Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes

  • Title

    Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes

  • Authors

    Howard S. Irwin

  • Scientific Name

    Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes (Benth.) H.S.Irwin

  • Description

    16e. Cassia tetraphylla var. brevipes (Bentham) Irwin, comb. nov. Isotype examined (K): Brazil, Goiás, "Rio Lage in Serra da Chrystaes.’' Pohl 843. 1818.

    Cassia desvauxii var. brevipes Benth., in Mart. FI. Bras. XV (II): 157. 1870.

    Cassia desvauxii var. slipulacea Pilger, Eng. Both. Jahrb. 30: 158. 1901. Isotype examined (US): Brazil, Mato Grosso, "zerstreut am Rande des Ulcrwaldes am oberen Ronuro.’ Pilger 621. May 1899.

    Chamaecrista lehmannii Britt. & Rose, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 35: 184. 1936. Holotype examined (NY): Colombia, "Guagua, Huila." F. C. Lehmann 1095, w/o date (collected in Colombia 1880-1899).

    Shrub or subshrub to 1.5 m, simple or with few to numerous ascending or erect branches, the young branches puberulent or pubescent. Stipules lanceolate- to ovate- or deltoid-cordate, acute or acuminate, 0.5-1.1 (—1.3) cm long, 2.0-3.2 mm broad, puberulent or glabrous, often ciliolate. Petiole 2.5-6.0 mm long, finely pubescent; rachis 0.3-0.5 as long as petiole. Gland 1, scutellate, 0.3-0.6 mm broad, often somewhat depressed. Leaflets bijugate, the superior pair usually slightly longer, joined to rachis by a small linear, arcuate, or semi-orbicular black or brown pulvinule 0.4—1.0 mm long, linear to lanceolate, straight or slightly inflexed, glabrous or puberulent, firmly membranaceous or sometimes subcoriaceous, 1.9-3.0 cm long, 3.0-7.9 mm broad; margins often distally ciliolate, the apex acute or obtuse and mucronate. Flowers solitary, rarely in pairs; pedicels finely pubescent, 2.0-1.2 (-2.4) cm long and ca. 0.4 mm thick in flower, up to 1.5 (or 3.0?) cm long and 0.8 mm thick in fruit; bracts 2, ovate or deltoid, 1.4-1.7 mm long, 0.8-1.3 mm broad; bracteoles nearly or quite opposite, usually divergent, broadly lanceolate or ovate, 2.9-3.8 mm long, 1.5-2.6 mm broad; sepals lanceolate, glabrous, 1.5-2.1 cm long, 3.2-4.2 mm broad; petals 1.7-2.4 cm long, 1.3-2.0 cm broad; ovary yellow- or gray-pubescent. Pod narrowly oblong, 2.7-3.5 cm long, 4.5-5.5 mm broad, valves usually flat, finely pubescent. Seeds 10-16, compressed, 3.5-4.0 mm long, 1.0-1.4 mm broad.

    Chromosome number: not determined.

    Distribution: Colombia, eastward through Venezuela and the Guianas to Pará, southward to Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Bolivia. Occurring in savannas and low open woods, mainly on sandy soils, from 500-3000 feet elevation.

    The present concept of C. tetraphylla var. brevipes differs from that of Bentham in 2 ways. First, and as has been mentioned in connection with C. langsdorffii Kunth, Spruce’s 3646 from the Orinoco and numerous additional collections since made in that area, especially on the Esmeralda savannahs of the state of Amazonas, Venezuela, are relegated to the present taxon and not to C. langsdorffii. This treatment is justified on the basis of complete morphological agreement of this material with that of C. tetraphylla var. brevipes from adjacent areas in all respects save habit. The Orinoco plants are often strictly erect and sometimes unbranched.

    The second difference involves the inclusion of Chamaecrista lehmannii Britt. & Rose of Colombia, which differs only in having longer pedicels (maximum lengths indicated parenthetically in the above description). Since pedicel length exhibits considerable variation throughout the range of this variety, there would seem no good reason to exclude Ch. lehmannii on this basis.

    C. desvauxii var. stipulacea, a minor variant, differs only in having slightly longer stipules (to 1.3 cm) and somewhat more copious pubescence on the legume.

    Typification of this taxon is based on Bentham’s first citation in his original description in Flora Brasiliensis. It is not clear why he excluded Burchell 8943, an earlier collection from the same region in Goiás, which agrees in every detail with Pohl’s material, but which he referred to C. desvauxii Collad. Evidently there was considerable confusion in Bentham’s mind over the status of this taxon, not only stemming from his confounding it with C. langsdorffii, but also concerning his apparent doubt about its existence as a natural entity, as indicated by his placing a query before the name in his monograph. Presently available material clearly indicates its existence, but intergrades with C. tetraphylla var. aurivilla Irwin (e.g. Burchell 8986) and C. tetraphylla var. tetraphylla (e.g. Pearce s.n. from Bolivia) do occur.

    BOLIVIA: Flat tops of sandstone hills, Santa Cruz, Feb. 1950, M. Cardenas 4473 (US); Canton Buena Vista, Sara, 18 June 1916, J. Steinbach 2014 (SI); Campo Banado, Buena Vista, Sara, 16 Feb. 1920, J. Steinbach 5241 (GH); Chacras de Buena Vista, Sara, 8 July 1924, J. Steinbach 6200 (GH); Campos de Buenavista, Sara, 14 Aug. 1924, J. Steinbach 6337 (BM, F).

    BRAZIL, AMAPA: Porto Platón, Rio Araguarí, 5 Feb. 1955, J. M. Pires & N. T. Silva 4779 (NY). BAHIA: Caatinga, Junco (?), 1914, Leutzelburg 201 (NY). CEARA: Serra de Araripe, Feb. 1859, Gardner 2412 (BM); w/o locality, w/o date, Schuch 95 (?) (NY). GOIAS: Funil —São João, w/o date (1828-9), Burchell 8943 (K); Funil—São João, w/o date (1828—9), Burchell 8986 (K); Funil-São João, w/o date (1828-9), Burchell 9038 (GH, K); 102 km SE of Caiaponha on road to Jataí, 4 Feb. 1959, H. S. Irwin 2580 (MICH, NY, R, TEX, UC, US, VIC). MATO GROSSO: Mattogrosso, July 1892, O. Kuntze s.n. (NY, US). PARA: Campos de Ariramba, 9 Dec. 1910, A. Ducke 11395 (BM); Campos de Ariramba, Rio Trombetas, 30 June 1912, A. Ducke 11870 (BM, MG); Coary, campo da Frequezia Velha, 14 Dec. 1912, A. Ducke 12386 (MG) ; Campo do Mutúm, Ariramba, Rio Trombetas, 28, May 1957, W. A. Egler 333 (MG) ; Mutúm, Rio Cuminá Miri, Rio Trombetas, 28 May 1957, W. A. Egler 370 (MG); Pará, w/o date, Herb. Persoon s.n. (P). RIO BRANCO: Vista Alegre, Rio Branco, Mar. 1915, J. G. Kuhlmann 2892 (S, U) .

    BRITISH GUIANA: Berbice, Apr. 1925, R. A. Alison 109 (K, U); Frechal, Mount Roraima and vicinity, 6 Sept. 1927, G. H. H. Tate 27 (NY).

    COLOMBIA: Cerro Kañendá, Río Kubiyú, Vaupés, 10 Nov. 1952, R. E. Schultes & I. Cabrera 18330 (NY, SI, US); Boca de Monte, Llanos de San Martín, Meta, 16 Aug. 1950, S. G. Smith & J. M. Idrobo 1414 (F, MO, UC, US).

    PERU: Pata, Dec. 1864, R. Pearce s.n. (K).

    SURINAM: Zanderij-complex, 31 July 1952, J. G. P. Dirven LP 306 (U)- Zanderij-complex, 31 July 1952, J. P. Dirven LP 307 (U); Poika Savannah, 4 July 1951 A. T. Semble 375 (US).

    VENEZUELA: La Esmeralda, 17 July 1951, L. Croizat 191 (NY); West from Santa Barbara lor about 5 km, Río Orinoco and Río Ventuari junction, 25 Feb. 1951, B. Maguire, R. S. Cowan, & J. J. Wurdack 32071-B (NY); Esmeralda savannah, 25 Mar. 1953 B. Maguire & J. J. Wurdach 34636 (MO, NY, UC); Maypures, June 1854, R. Spruce 3646 (KV Sabana Grande, at southern base or Cerro Duida, 23 Aug. 1944, J. A. Steyermark 57861 (F, MO); Esmeralda, Upper Orinoco, 15 May 1912, L. Williams 15383 (F US)- Esmeralda Upper Orinoco, 15 May 1942. L. Williams 15407 (F, US) ; Esmeralda, upper Orinoco, 16 May 1942, L. Williams 15440 (F, SI, US); Cano San Miguel, Río Guainia, June 1942, L. Williams 16173 (F, MO, SI, US).