Entada chrysostachys (Benth.) Drake, Hist. Phys. Madagascar 30: 51. 1902.

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 chrysostachys (Benth.) Drake, Hist. Phys. Madagascar 30: 51. 1902.

= Entada kirkii Oliv., Fl. Trop. Afr. 2: 327. 1871.

= Entada boiviniana (Baill.) Drake, A. Grandidier, Hist. Phys. Madagascar 30: 51. 1902. (publ. 1903).

= Entada grandidieri (Baill.) Drake, A. Grandidier, Hist. Phys. Madagascar 30: 51. 1902. (publ. 1903).

Type.

MADAGASCAR. Emirna Province [Imerina] and Imamou, W. Bojer s.n. (holotype: K; isotypes: M [M0218663], P [P00367635 & P00367637]) .

Basionym.

Adenanthera chrysostachys Benth., J. Bot. (Hooker) 4: 343. 1841.

Description.

Shrub or small tree to 10 m tall or liana to 12 m, stem to 20 cm thick, often twisted (Fig. 10A ). Leaves: rachis 8-16 cm long, grooved above, glabrous; pinnae (2-)3-5(-8) pairs per leaf, (4.5-)5.2-8.9(-13) cm long, with 10-17(-21) pairs of leaflets; leaflets 13-19(-29) × (3-)4.9-5.5(-10) mm, oblong to obovate-oblong, apex rounded, base asymmetric rounded on proximal margin and cuneate on distal margin, mid-rib diagonal and raised above and below, lamina appressed-pubescent to glabrous (Fig. 10B ). Inflorescence: an axillary spiciform raceme, 4-12(-13.5) cm long, usually clustered, but sometimes solitary, rachis pubescent or glabrous (Fig. 10C ). Flowers: white to yellow, pedicels 1-1.5 mm long, with an unpleasant odour; calyx obconical, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, distinctly toothed; petals 3-4 × 1-1.4 mm; stamen filaments 4-6 mm long. Fruit: a torulose, laterally compressed, slightly curved craspedium 20-45 × 5-10 cm, with transverse septa between seeds dividing the fruit into one-seeded segments which, upon ripening, fall from the persistent replum (Fig. 10D, E ). Seeds: elliptic, 14-17.7 × 10.5-12.8 × 3.3-4 mm, pleurogram elliptic, open near hilum.

Distribution.

Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania.

Habitat and ecology.

Disturbed forests and grassland; riparian thicket; woodland characterised by Brachystegia glaucescens Hutch. & Burtt Davy; and seasonally wet valley bottoms with Combretum ; sandy soils and laterite.

Figures

Figure 10. Entada chrysostachys habit, vegetative and reproductive structures. A small tree, Madagascar (photo: thierrycordenos CC BY-NC 4.0, Ueda (2021) observation 25108890) B leaf, Mozambique (photo: O Maurin CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, iBOL (2016) record SAFH 1507 - 11) C axillary spiciform racemes of open, pedicellate flowers and closed flower buds, Madagascar (photo: D Du Puy) D leaves and immature pods, Madagascar (photo: D Du Puy) E mature pods, Mozambique (photo: O Maurin CC BY-NC-SA 3.0, iBOL (2016) record SAFH 1507 - 11).