Calliandra depauperata Benth.

Authors

Rupert C. Barneby

Authority

Barneby, Rupert C. 1998. Silk tree, guanacaste, monkey's earring: A generic system for the synandrous Mimosaceae of the Americas. Part III. Calliandra. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 74: 1-223.

Family

Mimosaceae

Scientific Name

Calliandra depauperata Benth.

Type

"... in provincia Bahia: Blanchet n. 3900 (specimina pauca vidi in Herb. Martii)."— Holotypus, BR n.v.; presumed isotypus, Blanchet 148, BM!. — Feuilleea depauperata O. Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 187. 1891. Fig. 6

Synonyms

Calliandra depauperata Benth.

Description

Species Description - Small or diminutive, stiffly repeatedly branched, microphyllous shrubs mostly 2-9 dm, occasionally attaining 2 m in thickets, with smooth blanched older stems, the widely divergent or horizontal short-shoots thorn-tipped at maturity, the young stems and back of lf-axes thinly pilosulous with fine white hairs or subglabrous, the minute crowded lfts facially glabrous, cili(ol)ate or not, the few-fld capitula arising singly or geminate from coeval lf-axils toward apex of lateral branchlets or from stemless brachyblasts; resting-buds not present at anthesis, sometimes developed later; phyllotaxy distichous. Stipules erect, narrowly lanceolate 0.8-3 mm, pallidly (1-)3-5-nerved dorsally, becoming dry brittle, deciduous. Lf-formula either i or i—iii/8—16(—17), the pinnae of most lvs, in some plants of all lvs, conjugate, the petiole deflexed from pulvinus; lf-stks (including small pulvinus) 1-4 mm, the petiole ±1-1.5 mm, at middle 0.2-0.3 mm diam, the interpinnal segment(s), when present, 1-2.3 mm; rachis of longer pinnae 3-8(-10) mm, the longer interfoliolar segments 0.15-0.7 mm; lft-pulvinules minute, not over 0.1 mm; lfts ± decrescent proximally, the blades narrowly oblong-elliptic or linear-oblong from shortly auriculate base, obtuse, the longer ones 1.5-3.6 x 0.45-0.9 mm, (3-)3.4-4.4 times as long as wide; venation of upper face of lfts imperceptible, the very slender, simple, subcentric midrib faintly prominulous beneath. Peduncles mostly 1-3 mm, sometimes obsolescent, rarely attaining 14(—16) mm, when well developed obviously 1-bracteate, the receptacle <1 mm; bracts triangular-lanceolate 0.5-1.7 mm, incurved, persistent; capitula (l-)2-4(-6)-fld, the fls sessile, homomorphic; perianth greenish or dark reddish, glabrous or remotely puberulent distally, both calyx and corolla pallidly 5-ribbed, obtusangu- late, the androecium crimson; calyx deeply campanulate 1.7-2.1 x 0.7-0.8 mm, the teeth 0.4—0.65 mm; corolla tubular 3-4.2 mm, 0.75-0.9 mm diam, the nearly erect, subulate lobes 0.5-0.6 mm; androecium 8-15-merous, 8.5-12 mm, the stemonozone ±0.5 mm, the tube 2-3 mm; a thin nectary ±0.7 mm tall around stipe of ovary; ovary glabrous at anthesis; style well exserted, the stigma dilated to ±0.25 mm diam. Pods solitary, erect, linear-oblanceolate, when well fertilized 30-45 x 0.5-0.6 mm, 4-8-seeded, the sutural ribs 1-2-1.7 mm wide in dorsal view, the recessed valves thinly coriaceous, transversely venulose, the whole minutely remotely puberulent; ripe seeds unknown. Calliandra depauperata is instantly recognized by stiff, often repeatedly and intricately branched stems, minute leaves loosely deflexed in dried specimens, small, commonly 2-4-flowered capitula, and 8-15- merous androecium.

Distribution and Ecology - In caatinga and caatinga transitional to cerrado, 320-420 m, locally subdominant, often associated with cactaceae, localized in e. Brazil: n.-e. quarter of state of Bahia and immediately adjoining Piauí and Pernambuco, mostly within the lower S. Francisco valley, but extending n. just into s.-w. Ceará (±6° 30'N) and s. in the e. foothills of Chapada Diamantina to 14°S. — Map 21. — Fl. I—V.

Discussion

Calliandra depauperata is instantly recognized by stiff, often repeatedly and intricately branched stems, minute leaves loosely deflexed in dried specimens, small, commonly 2-4-flowered capitula, and 8-15- merous androecium.

Common Names

Carqueija, Alecrim-do-campo

Distribution

Bahia Brazil South America| Piauí Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America|