Tephrosia fertilis R. T. Queiroz & A. M. G. Azevedo, 2013

Queiroz, Rubens Teixeira De & Tozzi, Ana Maria G. A., 2013, A new species of Tephrosia (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Millettieae) from Misiones, Argentina, Phytotaxa 131 (1), pp. 41-44 : 42-43

Tephrosia fertilis R. T. Queiroz & A. M. G. Azevedo , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

The new species most closely resembles T. adunca , but differs in having robust stems (versus slender), shorter pedicel that is 1.5 times smaller than bracts (versus pedicel 2 times longer than bracts), pilose indumentum covering the calyx (versus sericeous), callus on the standard (versus absent), the standard lacking secretory structure (versus secretory structure present) and longer keel petals.

Type:— ARGENTINA. Misiones: Candelaria, Santa Ana , 24 November 1912 (fl, fr), Rodriguez 654 (Holotype SI!, Isotype SI!) .

Decumbent subshrubs, ca. 50 cm high, robust, slightly branched, the stems pilose to sericeous, rufous, lenticels absent. Stipule 0.5–0.8 × 0.1–0.12 cm, narrowly triangular, sericeous. Leaf 5–17 foliolate, imparipinnate; petiole 0.2–0.5 cm long, sulcate, sericeous; rachis 0.35-0.5 cm long; pulvinule ca. 0.1 cm long, sericeous; leaflets 2.6–4.5 × 0.6–0.9 cm, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, base cuneate, apex rounded, mucronate, lower surface sericeous, upper surface sparsely sericeous, secondary veins 10–14 pairs. Inflorescence axillary or terminal pseudoraceme, 6–20 cm long; peduncle 2.5–5.8 cm long, costate, strigose, cinereous; bracts 2–4 × 0.5–1 mm, narrowly triangular, chartaceous; pedicel 0.3–0.4 cm long, 1.5 times smaller than length of bracts, sericeous. Flowers purple, 1.0– 1.2 cm long; calyx 6.5–7 mm long, campanulate, bilabiate, secretory structure absent, indumentum pilose, teeth 5, 4–8 × 1–2 mm, narrowly triangular; standard 1–12 × 13 mm, callous at base, widely depressed ovate, apex retuse, dorsal surface sericeous, secretory structure absent, claw 1.2 × 0.7 mm; wings 11 × 5 mm, obovate, apex rounded, secretory structure absent, claw ca. 2 × 0.5 mm; keels petals ca. 10 × 5 mm, cucullate, apex acute, base folded, claw ca. 2 × 0.5 mm; staminal tube ca. 1 mm long, free portion of filaments 3–4.5 mm long; annular disk present at base of sessile ovary; ovary ca. 8 × 0.8 mm, sericeous, ovules 5–18; style ca. 6 mm long, glabrous; stigma penicillate with translucent trichomes. Fruit 42–56 × 3–4 mm, chartaceous, linear, apex falcate, base asymmetric, sericeous, red, persistent calyx. Seeds 8–13, ca. 2.9 × 1.5 mm, oblong, ochraceous coloring, aril absent.

Distribution and habitat: — Only a few specimens of Tephrosia fertilis were found after a comprehensive analysis of the main herbaria with rich collection for South America. It is endemic to Misiones province of Argentina.

Phenology:— Flowering in September, fruiting in December.

Etymology: — The epithet fertilis refers to large quantities of flowers and fruits produced by the plant at one time.

Conservation status:— According to IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2001), we consider this species as Data Deficient (DD).

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— ARGENTINA. Misiones: Candelaria, Loreto, 20 October 1947 (fr.), Montes 552 ( BAB) ; Candelaria, Loreto , 11 November 1908 (fr.), Muniez s.n. ( BAB 28005) ; Llamas 397 ( BAB) ; Candelaria, Santa Ana , 24 November 1912 (fl. fr.), Rodriguez 655 ( SI) ; San Ignácio, Santo Pipó , December 1950 (fl.), Cherini 6148 ( BAB) ; San Pedro, Monte Carlo , 30 December 1949 (fl. fr.), Schwindt 1192 ( K, BAB) .

Notes: — Tephrosia fertilis is commonly identified in herbarium collections as T. adunca Bentham (1839: 432) . These species share some morphological characters such as stipule and leaflet shape, indumentum type and colour, and bracts and calyx teeth morphology. The distinguishing characters for these species are a few flowered inflorescence in T. adunca against many flowered inflorescence in T. fertilis ; the relation between the length of pedicel and bracts that is twice in T. adunca and 1.5 times or less in T. fertilis .

In T. adunca the calyx is sericeous, downy, the standard without callosity and with secretory structure, and the keel petals length 6–9 mm long, while in the new species the calyx indumentum is pilose, the standard callous at the base and without secretory structure and the keel petals longer in T. fertilis than in T. adunca (Table 1). T. fertilis belongs to T. subg. Tephrosia .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tephrosia fertilis. A: Flowering and fruiting branches; B: Flower bud; C: Calyx opened out, inner surface; D: Standard petal; E: Wing petal; F: Keel petal; G: Ovary; H: Staminal tube opened out; I: Immature fruit; J: Immature seed (all Drawn by Klei Souza from Rodriguez 654, holotype).