Mimosa flabellifolia Barneby
-
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
-
Type
136. Mimosa flabellifolia Barneby, sp. nov., herbacea e xylopodio, foliorum axibus primario ut secundariis valde abbreviatis vix 1 mm longis, pinnis 1-jugis, foliolis anguste obovatis 1-2-jugis cum proximali impari ab omnibus diversa, floribus hucusque ig
-
Description
Species Description - Erect glabrous herbs 2-3.5(-"5") dm tall from stout xylopodium 1-1.5 cm diam., the sharply angulate stems simple or few-branched, rather densely foliate (but the lvs caducous) with subsessile reflexed lvs, the foliage when dry dark brown concolorous, the shortly pedunculate capitula forming a lax terminal pseudoraceme, the lowest ones subtended by a lf, the upper bracteate. Stipules minute subulate, less than 0.5 mm, persistent. Leaf-formula 1/1.5-2.5, the proximal anterior lft commonly lacking, the primary and secondary lf-axes contracted and not over 1 mm, each terminating in a recurved subulate appendage, the paraphyllidia conspicuous, the lfts narrowly obovate obtuse, the distal pair to 5-7 x 2.5-3.5 mm, all veinless or almost so. Peduncles solitary, in fruit ±8 mm; flowers not seen. Pods 1-2 per capitulum, the slender stipe 3-4 mm, the (1-)2-5-seeded body narrowly oblong in profile ±25-30 x 8 mm, the shallowly constricted replum ±0.5 mm diam., the valves papery, livid-brown sublustrous, umbonulate over each seed, the oblong-elliptic free-falling articles 8-12 mm long.
Distribution and Ecology - In campo cerrado, near 600-700 m, known only from the sources of rio de las Balsas near 11°15'S, 47°30'W in e.-centr. Goiás.—Fr. IV.
-
Discussion
Because the flower is not yet known, the systematic position and relationships of this remarkable mimosa remain to be demonstrated, but it will likely prove to belong to ser. Paucifoliatae, a group highly diversified in campo habitats of the Brazilian Planalto, where it has undergone strange and unexpected modifications of foliage. Within ser. Paucifoliatae, as indeed in the genus as a whole, M. flabellifolia may be known by the seemingly sessile leaves consisting of one pair of pinnae each of which bears one or two full pairs and one odd posterior leaflet, all crowded on a secondary axis not over 1 mm in length. Apart from the leaf-formula, the habit, the angulate stems rising erect from a xylopodium, and the terminal pseudo-raceme of craspedia suggest kinship with M. piptoptera.
-
Distribution
Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|