Chamaecrista ramosa (Vogel) H.S.Irwin & Barneby var. ramosa

Authors

Howard S. Irwin, Rupert C. Barneby

Authority

Irwin, Howard S. & Barneby, Rupert C. 1982. The American Cassiinae. A synoptical revision of Leguminosae tribe Cassieae subtrib Cassiinae in the New World. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35, part 2: 455-918.

Family

Caesalpiniaceae

Scientific Name

Chamaecrista ramosa (Vogel) H.S.Irwin & Barneby var. ramosa

Type

"In Brasilia: Sellow legit inter Victoria [Espirito Santo] et Bahia [=Salvador]; in itinere a Minas ad S. Paulo; Luschnath pr. Bahia in campis pr. mare."—Lecto-isotypus (Irwin, 1964, p. 73): Sello s.n., K! = NY Neg. 1518.—Cassia uniflora Sprengel var. (ß)

Synonyms

Cassia uniflora var. ramosa Benth., Cassia uniflora var. parvifolia Benth., Cassia tetraphylla var. ramosa (Vogel) Amshoff, Cassia savannensis Miq., Chamaecrista ramulosa Killip & Pittier, Chamaecrista rusbyi Britton & Rose ex Pittier, Cassia ramosa var. maritima H.S.Irwin, Cassia ramosa Vogel

Description

Species Description - Erect, assurgent or diffusely trailing, stiffly much-branched shrublets, at anthesis (1—)2—11(—15) dm, varying (both within and between populations) from glabrous except for unilaterally puberulent stems and pedicels or even fully glabrous to densely finely velutinous-puberulent or -pilose throughout, the foliage olivaceous or less often glaucescent, the stems or trunklets often adventitiously rooting when in contact with the ground or when engulfed in sand; stipules ovate-cordate (2-)2.5-8(-9) x (1.5-)2-4.5 mm, varying from much shorter up to as long as or, on some terminal congested branchlets, longer than the internode, all becoming papery, persistent; lf-stalk (1.6-)2-4.5(-5) mm, the petiole 1.2—3(—3.5) mm, the rachis (0.4-)0.6-1.5 mm; petiolar gland ureceolate (0.1-)0.15-0.55(-0.8) mm diam, stipitate but the stipe variable in length and coarseness, the whole in profile pin-, stud- or rarely coarsely trumpet-shaped, 0.4—2 mm tall, 1.6-0.1 mm longer, exceptionally to 0.1 mm shorter than diam of head; lfts obliquely obovate to oblanceolate obtuse or mucronulate-subacute, the larger (distal) pair ¼-½ longer than the proximal, the longest lfts up to 5—13(—15) x 1.5—5.5(—7) mm, 1.8-3.5(-4.5) times longer than wide; pedicels slender wiry, of most fls 12-32(-36) mm, of some late ones shorter; longest sepal 9—14(—15) mm; longest petal (10-)11-18 mm, nearly always a little longer than longest sepal; pod 24-44 x 4.5-6(-7) mm, strigulose, ciliolate along sutures, or glabrous; ovules 11-23.

Distribution and Ecology - Savannas, coastal dunes and restingas, ascending s.-ward and inland into cerrado-caatinga, mostly from near sea level up to 450 m, on Guayana Highland up to 1500 and in interior Bahia to 1000 m, interruptedly widespread over e. S. America: middle and lower Orinoco valley in n.-w. and n. Bolívar, Guárico and Anzoátegui, Venezuela; Guayana Highland and lowland periphery in Bolívar, Venezuela, Guyana, and Terr. do Roraima, Brazil; white or brown sands of the coastal plain of the Guianas and Pará; along immediate coast of n.-e. Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte to Rio de Janeiro; disjunctly inland on highlands of interior Bahia (Sas. do Tombador and Agua de Rega).—Fl. interruptedly throughout the year, especially during and just after rains.

Discussion

Objects

Specimen - 471390, J. N. Rose 20688, Chamaecrista ramosa (Vogel) H.S.Irwin & Barneby var. ramosa, Caesalpiniaceae (150.0), Magnoliophyta; South America, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Cabo Frio Mun.

Distribution

Bahia Brazil South America| Guárico Venezuela South America| Anzoátegui Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Roraima Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|