Cassiinae pt 1 NY-Botanical_gardens_Vol. 35_1 - Copy.pdf - Antbase

1982] CASSIINAE—CASSIA 17
modifications peculiar to one or two of its members and a marked divergence in
number and size of leaflets. The sulcate leaf stalk, the stiff inflorescence axis and
the resupinate anthers of antepetalous fertUe stamens separate the series from
paleotropic ser. Cassia, which has essentiaUy the same pod and similarly ca­
ducous bracts and bracteoles. The core of the series consists of C spruceana,
C. leiandra and C. cowanii, alike in their sweet-scented yellow (exceptionally
reddish) and subhomomorphic petals, but different from one another in number
and inversely in amphtude of leaflets. The vexillum of C. rubriflora and C. swartzioides
is unUke the other four petals, in the first hooded and marginally crenulate,
in the second flabellately appendaged at either side of the claw so as to become
pandurate in total outline. The flower of C. swartzioides, which has the few large
leaflets of C. spruceana, is fragrant and heterochrome, most commonly orange
with paler vexUlum but in one variety, where the yellow pigment is suppressed,
white with pinkish vexillum. The flower of C. rubriflora, which has the relatively
numerous and small leaflets of C cowanii, is malodorous and blood-red with
paler or yeUowish vexillum pitched forward to form a roof over the antepetalous
stamens, of which the pair further from the vexillum bears ascending, that nearer
to the vexillum resupinate anthers. These modifications in color and attitude of
anthers are presumably imposed by the mechanics of poUination, a study of which
should be undertaken in the field.
2. Cassia leiandra Bentham in Martius, Fl. Bras. 15(2): 94, t. 30 (optima, nisi
staminum breviorum antherae erectae dehneantur). 1870.—"Habitat
in provincia do Alto Amazonas secus flumen Rio Negro: Schomburgk
n. 894.; ad ostium ejusdem fluminis: Spruce n. 1557.; secus flumen
Amazonum ad Punta Paricatuba: Spruce n. 439.; in sylvis Manaqueri
prov. Para [? Amazonas]: Martius; prope Borba ejusdem prov. [on
lower Madeira in Amazonas]: Riedel; in ripa fluvii S. Francisci prope
Malhada, prov. Bahiensis: Martius."—Lectoholotypus, Schomburgk
894, mislabelled 'British Guiana,' collected probably (fide Sandwith)
near Manaus, K (hb. Benth.)! = NY Neg. 1435; isotypus K (hb.
Hook.)! paratypi. Spruce 439, 1557, K!—Martius s.n. from Bahia, not
found at BR or M, is presumed either misidentified or mislabelled.
Trees with simple or branched trunk and rounded crown, commonly encoun­
tered at 5-10 m, attaining 20 m, and rarely seen as a (presumably immature) shrub
3 m tall, the older stems fuscous, eventuaUy lenticellate, obtusangulate by dark
smooth ribs descending from each If-scar, the young stems and foliage densely
pUosulous or puberulent with spreading-incurved, often lutescent hairs up to
(0. l-)0.2-0.5 mm, the foliage red at flush, when adult 2-colored, when dry brown-
ish-ohvaceous dull beneath, above darker lustrous and except along the midrib
glabrous or almost so, the erect racemes arising singly or paired from axils of
annotinous branchlets, usually below the current lvs but sometimes accompanied
by persistent old ones of the previous season.
Stipules caducous before expansion of the associated If, consequently little
known, subulate or triangular-subulate 1-2.5 mm.
Adult lvs 14-30 cm, the shallowly openly sulcate petiole proper ± as long as
the interfoholar segments of rachis, these up to 13-25 mm; pulvinules (1-) 1.5-2.5
mm; lfts (5-)6-ll pairs, either gently accrescent distaUy or except for 1-2 prox­
imal (and exceptionally the distal) decrescent pairs all of subequal length, the
larger distal pairs in outhne ovate- or oblong-, rarely lance-elliptic, obtuse
(4.5_)5_7(_7.5) X 1.4-2.5 cm, ±2.2-3.4 times as long as wide, at obtuse or broad-