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

404 MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [VOL. 35
further from petiole broader and amplexicaul, the whole blade (point included)
5_12 X 5-33 mm, persistent into or past maturity of the associated If.
Lvs 7-19 cm; petiole including firm, laterahy dilated pulvinus (2-)2.5-4 cm, at
middle (0.5-)0.6-1.1 mm diam, subterete except for narrow ventral sulcus; rachis
3.5-11 cm, hs longer interfoUolar segments 1-2.2 cm; gland between proximal
(and rarely the second) pair of lfts stipitate, in profile 1.5-3 mm, the lance-ellipsoid
or fushorm obtuse or acute head 0.35-0.9 mm diam; pulvinules 1-2.2 mm; lfts
(3_)4_6 pairs, accrescent distaUy, the distal pair narrowly obovate or broadly
ehiptic-oblanceolate obtuse or subemarginate, minutely mucronulate 2.7-5 x 1-1.9
cm, (2.1-)2.3-3.1 times as long as wide, at base asymmetricahy cuneate or on
proximal side rounded-subcordate, the membranous translucent margin plane,
the midrib immersed above, carinhorm beneath, the 7-10(-ll) pairs of slender
camptodrome secondary veins often faintly raised on both faces, sometimes immersed
but discolored, tertiary venulation imperceptible or erratic, the proximal
pairs of hts proportionately broader and fewer-veined.
Racemes loosely (7-)15-50-fld, the ascending glabrous or subglabrous obovoid-
elhpsoid buds at first racemosely elevated beyond the expanded fls, the axis
together with peduncle becoming 5-21 cm; bracts submembranous greenish or
livid lance-acuminate 2.5-6 mm, deciduous before full anthesis; pedicels slender,
at maturity 10-22 mm; sepals ovate or obovate obtuse submembranous browntinged
or -speckled, the inner ones broadly hyaline-margined, the set well graduated,
the outermost 3-6 mm, the innermost 6.5-11 mm; corolla zygomorphic,
the glabrous petals yellow drying stramineous delicately dark-veined, all subses­
sUe, the 3 adaxial broadly obovate or elliptic-obovate, the 2 abaxial narrower and
a trifle longer (12-) 13-18 mm, nidulating the long stamens; androecium glabrous,
the filaments of 4 median stamens 1.1-2.5 mm, of 3 abaxial ones 4-8.5 mm (that
of centric stamen often a little shorter than its neighbors), the 7 fertile anthers
thin-waUed brownish, those of 4 median stamens almost straight 3.7-4.6 x 0.9-1.1
mm, at apex obhquely truncate 2-porose, those of 3 abaxial stamens lunately
lanceolate in profile 4.2-6 x 1.1-1.4 mm, abruptly contracted at apex and 1-po­
rose; ovary strigulose or pilosulous; style stoutly linear, gently incurved
2-3.5 X 0.3-0.4 mm, the stigmatic cavity obhquely terminal; ovules 36-60.
Pod geotropic from phantly bending central axis, the stipe ±5-6 mm, the cy­
Undric straight or slightly curved body 5.5-6.5 x ±0.5-0.6 cm, abruptly apiculate
by persistent style-base, the valves at first smooth lustrous, becoming duU brownish-stramineous
papery, indehiscent; seeds stacked in 2 slightly interdigitating
files, not seen fully ripe.—Collections: 14.
Open hUlsides and canyon floors near 1200-1700 m in the foothills of the Ar­
gentine Andes and detached ranges to the e., from Salta s. through Catamarca,
Tucuman and e. La Rioja to the sierras of Cordoba and San Luis, lat. ±25-33°S.
The fohaceous, obUquely reniform stipules abruptly contracted into an eccentric
point (to which the epithet refers) are the obvious hallmark of S. subulata,
which otherwise superficiahy resembles S. pendula sens. lat. except that at fuU
anthesis the upper leaves tend to be reduced or absent and a panicle of flowers
is consequently exserted. At close quarters the thin-textured anthers, of which
the three abaxial ones are all aUke and fertUe, recall the androecium of S. (Stip­
ulaceae) organensis and birostris, but the number and orientation of the seeds
are typical of ser. Coluteoideae. The species varies greatly in pubescence ofthe
fohage, which may be fully glabrous or viUosulous throughout; however we find
this variation geographically random and taxonomicahy insignificant.