Parkinsonia andicola (Grisebach) Varjão & Mansano 2018

Romão, Marcos Vinicius Varjão & Mansano, Vidal Freitas, 2018, A new combination in Parkinsonia (Caesalpinoideae / Fabaceae): Parkinsonia andicola, Phytotaxa 344 (3), pp. 295-296 : 295

Parkinsonia andicola (Grisebach) Varjão & Mansano , comb. nov.

Basionym: Cercidium andicola Grisebach (1879:114) .

≡ Caesalpinia praecox Ruiz & Pavon (1830: 376) var. andicola Hosseus (1921: 145) .

Type: — ARGENTINA. Jujuy: Maimará, May 1873, P. G.Lorentz & G. Hieronymus 746 (Holotype: GOET 008878!).

Parkinsonia andicola is recognized by its bipinnate leaves arranged in axyllary fascicles with very reduced petioles resembling a sessile or pinnate leaf. It also has oblong to elliptic, reduced leaflets (1–2 mm length). This species is close to Parkinsonia praecox ( Ruiz & Pavón 1830: 376) Hawkins (1999: 49) and Parkinsonia microphylla Torrey (1857: 82) but could be distinguished from these two species for having large axillary thorns (up to 6 cm in length) and for the flattened legume with a single seed ( Grisebach 1879: 114, Burkart & Carter 1976: 305).

The species is restricted to northern Argentina and southern Bolivia ( Burkart & Carter 1976: 305). It is ecologically important for the establishment of other species in arid and semi-arid environments with high abiotic stresses due to its ability to survive in such stressful habitats ( Lopez 2007: 779, 2010: 1534).

A taxonomic revision of the genus with additional information on the biogeography and phylogeny of Parkinsonia species is being carried out by the first author and will likely bring additional information regarding the genus.