Desmodium procumbens Hitchc., Rep. Am. Rep., 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 procumbens

description: 23. Desmodium procumbens (Mill.) Hitchc., Rep. Am. Rep. Missouri Bot. Gard. 4: 76. 1893. Hedysarum procumbens Mill., Gard. Dict. (ed. 8). 10. 1768. Hedysarum spirale Sw., Prodr. 107. 1788, nom. superf. Desmodium spirale (Sw.) DC., Prodr. 2: 332. 1825, nom. illeg. Meibomia spiralis (Sw.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891, nom. illeg. Meibomia procumbens (Mill.) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 151. 1924. Type:— JAMAICA. 1730, W. Houstoun s.n. (holotype BM!). Fig. 25.   
 Desmodium tenuiculum DC., Prodr. 2: 333. 1825. Hedysarum tenellum Spreng. ex DC., Prodr. 2: 333. 1825, pro syn, nom. illeg. non Kunth, 1824. Desmodium sprengelii D. Dietrich., Syn. Pl. 4: 1154. 1847, nom. superf. Meibomia tenuicula (DC.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 198. 1891. Type:—"in herb. Balb. Santo Domingo " C.G. Bertero s.n. (holotype G-DC!).   
 Desmodium sylvaticum Benth., Pl. Hartw. 116. 1843. Meibomia procumbens var. sylvatica (Benth.) Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 151. 1924. Lectotype (designated by Schubert 1980):— ECUADOR. Guayaquil, C.T. Hartweg 650 (lectotype K!, isolectotypes E!, FI-W049237!, G!, LE!, OXF!, P!, W!).   
 Desmodium neomexicanum A. Gray, Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 53. 1852. Meibomia neomexicana (A. Gray) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 198. 1891. Type:— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Texas: Montain, valley 30 miles east of El Paso, 12 October 1849, C. Wright 141 (holotype GH!, isotypes BM!, K!, OXF!, US!), syn. nov.   
 Desmodium bigelovii A. Gray, Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 47. 1853. Desmodium neomexicanum var. bigelovii (A. Gray) S. Watson, Bibl. Index N. Amer. Bot. 1: 217. 1878. Meibomia bigelovii (A. Gray) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891. Desmodium spirale var. bigelovii Rob. et Greenm., Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 29: 385. 1894, nom. illeg. Type:— MEXICO. Sonora: Valley of the San Pedro, C. Wright 1012 (holotype GH!, isotypes BM!, K!), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia tenella var. longipes Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 151. 1924. Desmodium procumbens var. longipes (Schindl.) B.G. Schub., Contr. Gray Herb. 129: 8. 1940. Lectotype (designated here):— GUATEMALA. Retaculén, C.G. Bernoulli & O.R. Cario 1206 (lectotype K!, isolectotype LE!), Remaining syntypes: Guatemala. Retaculén, C.G. Bernoulli & O.R. Cario 1305 (GOET!, K!). Nicaragua. Aguataliente, A.S. Oersted 4796 (BM!); Segovia, A.S. Oersted 4797 (BM!); Grenada, P. Lévy 356 (K!, P![2 sheets], C*!).   
 Meibomia lilloana Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 152. 1924. Desmodium lilloanum (Schindl.) Burkart, Darwiniana 3(2): 196. 1939. Lectotype (designated here):— ARGENTINA. Salta: Rosario de la frontera, 16 March 1905, M. Lillo 4436 (holotype B†, lectotype SP!, isolectotypes FOBN002259!, LIL, not seen), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia humilis Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 152. 1924. Desmodium humile (Schindl.) Burkart, Darwiniana 3(2): 198. 1939. Lectotype (designated here):— UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Chiricahua Mts., Apache Pass, J.G. Lemmon s.n. (lectotype BM!, isolectotypes G!, P!). Remaining syntypes: United States of America. Arizona, Rincon Mts., Manning Trail, 1730m, J.C. Blumer 3344 (not seen); New Mexico, tal des rio Grande, below Doñana, Mexican Boundary Survey 276 (P!, K!), 277 (P!). Mexico. Jaral, W. Schumann 179, p.p. (not seen). Peru. San Bartolomé, an der Lima, Oroya- Bahn 1500-1600m, A. Weberbauer 5282 (G!). Argentina. Yacutula, F. Schickendantz 30, 77, 257 (not seen); alredores de Jujui, G.H.E.W. Hieronymus & P.G. Lorentz 1031 (not seen), syn. nov.   
 Meibomia parva Schindl., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 153. 1924. Desmodium parvum (Schindl.) Standl., Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., Bot. Ser. 11(5): 160. 1936. Lectotype (designated here):— MEXICO. Chihuahua, C.G. Pringle 612 (lectotype K!, isolectotypes B!, BR!, E!, G![4 sheets], GOET!, LE![3 sheets], MANCH![2 sheets], P![3 sheets], US!, WU!). Remaining syntypes: United States of America. Arizona, Chiricaua, J.C. Blumer 1675 (E!, K!, U!, W!); New Mexico, Dona Ana Co., E.O. Wooton 433 (E!, G![2 sheets], K!, LE!, P![2 sheets], WU!). Mexico. Chihuahua, C.G. Pringle s.n. (W!); Coahuila, Jaral, W. Schumann 179 (not seen); Durango, E. Palmer 584 (BM!, G!, K!, P!,); San Luis Potosi, J.G. Schaffner 574 pp.(BM!, FI!, GOET!, HBG!, K!, M!, P!), J.G. Schaffner 575 p.p.(GOET!, M!, P!); Hidalgo, Dublan, C.G. Pringle 9458 (not seen); ohne nähere Ortsangabe, W. Schaffner 217 (not seen). Bolivia. Larecaja bei Sorata, 2650-3100m, G. Mandon 739 (BM!, BR![2 sheets], G![5 sheets], GOET!, K!, LE![2 sheets], P![2 sheets], W! [2 sheets]), G. Mandon 740 (BM!, BR![3 sheets], G!, GOET!, K!, LE![2 sheets], P![3 sheets], W!); Tarija, 2400m, K. Fiebrig 2048 (not seen), K. Fiebrig 2849 (BM!, E!, G![2 sheets], GOET!, HBG![2 sheets], K![2 sheets], M!, P![2 sheets], U!, W!), syn. nov.   
 Desmodium procumbens var. typicum B.G. Schub., Contr. Gray Herb. 129: 5. 1940. nom. illeg. (ICBN Art. 24.3).   
Prostrate, ascendent, branched subshrub, lacking stolons rooting at the nodes, without a xylopodium; stems virgate, slender, cylindrical, striate or slightly sulcate, glabrescent or sparsely puberulous-uncinate or uncinate, not glaucous; internodes 0.9–2.5 cmlong. Stipules 2–5 × 0.5–1 mm, triangular, not auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, inserted perpendicularly at the base of the leaf petiole, free from each other, apex aristate, margin straight, glabrescent, veins slightly conspicuous, caducous. Leaves trifoliolate; petiole 9–32 mm long, cylindrical, sulcate, glabrescent or sparsely uncinate; rachis 4–9 mm long; stipels 1.5–2 mm long, subulate, margin straight, glabrescent on the outer surface, persistent; leaflets discolorous, membranaceous, venation brochidodromous, primary and secondary veins prominent, tertiary veins flush with the abaxial surface, indumentum densely tomentose on the primary, secondary and tertiary veins on the abaxial surface, adaxial surface tomentose, uncinate hairs covering both surfaces, terminal leaflet 1.8–4.2 × 1.3–2.6 cm, ovate-lanceolate, rhombic or narrowly elliptic, base oblique or obtuse, apex acute, subacute or obtuse, lateral leaflets 2.1–3.2 × 0.8–1.7 cm, the same shape as the terminal leaflet. Inflorescence a terminal or axillary pseudoraceme or paniculate; the main axis longer than the adjacent leaves,  
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7.2–19.5 cm long, sparsely or densely puberulous-uncinate, 2–4 flowers per node; primary bract 1.5–2.5 mm long, narrowly ovate, margin straight, hirsute and puberulous-uncinate on the outer surface, persistent, veins inconspicuous on the outer surface; secondary bract 0.5–1 mm long, linear, margin straight, hirsute on the outer surface, caducous, veins inconspicuous on the outer surface; pedicel 9–12 mm long, sparsely or densely uncinate and hirsute. Flowers 2.5–4 mm long, calyx bilabiate, tube campanulate, 0.5–1 mm long, uncinate and hirsute on the outer surface; upper lip bifid, the 2 teeth joined for ca. ¾ of their length, acute, ca. 0.2 mm long; lower lip trifid, lateral tooth lanceolate, 0.5–1 mm long, central tooth lanceolate, ca. 1 mm long; corolla lilac or white, standard 1.5–2 × 2.2–2.5 mm, broadly obovate, apex obcordate, maculate at the base, claw ca. 1 mm long; wing petals 2–2.5 × 0.5–1 mm, oblong, apex obtuse, without callosities, claw ca. 0.5 mm long; keel petals 1.5–2 × 0.5–1 mm, narrowly obovate, apex subacute, with callosities, claw 1–1.5 mm long; androecium monadelphous, 2.5–4 mm long, vexillary stamen partially fused with the other from the base ca. 0.5 mm; ovary 1.5–2 mm long, glabrescent, stipe ca. 0.3 mm long, glabrous. Loment 0.7–2.1 cm long, stipe 1–2 mm long, uncinate, isthmus central, both margins sinuate; articles uniform 3–7, 2.5–4 × 2–3 mm, rhombic, tortuous, indehiscent, membranaceous, veins insconspicuous, densely puberulous-uncinate becoming glabrous at maturity. Seed ca. 2 × 1 mm, rhombic, hilum central.  
 Selected specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Cocos: Ca. de 5 Km Oeste de Cocos, 17 March 1972, fl., W . R. Anderson et al. 37110 (K, UB). Ceará: Canindé: BR-020, km 15, Canindé-Quixada, 15 June 1979, fl., fr., L . Coradin et al. 1967 (CEN, HUEFS). Espírito Santo: Linhares: Lago Juparanã, April 1975, fl., fr., G . Eiten 271 (UB). Goiás: Monte Alegre: s. loc., 12 April 2000, fl., fr., M . A. Silva et al. 4360 (CEN, IBGE). Maranhão: Caxias: BR-316, Timom-Caxias, km 68, 28 May 1980, fl., fr., L . Coradin et al. 2646 (CEN, HUEFS, K, RB). Mato Grosso: Poconé: estrada transpantaneira, metade do caminho entre Porteira do IBAMA e Porto do Jofre, 6 May 2003, fl., fr., V . J. Pott et al. 6219 (CGMS, HUEFS). Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá: base de Estudos do Pantanal da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Passo do Lontra, 5 May 2008, fl., fr., A . Pott 15101 (CGMS, HUEFS). Minas Gerais: Arcos: fazenda Faroeste, margem direita do rio São Miguel, 22 April 2003, fl., fr., P . H. A. Melo 600 (RB). Paraná: Guaíra: Sete Quedas, 23 April 1968, fl., fr., G . Hatschbach 19114 (L, MBM). Pernambuco: Caruaru: s. loc., 1 August 1996, fl., fr., A . M. Miranda et al. 2419 (HST, HUEFS); BR-232, Caruaru-Arcoverde, beira de estrada, km 13, 21 May 1980, fl., fr., L . Coradin et al. 2459 (CEN, K). Piauí: Floriano: s. loc., 17 May 1997, fl., fr., L . P. Félix 7872 (HST, HUEFS, INPA). Rio Grande do Norte: s. mun.: s. loc., November, st, Martius Iter Brasil (M). São Paulo: Cardoso: Porto Militão, Mata Mesófila, 18 May 1995, fl., fr., L . C. Bernacci et al. 1807 (SPF).   
 Distribution and Ecology:— Southern United States, Mexico, Central and South America (Schubert 1980, Vanni 2001, Lima et al. 2010). In Brazil D. procumbens has been found in the States of Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, and São Paulo, and almost all the States of the Brazilian northeast. The species has been collected in habitats associated with Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests.   
 Conservation Assessment:— Least Concern (LC), not endangered (IUCN 2001).   
 Phenology:— flowering and fruiting from March to November.   
 Etymology:— from the Latin procumbens (= procumbent), in reference to the species procumbent habit.   
 Common Name:— açoita-cavalo; marmelada-de-cavalo.   
 Taxonomic notes:— the prostrate-ascending subshrub habit, pedicels 9–12 mm long, persistent primary bracts, flowers 2.5–4 mm long, tortuous fruit articles, and rhombic seeds assist in the recognition of Desmodium procumbens. It resembles D. glabrum and D. tortuosum due to the presence of ovate-lanceolate leaflets, flowers 2.5–4 mm long, and tortuous articles, but is distinguished by the thin, virgate stems (vs. not thin nor virgate in D. glabrum and D. tortuosum) that are glabrescent or puberulous-uncinate (vs. velutinous in D. glabrum), persistent primary bracts (vs. bracts caducous in D. glabrum and D. tortuosum), and articles that are uniform (vs. dimorphic in D. glabrum), rhombic, and membranaceous (vs. elliptic or orbicular and subcoriaceous in D. tortuosum).   
 Desmodium bigelovii, D. neomexicanum, Meibomia tenella var. longipes, M. lilloana, M. humilis, and M. parva are considered to be synonyms of D. procumbens due to the morphological similarity of the flowers (2.5–5 mm long) and spirally tortuous loments that are puberulous-uncinate or glabrous when mature and short-stipitate (the stipe ca. 1 mm long).   
 DESMODIUM (LEGUMINOSAE, PAPILIONOIDEAE) IN BRAZIL   
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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 72-74, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.169.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/10089817