Balsamocarpon Clos, Fl. Chile. 2(2): 226; Atlas Botanico t. 20. 1846

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 : 66

20. Balsamocarpon Clos, Fl. Chile. 2(2): 226; Atlas Botanico t. 20. 1846 Figs 33 , 34A-C

Type.

Balsamocarpon brevifolium Clos

Description.

Shrub 1-2 m tall, with long terete branches with thin, straight, 3-5 mm long, often caducous spines. Stipules deltoid, hairy, glandular. Leaves in fascicles on short brachyblasts, pinnate, 3-8 mm long; leaflets in 3-4 pairs, elliptic-obovate to orbicular, 1.5-4.5 × 1-2 mm, glabrous, fleshy. Inflorescences composed of short racemes; pedicels and rachis hairy and glandular; bracts deltoid, hairy and glandular. Flowers bisexual, sub-zygomorphic; calyx comprising a hypanthium and 5 sepals, c. 5-6 × 4.2 mm, fimbriate, hairy and with glandular trichomes, sepals persistent in fruit; petals 5, free, yellow, obovate, subequal, short-clawed, 10 × 3-4.5 mm, with glandular trichomes on the dorsal surface; stamens 10, free, filaments pubescent, eglandular; ovary glandular, finely pubescent, stigma a fringed chamber. Fruit a thick, turgid, resinous, glandular, indehiscent pod, 2.5-4 × 1.5 cm, 3-4-seeded.

Geographic distribution.

A monospecific genus endemic to northern Chile, from the Coquibo and La Serena valleys.

Habitat.

Desert scrub, rocky hillsides.

Etymology.

From balsamo - (Gk.: balsam) and carpos (Gk.: fruit), the pods yield a sticky resin traditionally used for tanning.

References.

Burkart (1940: 162); Ulibarri (1996, 2008); Nores et al. (2012).

Figures

Figure 33. Balsamocarpon brevifolium Clos. A flowering stem B flower C median petal D upper lateral petal E lower lateral petal F stamen G gynoecium H fruit I dissected seed J longitudinal section of seed K embryo. Drawn by A. Riocreux, first published in Historia fysica y polica de Chile, Botanica, Atlas, col. 1: t. 20 (1854). Scale bars were estimated for this plate based on descriptions and comparison with herbarium specimens; we were unable to estimate these for F, G, K, J, I.

Figure 34. Balsamocarpon brevifolium Clos. A branch with inflorescence and fruit (M. F. Gardner, Chile, Gardner & Knees 5825 (E )) B fruits with persistent calyx, C habit (P. Baxter, Chile, Baxter et al. DCI 1859 (E )). Zuccagnia punctata Cav. D flowers E fruits (I. Specogna, Flora mendocina (http: // www. floramendocina. com. ar /), Mendoza, Argentina, unvouchered). Hoffmannseggia arequipensis Ulibarri F fruits with persistent calyx, and inflorescence (C. E. Hughes, Arequipa, Peru, Hughes et al. 2342 (FHO )). Hoffmannseggia minor (Phil.) Ulibarri, G habit and inflorescence (G. P. Lewis, Bolivia, unvouchered). Hoffmannseggia humilis (Mart. & Galeotti) Hemsl. H fruit with persistent sepals (J. Neff, Puebla, Mexico, unvouchered). Stenodrepanum bergii Harms I habit J inflorescence K fruit (R. H. Fortunato, Argentina, Fortunato 9144 (BAB )).