Gouania lupuloides

(Linnaeus) Urban

Symb. Antill. 4: 378. 1910.

Common names: Whiteroot toothbrush tree
Illustrated
Basionym: Banisteria lupuloides Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1: 427. 1753
Synonyms: Gouania domingensis Linnaeus G. glabra Jacquin
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 110.

Woody vines scrambling and climbing to 7–12 m. Leaves: petiole hairy; blade elliptic to ovate or lanceolate, 4–10 cm, base rounded to subcordate, margins serrate to crenate-serrulate, apex acute-acuminate, abaxial surface glabrous [densely hairy] except veins sparsely puberulent-pubescent, adaxial surface glabrous [densely hairy, glabrescent]. Inflorescences: racemelike portions 5–20 cm. Pedicels (0.5–)1–3 mm, densely hairy. Flowers: hypanthium densely [white to] brown-hairy externally, glabrous internally except at orifice; nectary lobes chartaceous. Schizocarps 6–13 mm, glabrous; samaras butterfly-shaped, wings reniform/1/2-elliptic, 7–14 × 2–6 mm.


Phenology: Flowering Aug–Mar.
Habitat: Mangroves, coastal hammocks.
Elevation: 0–10 m.

Distribution

V12 438-distribution-map.jpg

Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America.

Discussion

Some treatments of Gouania treated G. polygama (Jacquin) Urban as a synonym of G. lupuloides, but A. Pool (2014) considered them to be distinct species and identified all Gouania in the flora area as G. lupuloides. In the flora area, G. lupuloides is known from Brevard, Indian River, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. Gouania polygama occurs in Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and South America.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.