Martinella obovata (Kunth) Bureau & K.Schum., in Mart., Fl. Bras. 8(2): 161, tab. 84. 1896.

Zuntini, Alexandre R. & Lohmann, Lucia G., 2014, Synopsis of Martinella Baill. (Bignonieae, Bignoniaceae), with the description of a new species from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, PhytoKeys 37, pp. 15-24 : 21

3. Martinella obovata (Kunth) Bureau & K.Schum., in Mart., Fl. Bras. 8(2): 161, tab. 84. 1896.

Spathodea obovata Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.) 3: 147. 1818. [1819].

Bignonia obovata (Kunth) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 2: 830. 1825.

Macfadyena obovata (Kunth) Miers, Proc. Roy. Hort. Soc. London 3: 200. 1863.

Type.

COLOMBIA. Turbaco, s.d., Humboldt and Bonpland 1391 (holotype, P-Bonpl. [P00670823]!)

Distribution and habitat.

This species is found from Central America and the Antilles through northern South America to the southern Amazon basin, in the Antilles, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela, in different soil types and habitats ( Lohmann and Taylor 2014; Fig. 3 ).

Conservation status.

Martinella obovata is distributed geographically through an area that is ≥ 2000 km2, with <20% of its known individuals occurring outside Protected Areas, and seventy-two Rapoport (1982) sub-populations known to date. Therefore, this species is here considered as Least Concern [LC] according to the IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2012; IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2014).

Discussion.

This species is the most variable and has the largest distribution in the genus (Central America and Caribbean throughout Amazon basin). Such variation is product of its phenotypic plasticity and wide ecological range, and is responsible for making this species hard to be distinguished from Martinella iquitoensis (as discussed above). Nonetheless, this high variation may also be seen as an evidence of a species complex, in which case, additional studies would be needed. For a complete list of synonyms see Gentry (1977).

Figures

Figure 3. Distribution of Martinella species: Martinella insignis (solid blue circle), Martinella iquitoensis (solid green square) and Martinella obovata (open red triangles). Elevation in meters, according to the scale presented on the right.