Entada obliqua (Burtt Davy) S.A. O'Donnell & G.P. Lewis, 2022

O'Donnell, Shawn A., Ringelberg, Jens J. & Lewis, Gwilym P., 2022, Re-circumscription of the mimosoid genus Entada including new combinations for all species of the phylogenetically nested Elephantorrhiza (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade), PhytoKeys 205, pp. 99-145 : 99

Entada obliqua (Burtt Davy) S.A. O'Donnell & G.P. Lewis comb. nov.

= Elephantorrhiza obliqua Burtt Davy var. glabra E. Phillips, Bothalia 1: 189. 1923.

Type.

SOUTH AFRICA. Transvaal, between Carolina and Oshoek, ~ 1.6 km from Robinson’s Farm, J. Burtt Davy 2976 (holotype: BM [BM000081856]; isotypes: FHO, K [K000232281]) .

Basionym.

Elephantorrhiza obliqua Burtt Davy, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1921: 191. 1921.

Description.

Geoxylic suffrutex with erect, annual, usually unbranched stems up to 30 cm from underground axes, stems pubescent to glabrous. Leaves: primary and secondary axes glabrous to sparsely pubescent; petiole 2-6 cm long; rachis (0-)1.5-9 cm long; pinnae (1-)2-6 pairs per leaf, 2-11 cm long, with 4-13(-21) pairs of leaflets; leaflets 5.5-15 × 2-6.5 mm, distinctly asymmetric, ovate to oblong-ovate, apex acute or mucronate, base oblique, mid-rib running from distal corner of leaflet base to apex centre, lamina glabrous. Inflorescence: an axillary spiciform raceme, 3.5-6 cm long, solitary, rachis glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Flowers: yellowish-white, pedicels 1.5 mm long, with minute red glands at base; calyx campanulate, 2 mm long, shallowly toothed, glabrous; petals 4.5 mm long; stamen filaments 7.5 mm long. Fruit: a laterally compressed, straight craspedium, 11 × 4 cm, lacking transverse septa between seeds, thus leaving the valves to separate from the replum intact upon ripening, the epicarp exfoliating from the endocarp. Seeds: mature seeds not seen.

Distribution.

South Africa, restricted to the Transvaal.

Habitat and ecology.

In grassland.