Schrankia latidens (Small) K.Schum.

  • Authority

    Isley, Duane. 1973. Leguminosae of the United States: I. Subfamily. Mimosoideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (1): 1-152.

  • Family

    Mimosaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Schrankia latidens (Small) K.Schum.

  • Description

    Species Description - Stems spreading or prostrate, slender, moderately to weakly prickly, glabrous, often quadrangular above and less than 2 mm diam. Leafstalk 4-7 cm, the petiole usually longer than rachis. Pinnae (1-)2-4(-5) pairs, small, usually well separated; leaflets 5-9 pairs, (2-) 3-4 mm, without venation or midvein evident. Stipules 2-4 mm, ciliate. Heads pinkish, 1-1.5(-1.8) cm diam; peduncles solitary or paired, 2-4 cm. Legume oblong to linear, quadrangular, (3-) 5-10(-12) cm long, 2-3 (-4) mm wide, ranging from nearly smooth to strongly prickly; beak (.3-).5-1.5 cm.

  • Discussion

    Leptoglottis latidens (Small) Britt. & Rose Leptoglottis berlandieri Britt. Schrankia berlandieri (Britt.) Standi. Leptoglottis halliana Britt. & Rose Schrankia halliana (Britt. & Rose) Standi. Leptoglottis potosina Britt. & Rose Schrankia potosina (Britt. & Rose) Standi. Leptoglottis nelsonii Britt. & Rose CN 2n = 26 (Turner & Fearing, 1960a). Schrankia latidens is the northern outlier of a diverse Mexican complex characterized by non-reticulate leaflets, relatively few pinnae and usually angular stems. A defensible interpretation remains to be found. I have compared impressions with the troubles of past workers (Isely, 1971a) and arrived at a decision primarily through a rejection process. My concept of S. latidens differs from that of Texas authors (Turner, 1959; Correll and Johnston, 1970) primarily in that I refer their Texas S. microphylla to S. latidens. Genuine S. microphylla of southeastern states is disjunct from Texas populations, apparently coming no closer than eastern Louisiana.

  • Distribution

    E and s Texas. Ranging from oak woodland in n part of range to grassland and thorn scrub in s; often ruderal; mostly sandy or gravelly soils. (March) April-July (Sept.). Mexico.

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