Eriosema (De Candolle, 1825) Desvaux, 1826

Cândido, Elisa S., Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, Bezerra, Luísa M. P. A. & Aranha Filho, João Luiz M., 2014, A New Species of Eriosema (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Phaseoleae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil, Phytotaxa 178 (3), pp. 229-232 : 231

Key to the species of Eriosema in Minas Gerais, Brazil

1 Leaves unifoliolate ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2

- Leaves usually trifoliolate, but sometimes the basal ones unifoliolate ............................................................................................. 7

2 Stipules free, leaflets obovate ............................................................................................................................ E. obovatum Benth.

- Stipules fully or partially fused, leaflets linear, lanceolate, elliptical and ovate .............................................................................. 3

3 Leaflets linear, base acute, with the appearance of a rigid stick................................................................... E. stenophyllum Harms

- Leaflets mostly ovate to lanceolate, base obtuse to cordate, never with the appearance of a rigid stick.......................................... 4

4 Stipules deciduous; leaflets conspicuously variable in size on the same plant ........................... E. benthamianum Mart. ex Benth.

- Stipules persistent; leaflets uniform in size on the same plant ..........................................................................................................5

5 Subshrubs erect or ascending; stems usually glabrous or glabrescent; leaflets coriaceous; inflorescence densely white-sericeous (rarely pubescent) ................................................................................................................................................. E. rigidum Benth.

- Subshrubs prostrate, rarely erect; stems pubescent; leaflets membranaceous to slightly coriaceous; inflorescences glabrescent to pubescent ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

6 Racemes with 8–15 flowers, usually longer than mature leaves................................................................. E. heterophyllum Benth.

- Racemes with 2–10 flowers, usually shorter than mature leaves...................................................... E. simplicifolium (DC.) G.Don

7 Fully developed racemes longer than adjacent leaves .......................................................................................................................8

- Fully developed racemes shorter than adjacent leaves.....................................................................................................................14

8 Stems glabrous or glabrescent; leaflets with three veins clearly marked................................................ E. glabrum Mart. ex Benth.

- Stems pubescent; leaflets without clearly marked veins ................................................................................................................... 9

9 Stems procumbent ...........................................................................................................................................................................10

- Stems erects or ascending ................................................................................................................................................................11

10 Leaflets membranaceous, base acute, stems copiously hirsute .......................................................................... E. prorepens Benth.

- Leaflets thin-coriaceous, base obtuse or subcordate (rare acute), stems sparsely pilose ...................................... E. glaziovii Harms

11 Plants with caducous leaves (or nearly so) when fertile..................................................................................... E. defoliatum Benth.

- Plants with persistent leaves when fertile.........................................................................................................................................12

12 Flowers 10–15 mm long ..................................................................................................................................................... E. tozziae

- Flowers 21–30 mm long...................................................................................................................................................................13

13 Leaflets obovate, silvery-pilose on the abaxial surface, contrasting with rufous-pubescent veins, base acute or obtuse.................... .................................................................................................................................................................................. E. riedelli Benth.

- Leaflets elliptic, rufous-pubescent on the abaxial surface, not contrasting with the veins, base mostly cordate ................................ ......................................................................................................................................................................... E. longiflorum Benth.

14 Leaflets usually less than five times longer than wide.....................................................................................................................15

- Leaflets usually more than five times longer than wide...................................................................................................................20

15 Stems glabrescent or cinereous to whitish pubescent.......................................................................................................................16

- Stems yellowish, rufous- or ferrugineous-pubescent .......................................................................................................................18

16 Plants with leaves only near the branch apex at anthesis .................................................. E. hatschbachii Fort. -Perez & G.P.Lewis

- Plants with scattered leaves throughout the branch length or leaves caducous at anthesis..............................................................17

17 Stipules caducous; leaves caducous at anthesis................................................................................................. E. congestum Benth.

- Stipules persistent; leaves persistent at anthesis............................................................................................. E. floribundum Benth.

18 Leaflets oblong-lanceolate with parallel secondary veins.............................................................................. E. pycnanthum Benth.

- Leaflets ovate, obovate, elliptic to orbicular, without parallel secondary veins...............................................................................19

19. Plants erect, densely rufous-pilose or ferrugineous-pubescent .................................................................. E. rufum (Kunth) G.Don

- Plants prostrate, yellow-pubescent .................................................................................................................... E. campestre Benth.

20 Leaflets elliptic to narrowly elliptic, the standard with a retuse apex ................................................. E. tacuaremboense Arechav.

- Leaflets linear, lanceolate or rarely narrowly elliptic; the standard with an apiculate apex ............................................................21

21 Stems whitish to cinereous-pubescent................................................................................................................... E. strictum Benth.

- Stems ferrugineous or rufous-pubescent ..........................................................................................................................................22

22 Racemes with 4–5 flowers .................................................................................................................... E. crinitum (Kunth) G.Don

- Racemes with more than 8 flowers ................................................................................................................ E. longifolium Benth.