Cassia texana Buckley

  • Authority

    Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.

  • Family

    Caesalpiniaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cassia texana Buckley

  • Description

    Species Description - Pubescent, prostrate or spreading perennial with numerous flexuous stems, 1-3(-4) dm from a deep vertical, woody root. Pubescence cinereous-puberulent, of all plant parts except upper surface of leaflets. Leafstalk 1-2.5 cm; petiole short with an inconspicuous, substipitate gland often hidden by stipules; leaflets 11-18 pairs, crowded and closely imbricate, asymmetrically oblong, 3-9 mm, 3.5-4.5 r, 2(-3) nerved. Stipules ovate-acuminate, striation obscure. Flowers axillary, mostly solitary; pedicels slender, exceeding leaves, 1.5-2.5 cm in flower, 2.5-3.5 cm in fruit, often distally bracteolate. Sepals equal, ovate, 7-8 mm; corolla orange-yellow, red-spotted at base, 20-28 mm diam, irregular; stamens 10, irregular, anthers yellow; pistil strigose. Legume elastically dehiscent, flat, 3-4 cm long, 5 mm broad; valves puberulent, becoming glabrous, brown. Seeds few.

  • Discussion

    Chamaecrista texana (Buckl.) Pennell (1917)CN n = 8 (Irwin ex Turner, 1959). Irwin (1970) notes that this species may be a northern phase of C. chamae-cristoides Coll, of Mexico. I agree.

  • Distribution

    S Texas. Sandy soil, bluestem prairies and with oak and mesquite brush, roadsides and banks. March-May and continuing all season. N Mexico.

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