Mimosa gracilis Benth. subsp. gracilis var. gracilis

  • 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 gracilis Benth. subsp. gracilis var. gracilis

  • Type

    126/IIa. Mimosa gracilis Bentham subsp. gracilis var. gracilis. M. gracilis Bentham, 1842, l.c., sens. str.—"Brazil, Sello, Pohl, Claussen the data expanded in Martius, Fl. bras. 15(2): 372. 1876 to: "in Brasilia interiore vel meridionali: Sello; in provi

  • Synonyms

    Mimosa gracilis var. genuina Hassl., Mimosa serpens Chodat & Hassl., Mimosa gracilis var. serpens (Chodat & Hassl.) Hassl., Mimosa serpens var. glabrifolia Hassl., Mimosa gracilis var. serpens f. glabrifolia Hassl., Mimosa gracilis var. genuina f. longepedunculata Hassl., Mimosa gracilis var. intermedia Hassl., Mimosa gracilis Benth.

  • Description

    Variety Description - Stems typically pliantly humifuse, at maturity 5-12(—14) dm; otherwise as described in keys to subspp. and vars.

    Distribution and Ecology - In campo sujo and campo cerrado, on the Brazilian Planalto between 700 and 1000 m, uncommon and scattered through the Brazilian range of subsp. capillipes from s.-e. Goiás to s.- centr. S. Paulo (Itapetininga), and apparently disjunct at somewhat lower elevations in e. Paraguay.-Fl. (X-)XI-IV. Map 20.

  • Discussion

    As defined by key characters var. gracilis is a polymorphic, perhaps genetically heterogeneous variety, poised between subsp. capillipes var. capillipes and subsp. gracilis var. brevissima and intergradient with both. The type-number, Pohl 1200/dl479 consists of two elements, mounted on one sheet at Kew but separate at Vienna. The lectotype proposed herein, probable model for plate 92 in Flora brasiliensis, has leaf-formula v-vii/5-6 and pilosulous leaflets; the second element, in bud only, here referred to var. brevissima but in reality only transitional to it, has leaf- formula iii—vii/3—5 and glabrate leaflets. Together they illustrate the difficulty of separating neatly or defining exactly any infraspecific component of M. gracilis sens. lat. A collection from near Formosa, Goiás (Irwin 15441, NY) is ambiguously intermediate in another way between vars. gracilis, of which it has the leaf-formula, and brevissima, of which it has the relatively stiff stems, and is further remarkable for pods glabrous in some plants and densely pilosulous overall in others. In length of petiole var. gracilis is as variable as var. capillipes.

  • Distribution

    Paraguay South America| Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|