Cassia cipoana H.S.Irwin & Barneby
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Authors
Howard S. Irwin, Rupert C. Barneby
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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.
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Family
Caesalpiniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Holotypus, NY; isotypi, RB, US.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Cassia cipoana Irwin & Barneby, sp. nov., C. multipennem fere sympatricam forsan proxime affinem quoad legumen latum oligospermum notulasque alias plurimas simulans sed foliolis secus rachin minus confertis subtus alte penninerviis setoso-ciliolatis, pedi cel I is longissimis (2-4.5 nec 1-2 cm longis), sepalis (ergo alabastris) longe acuminatis 14.5-18 (nec 8-11) mm longis petala paull-j superantibus, leguminisque pube fortius ac longius pilosulo- hispida distinguenda.
Species Description - Stout, awkwardly branching glutinous shrubs of bushy outline, 1-2 m tall, except for the glabrous or dorsally puberulent faces of the always setose-ciliolate lfts in all parts densely gray- villosulous and viscid-setulose, the foliage concolorous, the small firm lfts at first purpurascent- glutinous, in age dull glaucous, dorsally penninerved, the inflorescence a complex leafy panicle of shortly few-fld racemes terminal to the distal twigs and to many axillary branchlets, some sessile and leafy-bracteate, none far exserted. Stipules spreading, weakly setiform, becoming dry and fragile but usually persistent, 2-3 mm. Lvs divaricate from stem, (2-)3-9.5 cm, subsessile or shortly petioled; pulvinus dilated firm 1-1.5 mm; petiole 0.5-3.5(-5) mm; rachis (1.6-)2-8 cm, at middle of first segment 0.5-0.7 mm diam, tapering distally, narrowly 2-winged ventrally; lfts of most cauline lvs 8-12, of some short uppermost or early lvs (4-)5-8 pairs, crowded along and divaricate from rachis, usually a bit smaller distally, turned adaxial edge to the meridian on dilated, when dry wrinkled pul vinule 0.4-0.7 mm, in outline broadly ovate to suborbicular, obtuse or obscurely emarginate, minutely mucronulate (4-)5-14 x (304-11.5 mm, at base cordate both sides but more deeply so distally, the margin plane, entire or obscurely crenulate, always gland-setulose, the blades chartaceous, on both faces at first sublustrously glutinous and purplish, becoming dull glaucous, always glabrous above sometimes minutely puberulent beneath, the midrib and 4-6 pairs of secondary veins beneath sharply prominulous, above faintly so or commonly immersed, the tertiary venulation faintly perceptible only in young soft lfts, finally immersed. Racemes numerous, forming a short leafy panicle, loosely 2-9-fld, the individual axis 1-3 (-3.5) cm, often shorter than the fruiting pedicels, the one expanded fl raised to level of next bud; bracts subulate or triangular-subulate 1.5-2 mm, persistent; pedicels (202.3-4.5 cm, stiffly and widely ascending in fruit, bracteolate 5—18 mm below calyx; bracteoles like bracts, slightly smaller, persistent; buds slenderly ovoid-acuminate, densely gray-pilosulous and thinly yellow-setulose; sepals rather firm, lance-acuminate, 14.5-18 x 4.2-5 mm; petals yellow, the four plane ones scarcely heteromorphic, obovate from a broad claw, 12.5-16 x 8-11 mm, the fifth scarcely shorter, falcately half-ovate, coiled; ovary densely gray-pilosulous and hispid-setose; ovules 4-5. Pod broadly oblong or ovate-oblong in outline, 2.2-2.8 x 0.8-1 cm, the valves densely shaggy-pilosulous and coarsely hispid with livid-based, distally pallid setae up to 2-3.5 mm; seeds unknown. — Collections: 6. Plate 9.
Distribution and Ecology - Cerrado, on sandstone, 1000-1200 m, local, known only from near the crest of Sa. do Cipo, in s. Sa. do Espinhaco near lat. 19° S, centr. Minas Gerais. - Fl. IV-VIII.
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Discussion
A cassia evidently related to C. multipennis which occurs also on Serra do Cip6, but at slightly higher elevations on quartzite, not in cerrado. The two species share many common features, the short broad few-seeded pod being especially striking. Nevertheless C. cipoana is readily distinguished by the more glaucous foliage, the pectinately ciliolate leaflets, the very long pedicels, and especially by the gray-pilosulous acuminately elongate sepals which form before anthesis a characteristically tapered bud and at full anthesis surpass the petals by 1-2 mm. The pair forms a notable example of differential evolution responding to continguous but dissimilar ecological conditions.
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Distribution
Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Brazil South America|