Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa 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 : 60-62

18. Desmodium membranifolium L. C. P. Lima, A. M. G. Azevedo & L. P. Queiroz, status et nom. nov., non Rusby (1927). Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 149. 1924. Lectotype (designated here):— PARAGUAY. San Luis: zwischen Flüssen Apa und Aquidaban, K. Fiebrig 5145 (lectotype G!, isolectotypes BM!, K!, E!). Fig. 20 .

Erect, branched subshrub, 0.2–1.5 m tall, with a xylopodium; stems not virgate, not slender, cylindrical, striate, glabrescent or sparsely or densely puberulous-uncinate, not glaucous; internodes 2–4 cm long. Stipules (3–)4–8 × 1–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, inserted perpendicularly at the base of the leaf petiole, free from each other, apex caudate, margin ciliate, tomentose, veins inconspicuous, caducous; auricle 2–3 mm long. Leaves unifoliolate; petiole 15–50 mm long, cylindrical, sulcate, sparsely uncinate; stipels 3–6 mm long, subulate, margin straight, sparsely tomentose, persistent; leaflet discolorous, membranaceous, venation eucamptodromous, primary, and secondary veins prominent, tertiary and quaternary veins flush on the abaxial surface, indumentum tomentose on the primary, secondary and tertiary veins on the abaxial surface, adaxial surface puberulous-uncinate, uncinate hairs covering both surfaces, leaflet 7–11 × 4–9.8 cm, orbicular, ovate or rhombic, base obtuse or cuneate, apex subacute or obtuse. Inflorescence a terminal pseudoraceme or paniculate; the main axis longer than the adjacent leaves, 9.5–30 cm long, sparsely or densely hirsute–uncinate, 2–3 flowers per node; primary bract 6–10 mm long, triangular, margin straight, tomentose on the outer surface, persistent, veins conspicuous on the outer surface; secondary bract ca. 1.5 mm long, ovate, margin straight, hispid on the outer surface, caducous, veins conspicuous on the outer surface; pedicel 1–2 mm long, sparsely hispid or sericeous–uncinate. Flowers 4–5 mm long; calyx bilabiate, tube campanulate, ca. 1 mm long, tomentose or sericeous on the outer surface; upper lip bifid, slightly fused, the 2 teeth joined for a ca. ¾ of their length, acute, 0.2 mm long; lower lip trifid, lateral tooth ovate- lanceolate, ca. 1 mm long, central tooth lanceolate, ca. 1 mm long; corolla purple the 2 teeth joined for ca. ¾ of their length, standard 4–5 × 3 mm, obovate, apex obcordate, maculate at the base, claw ca. 0.1 mm long; wing petals 4–5 × 1.5–2 mm, obovate, apex obtuse, without callosities, claw 0.5–0.8 mm long; keel petals 4–5 × 1 mm, narrowly obovate, apex subacute, with callosities, claw 0.8–1 mm long; androecium monadelphous, ca. 4 mm long, vexillary stamen partially fused with the other from the base ca. 2 mm long; ovary 3–4 mm long, glabrous subsessile. Loment 0.8–1.6 cm long, stipe 1–2 mm long, glabrescent, isthmus central, both margins sinuate; articles uniform 3–6, 2–3 × 1–2 mm, terminal obovate or orbicular, the another articles rhombic, tortuous, indehiscent, subcoriaceous, veins inconspicuous, densely uncinate. Seed ca. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, ovate, hilum central.

Selected specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Goiás: Caldas Novas: Parque Estadual Serra de Caldas Novas , 26 April 2009, fl., fr., L . C . P. Lima et al. 629 ( HUEFS); Campo Belos: fazenda Santa Maria, próximo a Mandassaia, 12 May 2000, fl., fr., G . Hatschbach et al. 70983 ( CTES, MBM). Mato Grosso: Cuiabá: estrada Cuiabá-Chapada, próximo ao rio dos Peixes, 2 February 1978, fr., M . Macedo & S. Assumpção 756 ( INPA). Minas Gerais: Francisco de Sá : s. loc., May 1993, fl., M . L .Gavilanes 5771 ( PAMG).

Distribution and Ecology:— South America: in Paraguay, with ocurrence in Brazil recorded for the first time. D. membranifolium occurs in the States of Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Minas Gerais. Collected in areas of Cerrado in vegetations of gallery and other riparian forests.

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

Phenology:— flowering and fruiting from March to June.

Etymology:— from the Latin membranous (= membranaceus) + folium (= leaf), a reference to the membranaceous leaves.

Common Name:— carrapicho.

Taxonomic notes:— unifoliolate membranaceous leaves, persistent primary bracts, and tortuous fruit articles are characters that help in the recognition of this species. Desmodium membranifolium can appear similar to D. glabrescens due to similar ovate leaflets, paniculate inflorescences, and tortuous fruit articles. However, D. membranifolium is easily distinguished in always having unifoliolate leaves (vs. trifoliate in D. glabrescens ), discolorous leaflets (vs. concolorous), and flowers 4–5 mm long (vs. 8–10 mm long).

Desmodium membranifolium shares morphological characteristics with D. distortum including leaflet shape (long-obovate), flower length (4–5 mm long), and tortuous articles, but it differs by always having unifoliolate leaves (vs. rarely unifoliolate in D. distortum ) and triangular primary bracts 6–10 mm long (vs. ovate-lancolate and 2–4 mm long).

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Most taxa in Meiobomia were transferred to Desmodium , with the exception of some names, such as Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa Schindl. This should not be considered a variety of Desmodium guaraniticum (Chodat & Hassl.) Malme , nor a synonym, because ecological and morphological differences exist to differentiate them ( Table 3). As a consequence, the elevation of Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa to species rank is proposed here.

In accordance with article 11.2 of the ICBN ( McNeill et al. 2006), no name has priority over another published at a different rank, which justifies a proposed new name for Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa . With that in mind, we are proposing a new combination for Meibomia microcarpa Rusby (see the next taxon description), which is a taxon distinct from Meibomia guaranitica var. microcarpa .

Figures

FIGURE 20. Desmodium membranifolium. A. Habit. B. Stipules inner surface. C. Stipels. D. Flower in lateral view with calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium. E. Flower in lateral view with callyx and corolla. F. Calyx inner surface (opened). G. Parts of the corolla from the left to right: keel petals, wing petals, and standard. H. Androecium monadelphous (opened). I. Gynoecium. J. Fruit (A–J: Lima 629).