Phyllanthus abnormis
Phyllanthus warnockii
abnormal leaflower, Drummond's leaf-flower
sand reverchonia
main stems persistent, terete, not winged, glabrous or scabridulous; ultimate branchlets deciduous, subterete, not winged, glabrous or scabridulous.
terete, not winged, glabrous.
on main stems spiral, scalelike;
stipules not auriculate, pale reddish brown.;
leaves on ultimate branchlets distichous, well developed;
stipules not auriculate, greenish white;
blade elliptic to oblong, 3–10 × 1–4 mm, base cuneate to subcordate, apex obtuse to emarginate, both surfaces glabrous or scabridulous.
spiral, all well developed;
stipules not auriculate, reddish purple to pale brown;
blade elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic or nearly linear, (15–)20–40(–45) × (1.8–)2.5–8(–9) mm, base cuneate-attenuate, apex acute to mucronate, both surfaces glabrous.
cymules, proximal staminate with 2 flowers, distal bisexual with 1 pistillate flower and 1–3 staminate flowers.
cymules, borne on lateral branches only, bisexual, with 1 pistillate flower and 4–6 staminate flowers.
staminate 0.7–1.5 mm, pistillate spreading in fruit, (1–)1.5–3(–3.5) mm.
staminate 1.5–2.5 mm, pistillate spreading to sharply recurved, (2.5–)3.2–6.5(–8.7) mm.
sepals 5–6 in basal cymules, 4 in distal cymules, pale yellowish green, sometimes suffused with red, flat, 0.5–1 mm;
nectary extrastaminal, 4(–6) glands;
stamens 2(–3 in basal cymules), filaments connate throughout.
sepals 4, dark reddish purple, central portion sometimes paler, medially incurved and distally spreading (calyx appearing urceolate), 1.5–2.5 mm;
nectary intrastaminal, annular, 4-lobed;
stamens 2, filaments distinct.
sepals 5–6, green with nearly white margins, flat, (0.5–)0.7–1.1 mm, 1-veined;
nectary 3 glands (2-fid distally, thus resembling 6 glands).
sepals (5–)6, dark reddish purple, central portion sometimes paler and greenish purple, proximally flat to incurved and distally spreading, (1.3–)1.5–2.5(–2.9) mm, 1-veined;
nectary annular, entire or 6-angled.
2.3–2.7 mm diam., smooth.
7–9.8 mm diam., smooth.
uniformly brown, 1.1–1.5 mm, longitudinally ribbed.
mottled light and dark brown, (4.4–)4.7–6.2(–6.6) mm, 2 surfaces minutely papillate, 1 surface smooth.
= 16.
Phyllanthus abnormis
Phyllanthus warnockii
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Phyllanthus warnockii is endemic to quartz sand dunes. Although always recognized as close to Phyllanthus, it generally has been segregated as the monospecific Reverchonia because of its unique habit (leafy main stems and flowers restricted to lateral branches), calyx shape and color, staminate nectary, and embryo with linear cotyledons. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequence data shows that P. warnockii not only is embedded within Phyllanthus, but also that it is most closely related to P. abnormis, which also is restricted to sandy soil (H. Kathriarachchi et al. 2006). These results suggest that the peculiar habit of P. warnockii reflects partial loss of the phyllanthoid branching syndrome.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Pistillate nectary glands strongly unequal, spatulate, as long as or longer than broad; leaf blades glabrous on both surfaces or sparsely to moderately scabridulous abaxially; bisexual cymules with 1 staminate flower. | var. abnormis |
1. Pistillate nectary glands subequal, reniform, broader than long; leaf blades densely scabridulous on both surfaces; bisexual cymules with 1–3 staminate flowers. | var. riograndensis |
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