Chamaecrista choriophylla

  • Title

    Chamaecrista choriophylla

  • Authors

    Howard S. Irwin, Rupert C. Barneby

  • Scientific Name

    Chamaecrista choriophylla (Vogel) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

  • Description

    18. Chamaecrista choriophylla (Vogel) Irwin & Barneby, comb. nov. Cassia choriophylla Vogel, Syn. Gen. Cass. 56 & Linnaea 11: 706, descr. ampliat. 1837.—Typus infra sub var. choriophylla indicatur.

    Coarsely leafy subshrubs 1.5-5 dm, with several or many simple or distally few-branched stems erect or incurved-ascending from a xylopodium, glabrous up to the minutely puberulent ovary and sometimes vestigially strigulose stipules and lf-stalks, floriferous from many axils above the middle, the internodes terete or angulate or alate by sharp-edged ribs decurrent from each stipule and petiole, the ample coriaceous 2-foliolate lvs olivaceous concolorous, sometimes glaucescent when fresh.

    Stipules ascending, variable (according to variety) in size and outline, 1.5-14 mm, at base 1-8 mm wide, 3-21-nerved, the blades firm, subpungently mucronulate.

    Lvs stiffly ascending toward the meridian, (2-)2.5-7.5 cm, stoutly short-petioled, the petiole rounded dorsally, narrowly thick-margined ventro-laterally, widely shallowly sulcate ventrally, dilated at apex; petiolar gland adjacent to or between the pulvinules, variable according to variety, sessile or stoutly short- stipitate, 1-2.7 mm diam; lfts 1 pair, narrowly ascending, turned half face to face, in outline obliquely elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or elliptic-obovate, obtuse or subacuminate, pungently mucronulate, (1.7-)2.2-7 x (0.45-)0.7-4 cm, at asymmetric base broadly rounded-subcordate on proximal side, broadly cuneate on the other, the coriaceous blades subequally venose on both faces, mostly 5-nerved from base, the midrib excentric, only 1-2 primary lateral nerves produced nearly or quite to apex, the outer ones early anastomosing with a strong corneous marginal nerve, the midrib pinnately many-branched, thence more finely reticulate-venulose.

    Peduncles axillary, solitary or geminate, 0.5-2 mm, the axis 1-3-fld, 0-6 mm; pedicels ascending, strongly compressed and ribbed, bracteolate near or above middle, sometimes near apex; bracts and bracteoles resembling stipules but smaller, persistent; buds ovoid-acute glabrous; sepals elliptic-ovate acute 10.5-19 mm; petals (much eaten, poorly known) yellow, 4 (unequal) obovate-cuneate to 2-2.8 cm, the dimidiate fifth one as long or longer, falcate; stamens 10, the anthers 4-8 mm, minutely puberulent along the sutures; gynoecium divaricate; ovary strigulose; ovules 9-15; style linear-cylindric, incurved distally, 7-15 mm.

    Pod erect, 5-8 x 0.6-1.15 cm, straight or curved outward, the valves reddish- brown nigrescent, minutely puberulent; seeds (little known) quadrate or oblong, the testa atrocastaneous, densely lineolate-pitted.