Above: C. E. Benítez de Rojas 6436 Venezuela, about 400 m, grown in Connecticut as Mione 701, photo by Mione

Although Jaltomata repandidentata is easy to identify with living and/or alcohol-preserved flowers, no previous researcher recognized this species as occurring in Central America.  This species was validly published, but writers of Floras of Central America were unaware that many of the specimens identified as J. procumbens were actually misidentified (and represent J. repandidentata, not J. procumbens).  As expected based on morphological characters, the collections I identified as J. repandidentata group together in the (unpublished) DNA phylogenetic tree.  This is an exciting result because I am the first to recognize this species in Central America, and the DNA evidence is in complete agreement with my conclusions based on morphology.  Click on this link to see the results of a mini-study of the floral phenology of this species.

How Jaltomata repandidentata flowers look on an herbarium specimen: Note on photo to left: curved style, bilobed stigma, sigmoid filaments, and anthers (from left to right) 1.68, 1.95, 2.13, 2.13 and 1.875 mm long (Tilton Davis 766).

Distribution: Mexico to Bolivia. A common weed in coffee plantations and roadsides.

Altitude Range Determined from herbarium specimens: 20 m (Oaxaca, Mexico) to 1500 m (Cuzco, Peru), but majority of specimens have been collected between about 400 and 1200 m of elevation.

Specimens Collected in Mexico:

Costa Rica:

Venezuela:

Colombia:
Antioquia, municipio Venecia, Vereda San Joaquin, finca San Joaquin, carretera a La Vereda La Arabia, 1700 m, 75 35 W; 6 00 N, 4 Sept. 1990, Roldán, F. J. et al. 1440 (MO).

Peru:

Seed germination of Jaltomata repandidentata

I thank Tilton Davis IV for seeds of his collection 822 from Guerrero, Mexico (Mione accession 362); when I first grew this accession in the early 1990s I noted that it looked different from all the J. procumbens accessions I was growing, and then I investigated further and eventually realized that it is a widespread distinct and defendable species. I thank Ellen Dean for seeds of her 266 (Mione 571) from Mexico. I thank William Haber for showing me the location of this species in Santa Elena, Costa Rica. I also thank C. E. Benítez de Rojas for sending me seeds of her collection 6436 (Mione accession 701). From study of herbarium specimens, I was 99% sure J. repandidentata grows in Venezuela; growing this accession confirmed it. I thank Lawrence Coe for growing this species in his garden, where I was able to take photos of it.