Melochia tomentosa var. tomentosa
Herbs, perennial, subshrubs, or shrubs, to 2.5 m, sometimes taprooted. Leaves: petiole 0.3–2.5 cm; blade ovate to lanceolate, 1.5–6 × 0.8–4 cm, surfaces tomentulose and canescent, hairs stellate. Inflorescences usually axillary, sometimes terminal or leaf-opposed, cymose and umbellate, umbels 3–5-flowered; peduncle 6–8 mm; bracteoles 3, at base of pedicel. Pedicels 1–5 mm. Flowers dimorphic; calyx 5–7 × 4–6 mm, teeth deltate to ovate, acute or acuminate; petals purple, pink, or violet, (6–) 8–11 × 2–3 mm; longistylous form: stamens 4–6.5 mm, pistil 7.5–10.5 mm; brevistylous form: stamens 9–9.5 mm, pistil 6 mm. Fruits capsules, not purple-blotched, 5-winged, long-beaked, pyramidal, 6–9 × 7–9 mm, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 1 or 2 per locule. 2n = 18.
Phenology: Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat: Dry, open woodlands, brushlands, pinelands
Elevation: 0–1300 m
Distribution
Fla., Tex., Mexico, Central America (Belize), Central America (El Salvador), Central America (Guatemala), Central America (Honduras), Central America (Nicaragua), West Indies, South America (Brazil), South America (Colombia), South America (Suriname), South America (Venezuela)
Discussion
Selected References
None.