Exostyles venusta Schott

Vidal de Freitas Mansano, & Lewis, G. (2004). A Revision of the Genus Exostyles Schott (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae). Kew Bulletin, 59(4), 521-529. doi:10.2307/4110906

Type

Brasilia, Schott 5640. s.d. (presumed holotype W, possibly destroyed; isotype NY 8060!).

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree, 3 - 20 m tall

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 1.9 - 3.2 x 0.5 - 1.2 mm, subulate, pilose; leaves imparipinnately 7 - 11-foliolate, petiole 2.3 - 7.3 mm long, canaliculate, velutinous; rachis 5.8 - 7.8 cm long, canaliculate, velutinous; stipels 2.1 x 0.2 mm, triangular to filiform; petiolule 1.6 - 2.2 mm long, velutinous; lateral leaflets 1.2 - 6 x 0.7 - 2.7 cm, elliptic to asymmetrically elliptic, the central ones sometimes ovate, the terminal one larger than the others, adaxial surface sparsely pilose, abaxial surface densely pilose on the midvein, margin obscurely dentate, base cuneate to oblique, apex long-acuminate, midvein prominent abaxially, concolorous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Raceme 2.2 - 6.5 cm long, axillary, axis puberulous; bracts 3.5 - 5.4 x 0.4 - 1.3 mm, needle-shaped, puberulous; bracteoles 1.9 x 0.4 - 0.9 mm, subulate, puberulous, attached half way up the pedicel; pedicel 0.7 - 1.5 cm long, puberulous; buds c. 6.3 x 4 mm, shortly puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flower with hypanthium c. 6.7 mm deep; calyx 3-lobed at anthesis, brownish, puberulous internally; petals 5, pink, claw 2.5 - 3.4 x 1 - 1.3 mm, blade 8.7 - 10 x 7.2 - 7.8 mm, suborbicular, apex emarginate, glabrous; stamens 8 - 11, filaments 3.1 - 4.6 mm long, glabrous, anthers c. 3.1 x 1 mm, linear, glabrous; gynoecium stipe c. 4 to 5 mm long, glabrous, ovary c. 7.3 x 1.3 mm, narrowly oblong, c. 25-ovulate, glabrous to sparsely puberulous, style c. 7.7 mm long, straight, glabrous, stigma punctiform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 12.5 - 18.4 x 2.3 - 2.6 x 0.3 - 0.8 cm, indehiscent, yellowish green, glabrous.

Distribution

Exostyles venusta occurs in the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro

Ecology

On sandy soils in mata de restinga and floresta de tabuleiros (both vegetation types within the Atlantic rain forest) (Mansano & Tozzi 1999).

Conservation

Very few plants of this species are known in the Reserva da Florestal da CVRD - Linhares, Espírito Santo, an area of about 22,000 ha, showing that the population has low density.

Phenology

Flowering from May to September and fruiting from November to March.

Note

Exostyles venusta has concolorous, pubescent leaflets with an obscurely dentate margin, the suborbicular petals have a claw of c. 2.5 - 3.4 mm in length, while E. glabra (the other species of similar geographical distribution) has strongly discolorous, glabrous leaflets with a clearly dentate margin, and the oval- oblong petals have a claw of c. 1.9 mm in length.

Use

Both monkeys and humans appreciate the fruits of E. venusta, popularly known as "vagem grande" (D. A. Folli, pers. comm. 1996).