Sohmaea hispida ( Franchet 1890: 174 ) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi (2018b: 162)

Saisorn, Witsanu & Chantaranothai, Pranom, 2022, A taxonomic revision of two genera, Pleurolobus and Sohmaea (Leguminosae) in Thailand and Indo-China, Phytotaxa 573 (2), pp. 231-246 : 238-239

2. Sohmaea hispida ( Franchet 1890: 174) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi (2018b: 162) . Fig. 1C–D .

≡ Desmodium hispidum Franchet .

Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Delavay 3504 (holotype P! P02142548 , isotype A! A00214959 [digital image]).

≡ Uraria hispida (Franch.) Schindler (1926: 254) .

= Uraria henryi Schindler (1925: 15) . Type:— CHINA. Yunnan, Mengtze, Henry 9342 (lectotype A!A00063421 [digital image], designated by Ohashi et al., 2002).

Small shrub, 0.3–1 m high; stems and twigs angular, deeply sulcate, densely silky and spreading uncinate hairy. Leaves trifoliolate, spirally arranged; stipules triangular to ovate, 8–13 × 3–5 mm, apex long acuminate, surface densely silky and uncinate hairy; petioles 1–2.5 cm long, densely silky hairy; rachis 1–2 mm long, densely silky hairy. Leaflets: stipels triangular to narrowly triangular, 5–7 × 0.5–1 mm, apex acuminate to long acuminate, surface densely hairy; petiolules 1–2 mm long, densely hairy. Terminal leaflet broadly lanceolate to ovate, 5–14 × 2–7 cm, apex narrowly acuminate, base obtuse to rounded, margin entire, upper surface sparsely appressed pubescent and densely uncinate hairy, lower surface soft and densely ascending hairy, without uncinate hairs; lateral veins 9–13 per side, conspicuous. Lateral leaflets obliquely lanceolate to ovate, 3.5–10 × 1.5–5 cm, apex narrowly acuminate, base obliquely obtuse to rounded, margin entire, both surfaces like terminal leaflet; lateral veins 8–13 per side, conspicuous. Inflorescences simple, occasionally paniculate, 3–25 cm long, terminal or axillary; rachis soft, densely and ascending pubescent. Primary bract narrowly triangular to ovate, 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm, apex narrowly acuminate, margin fimbriate, surface soft and densely hairy, enclosing 2-immature flowers and secondary bract. Secondary bract narrowly triangular to linear, 1.5–3 × 0.2–0.4 mm, pubescent. Flowers ca. 4 mm long, borne in 2-flowered fascicles; bracteoles absent; pedicels 4–4.5 mm long, with densely uncinate hairs. Calyx pale green, ca. 4 mm long, base cuneate; outside long pubescent and spreading uncinate hairy, inside glabrous, tube ca. 1.2 mm long; teeth 2–3 mm long, lower one longer than others, upper tooth entire at the apex. Corolla : standard violet to white, wings and keels pale violet; standard obovate, ca. 4 × 2.4 mm, apex shallowly emarginated to rounded, base attenuate, not auriculate, claw ca. 0.1 mm long; wings narrowly oblong, ca. 2.5 × 1 mm, apex obtuse, base auriculate, claw ca. 0.8 mm long; keels narrowly oblong, curved, ca. 4 × 1 mm, apex obtuse, claw ca. 0.8 mm long. Stamens ca. 3 mm long. Gynoecium: ovary uncinate hairy, 4–6-ovulate. Pods brown, sessile, plicate when young, becoming straight when mature, indehiscent, 6–7-articulate, oblong, 1.8–2.1 cm long, 1.8–2 mm wide, surface densely uncinate hairy, striate reticulate veined, both upper and lower sutures less constricted; isthmus 1.5/2 as broad as the pod; articles oblong, ca. 3 mm long; fruiting pedicels 4.5–5 mm long, reflexed, with densely uncinate hairs. Seeds dark brown, transversely oblong, ca. 2 × 01 mm, ca. 0.5 mm thick, arillate around hilum, the area round hilum not concave.

Distribution:— India, Myanmar, China, and Thailand.

Ecology:—Evergreen forest; 1200–1520 m elev.

Phenology:—Flowering in September–October. Fruiting in September–December.

Notes:—This species is previously considered as a member of genus Uraria . It is treated here as a member of Sohmaea because it has a straight pod when mature. Desmodium hispidum Franch. is presumably described from a single specimen. Holotype of this name is kept at P, whereas its fragments of leaflet and inflorescence along with a photograph of holotype itself are kept at A. These fragments should be an isotype in accordance with Art. 8.3, Ex. 8 of ICN ( Turland et al., 2018).

Specimens examined:— THAILAND. Chiang Mai: Samoeng , Yang Moen, 9 Oct. 1998, Maxwell 98-1084 ( BKF) , Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary , 26 Sept. 1994, Nanakorn et al. 18948 ( QBG) , Chiang Dao, Mae Taman, 27 Sept. 1994, Nanakorn et al. 1932 ( QBG-2 sheets), Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, 20 Dec. 2014, Saisorn 343 ( KKU) , Mueang Chiang Mai, Doi Pui village , 26 Dec. 2014, Saisorn 360 ( KKU) & Chiang Dao , Tokaew & Chantaranothai 854 ( BKF, KKU) ; Chiang Rai: Doi Luang National Park , 26 Oct. 1997, Maxwell 97-1211 ( BKF) ; Lampang: Wang Nuea, Doi Luang National Park , 7 Nov. 1998, Petrmitr 326 ( BKF) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. A.–B. Pleurolobus gangeticus: A. Habit; B. Pod; C.–D. Sohmaea hispida: C. Trifoliolate leaf; D. Infructescence with immature pods. Photos by the first author.