Nomopyle

Full name and orig. publication: Nomopyle Roalson & Boggan, Selbyana 25(2): 232 (19 Dec. 2005).

Etymology: Anagram of Monopyle. 

Synonyms: - 

Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Gloxinieae.

Description: Terrestrial perennial herbs with scaly rhizomes. Stems weak, erect or decumbent, glabrescent. Leaves opposite, isophyllous, petiolate, lamina with 5-8 pairs of veins, stomata in indistinct groups on lower side. Flowers axillary, solitary, ebracteolate. Sepals free. Corolla campanulate to almost rotate, white to lavender, lobes subequal, entire. Stamens 4; anthers coherent. Nectary a reduced annular disc or absent. Ovary inferior; stigma stomatomorphic. Fruit a cylindrical fleshy capsule, dehiscing along the dorsal side and splitting the hypanthium to the base. Seeds numerous, minute, subglobose.

Chromosome number:  Unknown.

Species number: 2 [N. dodsonii (Wiehler) Roalson & Boggan, N. peruviana (Wiehler) Roalson & Boggan].

Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.

Type species:  Nomopyle dodsonii (Wiehler) Roalson & Boggan

Distribution: Ecuador and Peru.

Ecology: Terrestrial forest plants, seasonally dormant.

Notes: Based on molecular evidence,  Nomopyle was established to include two species that were formerly placed in different genera: Nomopyle dodsonii (formerly Gloxinia dodsonii), Ecuador, and N. peruviana (formerly Niphaea peruviana), Peru (Roalson et al. 2005a,b; Boggan 2006). Their fruits are very similar to those of Monopyle (opening by a dorsal slit), which is probably the closest related genus. 

Selected references: Roalson, Boggan, Skog, Zimmer, Taxon 54(2): 389-410 (2005a), molec. syst.; Roalson, Boggan, Skog, Selbyana 25(2): 225-238 (2005b), tax.; Boggan, Gesneriads 56 (3): 26-32 (2006), surv.

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E.

Bibliography: amp; J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography

Illustrations:

Nomopyle dodsonii (Wiehler) Roalson & Boggan, type species
[formerly Gloxinia dodsonii Wiehler]

Gloxinian 56 (3): 29 (2006), phot. J. L. Clark

 


last modified: 2007-01-05