Tabernaemontana citrifolia Linnaeus (1753: 210)

Alvarado-Cárdenas, Leonardo O., Lozada-Pérez, Lucio, Cadena, Joselin, Hernández, Sofia Islas-, Martínez-González, C. Ramiro, Cortez, Ericka B., González- Martínez, César A. & González-Ramírez, Ixchel S., 2019, The triad of knowledge: Systematic, diversity and conservation status of the Mexican species of Tabernaemontana (Apocynaceae; Rauvolfioideae: tribe Tabernaemontaneae), Phytotaxa 388 (1), pp. 1-46 : 22

5. Tabernaemontana citrifolia Linnaeus (1753: 210) . ( Fig. 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 ).

Lectotype (designated by Leeuwenberg 1993: 92): Plumier, Nov. Pl. Amer. t. 30 (1703). = Tabernaemontana lanceolata Miers (1878: 268) . ≡ Tabernaemontana citrifolia L. var. lanceolata (Miers) Allorge (1985:30) . Type:—

CUBA. Cuba: 1860–1864, C. Wright 2948 (holotype BM, isotypes G 00169859!, GH, GOET 000199!, GOET 000200!, K

000587767!, MO 022245!, P 00649925!).

Trees 8–20 m tall. Petioles 0.5–2 cm long; blades 4–15 × 2–5 cm, firmly membranaceous, obovate to elliptic, base cuneate, apex short apiculate or acuminate, margin slightly undulate, glabrous on both sides. Inflorescence 3–10 flowers, peduncle 0.5–4.5 cm long; bracts 1–2 mm long, ovate, scarious; pedicels 0.5–2 cm long; sepals equal, 1–2.5 mm long, ovate, obtuse to acute, inconspicuous venation; corolla hypocrateriform, white, tube 1–1.8 (2.4) × 0.2–0.4 cm, not twisted around the anthers, staminal ridges absent, suprastaminal corona of five bilobed callus, alternate the anthers, in the throat of the flower, lobes 1.5–2 × 0.4–0.8 cm, obovate to elliptical; stamens inserted at the apex of the corolla tube, anthers 3–4 mm long, exserted, blue-green; pistil 0.7–1.6 cm long, nectary present. Follicles 4–7.5 × 1–2 cm, fusiform, apiculate, with 2 lateral ridges, not lenticellate, glabrous; seeds 6–8 cm long.

Habitat and phenology: —Tropical deciduous forest, evergreen forest, and secondary vegetation, with an altitudinal range of 0–850 m a.s.l. Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Distribution: — Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatan, Fig. 6d ), Central America and northern South America in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Conservation status: —Vulnerable (VU). Tabernaemontana citrifolia is widely distributed in southeastern Mexico, growing in various vegetation types, and seems to tolerate some environmental disturbance, as it can be found growing in secondary vegetation and roadsides. Its distribution area comprises an EOO of 359,826 km 2 and AOO of 152 km 2, which represent 18% and less than 1% of the national territory, respectively ( Table 3). Additionally, increasing hotel developments and destruction of natural habitat could affect the populations growing on the Yucatan Peninsula. We regard this species as vulnerable.

Additional specimens examined:— MEXICO. Campeche: Mun. Campeche, 2 km al S de Samulá, 20 m a.s.l., 07 Jul 2001, Gutiérrez 7157 ( MEXU) ; Mun Champotón, Predio rústico, margen derecho km 5.5 carretera Carrillo Puerto-Ejido Chacchelto , 50 m a.s.l., 15 Jan 1998, Palmillas 689 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Holpechén, 7 km al S de la Frontera Yucatán-Campeche cerca de San Antonio Yax-ché, 27 Apr 1999, Carnevali 5402 ( MEXU) . Chiapas: Mun. Hidalgo, Frontera Hidalgo, 20 Feb 1986, Ventura 3276 ( ENCB, MEXU) ; Mun. Huehuetán, Cantón La Chicharra. 15 Nov 1984, Ventura 676 ( CICY, ENCB, MEXU) ; Mun. Jiquipilas, Ejido Quintana Roo, 550 m a.s.l., 01 Nov 1991, Farrera 58 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Ocosingo, En crucero Corozal , sobre el camino Palenque-Boca Lacantum , 180 m a.s.l., 05 Apr 1985, Martínez 11586 ( MEXU) ; Mun Ocozocoautla de Espinoza , 18 km al S de Ocozocoautla, 900 m a.s.l., 13 Sep 1974, Breedlove 37806 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Tapachula , Cantón El Tesoro, 250 m a.s.l., 03 Dec 1984, Ventura 826 ( ENCB, MEXU) . Quintana Roo: Mun. Othón P. Blanco, P. Blanco a 13.3 km al NO del poblado Río Verde , 80 m a.s.l., 29 Apr 2004, Álvarez 8743 ( MEXU) . Veracruz: Mun. Actocpan, Hueyapan de Ocampo , 20 m a.s.l., Jun 1957, Gómez 105 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Cuitláhuac, Cuitláhuac , 16 May 1937, Matuda 1433 ( MEXU) . Yucatan: Mun. Izamal, Izamal, Gaumer 555 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Kinchil, A 10 km de Kinchil hacia Celestún , 27 Mar 1985, Rivera 281 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Mérida, San José Tzal , 20 km al S de Mérida, 23 Mar 1973, Sallee ES-33 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Peto, 2 km al N de Peto, 31 Mar 1991, Kú 62 ( MEXU). Mun. Uayma , San Pedro , 4 km del pozo hacia N de Uayma, 01 Apr 1984, Ucan 3297 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Uman , Población de Hotzuc, 04 May 1983, Góngora 390 ( MEXU) ; Municipio Valladolid, En casa de Edilberto Ucan-Ek, 22 m a.s.l., 21 Apr 1980, Ucan 289 ( MEXU) ; Mun. Yaxcabá , 1 km al SW de Yaxcabá, 25 Apr 1979, Vara 304 ( MEXU) .

Common names and uses:— “Jazmín de la India ”, “lecherillo”, “litsun pek”, “U najil tikin xiw” (Yucatan Peninsula). In Yucatan, it is used as a medicine, as detergent, and to make toys, and in Chiapas is known for its uses as chewing gum and firewood.

Notes: — Tabernaemontana citrifolia was formerly thought to be distributed only in the Caribbean ( Leeuwenberg 1994, Juárez-Jaimes et al. 2007). Previous taxonomic works omitted its presence in Mexico, because it is easily confused with T. amygdalifolia , due to the partially exserted stamens and podlike fruits ( Williams 1999, Juárez-Jaimes et al. 2007, Fig. 2 , 3 , 7 ). Based on the examination of numerous specimens, we confirm the presence of Tabernaemontana citrifolia in Mexico, where it is mainly restricted to the southeastern region and Yucatan Peninsula. It is easy to identify by its partly exserted stamens and the presence of a corona of five bilobed callus alternate the anthers.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Selected species of Tabernaemontana in Mexico. a Flowers of T. alba. b Flowers of T.arborea. c Fruit of T. arborea. d Flower of T. citrifolia. e–f. Flower of T. donnell–smithii. g Fruit of T. donnell–smithii. h Flowers of T. divaricata. i Flower of T. glabra. j Fruit of T. glabra. k Flowers of T. hannae. l Flowers of T. ochoterenae. m Flower of T. litoralis. n Fruit of T. litoralis. o Flowers of T. tomentosa. Photographs of Francisco Morales (d), and César González (l).

FIGURE 2. Comparison of flowers of selected species of Tabernaemontana in Mexico. a T. alba. b T. arborea. c T. stenoptera. d T. venusta. e T. chamelensis. f T. citrifolia. g T. amygdalifolia. h T. hannae. i T. oaxacana. j T. donnell–smithii. k T. ochoterenae. l T. eubracteata. m T. riverae. n T. glabra. o T. tomentosa. p T. litoralis.

FIGURE 3. Comparison of fruits of selected species of Tabernaemontana in Mexico. a T. alba. b T. amygdalifolia. c T. arborea. d T. chamelensis. e T. citrifolia (open fruit). f T. donnell–smithii. e T. glabra. h T. eubracteata. i T. hannae. j T. litoralis. k T. mixtecana. l T. oaxacana. m T. ochoterenae. n T. riverae (open fruits). o T. tomentosa.

FIGURE 6. Distribution maps of Tabernaemontana species in Mexico. a T. alba and T. chamelensis. b T. amygdalifolia and T. riverae. c T. arborea, T. eubracteata, and T. oaxacana. d T. citrifolia and T. hannae. e T. donnell–smithii and T. ochoterenae. f T. glabra and T. venusta. g T. litoralis and T. mixtecana. h T. stenoptera and T. tomentosa.

FIGURE 7. Comparison of the corolline corona in Tabernaemontana amygdalifolia and T. citrifolia. a–c. Tabernamontana citrifolia with evident corona alternate with the stamens. d–e. Tabernamontana amygdalifolia with lobed corona opposite to the stamens.Abbreviation: St: stamens. CCo. Corolline Corona.