Triplaris tomentosa Wedd. (1849: 265–266)

Koenemann, Daniel Mark & Burke, Janelle M., 2025, A nomenclatural synopsis of the genus Triplaris (Polygonaceae), Phytotaxa 700 (2), pp. 115-146 : 137-138

Triplaris tomentosa Wedd. (1849: 265–266)

Type (designated by Brandbyge 1986):— BRAZIL. Bahia State, shore of the San Francisco River, 1838–1839 (fr), J. S. Blanchet 2917 (lectotype: P [ P 734722 , digital image!]; isolectotypes: BR [ BR 5288113 , digital image!], E [ E 319857 , digital image!], F [ F V0067819 F, F V0067820 F, digital image!], G [ G 437674 , G 437675 , digital image!], GH [ GH 36852 , digital image!], K [ K 585020 , digital image!], NY [ NY 324256 , digital image!], OXF [ OXF 9173 , digital image!]) .

Notes:— The protologue indicates that the locality associated with Blanchet 2917 is “provincia brasiliensi Bahia ad oras fluminis San-Francisco ”. The lectotype ( P 734722), designated by Brandbyge (1986) just reports the province of Bahia, which is consistent with the protologue. The isolectotypes include more detailed information: BR 5288113 gives “In mediterraneis prov. Bahia ”, whereas FV 0067819 F and GH 36852 give “Rio San Francisco, Bahia ”. On the other hand, a contradiction in type locality arises with the K ( K 585020) and G ( G 437675) specimens, which give the locality “Utinga”. Utinga, which is not included in the protologue, is a city in Bahia not close to the San Francisco River. Meisner (1855), in his treatment of Triplaris tomentosa , gives a type locality “Habitat ad Fazendam de Utinga in deserto flum. S. Francisci et in Serra de Açurua, prov. Bahiensis”. The word “Fazendam” is a latinization of the Portuguese word “Fazenda”, a colonial plantation house. There is an agricultural area named Utinga (State of Bahia) and it is on the San Francisco River. This is located just southwest of Xique-Xique, and is often treated synonymously with that name. It is possible that the “Utinga” on these isotypes are referencing this old plantation as the collection site.

Other isolectotypes contain further information for the locality. The NY specimen ( NY 324256) gives the collection locality as “Serra de Acurua, prov. Bahia ”. This mountain is located outside the city of Gentio do Ouro. Gentio de Ouro and Serra de Acuruá are in turn located about 50 miles southeast of Utinga and not on the San Francisco River. “Serra Acuruá” is also referenced on the E specimen ( E 319857) and one of Blanchet’s G specimens ( G 437674).

We used a different Blanchet collection (no. 2736) as a neotype for Triplaris martiana (see above), a name which Brandbyge (1986: 567–568) listed under the paragraph “Excluded and dubious names” stating “ Triplaris martiana is identical with either T. tomentosa or T. gardneriana ”. Note that Blanchet 2736 is not reported in the protologue of T. tomentosa by Weddell (1849). Meisner (1855) listed Blanchet 2736 as syntype for T. tomentosa (“Blanchet n. 2917, ♀ et Blanchet 2736, ♂ ”), whereas, one year later Meisner (1856) included this specimen in a list he considered “et verisim. [verisimile = like]” with Blanchet 2917. Blanchet 2736 is deposited at BR ( BR 5288144), E ( E 319856), and K ( K 585020), the BR specimen bearing an anonymous’ annotation that reads “2736, Triplaris , videtur mas – 2917” (the male is seen - 2917). This is a confusing note since all Blanchet 2917 specimens are female while Blanchet 2736 is male. Nevertheless, if this note was added by Blanchet, it can be taken to connect Blanchet 2917 and Blanchet 2736. This might be the reason why Meisner (1855) cited the two specimens together. Brandbyge (1986) reported these two citations but does not include Blanchet 2736 as type material for T. tomentosa . We agree with Brandbyge (1986).