Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC., Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris)

Monteiro, Thiago Cobra E, Iganci, João Ricardo Vieira, Miotto, Silvia Teresinha Sfoggia, Simpson, Beryl B., Vatanparast, Mohammad, Lewis, Gwilym P., Klitgård, Bente B., Pezzini, Flávia Fonseca, Vargas, Oscar M. & Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, 2024, Towards a Monophyletic Infrageneric Circumscription of Adesmia DC. (Dalbergieae, Leguminosae): a Taxonomic Revision in Adesmia series Adesmia, Phytotaxa 639 (1), pp. 1-69 : 47-51

14. Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC., Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 4: 95 (1825a).

Type:— URUGUAY. Montevideo: s.d., {fl./fr.}, Commerson , P. s.n. (holotype: P barcode P00678646 [photo!], isotypes: P barcode P02936867 [photo!]; P barcode P02936870 [photo!]; P barcode P02936869 [photo!]; SI barcode 004060 [fragment, photo!]; US barcode US 00001828 [photo!]) .

≡ Hedysarum punctatum Poir., Encycl. [J. Lamarck et al.] 6(2): 447 (1805).

≡ Patagonium punctatum (Poir.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 200 (1891).

= Adesmia calycina Vogel, Linnaea 122: 75–76 (1838). Type:— URUGUAY. “ Montevideo et in Minas Geraes”, s.d., {fl./fr.}, Commerson , P. s.n. (lectotype designated here: K barcode K000222469 !; isolectotypes: K barcode K000222468 !; M barcode M0010941 [photo!]).

= Adesmia herteri Looser, Revista Sudamer. Bot. 3: 145 (1936), based on Adesmia glutinosa Arechav. nom. illegit., Anales Mus. Nac. Montevideo 3(1): 351 (1901), non Hooker & Arnott (1830).

Type:— URUGUAY. Lavalleja: campos cerca de Minas, December 1900, {fr.}, Arechavaleta, J. s.n. (holotype: MVM 5357 [photo!]; isotypes MVM 5357 a [photo!]; MVM 5357 b [photo!]) .

= Adesmia punctata var. sessiliflora Davyt & Izag., Parodiana 9(1–2): 109–110 (1996). syn. nov.

Type:— URUGUAY. Paysandú: al O. de Algorta, Arroyo Negro y Cañada del Sarandizal , campo Schneider, vecino Estância Santa Matilde, 06 November 1991, {fl./fr.}, Marchesi, E. & Armand-Ugón, P. s/n (holotype: MVFA barcode MVFA0000077 [photo!], isotypes MVFA barcode MVFA0000078 [photo!]; MVFA barcode MVFA0000079 [photo!]; MVFA barcode MVFA0000080 [photo!]) .

Prostrate stoloniferous subshrubs with adventitious roots from stem branch nodes. Stem pilose to hirsute, sparce adpressed white tector hairs intermixed with abundant long ochraceous glandular setules on all plant parts. Stipules 3–6× 0.5–2 mm, linear to triangular, pilose to glabrescent. Leaves with (6–)9–10(–11) pairs of leaflets; petiole 0.4–1.3 cm long, rachis 1–3.3 cm long, pilose to glabrescent; leaflets 2.5–8× 1–3.5 mm, elliptic to oblong, apex acute to acuminate, base acute to rounded, margin entire, pilose on both surfaces. Raceme terminal, (3–) 10–33 cm long, pilose to hirsute; bracts 3–6.5 mm long, lanceolate, pilose to hirsute; pedicel 0–7 mm long, pilose to hirsute. Flowers 8–10 mm long; calYx 6.5–11 mm long, pilose; lobes 3–6 mm long, linear to narrowlY-triangular; standard petal 9–12× 6–8 mm, orbicular to wide-oboVate, apex emarginate to truncate, externallY pilose, claw 3.5–5.5× 1–2 mm, internallY pubescent distallY; wing petals 8.5–10.5× 2–3.5 mm, oboVate, claw 3–4.5 mm long; keel petals 7–9× 2.5–3.5 mm, falcate, claw 3–4 mm long; stamens 7.5–9.5 mm long, anthers orbicular to oblong; gynoecium 9.5–11 mm long, ovary 3–4 mm long, hirsute, 4–5-ovulate. Hemicraspedium 7.5–17 mm long, straight, light to dark brownish, pilose to pubescent, black-based glandular setules at the centre of each article, fruit with (2–)4–5(–6) articles, these 2.4–3.2× 2.7–3.5 mm, orbicular to slightly elongate. Seeds brownish, 1.5–2.2× 1.5–2.3 mm, orbicular, without an aril. ( Figures 20 A–C , 25 and 26 ).

Distribution and Habitat— The species has a wide distribution range through Rio Grande do Sul state, in Brazil, and Uruguay ( Fig. 27 ), and there are also records from Argentina ( Ulibarri and Burkart 2000). Adesmia punctata occurs in open fields of Pampas grasslands, with sandy and rocky soils.

Phenology— Adesmia punctata bears flowers and fruits from October to November, sometimes extending blooming to January.

Conservation status— Vulnerable (VU) B2ab(iii). With an EOO of 97.084, 468 km ², but with an AOO of only 44 km ², the species faces habitat loss due to farming pressures and it is only recorded from a few scattered locations.

Etymology— The specific epithet is a reference to the glandular trichomes with a punctate black base present which occur on the fruits.

Notes— Adesmia punctata is morphologically characterised by the hirsute indumentum of golden glandular trichomes that cover almost all parts of the plant ( Figs. 25 and 26 ), calyx lobes linear to narrowly triangular, and by the hemicraspedium with black-based glandular trichomes at the centre of the articles ( Fig. 25 ). The species morphologically resembles A. subtropicalis by the ochraceous hirsute glandular indumentum but is distinguished by the smaller 8–10 mm long flowers (vs. flowers 10–15 mm long in A. subtropicalis ).

When he described Hedysarum punctatum, Poiret (1804) mentioned Commerson’s collection from Montevideo deposited in the Jussieu Herbarium in Paris (P), where there are other samples of A. punctata collected by Commerson in Montevideo. However, the holotype carries the label of the Jussieu Herbarium, n°15614 (P00678646).

The protologue of Adesmia calycina mentions a Sellow collection from Brazil, in Montevideo and Minas Gerais ( Vogel 1838) (at that time, Uruguay was a Brazilian province; Minas Gerais is most probably a reference to Minas in Uruguay, and not the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, where there occur no species of Adesmia ). Three samples collected by Sellow and identified as A. calycina were found: two in the Kew Herbarium (K) and the other at Munich (M). Here we designate the sample deposited at K (K000222469) as lectotype because it presents leaves, flowers, and fruits, and best fits the description in the protologue. Notwithstanding, there is no doubt that A. calycina is best considered a synonym of A. punctata due its similar hirsute indumentum, calyx lobe size and shape, and flower size.

Arechavaleta (1901) published Adesmia glutinosa Arechav. without being aware of the previously published Adesmia glutinosa Hook. & Arn. (1830) , a species from the Andes, of A. subgen. Acanthadesmia ser. Glutinosae Burkart. Looser (1936) , aware of the invalid status of Arechavaleta’s name, gave the species the new name A. herteri . Arechavaleta (1901) had reported the species from Minas, Verdum, and Arequita ( Uruguay), and diagnosed it by its linear to oblong, acute leaflets, lanceolate bracts, pedicels 1–2 cm long, calyces 1 cm long with lobes longer than the tube, and fruits with 3–4 articles with black-based glandular trichomes ( Arechavaleta 1901). Almost all of these characters are within the morphological variation of A. punctata , including its geographical distribution. We, therefore, follow the decision of Burkart (1967a) and Miotto and Leitão Filho (1993) in considering A. herteri as a synonym of A. punctata .

Adesmia punctata var. sessiliflora was described in a revision of Adesmia for Uruguay. The variety was described as differing from the typical variety by its sessile flowers, suborbicular to orbicular standard petal, and a lomentum with 2–5 slightly triangular articles ( Davyt and Izaguirre 1996). However, we note that the flowers of A. punctata var. punctata are frequently sessile and can have orbicular to large obovate standard petals, as well as fruits with (2–)4– 5(–6) orbicular to slightly elongate articles. Thus, A. punctata var. sessiliflora is within the accepted variability of A. punctata var. punctata and is here synonymized under it.

Additional Specimens Examined — BRAZIL. RIO GRANDE DO SUL: Alegrete, Estrada vicinal VRS-306 beirando a área de proteção ambiental do Ibirapuitã em direção a Caverá, 04 November 2019, Monteiro, T. C . et al. 234 ( BOTU); rodovia BR-290, 05 November 2019, Monteiro, T. C . et al. 238 ( BOTU). Augusto Pestana, estrada de terra, cerca de 20 km da cidade, 09 October 1992, Miotto, S. T. S . 1342 ( ICN 00019344 ) ([photo!]). Bagé, proximidades do posto de Alfândega de Aceguá, 29 November 1985, Valls, J. F. M . 9610 ( UEC 55354 ); 01 December 1992, Bastos, N . s/n ( PACA 109624 ); à 24 km de Bagé, na estrada para Serrilhada, 08 December 1990, Machado, L. A. Z . 711 ( SMDB 3770 ). Caçapava do Sul : Serra do seival, 05 November 1989, Machado, L. A. Z . 407 ( SMDB 3781 ). Dom Pedrito, BR-293, km 194 após ponte sobre o Rio Piraí , em direção à cidade, 17 November 1987, Wagner, L . & Boldrini, H. M. 1549 ( ICN 00019364 [photo!]). Lavras do Sul , 30 March 1991, Machado, L. A Z . et al. 1431 ( SMDB 3774 ). Pelotas, campos em declive, s/d, Augusto, I . s/n ( ICN 00019370 ). Pinheiro Machado, BR- 293 km 121, 22 November 2003, Miotto, S. T. S . 2156 ( ICN 00019335 ); estrada de terra ao lado da antena, 18 November 2005, Miotto, S. T. S . 2253 ( ICN 00019338 ). Santa Maria, Jardim botânico UFSM , 07 January 1998, Karsburg, I . s/n ( SMDB 6245 ). Santana do Livramento , Faxinal, 10 November 2009, Cordeiro, J . et al. 3328 ( MBM 355590 ) . URUGUAY. MALDONADO: Punta Ballenna, nos campos cobrindo o topo da ponta rochosa, 04 January 2011, Iganci, J. R. V . & Heiden, G. 760 ( ICN 00019325 ) . MINAS: Cerro Verdún, 30 November 2001, Seijo, J. G . et al. 2610 ( MBM 280414 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 20. A–C. Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC. D–F. Adesmia miottoae Cobra, Iganci & Fort.-Perez. G–I. Adesmia riograndensis Miotto. J–M. Adesmia securigerifolia Herter. N–P. Adesmia muricata (Jacq.) DC. A. Pedicel of rare axillary flower; narrow-triangular stipules. B. Detail of branch showing long glandular trichomes, with secretion at their tip. C. Hemicraspedium. D. Detail of the calyx indumentum; short glandular trichomes intermixed with adpressed tector trichomes. E. Calyx opened out, inner surface; lobes longer than the tube. F. Hemicraspedium; calyx persistent with lobes twice as long as the tube. G. Paripinnate leaf with six pairs of opposite leaflets. H. Leaflet with a retuse apex. I. Long-pedicellate fruit; muriculate with stiff glandular trichomes. J. Solitary flower from a leaf axil; deltate stipules; calyx lobes shorter than the tube. K. Detail of the calyx indumentum; long glandular trichomes and short tector trichomes adpressed. L. Long-pedicellate lomentum, muriculate with stiff glandular trichomes. M. Reniform seed, without aril. N. Paripinnate leaf with eight pairs of opposite leaflets. O. Orbicular leaflet with retuse apex. P. Long-pedicellate hemicraspedium, with eight muriculate articles. (Illustration:Klei Souza; Vouchers:A–C: Bastos, N. R. s/n; D–F:Valls, J. F. M. et al. 10812; G–I: Valls, J. F. M. et al. 11930; J–M: Bastos, N. R. s/n; N–P: Valls, J. F. M. et al. 10289).

FIGURE 25. Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC. A. Paripinnate leaf with elliptic leaflets. B. Leaflets, adaxial surface puberulous and abaxial pubescent. C. Leaflet, abaxial surface; tector and glandular trichomes near the main vein. D. Flower; calyx lobes longer than the tube; standard petal externally pubescent, especially near apex. E–F. Calyx; both glandular and tector trichomes present. G. Hemicraspedium with five articles. H. Article with a densely pubescent indumentum; glandular trichomes with a black base at the centre of the article. (Voucher: Monteiro, T. C. et al. 436).

FIGURE 26. Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC.A–C. Flowers at the apex of the inflorescence, and an abundance of ochraceous setules; calyx lobes longer than the tube. (Photos by T.C. Monteiro).

FIGURE 27. Geographical distribution of Adesmia punctata (Poir.) DC., A. retrofracta Hook. & Arn., and A. riograndensis Miotto.