Pontederia subg. Oshunae M.Pell. & C.N.Horn, 2018

Pellegrini, Marco O. O., Horn, Charles N. & Almeida, Rafael F., 2018, Total evidence phylogeny of Pontederiaceae (Commelinales) sheds light on the necessity of its recircumscription and synopsis of Pontederia L., PhytoKeys 108, pp. 25-83 : 25

3. Pontederia subg. Oshunae M.Pell. & C.N.Horn subg. nov. Fig. 7

Piaropus Raf., Fl. Tellur. 2: 81. 1837, nom. rej. Type species. Piaropus mesomelas Raf., nom. illeg. (≡ Pontederia crassipes Mart.). Syn. nov.

Type species.

Pontederia crassipes Mart. [≡ Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms].

Description.

Herbs perennial, aquatic, free-floating. Rhizome short and inconspicuous. Stems inconspicuous, unbranched, producing stolons. Sessile leaves early deciduous. Petiolate leaves spirally-alternate, congested at the apex of the stem, emergent, ligule flabellate, petioles inflated, blades broadly ovate to cordate to reniform. Main florescences (inflorescences) terminal; inflorescence leaf without an inflated leaf-sheath; basal bract tubular; cincinni alternate, 1(-2)-flowered, sessile, internodes contracted. Flowers sessile, tristylous, zygomorphic, non-enantiostylous, perianth connate forming a tube, hypocrateriform, spirally-coiled at post-anthesis, deliquescent and loosely enclosing the developing fruit, 3 superior and 3 inferior, the central superior lobe with a nectar guide, consisting of 1 yellow spot, surrounded by a dark purple to bluish-purple blur; stamens dimorphic, filaments free from each other, J-shaped, glandular-pubescent, anthers dorsifixed, rimose; ovary with 3 fertile locules, multi-ovulate, septal nectaries present, style glandular-pubescent, stigma capitate to trilobate. Capsules loculicidal, oblongoid; anthocarp thin, smooth. Seeds oblongoid, testa longitudinally winged.

Circumscription.

Pontederia subg. Oshunae is monospecific, being composed solely by P. crassipes .

Distribution.

Widespread throughout South America.

Etymology.

The name of this new subgenus derives from the Yoruba words “Oxum”, “Oshun” and “Osun”. These are the names given in the Candomblé religion to the orisha (i.e. a deity that reflects one of the manifestations of God) mother and guardian of freshwater bodies. Oshun is known for her beauty and vanity, being also known as the deity of luxury, pleasure, sexuality, fertility, beauty and love. The sole species accepted in Pontederia subg. Oshunae is commonly named " mãe d’água " (i.e. mother of the freshwaters) in Brazil, also one of the popular names for Oshun . This popular name in Brazil makes reference to the water-hyacinth’s ability to dominate freshwater environments, as well as its ability to produce beautiful flowers.

Figures

Figure 7. Pontederia subg. Oshunae M. Pell. & C. N. Horn. A-B habit: A dense population of the pink-flowered form B detail of a population, showing the free-floating rosettes, stolons and inflated petioles C-D petiolate leaves: C blade D detail of a young leaf showing its blade enclosing the inflated petiole of the presiding leaf E-G inflorescence: E young inflorescence of a lilac-flowered form F inflorescence of a lilac-flowered form at anthesis G inflorescence of a pink-flowered form at anthesis H-J flowers: H oblique view of a lilac flower I detail of the nectar guide J detail of the androecium and gynoecium showing the glandular hairs. All photos of P. crassipes Mart.; A by C. Willig & L. Nusbaumer B by O. Gaubert C by K. Pritchard & S. A. Harris, D-F, H-I by R. Aguilar and G by M. O. O. Pellegrini.