Grewia villosa Willd.

In Der Geselsschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, Neue Schriften 4: 205 (1803).

“ Willemea esculenta ”, Feijó in Pereira & Santos 2012: 502 (descr.inval.).

ETYMOLOGY. — The genus name “ Willemea ” is probably dedicated to the naturalist Willem Piso (1611-1678), one of the co-authors of Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (Piso & Marcgrav 1648), which Vandelli taught to his disciples; the epithet “ esculenta ” is to underline that it is edible.

ECOLOGY. — Feijó notes that the species is annual, maybe out of error because it is normally lignified and present year round, on cultivated land.

COMMON NAME. — “ Balnadeira ”, name used in the present day.

NOTE

The fruits are edible and eaten by the islanders.

SUPPLEMENTARY SPECIES

“ Celsia ”: Verbascum capitis-viridis Hub. -Mor. and Verbascum cystolithicum (Pett.) Hub. -Mor. ( Scrophulariaceae).

“ AEschynomene ”: Zornia glochidiata Rchb. ex DC. (Fabaceae) . He writes: “it seems to me that this is not an AEchinomene ”.

“ Abrus ”: Abrus precatorius L. (Fabaceae) . He writes: “this plant is found in Linnaeus’ System, but Abrus is imperfectly described”.