Meibomia alba Schindl., Repert., 2014

Lima, Laura Cristina Pires, Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci De, Tozzi, Ana Maria Goulart De Azevedo & Lewis, Gwilym Peter, 2014, A Taxonomic Revision of Desmodium (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 169 (1), pp. 1-119 : 23-25

3. Desmodium album (Schindl.) J.F. Macbr., Candollea 6: 10. 1934. Meibomia alba Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov.

Regni Veg. 20: 150. 1924. Lectotype (designated here):— PARAGUAY. San Pedro: in dumetis San Estanislao ,

January, E. Hassler 5992 (lectotype G00070311 !, isolectotypes BM!, G![4 sheets], K!, P![2 sheets]) .

Remaining syntypes: Paraguay. San Pedro: in dumetis San Estanislao , January, E . Hassler 5993 ( BM!, K!,

G![8 sheets]); in campis siccis saxosis in regione cursus superioris fluminis Apa, December, E. Hassler 8073

(BM!, G![10 sheets], K![2 sheets], P![5 sheets]). Fig. 5 .

Erect, branched shrub, 2–5 m tall, without a xylopodium; stems not virgate, not slender, cylindrical, striate, densely puberulous-uncinate becoming glabrescent at maturity, rarely densely tomentose and puberulous-uncinate, not glaucous; internodes 2.3–5.5 cm long. Stipules 10–12 × 4–5 mm, ovate, not auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, inserted perpendicularly at the base of the leaf petiole, free from each other, apex caudate, margin ciliate, glabrescent, striate on the outer surface, veins conspicuous, caducous. Leaves all trifoliolate or uni- and trifoliolate on the same plant; petiole 21–42 mm long, cylindrical, canaliculate, densely uncinate, rarely tomentose; rachis 12–20 mm long; stipels 8–12 mm long, lanceolate or subulate, margin straight, glabrescent on the outer surface, persistent or caducous; leaflets discolorous, chartaceous, membranaceous, or papyraceous, venation eucamptodromous, primary and secondary veins prominent, another veins flush with the abaxial surface, indumentum densely villose or tomentose on the primary, secondary and tertiary veins on the abaxial surface, adaxial surface puberulous and sparsely tomentose, uncinate hairs covering adaxial surface, terminal leaflet 8.2–11 × 5–9.1 cm, elliptic, lanceolate, ovate, ovate-rhombic or rhombic, base oblique, obtuse, subcordate or truncate, apex acuminate, obtuse or retuse, lateral leaflets 5.6–7 × 2.8–4.5 cm, the same shape as the terminal leaflet. Inflorescence a terminal paniculate; the main axis longer than the adjacent leaves, 27.2–45.5 cm long, densely hispid and uncinate, 2–4 flowers per node; primary bract 6–7 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, margin straight, glabrescent on the on the outer surface, caducous, veins conspicuous on the outer surface; secondary bract 1–1.5 mm long, subulate, margin ciliate hispid and puberulous-uncinate on the outer surface, caducous, veins inconspicuous on the outer surface; pedicel 6–9 mm long, densely hispid and puberulous-uncinate. Flowers 6–9.5 mm long; calyx bilabiate, tube campanulate, 1–1.5 mm long, hirsute and puberulous-uncinate on the outer surface; upper lip bifid, the 2 teeth joined for ca. ¾ of their length, acute, ca. 0.2 mm long; lower lip trifid, lateral tooth triangular, 1–1.5 mm long, central tooth triangular, 2–2.5 mm long; corolla white or greenish-cream, rarely lilac, standard 7–8 × 7–8 mm, broadly obovate, apex obcordate, maculate at the base, claw ca. 0.5 mm long; wing petals 7.5–9.5 × 3–4 mm, oblong, apex obtuse, without callosities, claw 0.5–1 mm long; keel petals 8–9.5 × 2.5–3 mm, narrowly obovate, apex subacute, with callosities, claw 2.5–3 mm long; androecium monadelphous, 6–9.5 mm long, vexillary stamen partially fused with the others from the base 2–3 mm; ovary 3.5–4 mm long, tomentose, stipe ca. 1 mm long, glabrous. Loment 1.5–2.4 cm long, stipe 2–3 mm long, hirsute, isthmus central, both margins sinuate; articles uniform 3–7, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm, orbicular or ovate-elliptic, tortuous, indehiscent, membranaceous or subcoriaceous, veins conspicuous, densely hirsute and sparsely puberulous-uncinate. Seed 2–2.5 × 1–1.2 mm, oblong, hilum subcentral.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Cáceres: BR-070, Km 761, acesso de Cáceres para Porto Limão , 18 April 2009, fl., fr., L . C .P. Lima & M . A . Carniello 613 ( HUEFS) . Mato Grosso do Sul: Antônio João: BR-384, 7 km Oeste de Antônio João , 9 February 1993, fl., G . Hatschbach et al. 58778 ( CTES, HBG, K, MBM). Maracaju: BR-267, Km 60 Oeste antes de Maracaju vindo de Nioque, 24 September 2008, fl., fr., L . C .P. Lima et al. 429 ( HUEFS) . Paraná: Ventania: rio Laranjinha , fl., fr., J . Carneiro 853 ( MBM) . Santa Catarina: Ibirama : s. loc., 07 April 2010, fl., A . Korte & A . Kniess 2582 ( FURB *) .

Additional specimens examined:— ARGENTINA. Formosa: Departamento de Pilcomayo , s. loc., 12 June 1984, Arbo 2606 ( CTES) .

Distribution and Ecology:— South America: in Paraguay, and recorded here for the first time from Argentina and Brazil. In Brazil the species occurs in pastures and Cerrado, including wet grasslands in the States of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, and Santa Catarina.

Conservation Assessment:— LC (Least Concern), not endangered ( IUCN 2001).

Phenology:— flowering and fruiting from January to March.

DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE ) IN BRAZIL

Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press • 23 24 • Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press

LIMA ET AL.

Etymology:— from the Latin albus (= white), in reference to the white flowers.

Common Name:— carrapicho; pega-pega.

Taxonomic notes:— the species is characterised by its shrubby habit to 2–5 m tall, with caducous stipules, white, greenish cream, or rarely lilac flowers, tomentose ovaries, a fruit stipe 2–3 mm long, and hirsute and puberulous-uncinate articles. The shrubby habit, asperous leaflets, and tortuous articles make D. album similar to D. distortum . However, D. album can be distinguished on the basis of its tomentose ovary (vs. glabrous or puberulous in D. distortum ), pedicels 6–9 mm long (vs. 2–3(– 5) mm long in D. distortum ), elongated fruit stipe 2–3 mm long (vs. 1–1.5 mm long in D. distortum ), and densely hirsute articles (vs. puberulous-uncinate to glabrous in D. distortum ). The shrubby habit, long-stipitate fruit, and orbicular articles are similar to D. subsecundum , from which D. album can be distinguished by other characteristics mentioned above.

Desmodium album possesses morphological characteristics that are intermediate between D. distortum and D. subsecundum , suggesting that it is a possible hybrid that has become established as a species. This hypothesis is reinforced by the fact that D. album is distributed independently from the two putative parent species. s in central Brazil in grasslands or pastures of the Cerrado biome and in northeastern Argentina.

Chodat & Hassler (1904) identified the collections Hassler 5993, 5992, and 8073 as Desmodium discolor Vogel. All three collections were used by Schindler (1924) to describe Meibomia alba . The collection Hassler 5992 (G00070311) is here chosen as the lectotype of Meibomia alba as it is the specimen that most agrees with the protologue.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Desmodium album. A. Fruiting branch. B. Stipules. C. Calyx inner surface (opened). D. Parts of the corolla from the bottom to top: keel petals, wing petals, and standard. E. Androecium monadelphous (opened). F. Gynoecium. G. Fruit. H. Seed. (A–H: Lima 429).