Mucuna japira A.M.G. Azevedo, K. Agostini & Sazima

De, Tânia M., Lewis, Gwilym P., Mansano, Vidal F. & Tozzi, Ana M. G. A., 2018, A revision of the neotropical Mucuna species (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae), Phytotaxa 337 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

11. Mucuna japira A.M.G. Azevedo, K. Agostini & Sazima , Taxon 54: 452 (451 – 455; figs 1–2). 2005. ( Fig. 14 )

TYPE:— BRAZIL. São Paulo, Ubatuba, 15 July 2002 (fl.) Agostini 1 (holotype: UEC!) .

Liana. Leaves 3-foliolate; pulvinus 5.0–10 × 2.0 mm; petiole 4.5–9.0 cm long; stipels absent; rachis 8.0–9.0 mm long; petiolules 3.0–7.0 mm long; lateral leaflets, 6.2–10.5 × 3.2–5.2 cm, asymmetric at base, cuspidate at apex; apical leaflet elliptic, 10–13.5 × 3.8–6.5 cm, acute at base, cuspidate at apex; hairs adpressed on both surfaces, sparser on the adaxial one. Inflorescence axillary, pseudoracemose; peduncle 4.0– 8.5 cm long; bracts and bracteoles caducous; rachis 4.7–6.4 cm long; pedicels ca. 1.0 cm long. Flowers 5.0–7.0 cm long, calyx 1.7–3.0 cm long, 4-lobed, the adaxial lobe formed by two connate sepals, 5.0 × 3.0 mm, abaxial lobe 12 × 4.0 mm, the lateral lobes 10 × 3.0 mm, acute at apex; corolla reported to be bright yellow (T.M. Moura et al. 1050, 1052 BOTU, K); standard broadly elliptic, 4.8–5.3 × 3.0– 3.5 cm, attenuate at base, rounded at apex, claw 2.0 mm long; wings oblong-elliptic, 6.0–7.0 × 1.5 cm, attenuate at base, obtuse at apex, claw 3.0–4.0 mm long; keel petals oblong, 6.0–7.0 × 1.0 cm, attenuate at base, acute at apex, claw 1.0 mm long. Stamen filaments cream coloured, 6.0–7.0 cm long, glabrous. Style 5.0–6.0 cm long, ovary 10 × 2.0 mm. Pods 10–20 × 4.0 cm, acute at base and apex, with a dense cover of irritant hairs, and ornamented by transversal lamellae. Seeds 1–5 per pod, round (only a photograph of seeds seen).

Taxonomic notes:— Morphologically, it resembles M. rostrata Bentham (1859: 171) the most, but M. japira has yellow flowers (vs. orange in M. rostrata ), and in Brazil M. rostrata occurs only in the Amazonian forest (vs. Atlantic rainforest in M. japira ). Another species in Brazil with a bright yellow corolla is M. sloanei but that species has a short inflorescence rachis, 1.0– 1.5 cm long, stipels persistent, and dense sericeous hairs on the abaxial surface of the leaflets (vs. inflorescence rachis 4.7–6.4 cm long, stipels absent, and sparse adpressed hairs on the abaxial surface of the leaflets in M. japira ).

Phenology:— Flowering in May and June, rarely in October and November, fruiting is recorded in August.

Distribution and habitat:— Mucuna japira is endemic to the Atlantic rainforest in Brazil in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro ( Fig. 1 ). The species occurs in lowland rain forest, in restinga vegetation (on riverine sandbanks), in flooded forests, on sandy soils, and in disturbed areas along rivers from level sea to 440 m.

A REVISION OF THE NEOTROPICAL MUCUNA SPECIES

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MOURA ET AL.

Conservation status:— In agreement with Moura et al. (2013a), M. japira is here assessed as being Endangered [EN B1B2ab(v)]. The species has a restricted extent of occurrence (4,336.53 km 2, EN) and area of occupancy (60 km 2, EN). Mucuna japira is recorded from fewer than ten collection localities, and although it is reported from some protected areas, it is restricted to a highly threatened vegetation type, the Atlantic Rainforest. In addition, the species produces few, mostly infertile, seeds ( Agostini 2008).

Vernacular name: — ‘ Bico de patinho’ in São Paulo state (Agostini, personal comunication).

Representative specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Paraty, Estrada Paraty -Cunha, aprox. 1 km após Paraty , Mata Atlântica , 22 May 1996 (fl.), R. César & V.L.G. Klein 514 ( RB) ; Paraty, beira da estrada para corisco, vegetação perturbada do Rio Mateus Nunes , 29 November 1994 (fl.), L.C. Giordano et al. 1827 ( RB) . São Paulo: São Sebastião, Baraqueçaba , 17 June 1985 (fl.), N. Taroda et al. 17672 ( UEC) ; Ubatuba, Estação Experimental IAC, Floresta Higrófila , 3 June 1995 (fl.), L.C. Bernacci et al. 1918 ( SP, UEC) ; Ubatuba, estrada da farinha; ca 9 km da rodoviária Rio-Santos , 6 May 2000 (fl.), R.C. Forzza & A. Amorim 1532 ( SPF) ; Ubatuba, Picinguaba , 5 November 1988 (fl.), A. Furlan et al. 556 ( HRCB) ; Ubatuba, nucleo Picinguaba , 22 May 1989 (fl.), M. Kirizawa & J.A. Correa 2151 ( UEC) ; Ubatuba , nativa de solos arenosos próximo a praia, 5 May1968 (fl.), H.F. Leitão Filho 440 ( IAC) ; Ubatuba, Picinguaba , 7 August 1988 (fr.), J.E.L.S. Ribeiro et al. 518 ( SPSF) ; Ubatuba, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, núcleo Picinguaba , 18 October 1998 (fl.), R.B. Singer 98/102 ( UEC) ; Ubatuba, Rodovia Rio-Santos , 24 May 2015 (fl.), T. M. Moura et al. 1050 ( BOTU, K) ; Rodovia Rio-Santos, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, entrada núcleo Picinguaba , 24 May 2015 (fl.), T.M. Moura et al. 1052 ( BOTU, K) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geographical distribution of six neotropical species of Mucuna: M. chiapaneca and M. jarocha (endemic to Mexico), M. analuciana and M. japira (endemic to Brazil), M. mollis (endemic to Colombia), and M. rostrata (widely distributed in Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands).

FIGURE 14. Mucuna japira. A—Habit, leaf and inflorescence. B—Leaf. C—Detail of petiole basis showing swollen pulvinus and stipules. D—Calyx opened out, outer surface. E—Standard. F—Wing. G—Keel petals. H—Androecium (stamens 9+1), showing staminal sheath and free vexillary stamen. J—Detail of apical portion of staminal sheath showing alternating stamen morphology. K—Detail of the two alternating anther types. L—Gynoecium. M—Longitudinal section of ovary showing ovules. N—Stigma detail. P—Fruits. A–G drawn from Moura et al. 1052 (K) and accompanying field photography. Drawn by Gustavo Marigo.