Desmodium triflorum
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 triflorum

description: 31. Desmodium triflorum  (L.) DC., Prodr. 2: 334. 1825. Hedysarum triflorum L., Sp. Pl. 2: 749. 1753. Aeschynomene triflora (L.) Poir., Encycl. 4(2): 451. 1798. Pleurolobus triflorus (L.) J. St.- Hil., Nouv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 3: 192. 1812. Sagotia triflora (L.) Duchass. & Walp., Linnaea 23: 738. 1850. Nicolsonia triflora (L.) Griseb., Goett. Abh. 7: 202. 1857. Meibomia triflora (L.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Lectotype (designated by Fawcett & Rendle 1920):— INDIA. Herb. Hermann 297 (BM 000594452!). Fig. 33.   
 Hedysarum stipulaceum Burm., Fl. Indica 168. 1768. Desmodium stipulaceum (Burm.) Hassk., Cat. PI. Hort. Bot. Bogor. 274. 1844. nom. illeg., non De Candolle, 1825. Type:— INDIA. crescit in Perfia, J. Burman s.n. (not seen).   
 Hedysarum granulatum Schum. & Thonn., Beskr. Guineiske Pl.: 362. 1827. Desmodium granulatum (Schum. e Thonn.) Walp., Repert. Bot. Syst. 1(4): 737. 1842. Lectotype (designated by Schubert 1963):—NEW GUINEA. P. Thonning s.n. (lectotype C*!, isolectotype P-JU!).   
 Desmodium triflorum var. villosum Wight & Arn., Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 229. 1834. Lectotype (designated here):— INDIA. Peninsulae Indiae Orientalis, R. Wight 778 (lectotype K!, isolectotype BM!).   
 Desmodium triflorum var. minus Wight & Arn., Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 229. 1834. Desmodium triflorum var. minimus (Wight & Arn.) Stehlé, Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., sér. 2(18): 104. 1946. Lectotype (designated here):— INDIA. Peninsulae Indiae Orientalis, R. Wight 777 (K!). Remaining syntype: India. Peninsulae Indiae Orientalis, R. Wight 779 (K!).   
 Nicolsonia reptans Meisn., Linnaea 21: 260. 1848. Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. Rio Janeiro, in Serra dos Orgãos prope, January 1837, G. Gardner 748 (lectotype BM!, isolectotypes E!, G![2 sheets], OXF!). Remaining syntype: Suriname. ad vias prope Paramáribo, 1844, H.A.H. Kegel s.n. (not seen).   
 DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE) IN BRAZIL   
 Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press • 91   
 Meibomia triflora var. glabrescens f. coerulescens Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:—VIETNAN. Turong, 24 February 1875, Herbarium Otto Kuntze 3595 (holotype NY![2 sheets]).   
 Meibomia triflora var. glabrescens f. purpurea Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:— JAVA. Tjibelong, 10 June 1875, Sammlungen von Otto Kuntze’s Weltreise 4897 (holotype NY!).   
 Meibomia triflora var. glabrescens f. violacea Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:— JAVA. Beutenzorg, 15 May 1875, Sammlungen von Otto Kuntze’s Weltreise 4275 (holotype NY!).   
 Meibomia triflora var. pilosa Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Lectotype (designated here):— PORTO RICO. Saint Thomas, 2 March 1874, C.E.O. Kuntze 173 (NY!). Remaining syntype: Cingapura. October 1875, C.E.O. Kuntze 6040b (NY!).   
 Meibomia triflora var. pilosa f. flavescens Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:— JAVA. Tjibelong, 10 May 1895, Sammlungen von Otto Kuntze’s Weltreise 4877 (holotype NY!).   
 Meibomia triflora var. pilosa f. virescens Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:— JAVA. Sindanglaja, 26 May 1875, Sammlungen von Otto Kuntze’s Weltreise 4502 (holotype NY!).   
 Meibomia triflora var. pilosa f. violacea Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Type:—TRINDAD (holotype NY, not seen).   
 Desmodium triflorum var. pygmaeum Hoehne, Relat. Commiss. Linhas Telegr. Estratég. Matto Grosso Amazonas 5, Bot. pt. 8: 73. 1919. Lectotype (designated here):— BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: São Luiz de Cáceres, F.C. Hoehne 4398 (R!). Remaining syntype: Brazil. Mato Grosso: São Luiz de Cáceres, F.C. Hoehne 4397 (R!).   
 Desmodium triflorum var. adpressum Ohwi, J. Jap. Bot. 26: 234. 1951. Type:— CHINA. Taiwan: Tamsui, U. Faurie 161 (holotype KYO *!, isotype BM!).   
Prostrate, branched subshrub, lacking stolons rooting at the nodes, without a xylopodium; stems virgate, slender, cylindrical, sulcate, glabrescent or sparsely hirsute or puberulous-uncinate, not glaucous; internodes 0.2–1.5 cm long. Stipules 2–3 × 0.8–1.2 mm, ovate, not auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, inserted perpendicularly at the base of the leaf petiole, free from each other, apex acuminate, margin straight, sparsely hirsute or glabrous, veins conspicuous, persistent. Leaves trifoliolate; petiole 3–11 mm long, cylindrical, sulcate, sparsely or densely hirsute or puberulous; rachis 1–3 mm long; stipels 0.3–0.5 mm long, subulate, margin straight, glabrous on the outer surface, persistent; leaflets concolorous, membranaceous, venation brochidodromous, primary and secondary veins prominent, tertiary veins inconspicuous on the abaxial surface, indumentum sparsely or densely tomentose on the primary veins, tomentose or puberulous on the another veins, adaxial surface puberulous, rarely sparsely tomentose, uncinate hairs covering both surfaces, terminal leaflet 0.3–0.6(–0.9) × 0.3–0.6(–0.9) cm, obcordate, orbicular or obovate, base cuneate, cordate or obtuse, apex emarginate, retuse or obtuse, lateral leaflets 0.3–0.5 (–0.7) × 0.3–0.5 (–0.7) cm, the same shape as the terminal leaflet. Inflorescence a fasciculate, axillary; 3–5 flowers per node; primary bract 2–3 mm long, ovate, margin straight, glabrescent on the outer surface, caducous, veins conspicuous on the outer surface; secondary bract ca. 1.5 mm long, lanceolate, margin straight, glabrescent on the outer surface, caducous, veins inconspicuous on the outer surface; pedicel 4–6 mm long, sparsely or densely hirsute. Flowers 2.5–3 mm long; calyx 5–laciniate, tube campanulate, 1 mm long, tomentose on the outer surface; teeth subequal, lanceolate 1–1.5 mm long; corolla lilac or white, standard 2–2.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, orbicular, apex obcordate, not maculate, claw 1.5–2 mm long; wing petals ca. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, oblong, apex obtuse, without callosities, claw 1–1.5 mm long; keel petals 1.5–2 × 0.5–1 mm, narrowly oblong, apex obtuse, with callosities, claw 1.5–2 mm long; androecium diadelphous, 2.5–3 mm long, vexillary stamen free; ovary ca. 1.5 mm long, velutinous, sessile. Loment 0.9–1.6 cm long, sessile, isthmus marginal, upper suture straight, lower suture slightly crenate; articles uniform 3–6, 2.5–3 × 2–3 mm, quase quadrangular, not tortuous, dehiscents, indehiscent, subcoriaceous, veins insconspicuous, densely uncinate. Seed ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, quadrangular, hilum central.  
 Selected specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Amapá: Macapá: Perímetro Urbano, na margem do rio Amazonas, 10 March 1962, fl., J . Mattos & N. Mattos 9933 (SP, RB). Amazonas: Manaus: Parque 10, ao longo da estrada, 15 May 1971, fl., P. J. M . Maas & H. Maas s.n. (K, U). Bahia: Iaçú: rodovia BA-046, 17 July 1982, fl., fr., G . Hatschbach & O. Guimarães 45094 (K, HBG). Ceará: Tiangua: rodovia Sobral Tianguá (BR-222), km 67, início da Serra de Ibiapaba, 30 June 1997, fl., fr., L . Coradin et al. 7868 (CEN, HUEFS, K). Espírito Santo: Presidente Kennedy: Praia das Neves, 18 May 1994, fl., fr., C . Farney et al. 3355 (RB). Goiás: Caldas Novas: Vale dos Sonhos, ca. 2km da entrada da fazenda Princesa do Vale, área conhecida como Mata Verde, km 732 da BR 158, 13 January 2009, fl., fr., L. C. P . Lima et al. 515 (HUEFS). Maranhão: s. mun.: Ferrovia São Luis-Carajás, 14 May 1985, fl., N. A . Rosa & M. F. F. da Silva 4835 (MG). Mato Grosso: Poconé: rodovia Transpantaneira, MT-060, 10 km de Poconé e próximo a entrada da fazenda Piuval, 11 June 2007, fl., fr., V. J . Pott & A. Pott 9368 (CGMS, HUEFS); Santo Antônio de Leverger: Arredores de Santo Antônio de Leverger, 15-25 Km Sde Cuiabá, 12 February 1975, fl.,   
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 LIMA ET AL. DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE) IN BRAZIL   
 Phytotaxa 169 (1) © 2014 Magnolia Press • 93 fr., W. R . Anderson 11347 (MBM, U). Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá: Reserva Acurizal, sede, 25 March 2003, fl., V. J . Pott & A. Pott 6047 (CGMS, HUEFS). Minas Gerais: Governador Valadares: BR116 - km 570, 7 June 1976, fl., fr., N. M. S . Costa 632 (PAMG). Paraíba: Areia: Engenho Bom-Fim, 8 July 1976, fl., P. C . Fevereiro & V. P. Barbosa 327 (RB). Pernambuco: Fernando de Noronha: Jardim do Hotel de trânsito do Governo, 1 October 2002, fl., fr., A. M . Miranda 4022 (HUEFS). Piauí: Bom Jesus: rodovia Bom Jesus-Gilbués, 23 Km Oeste da cidade de Bom Jesus, 20 June 1983, fl., fr., L . Coradin et al. 5890 (CEN, HUEFS, K, MBM). Rio de Janeiro: s. mun.: Morro do Flamengo, s.d., fl., fr., J . Miers 3658 (K). Rio Grande do Norte: Extremoz: Lagoa do Extremoz, 27 March 1917, fl., A . Lutz 1340 (R). Rondônia: Porto Velho: BR 364 sentido Rio Branco, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, 2 November 2005, fl., F . Bonadeu 104 (RON). Roraima: Mucajaí: s. loc., 21 March 1971, fl., fr., G. T . Prance et al. 11156 (INPA, K, M, U). Santa Catarina: Florianópolis: Praia da Daniela, 18 March 2005, fl., T . Kajita et al. 50318101 (RB). São Paulo: Matão: fazenda Experimental do IBEC, 18 January 1963, fl., fr., C . Moura 76 (SP). Sergipe: Canindé de São Francisco: Prainha, 16 June 1999, fl., R. A . Silva & D. Moura 561 (HUEFS).   
 Distribution and Ecology:— tropics of Africa, Asia, Australia, Central and South America (Ohashi 1973, Schubert 1980, Pedley 1999, Lima et al. 2010). In Brazil D.triflorum occurs in the States of Alagoas, Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, and Sergipe, in areas of Cerrado and Rain Forest, generally on sandy soils.   
 Conservation Assessment:— Least Concern (LC), not endangered (IUCN 2001).   
 Phenology:— flowering and fruiting throughout the year.   
 Etymology:— from the Latin tri (= three) + flos (= flower), in a reference to the three flowers per node on tne inflorescence.   
 Common Name:— amor-de-velho; carrapicho-rasteiro; trevo.   
 Taxonomic notes:— easily recognised by the prostrate habit, obcordate leaflets less than 1 cm in length, and fasciculate inflorescences. Desmodium triflorum is commonly misidentified as D. adscendens and D. barbatum due to the prostrate habit and obcordate leaflets, but it can be distinguished on the basis of the fasciculate inflorescence (vs. pseudoracemose in D. adscendens and D. barbatum), ovate stipules (vs. lanceolate or ovatelanceolate), and quadrangular loment articles (vs. oblong).   
 Some studies of Desmodium, such as Schubert (1963), followed by Capdevila (1994) and Vanni (2001), indicated the specimen LINN 921.45 as the type of Hedysarum triflorum. However, Fawcett & Rendle (1920) made the first lectotypification of this taxon based on the specimen of Herb. Hermann 297 deposited in the herbarium BM (Turland & Jarvis 1997), a decision accepted in this study.   
 Hedysarum stipulaceum (Burmann 1768) and Meibomia triflora var. pilosa f. violacea (Kuntze 1891) are recognised as synonyms of D. triflorum in agreement with Bentham (1859), Schindler (1928), Schubert (1980), and Azevedo (1981).
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 91-94, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.169.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10089817