Calliandra Species Pages

Calliandra stelligera

Rupert C. Barneby

103. Calliandra stelligera Barneby, sp. nov., pinnis recurvis, florum forma et magnitudine, aliisque notulis C. elegantem (fere sympatricam) revocans et ei sine dubio proxime affinis, sed statura demissa, pinnis brevioribus 6-8.5 (nec 10-14.5) cm usque longis, foliolis minus numerosis ±19 (nec 30-35)-jugis usque utrinque dense minutim puberulis, necnon androecio 28-32 (nec ±54)-mero saturate rubro (nec ex albo rubescenti) diversa, ulterius indumento ex parte e trichomatibus stelliformibus constanti in genere suo unica. — BRAZIL. Bahia: mun. de Piatá: estrada Inúbia-Piatá, descida da Serra do Atalho para Inúbia, 1350 m, 13°06'S, 41°56'W, 20 Aug 1992 (fl), Wilson Ganev 917. — Holotypus, HUEFS 11360.

Relatively amply plurifoliolate subshrub ±5 dm tall, stiffly widely branched above middle, the new stems with all If- and inflorescence-axes densely puberulent overall with simple pallid hairs <0.2 mm mixed with minute rufous granules and, especially on peduncles but randomly elsewhere, with minute pluriradiate stellae, the pallidly olivaceous lfts subconcolorous, dull and equally puberulent on both faces, the solitary and geminate peduncles forming a short terminal efoliate panicle of pseudoracemes exserted <1 dm from foliage; phyllotaxy distichous. Stipules firmly herbaceous, narrowly ovate ±1.5-2 x 0.8-1.2 mm, externally nerveless, tardily deciduous. Lf-formula iii/18—19; lf-stks ±4 cm, the petiole 5-10 mm, at middle ±2 mm diam, the longer interpinnal segments 12-15 mm, the ventral groove bridged at insertion of pinnae; pinnae scarcely graduated, arcuately recurved, 5-8.5 cm, the longer interfoliolar segments ±3-4 mm; lft-pulvinules ±0.5-0.6 x 1 mm, faintly cross-wrinkled; lfts a little decrescent at each end of rachis, otherwise subequilong, the blades oblong from shallowly auriculate base, broadly obtuse, those near mid-rachis 11-16 x 2.6-3 mm, 2.6-3 times as long as wide; venation bluntly low-prominulous dorsally, obscurely so ventrally, the straight midrib displaced to divide blade ±1:2—2.5, weakly 1-2- branched distally, the inner posterior primary nerve incurved-ascending well beyond mid-blade, the outer 2-3 posterior ones progressively much shorter. Peduncles ±1.5-2.5 cm, ebracteate; capitula 5—12-fld, the clavate receptacle 1.5-2 mm; bracts deltate-ovate to 0.8 mm, caducous; fls homomorphic, the perianth 4-or the corolla by fusion of lobes 3-, 2-merous, gray-silky-puberulent overall but more densely so above middle; pedicels disciform 0.3-0.4 x 1.5-1.8 mm; calyx campanulate 2 x 2.4—2.7 mm, the low- deltate teeth ±0.3 mm; corolla 6.5 mm, the ovate lobes ±2 mm; androecium ±2.5 cm, 28-32-merous, the cartilaginous tube 2 mm, the stemonozone 1.5-1.6 mm, intrastaminal nectary 0; ovary at anthesis glabrous. Pod unknown.

In campo rupestre near 1350 m, known only from the type-locality in Chapada Diamantina near 13°S, 42°W, in interior Bahia, Brazil. — Fl. VIII(-?).

Calliandra stelligera seems akin to C. elegans but is, so far as known, a dwarfer shrub with shorter pinnae, fewer, densely puberulent leaflets, and fewer, bright red filaments; for measurements see the Latin diagnosis. The stellate trichomes of the peduncles have not been seen elsewhere in this genus.

References: [Article] Barneby, Rupert C. 1998. Silk tree, guanacaste, monkey's earring: A generic system for the synandrous Mimosaceae of the Americas. Part III. Calliandra. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 74: 1-223.