Hebecarpa punctata
Kew Bull. 70-39: 5. 2015.
Herbs or subshrubs, 0.5–2 dm. Stems prostrate to decumbent, hairs incurved. Leaves: blade usually obovate, rarely suborbiculate to broadly elliptic, 4–10 × 1–6 mm, base cuneate to rounded, apex rounded to subtruncate and mucronate, surfaces densely translucent-punctate from internal cavities appearing as pustular glands 0.2–0.4 mm diam., hairs incurved. Inflorescences axillary, reduced to 1 or 2 flowers, 0.3–0.4 × 0.6–0.8 cm; peduncle 0 cm; bracts ovate. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm, pubescent. Flowers purple, 3–4 mm; sepals with upper one sometimes tardily deciduous to subpersistent, oblong-ovate, 1.2–1.5 mm; wings spatulate-obovate, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm, pubescent; keel 2.5 (–4.5) mm, pubescent. Capsules ellipsoid, 1.5–3 × 2 mm, densely translucent-punctate from internal cavities appearing as pustular glands 0.2–0.4 mm diam., sparsely pubescent. Seeds 2.8–3 × 0.6–0.8 mm; aril 0.9–1.2 mm, lobes to 1/4 length of seed.
Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Gravelly hills in scrub, chalky hills.
Elevation: 0–100 m.
Distribution
Tex., Mexico (Nuevo León), Mexico (Querétaro), Mexico (Tamaulipas)
Discussion
In the flora area, Hebecarpa punctata occurs in Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, San Patricio, Starr, Webb, and Zapata counties. It is a common species in the southern Texas brushlands.
Polygala glandulosa Kunth is an illegitimate name that has been used in Texas for decades for Hebecarpa punctata and is in several on-line databases.
S. F. Blake (1924) reported the wings as 7.5 × 3.7 mm; none approaching that size was seen.
Selected References
None.