Mimosa gardneri

  • Title

    Mimosa gardneri

  • Author(s)

    Rupert C. Barneby

  • Scientific Name

    Mimosa gardneri Benth.

  • Description

    243. Mimosa gardneri Bentham, J. Bot. (Hooker) 4: 405. 1842.—Brazil, Pohl; Goyaz, Gardner, n. 2136.", the data expanded and emended in Martius, Fl. bras. 15(2): 387. 1876: "in provincia Goyaz ad Serra da Natividade: Gardner 3136 ... in eadem provincia ?: Pohl"—Lectotypus, Gardner 3136, K (hb. Hook.)! = NY Neg. 11660; isotypi, +B = F Neg. 1387! BM! G! K (hb. Benth.)! = NY Neg. 1910; syntypi, Pohl d.1469, K! NY! W! = M. albolanata var. paucipinna.

    M. gardneri sensu Bentham, 1875:440, ex parte, quoad typum.

    Habit not inferred from specimens available but described by Gardner as arborescent 2-2.6 m, the axis of extended efoliate, simple or few-branched pseudoraceme hispid with spreading and then loosely incurved-ascending, basally bulbous (0.2-0.4 mm diam.), tapering yellowish setae 3-6 mm, nowhere glandular, the firm brown sublustrous lfts facially glabrous, thinly pilosulous- and setose-ciliate. Stipules firm, triangular-acuminate ±10 x 4-5 mm, glabrous castaneous within, caducous. Leaf-stalks to 26-43 cm, the stout petiole including hard obese pulvinus ± 10 x 4-5 mm, the interpinnal segments 10-20 mm; no spicules or paraphyllidia; pinnae 20-25-jug., a little accrescent distally, the rachis of longer ones becoming ±10-13 mm, the interfoliolar segments ±2 mm; lfts of longer pinnae to 55-65-jug., scarcely graduated, the blades linear-oblong from obtusangulate base, the longer ones 8-10.5x 1.5-2 mm, 4.5-6 times as long as wide, weakly 3-nerved. Pseudoracemes including short common peduncle 2-3.5 dm; peduncles of capitula at anthesis 1-2.5 cm; capitula globose, without filaments 12-13 mm diam.; bracts narrowly oblanceolate 4-5 mm, densely setose dorsally from base upward; calyx-tube 0.3 mm, together with setiform cilia 2 mm; corolla narrowly vase-shaped 5-6 mm, the externally setulose lobes ±2 x 1 mm; filaments pink, monadelphous through nearly 1 mm, exserted 12 mm; pod unknown.

    Habitat not recorded, to be expected in cerrado near 700 m or higher, known from the type-collection made by Gardner in December 1839 on Sa. da Natividade near 11°50'S and from one modem collection from Teresina de Goiás near 13°30'S in centr. Goiás, Brazil.—Fl. XII-?

    Mimosa gardneri is inconveniently intermediate between M. claussenii sensu lato and M. albolanata sensu lato, having the stature, the very long leaves and the relatively long leaflets of the former but the extended pseudoraceme and short individual peduncles of the latter. The type-specimens, cut off at base of the simple or branched pseudoraceme, were taken, according to Gardner’s label at Kew, from a small tree, a stature never attained or even approached, so far as known, by M. albolanata. Serra da Natividade lies far to the north of any known population of M. albolanata, but much nearer to the also arborescent M. claussenii var. corneiseta at about 14°S on Chapada dos Veadeiros. Until the stature of true M. gardneri can be confirmed and the pod made known, no evaluation of its relationships is possible. I am obliged to accept it provisionally as a distinct species.

    Bentham’s concept of M. gardneri was based from the first on a mixture of the arborescent lectotype and suffruticose M. albolanata represented by Pohl d.1469. His extended description in Flora brasiliensis introduced further elements of M. albolanata, of which he particularly noted the softer, more pliant setae. The epithet gardneri has since been applied in herbaria to a variety of large-leaved Pachycarpae and the tme plant of Gardner has dropped out of sight.

    The type-number Gardner 3136 was recorded by error in the protologue as 2136, a mistake corrected in Flora brasiliensis.