Mucuna klitgaardiae T.M.Moura, G.P.Lewis & A.M.G.Azevedo

Moura, T.M., Lewis, G.P., Mansano, V.F. et al. 2013. Three new species of Mucuna (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae: Phaseoleae) from South America. Kew Bulletin 68: 143. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-012-9429-6

Type

Type: Ecuador, Province Pichincha, Road Calacalí, Klitgaard, Lozano & Bruneau 653 (holotype K!; isotypes AAU!, NY!).

Morphology General Habit

Lianas; stems with dense, erect golden hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, 3-foliolate; stipules absent; pulvinus cylindrical, 10 × 2 mm, tomentose; petiole 7 – 15 cm long, angular, with dense, erect, golden hairs; rachis 1 – 2.5 cm long, angular, hairs as on the petiole; stipels absent; petiolules 5 – 7 mm long, angular, with dense, erect, golden hairs (denser than on the petiole and rachis); leaflet blades ovate to elliptic, apical leaflet 10 – 15 × 5.5 – 8.5 cm, rounded at base, cuspidate at apex, lateral leaflets 9 – 12 × 5.5 – 10 cm, asymmetrical, subcordate at base, cuspidate at apex, with golden appressed hairs on the adaxial surface, and denser, erect golden hairs on the abaxial surface, venation eucamptodromous, secondary veins 4 – 5 pairs per leaflet

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary, pseudo-umbelliform, pendent; peduncle 20 – 40 cm long, with dense, erect golden hairs; primary axis condensed, all flowers clustered together at the apex; bracts foliaceous, 5 – 7 × 3 – 4 cm, sericeous; pedicels 2 cm long, sericeous; flowers 8 – 10 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 2 – 2.5 cm long, with long appressed hairs on both surfaces; lobes 4, the adaxial lobe formed by two connate sepals, 10 × 8 mm, apex obtuse, the other three lobes 10 × 4 mm, apex acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla reported as white [Asplund 19206 (S); Davis 459 (S)], cream [Klitgaard et al-653 (K)] or greenish-white [Holm-Nielsen et al-24506 (AAU, MO)]; standard petal ovate, 6.4 × 5 cm, base attenuate, apex retuse, the claw c. 5 mm long, glabrous; wing petals 9 × 2.2 cm, oblong-elliptic, base attenuate, apex obtuse, pubescent at base, the claw c. 4 mm; keel petals 9 × 1.5 cm, oblong, base attenuate, apex obtuse, pubescent at base, the claw c. 1 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10, diadelphous, with nine fused for c. 65 – 70% of their filament length, the tenth stamen free; filaments 9 cm long, glabrous; anthers ovate to oblong-elliptic, basifixed except for the dorsifixed anther on the free stamen, 4 – 5 mm long, the connective tomentose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Gynoecium 9.5 cm long, ovary sessile, oblong, 15 × 3 mm, densely sericeous, 5-ovulate; style 8 cm long, densely sericeous, glabrescent at apex, stigma peltate, villous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits oblong, laterally compressed, 28 × 5 cm, attenuate at base, caudate at apex, pubescent, with dense erect golden hairs, the valve surfaces lacking lamellate ornamentation, the margins of the fruit with a somewhat lignified wing

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 5 per pod, dark brown, round, 2.5 – 3.0 × 2.5 – 3.0 cm; hilum black, circling nearly the total circumference of the seed

Figures

Fig. 3.

Note

Mucuna klitgaardiae is diagnosed by its pseudo-umbelliform inflorescences; pendent peduncles 20 – 40 cm long; bracts 5 – 7 cm long; flowers 8 – 10 cm long, with the corolla white, cream or greenish-white; fruits densely covered with hairs and possessing a marginal wing but lacking lamellate ornamentation; round seeds with the hilum extending nearly the total length of the seed circumference. It is similar to M. cuatrecasasii and M. cajamarca as all three species have persistent bracts; white to greenish-yellow corollas; and the margins of the valves have a lignified wing. M. klitgaardiae differs from the other two in lacking transverse lamellae on the fruit valves. The species is named after Bente B. Klitgaard, a legume systematist with a detailed knowledge of the Ecuadorian flora and the plant family Leguminosae, who collected the type specimen.

Distribution

Mucuna klitgaardiae occurs in Ecuador (provinces of Napo, Pastaza, Pichincha, Morona Santiago, Tungurahua and Zamora-Chinchipe) and San Martín, Peru (province Mariscal Caceres) (Map 1).

Ecology

Mucuna klitgaardiae frequently occurs along rivers or in humid areas along roadsides; alt. 900 – 2000 m.

Conservation

Mucuna klitgaardiae has a restricted area of occupancy (AOO = 52 km2) in both countries. According to IUCN criteria (2001) this can be considered an Endangered (EN) species.

Phenology

Flowering March – Dec.; fruiting Jan. – June.