Cassia longicuspis Benth.
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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, Pohl s.n. ex hb. vindob., M (hb. Zucc.)! = F Neg. 6244 = NY Neg. 8883; isotypi, Pohl 1302 from Curralinho, Goias, in 1819 or 1820, F, NY!
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Description
Species Description - Erect, softly amply leafy shrubs to 2 m, with reddish-brown stems, passing upward into a long thyrse of leafy-bracteate, finally leafless and shortly paniculate few-fld recemes, in almost all parts densely viscid-villosulous and the stems, 1f-stalks, and axes of inflorescence in addition softly hispid with weak yellowish setae to 1.5-3 mm, the glutinous upper lf-face more thinly pubescent, the foliage bicolored, pallid beneath. Stipules appressed to stem, triangular-subulate, firm, livid, 0.5-3 mm, persistent. Lvs spreading-ascending on stout, straight or gently arched lf-stalks, (6-)8-18.5 cm, petiolate; pulvinus slightly dilated proximally, purplish, 2.5-5 mm; petiole 2-6 cm, shallowly sulcate; rachis 10-27 mm; lfts 2 pairs, tilted forward and obliquely earthward, face upward, on slightly dilated pulvinule ±3-4 mm long, the distal pair slightly larger, in outline obliquely ovate-acuminate or -caudate, at very tip glutinously mucronate by excurrent midrib, (3.5-) 4-11.5 x 1-4.5 (-5) cm, at base strongly asymmetric, semi-cordate on proximal and rounded on distal side, the setulose entire margin revolute, the blades submembranous, above olivaceous, glutinous but dull, very thinly villosulous and also along the pallid venation remotely setulose, beneath pilosulous along all the major veins and also glandular-setulose along all the venules, pallid-papillate between them, the eccentric, slightly incurved midrib and ± 11-18 pairs of slender secondary veins above immersed, beneath sharply elevated, the filiform or faint connecting tertiary and reticular venules forming a loose mesh of flat areoles >1 mm diam. Inflorescence a long leafy thyrse of axillary, often geminate or serially fasciculate, simple or few-branched racemes shorter than the ample leaves, those however reduced distally and finally replaced terminally by bracts, the last racemes forming a small, barely exserted panicle, the individual raceme-axes loosely 3-12-fld, becoming 3.5-7.5 cm; bracts triangular- subulate 1.2—2 mm, persistent; pedicels ascending, slender, compressed, 15-22 mm, bracteolate 0.5-6 mm below calyx; bracteoles resembling bracts, slightly smaller, persistent; buds subhorizontal just before expansion, ovoid-acuminate, thinly viscid-villosulous and -setose; sepals ovate- to elliptic-acuminate, 10-13 x 3-6 mm, the outer ones firm, yellowish, the inner with broad petaloid margins; petals pale yellow, dark-veined, 4 broadly obovate-flabellate above the cuneate claw, of unequal lengths, the longest 12-15.5 x 7-11 mm, the firmer shorter fifth obliquely oblanceolate, coiled; ovary viscid-villosulous and -setose; ovules 6-8. Pod linear-oblong in outline, forwardly arched at base, then straight, 3.5-5 x 0.75-0.9 cm, the stiffly chartaceous valves reddish-brown, viscid-villosulous and -setose; seeds compressed obovoid, 4.5-5.5 x 2.5-2.9 mm, the lustrous testa brown turning black, minutely lineolate. — Collections: 2.
Distribution and Ecology - Gallery margins adjoining brejo, near 900 m, known only from the type locality in s.-centr. Goias (near present Anicuns) and Distrito Federal (25 km n.-w. of Brasilia). — Fl. V-VI. "Habitat in Brasilia centrali: Pohl."
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Discussion
Related to C. multiseta, which it resembles in texture, venation and vesture of the foliage, but greatly different in the leafy-thyrsiform, not terminally paniculate inflorescence, the smaller flowers, submuticous anthers, and especially in the absence of long stiff reddish setae which are replaced along stems, leaf-stalks and raceme-axes by weak yellowish setae only 1-2.5 (not 3-6) mm long.
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Distribution
Goiás Brazil South America| Distrito Federal Brazil South America| Brazil South America|