Zollernia modesta A.M.Carvalho & Barneby

Vidal de Freitas Mansano, Ana Maria Goulart de Azevedo Tozzi, & Lewis, G. (2004). A Revision of the South American Genus Zollernia Wied-Neuw. & Nees (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Swartzieae). Kew Bulletin, 59(4), 497-520. doi:10.2307/4110905

Type

Brazil, Bahia, km 9 da rod. Porto Seguro-Eunapolis, Euponino 210 (CEPEC! holotype; K!, US isotypes).

Morphology General Habit

Tree 18 - 20 m tall; trunk rugose, c. 15 cm dbh

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 1.5 - 2 x 0.6 - 0.8 mm, subulate, glabrous, caducous; petiole 1.5 - 3 mm long, glabrous; leaf blade 2.8 - 4.4 x 0.9 - 1.5(- 2.4) cm, obovate-elliptic, chartaceous, glabrous, base cuneate, apex acute to obtuse, retuse, main vein sulcate to flush with blade surface adaxially and prominent on the shiny abaxial surface, secondary veins strongly ascendant, forming an angle of c. 30° with the main vein, straight, the second pair reaching the upper half of the blade

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes aggregated into fascicles, their rachises 2 - 5 cm long, axillary to terminal, each raceme c. 6 - 17- flowered, axis c. 0.8 mm diam., fulvous to rufous- tomentose; bracts 1.7-3 x 0.8 mm, deltate, tomentose; bracteoles 1 - 1.3 x 0.4 mm, subulate, tomentose, attached to upper half of the pedicel; pedicels 5 - 10 mm long, terete, fulvous to rufous- tomentose; buds 11.5 - 13 x 4.9 - 6.5 mm, asymmetric. elliptic, apex acuminate, tomentose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Calyx spathaceous, 1-lobed, chartaceous, glabrous at the base on inner face, pilose at the apex; petals 5, pink to lilac, the vexillum with claw 1.5 - 2 mm long, blade 6 - 9.6(- 10) x 4.9 - 6.5 mm, elliptic-oblong, the wings slightly longer and the keel slightly shorter; stamens 10, filaments c. 1.8 - 2 x 0.5 mm, glabrous, anthers c. 7.6 - 8 x 0.6 mm, subulate, glabrous; gynoecium with stipe c. 1.8 -2 mm long, rufous-sericeous, ovary c. 5.4 x 1.5 mm, narrowly elliptic, rufous-sericeous, 9 - 11- ovulate, style c. 3.2 mm long, incurved, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose, c. 3 x 2.5 cm, 1 - 3-seeded.

Distribution

From Bahia to northern Espírito Santo

Ecology

In Atlantic Rain Forest ("Floresta Pluvial Tropical Atlântica")

Phenology

Flowering between February and March, collected in fruit in August.

Vernacular

Mucitaíba-preta-de-folha-miúda, orelha-de-onça.

Note

This species is similar to Zollernia glaziovii Yakovlev in leaf and inflorescence size, but differs by the ascendant, straight venation of the leaves (with the secondary veins forming an angle of c. 30° with the main vein) and by the obovate-elliptic leaves; in Z. glaziovii the veins are not very ascendant (forming an angle of 50 to 60° with the main vein) and the leaves are oblong-elliptic.