Coulteria Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 6 ed. fol. 258 (1824), 6 ed. qu. 328. 1824 (excluding t. 568 et 569 which ≡ Tara spinosa (Molina) Britton & Rose. 1824), descr. emended E. Gagnon, Sotuyo & G. P. Lewis

Gagnon, Edeline, Bruneau, Anne, Hughes, Colin E., de Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci & Lewis, Gwilym P., 2016, A new generic system for the pantropical Caesalpinia group (Leguminosae), PhytoKeys 71, pp. 1-160 : 34

8. Coulteria Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 6 ed. fol. 258 (1824), 6 ed. qu. 328. 1824 (excluding t. 568 et 569 which ≡ Tara spinosa (Molina) Britton & Rose. 1824), descr. emended E. Gagnon, Sotuyo & G. P. Lewis Figs 14A-B , 15

Brasilettia sensu Britton & Rose (1930), non (DC.) Kuntze (1891).

Guaymasia Britton & Rose (1930).

Diagnosis.

Coulteria differs from Tara by its racemose inflorescences of unisexual flowers (vs. inflorescences of racemes and panicles with bisexual flowers), chartaceous to papyraceous, laterally-compressed, oblong to elliptic (occasionally suborbicular) stipitate pods, subtended by a 4-13 mm long stipe (vs. indehiscent, laterally compressed but slightly turgid and somewhat fleshy, coriaceous, straight, oblong, sessile pods), and compressed, ovate-orbicular to sub-quadrate, compressed (vs. ellipsoid) seeds.

Type.

No type designated in the original publication, nor since. Type designated here: Coulteria mollis Kunth.

Emended description.

Trees or shrubs, 3-20 m tall, unarmed; young twigs with a dense velvety-bronze pubescence, glabrescent. Stipules not seen. Leaves alternate, bipinnate, ending in a pair of pinnae; petiole and rachis glabrous or densely velutinous; pinnae in 2-6 pairs; leaflets in (2-) 4-12 (- 14) pairs per pinna, 0.6-8 cm long, elliptic, oblong to ovate, apex obtuse to acute, base narrow, rounded or obtuse, eglandular, glabrous to velvety pubescent; main vein centric, secondary veins brochidodromous. Inflorescence racemose, axillary or terminal, 5-16 (- 25) cm long; bracts minute, with an acute tip, pubescent, caducous. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers on separate trees, zygomorphic; calyx comprising a hypanthium with 5 sepals, 8-10 mm long, velvety-pubescent, lower sepal cucullate, glandular-pectinate, covering the other 4 sepals in bud; petals 5, yellow, free; male flowers with 10 free stamens, filaments pubescent, eglandular. Fruit chartaceous to papyraceous, laterally-compressed, oblong to elliptic (occasionally suborbicular), indehiscent (or sometimes opening along one suture), wingless, 3-15 × 2-4 cm, with a 4-13 mm long stipe, pendulous, often persisting to next flowering season, eglandular, glabrous to densely velutinous, 1-6-seeded. Seeds ovate orbicular or sub-quadrate, compressed.

Geographic distribution.

A genus of approximately seven species in Mexico and Central America, one species extending to Cuba, Jamaica and Curaçao, one to Venezuela (including Isla Margarita) and Colombia.

Habitat.

Seasonally dry tropical forest, deciduous woodland and dry thorn scrub, some species occurring on limestone.

Etymology.

Named by Kunth for the Irish botanist Thomas Coulter (1793-1846) who collected in central Mexico (1825-1834) and was curator of the herbarium at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Notes.

A revision of the genus has been submitted by S. Sotuyo, J. L. Contreras, E. Gagnon, and G. P. Lewis. The list of species names presented here simply includes all names associated with the genus Coulteria and will be reduced in the forthcoming taxonomic account.

References.

Britton and Rose (1930: 320-322); Ulibarri (1996); Zamora Villalobos (2010); Sotuyo et al. (submitted)

Figures

Figure 14. Caesalpinia (Coulteria) velutina Britton & Rose. A inflorescence (G. P. Lewis, Guatemala, Lewis et al. 1713 (K )) B fruits (C. E. Hughes, Guatemala, Lewis et al. 1714 (K )). Tara vesicaria (L.) Molinari, Sanchez Och. & Mayta C habit (C. E. Hughes, Tecolostote, Nicaragua, Hughes 1376 (FHO )) H flower (C. E. Hughes, Rivas, Nicaragua, J. A. Hawkins 11 (FHO). Tara spinosa (Molina) Britton & Rose D inflorescence (E. Gagnon, Ancash, Peru, Hughes et al. 3043 (MT )) I unripe fruits (C. E. Hughes, Cajamarca, Peru, Hughes 1996 (FHO )). Tara cacalaco (Humb. & Bonpl.) Molinari & Sanchez Och. E flowers (C. E. Hughes, Puebla, Mexico, Hughes et al. 2169 (FHO)) F unripe fruits (G. P. Lewis, Mexico, MacQueen 488 (K)) G bark (C. E. Hughes, Puebla, Mexico, Hughes et al. 2073 (FHO )).

Figure 15. Caesalpinia (Coulteria) velutina Britton & Rose. A portion of leaf B detail of bark C inflorescence D flower E calyx opened out F detail of calyx lobe G median petal H upper lateral petal I lower lateral petal J stamen K fruit L seed M seedling. A, K from Lewis and Hughes 1714 B-J, M from Lewis and Hughes 1713. Drawn by Eleanor Catherine.