Acacia globulifera Saff ., J, Wash. Acad. Sei. 4: 360. 1914 Myrmecodendron globuliferum (Saff.) Britton & Rose , N. Amer. FI. 23: 93. 1928 Acacia donnelliana Saff ., J. Wash. Acad. Sei. 4: 361. 1914 Myrmecodendron donnellianum (Saff.) Britton & Rose , N. Amer. FI. 23: 93. 1928 Taxonomic Revision of the Ant-Acacias (Fabaceae, Mimosoideae, Acacia, Series Gummiferae) of the New World David S. Seigler John E. Ebinger Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 1995 82 117 138 8PB6 767872 Saff Saff Magnoliopsida Fabaceae Acacia Plantae Fabales 11 128 Tracheophyta species globulifera     Acacia donnelliana Saff., J. Wash. Acad. Sei. 4: 361. 1914.  Myrmecodendron donnellianum (Saff.) Britton & Rose, N. Amer. FI. 23: 93. 1928. type: Honduras. Santa Barbara: San Pedro de Sula, Cortes,  600 ft.,  Mar. 1888, C. Thieme 5216( holotype, US).  Shrub or small tree usually less than 3 (rarely 10) m tall, young twigs brown to reddish brown, glabrous to lightly puberulent. Stipular spines (Fig. IB) usually dark brown to black (sometimes yellow to ivory), smooth, terete, glabrous to lightly puberulent, symmetrical, V-shaped with an angle of 40-120°, straight to reflexed near the apex, 25-60 mmlong, 4-7 mmthick near the base. Leaves 60-250 mmlong; pinnae 6-26 pairs per leaf, 30-65 mmlong, 6-11 mmbetween pinna pairs, rachis grooved, glabrous to lightly puberulent, a small volcano-shaped gland present between each pinna pair; petiole grooved, glabrous to lightly puberulent, 8-18 mmlong. Petiolar glands (Fig. 1 G) volcano-shaped, commonly laterally compressed, densely puberulent, usually lightly striate, apex nearly circular, 0.3-0.9 mmacross, base 1-2 mmacross, usually 2-5 glands scattered along the petiole. Leaflets 20-50 pairs per pinna, glabrous, linear, 4-6 mmlong, 0.6-1.2 mmwide, lateral veins not obvious, only one vein from the base, apex mostly acute. Inflorescence a densely flowered globose head 4-7 mmacross, in clusters of 4-8 inthe axil of slightly reduced leaves, or in small clusters in the axil of small spines on lateral, usually leafless branches; peduncles glabrous to lightly puberulent, 6-25 mmlong, 0.5-1.0 mm thick, nearly the same thickness throughout; involucre located on the lower 1/4 of the peduncle, glabrous to lightly puberulent, 4-lobed. Floral bracts peltate, apex circular, the stalk about 1 mmlong. Flowers sessile; calyx 5-lobed, glabrous, 1-1.5 mmlong; corolla 5-lobed, glabrous, pale yellow, 1.5-2.0 mm long. Legumes slightly curved, elliptical to nearly terete in cross section, 50-90 mmlong, 9-12 mmwide, glabrous, not striate, black to dark brown, dehiscent along one suture, stipe less than 5 mmlong, the apex narrowing to a terminal spinelike beak usually less than 10 mmlong. Flowering January-April.  Distribution. In riparian and swamp successional stages as well as open, dry habitats, from sea level to about 1200 m, in southern Mexico (Campeche, Oaxaca, Yucatan), Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras.   Representative specimens. BELIZE. El Cayo: Vaca, Gentle 2275( AA,  F,  MICH,  MO,  NY).  GUATEMALA.  Amatitlan: Laguna (Lake Amatitlan),  1200 m, Kellerman 5042( UC).  Guatemala:  20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9, Janzen 1565( F,  GH,  MEX,  MICH,  MO,  US).  El Peten: in Mananche, Contreras 5480( F,  MICH,  US).  Zacapa: along Rio Teculutan, above Teculutan,  250-275 m, Steyermark 42146( F,  NY).  HONDURAS. Cut over river valley lands, Yoro  2800 ft., Edwards P- 748( AA,  F);   26 mi. SW of San Pedro Sula on hwy. 18, Janzen 1608( F);   10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18, Janzen 1634( F,  MICH,  MO,  UC,  US).  MEXICO. Campeche:  48 mi. NE of Puerto Real (Isla Aguada) on hwy. 180, Janzen 611( F,  MICH,  US).  Oaxaca:  11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185, Janzen 1502( F,  GH,  MEX,  MICH,  MO,  NY,  UC,  WIS).  Quintana Roo: en San Josede la Montana, km 8 de la carreterra a TomasGarrido, Cabrera et al. 4504( MEX).   Yucatan:  Silam, Gaumer 655( F,  GH,  US).   Acacia globuliferais easily distinguished from most ant-acacias by its spherical inflorescences, small leaflets that lack obvious secondary veins, and 2-5 narrow volcano-shaped petiolar glands. It is most closely related to A. chiapensisand has been occasionally combined with it ( Janzen, 1974). These two species differ, however, in petiolar glands, inflorescence clusters, and fruit characteristics (see discussion under A. chiapensis). Acacia globuliferais commonly found in riparian or relatively dry sites from sea level to about 1200 m, which is the upper elevation limit of ant-acacias. It usually grows in open, fully insolated habitats, rarely exceeds 3 min height, and is usually restricted to young successional habitats ( Janzen, 1974). Beltian body production in Acacia globuliferais typical of that found in most ant-acacias that inhabit more open sites. These bodies, which are less than 0.8 mmlong, usually are present on more than half of the leaflets of a developing leaf. The bodies are rarely seen, as they are usually "harvested"soon after development by obligate acacia- ants.  Acacia globuliferais similar to A. chiapensis inthat many individuals of both species are cyanogenic; the cyanogenic glycoside of A. globuliferais ( R)- epiproacacipetalin, whereas that of A. chiapensisis ( S)- proacacipetalin. Of the specimens of A. globuliferatested, most gave a positive test for HCN. Of these specimens, however, nearly one- third required the addition of emulsin to give a positive test. This suggests that many individuals of this species either lack the enzyme capable of hydrolyzing the cyanoglycoside, or that the enzyme is inactivated by drying and storage ( Seigler & Ebinger, 1987).  Janzen (1974)suggested that Acacia globuliferamay occasionally hybridize with a non-ant-acacia of the A. macracanthacomplex. During the present study no specimens were found that would indicate hybridization involving this species. 1058479835 1931041546 1895-04 F G. F. Gaumer Mexico http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/vh/specimen_details.php?irn=40022 at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan holotype 1058479908 1895-04 US G. F. Gaumer Mexico at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan holotype 1058479867 1895-04 GH G. F. Gaumer Mexico at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan isotype 1058479906 1895-04 MO G. F. Gaumer Mexico at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan isotype 1058479878 1895-04 NY G. F. Gaumer Mexico at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan isotype 1058479874 1895-04 US G. F. Gaumer Mexico at the port of Silam (Tzilam), N coast of Yucatan 11 128 1 Yucatan isotype 1058479905 1888-03 US C. Thieme Honduras 183 m San Pedro de Sula, Cortes 11 128 5216 1 Santa Barbara holotype 1058479828 AA Gentle Belize Vaca 11 128 2275 1 El Cayo 1058479850 F Gentle Belize Vaca 11 128 2275 1 El Cayo 1058479879 MICH Gentle Belize Vaca 11 128 2275 1 El Cayo 1058479909 MO Gentle Belize Vaca 11 128 2275 1 El Cayo 1058479885 NY Gentle Belize Vaca 11 128 2275 1 El Cayo 1058479935 UC Kellerman Guatemala 1200 m Laguna (Lake Amatitlan) 11 128 5042 1 Amatitlan 1058479911 F Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479937 GH Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479949 MEX Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479893 MICH Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479841 MO Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479875 US Janzen Guatemala 20.5 mi. NE Guatemala City on hwy. 9 11 128 1565 1 Amatitlan 1058479901 F Contreras Guatemala in Mananche 11 128 5480 1 El Peten 1058479871 MICH Contreras Guatemala in Mananche 11 128 5480 1 El Peten 1058479883 US Contreras Guatemala in Mananche 11 128 5480 1 El Peten 1058479951 F Steyermark Guatemala 250 - 275 m 275 250 along Rio Teculutan, above Teculutan 11 128 42146 1 Zacapa 1058479930 NY Steyermark Guatemala 250 - 275 m 275 250 along Rio Teculutan, above Teculutan 11 128 42146 1 Zacapa 1058479941 AA Edwards Honduras 853 m Yoro 11 128 P- 748 1 Zacapa 1058479904 F Edwards Honduras 853 m Yoro 11 128 P- 748 1 Zacapa 1058479843 F Janzen Honduras 26 mi. SW of San Pedro Sula on hwy. 18 11 128 1608 1 Zacapa 1058479870 F Janzen Honduras 10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18 11 128 1634 1 Zacapa 1058479902 MICH Janzen Honduras 10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18 11 128 1634 1 Zacapa 1058479931 MO Janzen Honduras 10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18 11 128 1634 1 Zacapa 1058479849 UC Janzen Honduras 10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18 11 128 1634 1 Zacapa 1058479844 US Janzen Honduras 10.4 mi. SW of Santa Rosa on hwy. 18 11 128 1634 1 Zacapa 1058479892 F Janzen Mexico 48 mi. NE of Puerto Real (Isla Aguada) on hwy. 180 11 128 611 1 Campeche 1058479900 MICH Janzen Mexico 48 mi. NE of Puerto Real (Isla Aguada) on hwy. 180 11 128 611 1 Campeche 1058479865 US Janzen Mexico 48 mi. NE of Puerto Real (Isla Aguada) on hwy. 180 11 128 611 1 Campeche 1058479932 F Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479907 GH Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479928 MEX Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479855 MICH Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479947 MO Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479966 NY Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479917 UC Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479957 WIS Janzen Mexico 11.3 mi. N of intersection of Mexico hwy. 185 and 190, on hwy. 185 11 128 1502 1 Oaxaca 1058479898 MEX Cabrera et al. Mexico en San Jose de la Montana, km 8 de la carreterra a Tomas Garrido 11 128 4504 1 Quintana Roo 1058479903 F Gaumer Mexico Silam 11 128 655 1 Yucatan 1058479926 GH Gaumer Mexico Silam 11 128 655 1 Yucatan 1058479899 US Gaumer Mexico Silam 11 128 655 1 Yucatan