Paliavana

Full name and orig. publication: Paliavana [Vell. ex] Vand., Fl. lusit. bras. spec. 40, t.3, f.17 (1788).

Etymology: Derived from “Palhavaa”, the pleasure residence and botanical garden of prince Antonio de Braganza.

Synonyms: Codonophora Lindl. (1827), Gesneria Mart. sect. Prasanthea DC. (1839), Prasanthea (DC.) Decne. (1848).

Infrafamilial position: Gesnerioid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae) - Sinningieae.

Description: Terrestrial shrubs or subshrubs with perennial stems and fibrous roots (no tubers or rhizomes). Leaves opposite. Corolla campanulate or funnel-shaped, large, green with maroon dots, greenish yellow, blue-purple, or cream-white with a green tinge. Nectary of five separate, large, rounded glands. Ovary semi-inferior. Fruit a bivalved capsule.

Chromosome number: 2n = 26.

Species number: 6. 

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: Type not designated so far.

Distribution: SE and E Brazil.

Ecology: Mainly on sandstone, granitic or quartzitic outcrops in "campo rupestre" vegetation of Brazil.

Notes: The molecular data of Perret et al. (2003) suggest inclusion of Paliavana into Sinningia. The flowers of Paliavana fit in the pollination syndromes for bats and larger bees. P. prasinata is clearly bat-pollinated, while P. sericiflora  is only "in transition" to bat pollination (SanMartin-Gajardo & Sazima 2005). 

Selected references: Wiehler, Selbyana 6: 175 (1983); Boggan, Thesis Cornell Univ. (1991), morph., cladist.; Chautems, Candollea 56: 261-279 (2002), new sp., rev.; Araujo, Chautems & Souza, Bol. Bot. Univ. São Paulo 22(1): 43-51 (2004), reg. rev. (Serro do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil); Perret, Chautems, Spichiger, Kite & Savolainen, Amer. J. Bot. 90 (3): 445-460 (2003), molec. syst.; SanMartin-Gajardo & Sazima, Ann. Bot.  95: 1097-1103 (2005), pollinaton.

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.

Illustrations:

Paliavana prasinata (Ker.-Gawl.) Benth.

Brazil, phot. S. Vogel (1986).

Paliavana prasinata (Ker.-Gawl.) Benth., as P. racemosa (Vell.) Fritsch

Gloxinian 35/5, cover illustration (1985).

Paliavana sericiflora Benth. 

Brazil, Minas Gerais, phot. A.  Chautems 

Paliavana tenuiflora Mansf.

Brazil, phot. S. Vogel (2002).

 



last modified: 2007-07-13