Cassia seticrenata H.S.Irwin & Barneby

  • Authors

    Howard S. Irwin, Rupert C. Barneby

  • Authority

    Irwin, Howard S. & Barneby, Rupert C. 1978. Monographic studies in Cassia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae). III. Sections Absus and Grimaldia. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 30: 1-300.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cassia seticrenata H.S.Irwin & Barneby

  • Type

    Holotypus, UB; isotypi, C, F, GH, K, RB, S, UC, US.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Cassia seticrenata Irwin & Barneby, sp. nov., foliolis submembranaceis glutinoso-nitidis margine crenulata setoso-hispidis pagina utraque glaberrimis aliisque notulis C. lamprospermae manifeste affinis sed foliolis multo magis numerosis (8-13, nec 3-6-jugis) fere duplo minoribus subtus pal I idioribus nec concoloribus, necnon inflorescentia multiflora elongata (axi cum pedunculo brevi 1-3.5 nec 0.3-0.8 dm longa) eximie absimilis.

    Species Description - Erect, complexly leafy undershrubs ± 1 m, the erect, simple or paniculately branching stems, the petioles, and (at least proximally) the inflorescence densely hispid with tapering, stramineous or reddish, glutinous setae up to 4-6 mm, appearing otherwise glabrous but the stems distally, the raceme- axes, and some petioles in addition minutely villosulous, the elongately racemose, terminal inflorescencj moderately viscous, the foliage bicolored, the many small, marginally crenulate and setose lfts bright green above, paler beneath. Stipules erect or ascending, linear-lanceolate or -caudate, 5-7 mm, persistent. Lvs ascending (4-)7-13 cm, shortly petiolate; pulvinus moderately dilated, reddish or pallid, wrinkled when dry, ±1.5 mm; petiole 9-22 mm, 0.6-1 mm diam, like the rachis narrowly wing-margined, the wings herbaceous, green; rachis (3.5-)5-10 cm; lfts of all but a few reduced uppermost lvs 8—13 pairs, ascending from rachis face upward or inclined face to face on ovoid, when dry wrinkled pulvinule 0.5-0.6 mm, often loosely forward-imbricate when pressed, very slightly decrescent upward, in outline ovate acute 7-17 x 4-9 mm, tipped with an excurrent seta 0.5-1 mm, at base asymmetrically cordat the margin corneous, plane or incipiently revolute, undulately crenulate and charged in each notch with a seta ± 1 mm, the blades submembranous, above olivaceous moderately lustrous, beneath pale green, dull, the midrib and ±5-7 pairs of secondary veins above immersed or almost so, beneath sharply prominent, the connecting tertiary venation imperceptible above, faint and irregular beneath. Inflorescence simple racemose, terminal to main branches and distal branchlets, the axis of the many-fld elongating racemes including peduncle 1-3.5 dm, at least at maturity rising well above foliage, the several fls simultaneously expanded standing well below the densely racemose buds; bracts resembling stipules, 4-8 mm, persistent; pedicels very slender, narrowly ascending, 9-14 mm bracteoles like the bracts but only 2-3 mm; buds ovoid, apiculate, sparsely setose, otherwise glabrous; sepals submem- braneous, greenish-yellow, elliptic to broadly oblanceolate, 8-9.5 x 3-4 mm, the outer acute, the inner broader and obtuse; petals yellow, four ascending at ±40°, of unequal lengths, the largest obovate- flabellate ±12x7 mm, the rest narrower and shorter, the fifth oblanceolate, coiled; ovary setose; ovules ± 6. Pod (young) oblong, ±3 x 0.7 cm, the reddish valves hispid-setose, the ventral suture minutely puberulent, otherwise glabrous; seed unknown. — Collection: 1. Plate 14.

    Distribution and Ecology - Margin of gallery-forest in cerrado, 1000 m, known only from the type-locality on the upper Ric Paranaiba in the Triangulo of Minas Gerais. — Fl. I-II.

  • Discussion

    Clearly related to C. lamprosperma, native to a small segment of Serra do Espinhaço around Diamantina, about 300 km to the east and on the far side of the Sao Francisco river. Notable characters common to C. lamprosperma and C. seticrenata are the hispid pubescence of the stems coupled with almost complete suppression of short villous hairs, and particularly the thin-textured, glutinous leaflets glabrous on both faces but armed around the crenately notched margin with forwardly pointing setae. The new species differs from C. lamprosperma in its greater stature (up to 1 m); in its multi- jugate leaves composed of 8-13 (not 3-6) pairs of leaflets which are at once smaller and obviously bicolored, paler beneath; and in the elongate, many-flowered inforescence rising far above the foliage, the axes of the racemes, including the short peduncle, becoming 1-3.5 dm (not 3.5-8 cm) long.

  • Distribution

    Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Brazil South America|