Senna macranthera var. pudibunda (Benth.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

  • Authors

    Howard S. Irwin, Rupert C. Barneby

  • Authority

    Irwin, Howard S. & Barneby, Rupert C. 1982. The American Cassiinae. A synoptical revision of Leguminosae tribe Cassieae subtrib Cassiinae in the New World. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35, part 1: 1-454.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Senna macranthera var. pudibunda (Benth.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

  • Type

    Lectoholotypus, Martius s.n., labelled ‘in sepibus ad Salgado. Aug. 1818’ (fl! nec fruct.), M (2 sheets)! = F Neg. 6255; paratypi, Gardner 2120, dated ‘March 1829’ (fl!), K! = IPA Neg. 911; Martius s.n., labelled ‘prov. Bahiens. mediterraneis siccis silva

  • Synonyms

    Cassia pudibunda Mart.

  • Description

    Variety Description - Adult at 1-3.5 m; distal lfts of larger lvs 2-6 x 0.8-2.5 cm, pubescent on both faces, papillate above, incurved-pilosulous beneath; no distal gland seen; calyx submembranous, thinly puberulent or glabrate, the larger inner sepals 7-10.5 x 4.5-8 mm; ovules 92-120; pod 7-10 cm.—Collections: 28. [Key: "Plants of Atlantic and planaltine Brazil (Piaui and Ceara to s. Goias and Sao Paulo). Lvs variable in size; pod variable in length and diam but short (11 cm or less) only n.-ward from centr. Minas Gerais and Bahia. Calyx relatively ample, the largest inner sepal 7-14 x 4.5-8 mm; shrubs 1.5-3 m. Ovules 92-144. Lfts densely softly pilosulous with spreading-incumbent hairs, either on both faces or beneath only. Stature and lfts diverse. Distal lfts of larger lvs 2-6(-7) cm; shrubs to ±3(-4) m; pod 7-10 cm, 112-140-ovulate. Distal lfts of larger lvs 2-6(-6.5) x 0.8-2.5 cm, pilosulous beneath; pod 7-10 cm."]

    Distribution and Ecology - Caatinga and perhaps (s.-ward) cerrado, mostly below 450 m, scattered over e. Brazil from Ceara (between Fortaleza and Russas), n.-w. Rio Grande do Norte (Mossoro) and e.-centr. Piaui (mun. Jaicos) s. to centr. Bahia (upper Paraguagu valley near 13°S) and (to be confirmed) to middle Sao Francisco valley near 16°S in n. Minas Gerais.—Fl. II-VIII.

  • Discussion

    Closely akin on the one hand to var. striata, similar in the enlarged membranous calyx but different in the long pod and larger leaves, and on the other to var. micans, which has a similar short pod but the small firmer calyx of var. nervosa. Field study is required to confirm the correlation between characters of leaf, calyx and fruit, and the relation of each to dispersal patterns and ecology. The occurrence of var. pudibunda in Minas Gerais, as indicated by Martius alone, will remain under suspicion until verified by a modern collection.

  • Distribution

    Ceará Brazil South America| Rio Grande do Norte Brazil South America| Piauí Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America|