Desmodium axillare DC., Prodr., Spec. Nov.
Creators: name: Lima, Laura Cristina Pires
name: Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci De
name: Tozzi, Ana Maria Goulart De Azevedo
name: Lewis, Gwilym Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Fabales
Fabaceae
Desmodium
Desmodium axillare

description: 5. Desmodium axillare (Sw.) DC., Prodr. 2: 333. 1825. Hedysarum axillare Sw., Prodr.: 107. 1788. Desmodium radicans Macfadyen, Fl. Jamaica 1: 269. 1837 nom. superf. (para Hedysarum axillare Sw.). Meibomia axillaris (Sw.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 195. 1891. Nephromeria axillaris (Sw.) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg 20: 284. 192. Lectotype (designated by Schubert 1963):— JAMAICA. O.P. Swartz s.n. (lectotype S!, isolectotype BM!). Fig. 7   
 Hedysarum stoloniferum Rich. ex Poir., Encycl. 6(2): 421. 1805. Desmodium spirale var. stoloniferum (Rich. ex Poir.) DC., Prodr. 2: 333. 1825. Desmodium stoloniferum (Rich. ex Poir.) Steud., Nomencl. Bot. ed. 2.1: 496. 1840. Desmodium axillare var. stoloniferum (Rich. ex Poir.) B.G. Schub., J. Arnold Arbor. 44(2): 289. 1963. Type:—"Antilles, M. Richard s.n. " (holotype P-JU15570!, isotype P00697777!), syn. nov.   
 Hedysarum reptans Poir., Encycl. 6(2): 422. 1805. Desmodium reptans (Poir.) DC., Prodr. 2: 333. 1825. Meibomia rept ans (Poir.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 198. 1891. Type:—" Ile Saint-Domingue ", J.B.R.P. Desportes s.n. (holotype P-JU!).   
 Desmodium oblongifolium Bertero ex DC., Prodr. 2: 332. 1825. Hedysarum oblongifolium "Bertero mss ", nom. nud., pro syn. Prodr. 2: 332. 1825. Type:— JAMAICA. C.G. Bertero s.n. (holotype G-DC!), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia axillaris var. obtusifoliolia Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 195. 1891. Desmodium axillare var. obtusifoliola (Kuntze) Urb., Symb. Antill. 4(2): 291. 1905. Nephromeria axillaris var. obtusifoliola (Kuntze) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 284. 1924. Type:— PORTO RICO. "Porto Rico". Guayama: Cayey, 13 March 1874, C.E.O. Kuntze 436 (holotype NY!).   
 Hedysarum violaceum Vell., Fl. flumin. 4: 318. 1829, nom. illeg., non Linnaeus, 1753. Lectotype (designated here):—Florae Fluminensis Icones 1: Tabula 148. 1831, syn. nov.   
 Meibomia axillaris var. acutifolia Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 195. 1891. Desmodium axillare var. acutifolium (Kuntze) Urb., Symb. Antill. 4(2): 292. 1905. Nephromeria axillaris var. acutifolia [acutifoliola] (Kuntze) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 284. 1924. Type:— PANAMA. Cólon: Cólon, June 1874, C.E.O. Kuntze s.n. (holotype NY!), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia andina Rusby, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 3(3): 21. 1893. Lectotype (designated here):— BOLIVIA. Yungas: Yungas, 1890, M. Bang 650 (lectotype NY!, isolectotypes MO*!, GH*!, US!).   
 Desmodium axillare var. genuinum Urb., Symb. Ant. 2: 303. 1900, nom. inv. (ICBN Art. 24.3).   
 Desmodium axillare var. angustatum Urb., Symb. Antill. 2(2): 303. 1900. Lectotype (designated here):— TRINIDAD. F.W. Sieber 267 (lectotype G00070292!, isolectotypes G00070294!, L!, LE![4 sheets], P!, W!). Remaining syntypes: Jamaica. Scotts Hall, W.J. Thompson 6750 (B†; foto BM!); Martinique. F.W. Sieber Suppl. 90 (LE!, M!), P.A. Duss 810 (B†); Porto Rico. prope Juncos in Monte santo de Leon, P.E.E. Sintenis 2728 (G!, K!, WU!), prope Bayamon in sylva ad Pueblo viejo, P.E.E. Sintenis 1204 (B†); St Vincent in sylva niontis St Andrews: H.H.F.A.B. von Eggers 6634 (B†), syn. nov.   
 Desmodium axillare var. angustatum f. robustius Urb., Symb. Antill. 2(2): 303. 1900. Desmodium axillare var. acutifolium f. robustius (Urb.) Urb., Symb. Antill. 4(2): 292. 1905. Nephromeria axillaris var. acutifoliola f. robustiour (Urb.) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 284. 1924. Lectotype (designated here):— PORTO RICO. Sierra de Luquillo in regione media niontis Jimenes, P.E.E. Sintenis 1689 (lectotype G00070296!, isolectotypes BM!, G00070319!, HBG!, K!, LE!, M!, NY!, P![2 sheets], W!, WU!), syn. nov.   
 DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE) IN BRAZIL   
 Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press • 27   
 Desmodium axillare var. sintenisii Urb., Symb. Antill. 2(2): 303. 1900. Meibomia sintenisii (Urb.) Britton, Sci. Surv. Porto Rico e Virgin Islands 5: 402. 1924. Nephromeria axillaris var. sintenisii (Urb.) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 284. 1924. Nephromeria sintenisii (Urb.) Britton e P. Wilson, Sci. Surv. Porto Rico e Virgin Islands 6: 543. 1930. Lectotype (designated by Schubert 1963):— PORTO RICO. Sierra de Yabucoa in sylva primaeva niontis Cerro Gordo, P.E.E. Sintenis 2781 (lectotype NY!, isolectotype K!). Remaining syntypes: Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo. C.J. Mayerhoff 47 (B†); Porto Rico. Sierra de Luquillo in regione media montis Jimenes in sylvis, P.E.E. Sintenis 1688b (G![3 sheets], HBG!, L!, LE!, M!, P!). Porto Rico. Monte Sombrero, P.E.E. Sintenis 5033 (B†), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia umbrosa Britton, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 37: 353. 1910. Nephromeria umbrosa (Britton) Britton e P. Wilson, Sci. Surv. Porto Rico e Virgin Islands 6: 543. 1930. Type:— JAMAICA. Cockpit, 13 Aug 1906, N.L. Britton 444 (holotype NY!), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia albida S.F. Blake, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 24(1): 5. 1922. Type:— GUATEMALA. Izabal: Los Amates, 19 May 1919, S.F. Blake 7510 (holotype US!), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia prorepens S.F. Blake, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 24(1): 6. 1922. Type:— GUATEMALA. Izabal: Quebradas, 29 May 1919, S.F. Blake 7718 (holotype US!), syn. nov.   
Prostrate, ascendent, branched subshrub, stolons rooting at the nodes, without a xylopodium; stems virgate, slender, cylindrical, sulcate, sparsely or densely puberulous-uncinate or villose or pubescent, not glaucous; internodes 1.3–11 cmlong. Stipules 4.5 × 1.5 mm, triangular, not auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, inserted perpendicularly at the base of the leaf petiole, partially fused from each other, apex acuminate, margin straight, sparsely uncinate, veins conspicuous, persistent. Leaves trifoliolate; petiole 30–80 mm long, cylindrical, sulcate, sparsely puberulous-uncinate and villose; rachis 4–5 mm long; stipels 2–3 mm long, subulate, margin ciliate, glabrescent on the outer surface, persistent; leaflets discolorous, chartaceous or membranaceous, venation brochidodromous, primary and secondary veins prominent, tertiary veins flush with the abaxial surface, indumentum densely tomentose or velutinous on the primary, secondary and tertiary veins on the abaxial surface, adaxial surface pubescent, uncinate hairs covering both surfaces, terminal leaflet 3–5.5 × 2.5–4.8 cm, ovate, obovate, elliptic or rhombic, base oblique or obtuse, apex acute, subacute or obtuse, lateral leaflets 3–4.5 × 1.7–2.8 cm, elliptic or the same shape as the terminal leaflet. Inflorescence a axillary pseudoraceme, the main axis longer than the adjacent leaves, 11–22.4 cm long, sparsely or densely puberulous-uncinate, 2–3 flowers per node; primary bract ca. 2 mm long, narrowly triangular, margin ciliate, puberulous-uncinate on the outer surface, caducous, veins conspicuous on the outer surface; secondary bract ca. 1 mm long, narrowly triangular, margin ciliate, puberulousuncinate on the outer surface, caducous, veins inconspicuous on the outer surface; pedicel 4–5 mm long, sparsely puberulous-uncinate. Flowers 3.5–5 mm long; calyx 5–laciniate, tube cylindrical, 0.5–1 mm long, puberulousuncinate and hirsute on the outer surface; upper lip bifid, elliptic, the 2 teeth joined for ca. ¾ of their length, apex acute, ca. 0.2 mm long; lower lip trifid, lateral tooth lanceolate, 1–1.2 mm long, central tooth lanceolate, ca. 1 mm long; corolla purple, standard 3.5–5 × 3–4 mm, broadly elliptic or obovate, apex retuse or obtuse, maculate at the base, claw 1–1.2 mm long; wing petals 3.5–5 × 1.5 mm, oblong, apex obtuse, without callosities, claw 0.5–1 mm long; keel petals 3.5–5 × 1.5–2 mm, narrowly obovate, apex obtuse, with callosities, claw 1.5–2 mm long; androecium diadelphous, 3.5–5 mm long, vexillary stamen free; ovary 1.5–2 mm long, puberulous and tomentose, stipe 0.5–0.8 mm long, glabrous. Loment 2.5–4.9 cm long, stipe 4–6 mm long, uncinate, isthmus marginal, upper suture straight, lower suture sinuate; articles uniform 1–2, 4–6 × 4–5 mm, quadrangular or oblong, not tortuous, indehiscent, subcoriaceous, veins inconspicuous, uncinate. Seed 5–5.5 × 3.5–4 mm, ovate, hilum subcentral.  
 Selected specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Acre: Tarauacá: Nos arredores de Tarauacá, 23 September 1968, fl., G . T. Prance et al. 7466 (K, U). Amapá: Macapá: rodovia Duque de Caxias, 23 August 1988, fr., N . M. S. Costa et al. 2034 (CEN); Serra do Navio, estrada para Porto Terezinha, 20 November 1954, fl., R . Cowan 38467 (RB). Amazonas: Rio Javari: Estirão do Equador, 23 October 1976, fr., G . T. Prance et al. 24101 (U). Bahia: Ilhéus: s. loc., 1859-60, fr., H . Wawra & F. de P. Maly 200 (LE, W). Ceará: Crato: rodovia Aaripina - Crato, descida da Serra para Crato, 23 May 1980, fl., L . Coradin et al. 2537 (HUEFS, K). Espírito Santo: Alegre: ca. meia milha Sul de Alegre, 20 November 1929, fl., Y . Mexia 4004 (BM, G, K, U). Goiás: Niquelândia: ca. 11 km Sul de Niquelândia, 24 January 1972, fr., H . S. Irwin et al. 34897 (K, UB). Maranhão: Viana: s. loc., April 1960, fr., O . Carvalho 45 (SP). Mato Grosso: Chapada dos Guimarães: Mata em solo pedregoso, 21 April 2009, fr., L . C. P. Lima & N. Salzstein 627 (HUEFS); caminho para a trilha do Atmã, 15 January 2009, fl., fr., L . C. P. Lima et al. 518 (HUEFS). Mato Grosso do Sul: Aquidauana: estrada que dá acesso à torre de TV de Camisão, distrito de Aquidauana, ca. 2 km Sul da sede da fazenda Santa Catarina da Brauna, 1 January 2009, fl., fr., L . C. P. Lima & M. P. Andrade 506 (HUEFS). Minas Gerais: Viçosa: fazenda de Aguada, 1 km dentro do portão, 24 December 1930, fl., fr., Y . Mexia 5444 (BM, G, K, M, P, U). Pará: Bacaja: Base do rio Xingu, Gleba Bacajá, abaixo da boca do rio Bacajá, 26 November 1980, fl., G . T. Prance et al. 26470 (K, MG). Paraíba: Areia: Mata Pau Ferro, perto da barragem de Vaca   
 28 • Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press   
 LIMA ET AL. DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE) IN BRAZIL   
 Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press • 29 Brava, 30 October 1980, fl., V . P.B. Fevereiro 79 (K). Paraná: Adrianópolis: Ribeirão do Rocha, 29 November 2007, fl., J . M. Silva et al. 6252 (K). Pernambuco: Bonito: Reserva Ecologica Municipal da prefeitura de Bonito, 8 May 1995, fl., M . F. Sales & M. J.N. Rodal 585 (K). Rondônia: Igapó: eixo do JP-14, arredores do aeroporto e Igapó, 11 October 1986, fl., C. B. Toledo et al. 232 (SP). Roraima: Caracaraí: BR-174, Boa Vista Caracaraí, Km 91, 30 November 1981, fl., L . Coradin et al. 5065 (HUEFS, K); Maracá: Próximo a casa de Maracá, 28 April 1987, fl., W . Milliken et al. 123 (E, K). São Paulo: Santos: s. loc., April 1854, fl., G . A. Lindberg 721 (BR).   
 Distribution and Ecology:— Central and Tropical South America (Schubert 1980). In Brazil D. axillare occurs in almost all regions, except the extreme south. Collected in Tropical Rain Forest.   
 Conservation Assessment:— LC (Least Concern), not endangered (IUCN 2001).   
 Phenology:— flowering and fruiting throughout the year.   
 Etymology:— from the Latin axillaris (= axillary), alluding to the position of the inflorescences.   
 Common Name:— amor-do-campo; amor-seco; carrapicho; carrapicho-namorado; focinho-de-boi; marmelada-de-cavalo.   
 Taxonomic notes:— the stoloniferous, prostrate habit rooting from the nodes, the axillary inflorescences, and long-stipitate fruits with 1–3 articles are diagnostic of this species. The partially fused stipules of D. axillare is a character shared with D. incanum, but the characteristics mentioned above make it easy to differentiate these two taxa. Desmodium axillare is similar to D. wydlerianum based on the prostrate habit, leaflet shape, flowers 4–5 mm long, and fruits with 1–3 articles, but it can be differentiated by the stolons (vs. these lacking in D. wydlerianum), leaflets with brochidodromous venation (vs. craspedodromous), and the straight apical margin of the fruit (vs. lightly invaginated).   
 Schubert (1963, 1980) cited Meibomia prorepens, Meibomia umbrosa, Desmodium oblongifolium, D. axillare var. angustatum, and D. axillare var. acutifolium f. robustius as synonyms of D. axillare var. acutifolium. The names Meibomia albida and D. axillare var. sintensisii were considered by Schubert (1963, 1980) to be synonyms of D. axillare var. stoloniferum.   
 Urban (1900) published Desmodium axillare var. angustatum. Subsequently Urban (1905) moved it into synonymy of the variety acutifolium, originally published under the genus Meibomia, as M. acutifolia (Kuntze 1891). Although Schubert (1963) typified and synonymised most varieties associated with D. axillare and confirmed the synonymy proposed by Urban (1905), she did not select a lectotype for this name nor for D. axillare var. angustatum f. robstius. Lectotypes for these two taxa are designated in this study.
description: Published as part of Lima, Laura Cristina Pires, Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci De, Tozzi, Ana Maria Goulart De Azevedo & Lewis, Gwilym Peter, 2014, A Taxonomic Revision of Desmodium (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) in Brazil, pp. 1-119 in Phytotaxa 169 (1) on pages 27-30, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.169.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10089817