Cassia langsdorffii var. longipedicellata

Title

Cassia langsdorffii var. longipedicellata

Authors

Howard S. Irwin

Scientific Name

Cassia langsdorffii var. longipedicellata H.S.Irwin

Description

7b. Cassia langsdorffii var. longipedicellata Irwin, var. nov. Holotype (K) : Brazil, Goiás, "Porto Real." Burchell 8490. 1828-1829. Isotype (GH).

Planta herbacea aut suffruticosa, decumbens aut humifusa, ramos paucos divergentes ad 0.5 m long, habens. Stipulae magnae foliaceae adpressae persistentes, caulem superiorem glabrum omnino aut partim celantes, corclato-ovatae ad -lanceolatae, acuminatae, interdum abrupte, 1.1—1.9 cm long., 0.4-0.7 cm lat., glabrae integrae. Petiolus 0.4-0.5 cm long., canaliculo adaxiali puberulente, superficie abaxiali glabra aut pilis paucis distaliter directis praedita; rachis 0.3-0.5 brevior quam petiolus, terminaliter aristata. Gians 1 plerumque scutellata, 0.3-0.5 mm lat., sessilis aut brevissime stipitata. Foliola bijugata paribus subaequis, per pulvinulum parvum arcuatum brunneum ad atrum 0.7-1.2 mm long, sessilia, oblongo-obovata, plus minusve obliqua, glabra, firme membranacea, 1.4-2.1 cm long., 0.5-0.8 cm lat.; margines integri, saepe distaliter undulati, apice late obtuso rotundatove. Flores axillares singulares; pedicelli recti, glabri aut raro in linea puberulentes, 3.0-4.3 cm long., c. 0.4 mm crass, dum florentes, usque ad 5.2 cm long., 0.8 mm crass, dum frugiferentes; bracteae 2 deltoideo-ovatae, 1.5-2.1 mm long., 0.8-1.5 mm lat., bracteolae suboppositae, lanceolatae ad ovatas, 1.7-2.3 mm long., 1.1-1.6 mm lat.; sepala lanceolata, glabra, 1.3-1.6 cm long., 0.2-0.3 cm lat.; petala flava, quasi aeque longa ac sepala, 0.7-1.2 cm lat.; ovarium subtiliter sericeum, pilis adpressis subcineriis. Siliqua anguste oblonga, 3.6-4.5 cm long., 0.5-0.7 cm lat., superficies quasi cristata super semina, parcissime adpresso-pubescens. Semina non visa.

Decumbent or humifuse herb or subshrub with few divergent branches to 0.5 m long. Stipules large, foliaceous, wholly or partly obscuring the glabrous upper stem, cordate-ovate to -lanceolate, acuminate, sometimes abruptly so, 1.1-1.9 cm long, 0.4-0.7 cm broad, glabrous. Petiole 0.4-0.5 cm long, the adaxial groove puberulent, the abaxial surface glabrous or with a few distally directed hairs; rachis 0.3-0.5 as long as the petiole. Gland 1, usually scutellate, 0.3-0.5 mm broad, sessile or very short-stipitate. Leaflets bijugate, the pairs subequal, sessile by a small arcuate brown or black pulvinule 0.7-1.2 mm long, oblong-obovate, more or less oblique, glabrous, firmly membranacous, 1.4-2.1 cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm broad; margins often distally undulate, the apex broadly obtuse or rounded. Flowers solitary; pedicels straight, glabrous or rarely puberulent in a line, 3.0-4.3 cm long and ca. 0.4 mm thick in flower, up to 5.2 cm long and 0.8 mm thick in fruit; bracts 2, deltoid-ovate, 1.5-2.1 mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm broad; bracteoles subopposite, lanceolate to ovate, 1.7-2.3 mm long, 1.1-1.6 mm broad; sepals lanceolate, glabrous, 1.3-1.6 cm long, 0.2-0.3 cm broad; petals about as long as the sepals, 0.7-1.2 cm broad; ovary finely sericeous with appressed grayish hairs. Pod narrowly oblong, 3.6—4.5 cm long, 0.5-0.7 cm broad, faces somewhat cristate over the seeds, very sparsely appressed-pubescent. Seeds not seen.

Chromosome number: not determined.

Distribution: Brazil: central Goiás in the drainage of the upper Rio Tocantíns, elevation 1800-3000 feet. Habitats not known.

This variety is based on 3 collections by Burchell, all taken in 1828-1829 in the vicinity of Porto Real, and one by Gardner from "Goyaz" in 1841. Since central Goiás has received very little attention in more recent years, it is not surprising that additional material has failed to appear in herbaria. It may be significant, in regard to the southern distributional limit of this variety, that in the Machris Expedition to the Chapada dos Veadeiros, south of Burchell’s stations, and the present author s visit to Serra da Caiapó, in southwestern Goiás, no material referable to this variety was found.