Swartzia pilulifera Benth.
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Authority
Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type collection. P. Claussen 108 (holotype K; isotype G), Cachoeira do Campos, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Synonyms
Tounatea pilulifera (Benth.) Taub., Tunatea pilulifera (Benth.) Kuntze
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Description
Description - Tree, the branchlets densely pilosulose and glabrescent; stipules usually deciduous, (1 -)3-4(-9) mm long, linear, pilosulose or strigulose externally, glabrous within; petioles marginate and stipellate apically, (4-)7-14(-20) mm long, densely pilosulose; rachis (1.5-)2-4.5(-10.5) cm long, pilosulose, narrowly alate, the wing 1-3.5 mm wide and stipellate at the apex; leaflets 2-4-jugate, the petiolules (0.5-) 1-2 mm long, pilosulose, the blades elliptic to narrowly elliptic, the base acute to subobtuse, the apex bluntly acute, sometimes emarginate, the lower pair of leaflets (1.5-)3.5-5 cm long, 2 cm wide, the other pairs (2.5-)4-9(-10.5) cm long, 1-2.5 (-3.5) cm wide, pilose on both surfaces but the upper surface sometimes becoming glabrous with the exception of the costa, the venation obscure, plane on the upper surface, only the costa salient beneath; inflorescence racemose, axillary or terminal on young lateral branchlets, infrequently ramuligerous, (3-)4.5-11 cm long, the axis pilosulose, the bracts deciduous to persistent, 1.5-3 mm long, lanceolate-linear, pilosulose externally, glabrous within, the bracteoles lacking or infrequently evident in the basal half of each inflorescence, persistent, 2-2.5 mm long, linear; pedicels (3-)6-9 mm long, pilosulose; buds globose, apiculate, 3-5 mm diameter, pilosulose; calyx segments glabrous within, pilosulose externally; corolla lacking; larger stamens 2, the filaments 3-4.5 mm long, glabrous, the anthers 1-1.5 mm long, 0.6-0.9 mm wide, oval, glabrous, the pollen globose, ca 20.8 µ diameter, or oval, ca 21 µ long, 18 µ diameter, the smaller stamens glabrous, the filaments 3-5 mm long, the anthers oblate, 0.6-0.7 mm long, 0.7-0.9 mm wide, the pollen globose, 18-21 µ diameter; stigma, punctiform; style 0.3-1 mm long, glabrous; ovary oval in outline, 1.5-3 mm long, 1-2 mm wide, pilose, the gynophore 1-3.5 mm long, pilose; fruit 10-12(-24) mm long, 7-9(-14) mm diameter, oval in outline, the stipe 3-4.5 mm long, pilose.
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Discussion
While this species is geographically much closer to S. apetala, it is morphologically much more similar to species in the norther part of this complex, especially to S. steyermarkii. The latter has pubescent, longer stamen filaments, and leaflets that are glabrous on the upper surface; there is also a subtle difference in the degree to which the venation is evident. From S. apetala, S. pilulifera differs in its densely pubescent gynoecium and fruit; except for the strigulose ovary which sometimes occurs in one variety of S. apetala, the latter species is characterized by a glabrous gynoecium.
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Distribution
(Fig. 28). Principally south-central Minas Gerais, Brazil, but also known from one collection each in Santa Catarina and Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America|