Matelea biflora
Matelea alabamensis
star milkvine, two flower matelea, two-flower milkvine
Alabama milkvine, Alabama milkvine or spinypod
4–10, decumbent, often branched near base, 7–40 cm, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes.
1–5, twining, 20–150 cm, hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes.
1 or 2 colleters on each side of petiole;
petiole 0.5–2.5 cm, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes;
blade ovate to deltate, 0.8–5 × 0.6–3.2 cm, base shallowly to deeply cordate, with 0–2 laminar colleters, apex acute (rounded), surfaces hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes, especially so on veins abaxially.
with 0–2 colleters on each side of petiole;
petiole 1–5 cm, hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes;
blade ovate to nearly orbiculate, 4–12 × 2–10 cm, base shallowly to deeply cordate, with 0–2(–4) laminar colleters, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes.
solitary, umbelliform, extra-axillary, sessile or subsessile, 1–2-flowered.
solitary, umbelliform, extra-axillary, pedunculate, 1–5-flowered;
peduncle 0.2–1.2 cm, hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes.
3–11 mm, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes.
5–15 mm, hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes.
calyx lobes spreading, oval to ovate, 1.8–2.5 mm, apex rounded or acute, hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes;
corolla maroon to dark brown, not reticulate, rotate-campanulate, tube 1–1.5 mm, lobes spreading, ovate to narrowly deltate to spatulate, 3–6 mm, margins usually reflexed, pilose to hirsute adaxially;
corona united to corolla and column near base, composed of 5 united segments forming a ring at base, each with an adaxial incurved appendage arching above or incumbent on anthers, equaling or exceeding style apex, maroon to dark brown, 1–1.5 mm, glabrous;
apical anther appendages white, maroon to brown at base, broadly deltoid;
style apex rounded, flat.
calyx lobes spreading, elliptic, 1.9–3.4 mm, apex acute, hirsute with eglandular and inconspicuous glandular trichomes;
corolla dark green abaxially, creamy yellow to pale green with dark green reticulations, with a deep yellow ring at base of corona adaxially, very widely rotate-campanulate, tube 0.5–1.5 mm, lobes spreading, plane, ovate, 7–10 mm, glabrous abaxially, hirtellous adaxially at base of lobes;
corona united to column near base, a saucer-shaped ring with small apical teeth and 5 pointed lobes, greatly exceeded by style apex, appressed to stamens, deep yellow, 0.5–1 mm, glabrous;
apical anther appendages bright white with green patch at base, ovate, covering more than 50% of style apex;
style apex yellow, pentagonal, flat.
tan to light brown, oval to nearly orbicular or ovate, 8–11 × 7–10 mm, margins broadly winged, chalazal end erose, faces minutely rugose;
coma 2.5–4 cm.
tan to brown, broadly ovate, 7–9 × 6–8 mm, margins broadly winged, chalazal end scarcely erose, faces rugulose;
coma 3.5–4 cm.
not striate, ellipsoid to ovoid, 4.5–8.5 × 1.8–3.5 cm, apex acute, densely muricate (more than 1 protrusion per cm of length), villous to hirsute with long eglandular and minute glandular trichomes.
not striate, lance-ovoid to ovoid, 4.9–8 × 1.5–2.5 cm, apex acuminate, densely muricate, minutely hirsute.
, herbaceous.
Matelea biflora
Matelea alabamensis
Matelea biflora is occasionally found in grasslands and savannas of the southern Great Plains. It is most common on and around the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, where it occurs in grass-dominated habitats including disturbed areas. The range extends mostly northward and westward of that region to central Oklahoma and extreme eastern New Mexico (Lea County), where the species is much less common. Its conservation status in New Mexico merits evaluation. The plants are covered in short, glandular hairs and are malodorous when touched. The flowers occur most often in pairs, hence the common name two-flowered milkvine.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Matelea alabamensis is distributed on the Gulf Coastal Plain from the Choctawhatchee to the Chattahoochee-Apalachicola watersheds. It is uncommon and restricted to a handful of populations in Dale and Henry counties in Alabama; Gadsden, Liberty, Walton, and Washington counties in Florida; and Clay and Early counties in Georgia. A report from southeastern Georgia has not been confirmed and is doubtful. The species has experienced significant habitat loss and degradation resulting in serious concerns for conservation across its range. The greenish flowers with darker reticulations and densely muricate follicles are an unusual trait combination that is unique among the spinypods of the Gulf Coast.
Matelea alabamensis is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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