has a contemporary taxonomic revision available for 28 of its species ( Anderson 1982) and the taxonomic treatment for a new species endemic to Paraguay ( Anderson 2001). Nonetheless, misguided morphological interpretations drawn by this author from the inflorescence architecture have made the identification keys provided in these studies challenging to use by the general public and even for Malpighiaceae specialists (pers. obs.). Since C. Anderson published more than two-thirds of the species diversity of Peixotoa , only species with conspicuous morphological traits (e.g. glabrous leaves - Peixotoa glabra A.Juss.) or specific geographical distributions (e.g. Peixotoa catarinensis C.E.Anderson and P. hispidula A.Juss.) are correctly identified in Brazilian herbaria (pers. obs.). For a preliminary revisionary study of Peixotoa in Brazil, see Almeida et al. (2020). A revised monograph for this genus is urgently needed to enable the correct application of names in Peixotoa (pers. obs.).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution map of Mionandra (grey circles) and Peixotoa (white circles) in South America. Dark green: rainforests; Light green: dry forests; Orange: savannas; Lilac: Tundra / Puna; Yellow: temperate steppes; Light red: temperate forests.

Figure 6. Peixotoa catarinensis. A. Detail of a sterile branch showing the connate stipules. B. Detail of the base of a leaf in abaxial view. C. Detail of a flowering branch. D. Floral bud in lateral view. E. Flower in frontal view. F. Winged mericarps in lateral view. Photographs by Marco Pellegrini.