Passiflora mcvaughiana J. M. MacDougal. Novon 11: 69-75. figs 1 & 2. 2001.

Porter-Utley, Kristen, 2014, A revision of Passiflora L. subgenus Decaloba (DC.) Rchb. supersection Cieca (Medik.) J. M. MacDougal & Feuillet (Passifloraceae), PhytoKeys 43, pp. 1-224 : 104-105

13. Passiflora mcvaughiana J. M. MacDougal. Novon 11: 69-75. figs 1 & 2. 2001. Figs 45, 46

Type.

Mexico. México: Mpio. Temascaltepec, N of Temascaltepec on rte. 134, ca. 11 mi. S of road to Tequesquipán, 6200 ft., oak woods, 24 Aug. 1978, J. M. MacDougal 369 (holotype: DUKE!; isotypes: IBUG, MEXU [MEXU00438950, photograph seen], MICH [MICH1210192, photograph seen]).

Description.

Slender, low-climbing or trailing, perennial vine 2-8 m long or more, sparsely pubescent with unicellular curved trichomes on petiole, leaf, stem, and stipule (rare), 0.3-0.6 mm long, 0.02 mm wide, also minutely antrorsely appressed-puberulent throughout (except ovary) with unicellular, curved trichomes, 0.1-0.3 mm long, 0.02-0.03 mm wide. Flowering stems 0.9-2.6 mm in diameter, terete or somewhat compressed, with the base woody and cork-covered. Stipules 3.8-7.5 mm long, 0.3-0.8 mm wide, narrowly ovate, acute to slightly attenuate, longitudinally striate-nerved; petioles 0.8-5.3 cm long, inserted 1.1-6.9 mm from the basal margins of the peltate blades, eglandular or very rarely with 1 or 2, round or elliptic, opposite to subopposite, sessile or shortly stipitate, discoid nectaries with flat rims, 0.8-1.3 mm wide (on the widest axis), 0.4-1.3 mm high, borne just below (rare) or in the distal half of the petiole (0.45-0.86 of the distance from the base toward the apex of the petiole). Laminas 0.9-7.3 cm long, 6.2-22.0 cm wide, coriaceous, occasionally variegated along primary veins, conspicuously peltate, transversely elliptic (widely divaricately bilobed), lateral lobes 3.1-12.0 cm long, 1.0-5.6 cm wide, elliptic, acute to slightly attenuate, central vein 0.7-6.8 cm long (measured from point of petiole insertion), angle between the lateral lobes 101-182(-190)°, ratio of lateral lobe to central vein length 1.15-4.57, margins entire, hyaline, primary veins 3, diverging and branching above base, laminar nectaries absent, associated with the minor veins of the abaxial surface, 0.8-1.1 mm in diameter, sessile; tendril 0.3-1.0 mm wide, present at flowering node, absent in inflorescence. Flowers borne in leaf axils or rarely in inflorescences; inflorescences 2.5-5.8 cm long, associated reduced laminas 1.3-2.3 mm long, 0.5-1.0 mm wide. Pedicels 5.6-25.0 mm long, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, (1-)2 per node; bract(s) absent or with one or two, narrowly ovate, acute bracts, 1.1-1.2 mm long, 0.1 mm wide, the bracts ca. 3.7 mm from base of peduncle; spur(s) absent. Flowers 15.0-25.3 mm in diameter with stipe 3.1-9.0 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; hypanthium 5.0-8.3 mm in diameter; sepals 6.7-8.5 mm long, 3.3-5.6 mm wide, ovate-triangular, acute, abaxially and adaxially greenish yellow, reflexed at anthesis; coronal filaments in 2 series, the outer 31-36, 3.1-7.1 mm long, 0.3-0.7 mm wide, linear to slightly narrowly obovate, erect, dull purple (5P 4/6) at base, yellow at tips, ratio of outer coronal row to sepal length 0.41-0.89, the inner 40-60, 1.3-2.9 mm long, 0.1-0.3 mm wide, linear, capitate, erect, greenish yellow speckled with dull purple, ratio of inner coronal row to outer coronal row length 0.20-0.56; operculum 1.0-1.8 mm long, plicate, whitish green, the margin with narrow minutely fimbrillate teeth; nectary 0.2-1.1 mm high, 0.6-1.0 mm wide; limen inclined away from androgynophore, 0.2-0.7 mm high, 0.2-0.5 mm wide, whitish green, speckled with purple, limen floor 2.5-4.9 mm in diameter, whitish green, speckled with purple; androgynophore 1.5-4.7 mm long, 0.9-1.3 mm wide; free portions of the staminal filaments 2.1-3.3 mm long, 0.4-0.8 mm wide, linear, greenish yellow anthers 1.7-3.2 mm long, 0.7-1.7 mm wide, greenish yellow with a dark purple edge; styles 2.7-4.9 mm long including stigmas, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, greenish yellow; stigmas 0.6-1.3 mm in diameter; ovary 1.3-3.6 mm long, 1.1-3.0 mm wide, widely ellipsoid to ovoid, greenish yellow. Berry 10.0-14.4 mm long, 12.8-13.8 mm in diameter, globose, very dark purple. Seeds (2-)6-11, 4.8-5.5 mm long, 3.6-4.1 mm wide, 2.1-2.7 mm thick, widely elliptic to widely obovate in outline, obtuse at both ends, reticulate-foveate with each face marked with 15-22 foveae.

Phenology.

Flowering and fruiting June to December.

Distribution.

Mexico, in the states of Jalisco, Mexico, and Guerrero. Pine and oak forests (bosque de pino y encino) or montane mesophytic forests (bosque mesófilo de montaña); growing in trees and on the steep banks of canals (barrancas) or streams, and moist hillsides; 1100-2000 m.

Discussion.

Passiflora mcvaughiana is one of four species found in Mexico previously known under the name of Passiflora coriacea Juss. The other two species are Passiflora obtusifolia and Passiflora tacanensis , which are both extremely similar vegetatively to Passiflora mcvaughiana . Passiflora mcvaughiana can usually be separated from Passiflora obtusifolia because Passiflora mcvaughiana commonly has a central leaf lobe that is nearly as long as the lateral lobes at fertile nodes, as opposed to having lateral lobes that are commonly twice as long as the central lobe in Passiflora mcvaughiana . Passiflora obtusifolia is commonly 3-lobed more than 0.20 the distance to the base, as opposed to 3-lobed less than 0.20 the distance to the base in Passiflora mcvaughiana . Passiflora mcvaughiana lacks laminar nectaries, whereas Passiflora obtusifolia commonly has 2-6 nectaries present between the primary leaf veins. Flowers are rarely produced in inflorescences in Passiflora mcvaughiana , but Passiflora obtusifolia commonly has very long inflorescences. The pedicel in Passiflora mcvaughiana is longer than 10 mm, but the pedicel in Passiflora obtusifolia is commonly less than 10 mm long. The outer coronal filaments of Passiflora mcvaughiana are longer than 4.0 mm, linear, and dull purple toward their bases, those of Passiflora obtusifolia are commonly less than 4.0 mm long, linear/capitellate and greenish yellow or greenish yellow with a flush of reddish purple at the base. Passiflora mcvaughiana possesses the widest seeds in the supersection (over 3.6 mm wide) and Passiflora obtusifolia has seeds that are less than 2.3 mm wide. Additionally, Passiflora mcvaughiana and Passiflora obtusifolia occupy different habitats, with Passiflora obtusifolia commonly occurring in lower elevation tropical deciduous or semideciduous forests in Pacific lowlands and foothills and Passiflora mcvaughiana in high elevation oak, pine/oak, pine or montane mesophytic forests of Mexico.

Passiflora tacanensis is a newly discovered species from Volcán Tacaná, Chiapas, Mexico. Like Passiflora mcvaughiana , it occurs in montane mesophytic forests. However, Passiflora tacanensis is easily separated from Passiflora mcvaughiana by its foliose stipules that are more than 3 mm wide. The fruits of Passiflora tacanensis also possess ca. 20 seeds, whereas those of Passiflora mcvaughiana produce only 2-10 seeds.

Passiflora mcvaughiana is also quite similar vegetatively to Passiflora sexocellata , though this species does not occur in southwestern Mexico. The leaves of Passiflora mcvaughiana are not as coriaceous as those of Passiflora sexocellata and are darker green. In addition, Passiflora sexocellata always possesses 4-13 laminar nectaries while Passiflora mcvaughiana has none. The petiolar nectaries of Passiflora sexocellata are commonly positioned on the proximal half of the petiole, whereas those of Passiflora mcvaughiana are positioned on the distal half of the petiole. Flowers are often produced in long inflorescences in Passiflora sexocellata , and Passiflora mcvaughiana commonly lacks inflorescences. The fruits of Passiflora sexocellata are also much larger than those of Passiflora mcvaughiana and possess between 40 and 50 seeds per fruit.

Specimens examined.

MEXICO. Jalisco: cañada que sube al Filo de la Vaca, por la toma de agua, El Zarzamoro, 1980 m, Cuevas & Guzman 4198 (CHAPA); San Sebastian, trail to El Ranchito, 1500 m, Mexia 1448 (CAS, F, US). México: Temascaltepec, Rincón, 1960 m, Hinton 3030 (BM,US); Temascaltepec, Rincón, 2000 m, Hinton 4655 (BM); Hwy. 134 between Temascaltepec and Tejupilco, 1760 m, 19°02.46N, 100°02.95W, Porter-Utley & Mondragón 345 (CICY, FLAS); Hwy. 134 between Temascaltepec and Tejupilco, seedling, 1760 m, 19°02.46N, 100°02.95W, Porter-Utley & Mondragón 346 (CICY, FLAS). Locality Unknown: Sessé & Mociño 4457 (AAU, F); Sessé & Mociño 4458 (F).