''Spigelia genuflexa'' is a species of annual plant, annual herb of the family Loganiaceae from Bahia state, Brazil, which was described in 2011. It is unusual in that the stems bend down after flowering to deposit the seeds in the soil (geocarpy).

Description

''Spigelia genuflexa'' shows two growth forms. In one, inflorescences are produced after the first three pairs of leaves, when the plant is around tall; in the other, four or five pairs of leaves precede the inflorescence, by which time the plant is tall. The leaves are oppositely arranged, long and wide, and elliptic to ovate in shape. The inflorescences are composed of up to 7 flowers, and the Corolla (flower), corollas of the flowers are long. The stems are somewhat red-coloured, and have 4 to 6 prominent ribs running down from the leaf bases.

Ecology

''Spigelia genuflexa'' grows in residual stands of Atlantic forest in the Rio do Negro valley in Bahia state (), at an altitude of , and about from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. It flowers during the rainy season, and almost disappears during the dry season. It is able to self-pollination, self-pollinate, with anthesis lasting less than a day. After pollination, the plant stem bends, and in the lower growth form, deposits the seeds in the soil; the taller growth form remains some distance above the soil surface.

Taxonomy

''Spigelia genuflexa'' was discovered on land owned by Alex Popovkin in 2009, by Popovkin's "house help" José Carlos Mendes Santos. The specific name (botany), specific epithet ' is a reference to the plant's tendency to bend down after flowering, from the Latin ' (''cf.'' :wikt:genuflection, genuflexion). The authors proposed that the species should be listed as ''Data Deficient'' according to the criteria of the IUCN Red List. Popovkin is a Russian emigre and amateur botanist who has fulfilled a long-held dream to study plants in the tropics. It is one of sixty species which make up the poorly-studied Neotropical genus ''Spigelia'', but does not appear particularly close to any other species.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1939450 Loganiaceae Flora of Brazil Plants described in 2011