Mimosa distans subsp. distans

  • Authors

    Rupert C. Barneby

  • Authority

    Barneby, Rupert C. 1991. Sensitivae Censitae. A description of the genus Mimosa Linnaeus (Mimosaceae) in the New World. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 65: 1-835.

  • Family

    Mimosaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Mimosa distans subsp. distans

  • Type

    462/I. Mimosa distans Bentham subsp. distans. M. distans Bentham, 1841, l.c., sens. str.—Typus infra sub var. distanti indicatur.

  • Synonyms

    Mimosa distans Benth.

  • Description

    Subspecies Description - Pinnae of all lvs exactly 1-jug.;

    Distribution and Ecology - w. Bahia and centr. Minas Gerais s. to Paraná, w. to e. Mato Grosso and n. Mato Grosso do Sul.

  • Discussion

    Mimosa distans and M. neuroloma, here more closely associated as varieties of M. distans, were first described, each from few collections, as members of ser. Meticulosae ***Semistrigosae, and M. neuroloma was confused, in the first instance, with M. meticulosa Martius, which Bentham later found to be something else (exactly what is even today unknown). Bentham admitted to difficulty in distinguishing these two species, and the difficulty has not been dissipated by modem collections. In his monograph Bentham (1875, 1876) transferred M. distans to ser. Pedunculosae, stating (1876: 326) that despite nearly dimidiate leaflets it was readily distinguished from M. neuroloma, retained in ser. Meticulosae, by form of inflorescence, meaning, it seems, by relative length and arrangement of the peduncles. It is no longer possible, however, to separate two credible species by peduncle-length or by prevalence of strictly axillary longer peduncles over pseudoracemose shorter ones. Shifting emphasis to length and proximity along the stem of cauline leaves, length of leaf-stalks and girth of setae on leaflet-margin, each to some degree individually variable, it is possible to maintain two taxa, but only at the varietal level.

  • Distribution

    Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America|