Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes (Benth.) H.S.Irwin

  • Authors

    Howard S. Irwin

  • Authority

    Irwin, Howard S. 1964. Monographic Studies in Cassia (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae). I. Section Xerocalyx. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 12 (1): 1-114.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes (Benth.) H.S.Irwin

  • Type

    Isotype examined (K): Brazil, Goiás, "Rio Lage in Serra da Chrystaes.’' Pohl 843. 1818.

  • Synonyms

    Cassia desvauxii var. brevipes Benth., Cassia desvauxii var. stipulacea Pilg., Chamaecrista lehmannii Britton & Rose

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrub or subshrub to 1.5 m, simple or with few to numerous ascending or erect branches, the young branches puberulent or pubescent. Stipules lanceolate- to ovate- or deltoid-cordate, acute or acuminate, 0.5-1.1 (—1.3) cm long, 2.0-3.2 mm broad, puberulent or glabrous, often ciliolate. Petiole 2.5-6.0 mm long, finely pubescent; rachis 0.3-0.5 as long as petiole. Gland 1, scutellate, 0.3-0.6 mm broad, often somewhat depressed. Leaflets bijugate, the superior pair usually slightly longer, joined to rachis by a small linear, arcuate, or semi-orbicular black or brown pulvinule 0.4—1.0 mm long, linear to lanceolate, straight or slightly inflexed, glabrous or puberulent, firmly membranaceous or sometimes subcoriaceous, 1.9-3.0 cm long, 3.0-7.9 mm broad; margins often distally ciliolate, the apex acute or obtuse and mucronate. Flowers solitary, rarely in pairs; pedicels finely pubescent, 2.0-1.2 (-2.4) cm long and ca. 0.4 mm thick in flower, up to 1.5 (or 3.0?) cm long and 0.8 mm thick in fruit; bracts 2, ovate or deltoid, 1.4-1.7 mm long, 0.8-1.3 mm broad; bracteoles nearly or quite opposite, usually divergent, broadly lanceolate or ovate, 2.9-3.8 mm long, 1.5-2.6 mm broad; sepals lanceolate, glabrous, 1.5-2.1 cm long, 3.2-4.2 mm broad; petals 1.7-2.4 cm long, 1.3-2.0 cm broad; ovary yellow- or gray-pubescent. Pod narrowly oblong, 2.7-3.5 cm long, 4.5-5.5 mm broad, valves usually flat, finely pubescent. Seeds 10-16, compressed, 3.5-4.0 mm long, 1.0-1.4 mm broad. Chromosome number: not determined.

    Distribution and Ecology - Distribution: Colombia, eastward through Venezuela and the Guianas to Pará, southward to Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Bolivia. Occurring in savannas and low open woods, mainly on sandy soils, from 500-3000 feet elevation.

  • Discussion

     

    The present concept of C. tetraphylla var. brevipes differs from that of Bentham in 2 ways. First, and as has been mentioned in connection with C. langsdorffii Kunth, Spruce’s 3646 from the Orinoco and numerous additional collections since made in that area, especially on the Esmeralda savannahs of the state of Amazonas, Venezuela, are relegated to the present taxon and not to C. langsdorffii. This treatment is justified on the basis of complete morphological agreement of this material with that of C. tetraphylla var. brevipes from adjacent areas in all respects save habit. The Orinoco plants are often strictly erect and sometimes unbranched.

    The second difference involves the inclusion of Chamaecrista lehmannii Britt. & Rose of Colombia, which differs only in having longer pedicels (maximum lengths indicated parenthetically in the above description). Since pedicel length exhibits considerable variation throughout the range of this variety, there would seem no good reason to exclude Ch. lehmannii on this basis.

    C. desvauxii var. stipulacea, a minor variant, differs only in having slightly longer stipules (to 1.3 cm) and somewhat more copious pubescence on the legume.

    Typification of this taxon is based on Bentham’s first citation in his original description in Flora Brasiliensis. It is not clear why he excluded Burchell 8943, an earlier collection from the same region in Goiás, which agrees in every detail with Pohl’s material, but which he referred to C. desvauxii Collad. Evidently there was considerable confusion in Bentham’s mind over the status of this taxon, not only stemming from his confounding it with C. langsdorffii, but also concerning his apparent doubt about its existence as a natural entity, as indicated by his placing a query before the name in his monograph. Presently available material clearly indicates its existence, but intergrades with C. tetraphylla var. aurivilla Irwin (e.g. Burchell 8986) and C. tetraphylla var. tetraphylla (e.g. Pearce s.n. from Bolivia) do occur.

     

  • Distribution

    Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Pará Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Mato Grosso Brazil South America| Bolivia South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America| Peru South America| Suriname South America|