Rhynchosia rojasii Hassl.

  • Authority

    Grear, John W. 1978. A revision of the New World species of Rhynchosia (Leguminosae-Faboideae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 31 (1): 1-168.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Rhynchosia rojasii Hassl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Herbaceous or suffruticose vine, 4-6 m, from woody base, the stems twining, one to several, few-branched, terete to subterete, villous. Stipules widely lanceolate, acuminate, villous, persistent, becoming reflexed, 6-10 mm long, 24 mm wide. Petioles 4.5-9(40) cm. Leaflets 3, membranaceous, concolorous, ovate-rhomboid to rhomboid, acuminate to cuspidate, base obtuse to cuneate, 5-13(45) cm long, 3-9 (-11) cm wide, loosely strigose to villosulose above, gland-dotted and villosulose beneath, especially along the veins, terminal petiolule 2-3 cm, the laterals 2-5 mm, stipels filiform, 2-4 mm. Inflorescences exceeding the leaves, 9-30 cm, simple to few-branched, flowers lax and widely spaced on raceme, peduncle 1.5-8 cm, pedicels 2-5 mm. Bracts lanceolate, acuminate, caducous, 4.5-5 mm long, 1-2 mm wide. Calyx not exceeding the corolla, villosulose, 5-6 mm, tube 2-2.5 mm, lobes lanceolate, acute, 2.5-4 mm, vexillar sinus 0.5-1 mm. Corolla pale greenish-yellow, 10-12 mm. Standard suborbiculate, apiculate, gland-dotted and puberulous, 10-11 mm long, 9-10 mm wide, auricles 1 mm, claw 2-2.5 mm. Wings oblong, glabrous, 10-11 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, claw 2-2.5 mm. Keel blades falcate, gland-dotted and puberulous, 10-11.5 mm long, 4-4.5 mm wide, claw 3 mm. Stamens 10-12 mm. Fruits oblanceolate, base attenuate, compressed, gland-dotted and puberulous, 4-4.5 cm long, 7-9 mm wide, beak 2-5 mm. Seeds ovate-reniform, brown or black, compressed, 5-6 mm long, 3-3.5 mm wide, hilum ovate, 1.5-2 mm, strophiole lobes cuneate.

  • Discussion

    Rhynchosia ituana Hoehne, Bol. Inst. Bras. Sci. 2(7): 252. 1926. Type: BRAZIL. São Paulo: Itú, A. M. Diniz sn, 4 Jul 1917 (holotype, SP-322!; paratype, F. C. Hoehne sn, NY!). Type. PARAGUAY. “Sierra de Amambay ad margines silvarum, in via silvatica “Picada” dicta pr. Punta Pora . . . . ” T. Rojas 10424, Apr 1907-08 (holotype, G!; phototypes, MO!, US!; isotypes, BM!, C!, F!, G!, K!, MICH!, MO!, NO!, NY!,P!, S!, UC!, US!). Local Names. Feijão de veado (Brazil: Paraná); favinha do campo da miúda, olhinho de pombo, favinha de uma côr (Brazil: São Paulo); cabayúcumandá(Paraguay). Rhynchosia rojasii is a rather uniform entity that seems most closely related to R. yucatanensis, especially with regard to shape of leaflets and pods. It differs from that species in its larger, persistent stipules, larger flowers and generally longer racemes.

  • Distribution

    Distribution. Southern Paraguay and adjacent Brazil and Argentina (Misiones) (Fig. 6). Occurring in forests, on limestone hills, in clearings and along river margins at elevations usually less than 1000 m.

    Argentina South America| Brazil South America| Paraguay South America|