Calliandra lanata Benth.
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Authors
Rupert C. Barneby
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Authority
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.
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Family
Mimosaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
"Habitat in campis inter fluvium Fermoso [far. n. Minas Gerais, near the Goiás line] et rio de Contas [near 13°40'S, 41°45'W in centr. Bahia], Minas Geraes: Martius." — Holotypus, Martius Obs. 1897, collected probably at Rio de Contas, hence not in Minas
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Synonyms
Calliandra sericea Renvoize, Calliandra lanata Benth., Calliandra sericea Renvoize
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Description
Species Description - Stout erect, amply multifoliolate shrubs with few simple, distally foliate stems 1.5-3.5 m, notable for dilated stipules and for efoliate, densely white- pilose-tomentose, compactly pseudoracemose inflorescence, the firm plane subconcolorous lfts densely finely ciliate and thinly pilose facially when young, glabrescent and moderately lustrous in age. Stipules ovate-suborbicular from shallowly cordate or broadly rounded base, 13-30 x 10-25 mm, either obtuse or abruptly deltate-apiculate, the chartaceous blade dorsally pilose but glabrescent, especially toward the margin, weakly nerved, internally glabrous and flabellately multistriate, tardily deciduous. Lf-formula v-viii/34—50; lf-stks of fully expanded lvs (4—)6—11 cm, the stout petiole 12-20 mm, at middle 2-4 mm diam, the longer interpinnal segments 6-13 mm; pinnae subequilong, the rachis of longer ones 8-13 cm, the longer interfoliolar segments 1.8-2.6 mm; lf-pulvinules 0.45-0.7 x 0.7-1 mm, cross-wrinkled; lfts proximally decrescent, thence subequilong, the blade linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate from postically obtusangulate base, obtuse, the larger ones 10-14.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm, ±4 times as long as wide; venation externally indistinct, the straight simple or faintly branched midrib a little eccentric, the inner posterior primary nerve expiring without anastomosis ± at midblade, the 1-2 outer primary nerves progressively shorter. Peduncles 2-4 per node of inflorescence, the longer ones 2-5 cm x 3.5-4.5 mm, none bracteolate; capitula 3-6-fld, the receptacle hemispherical, wider than long; bracts ovate 4—5.5 mm, caducous; fls homomorphic, sessile or almost so, the pedicel (seen in vertical section) ±0.5 x 2 mm; perianth densely white-pilose-tomentose externally, glabrous within, of subcoriaceous texture; calyx (without vesture) broadly turbinate-campanulate 7.5-10 mm, the unequal sinuses between teeth 1.4-3 mm deep; corolla (also without vesture) 9-14 mm, the ovate lobes 1.5-5.5 mm; androecium 136-156-merous (3 counts), 31-36 mm, the greatly thickened, almost horny stemonozone 2.7-3.4 mm, the tube 7-10 mm, the tassel white, distally lilac in age; no independently developed nectary around base of ovary, but the stemonozone nectariferous internally in elevated vertical lines; ovary pilosulous, at least above middle. Pods erect, ±4.5-14 x 1-1.3 cm, densely pilose-tomentose overall, the valves recessed below massive sutural keels; seeds not seen.
Distribution and Ecology - In campo rupestre, ±1000-1400 m. known only from upper Rio de Contas at points within 10-12 km to the n. and n.-w of the town of Rio de Contas and in adj. mun. Abaíra, at foot of Pico de Almas, near 13° 15'S on the slope of Chapada Diamantina in centr. Bahia. — Fl. X-III (VI).
Relationships - Calliandra lanata is instantly recognized by its ample, internally flabellate-striate stipules, dense white indumentum of the inflorescence, and large flowers. By mistake Bentham attributed the species to Minas Gerais, and for this reason the name was not used in Renvoize’s revision of the Bahian species (1981), where the plant was redescribed as C. sericea.
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Discussion
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Distribution
Bahia Brazil South America|