Deguelia picta (Pittier) R.A. Camargo & A.M.G. Azevedo, 2018

Camargo, Rodrigo A. & Tozzi, Ana Maria G. A., 2018, New Combinations in Deguelia (Leguminosae, Papilionioideae) for the Guiana Shield, Phytotaxa 356 (4), pp. 285-290 : 287-288

Deguelia picta (Pittier) R.A. Camargo & A.M.G. Azevedo , comb. nov.

Basionym:— Lonchocarpus pictus Pittier (1923: 26) . Lectotype (designated here):— VENEZUELA. Miranda. Hacienda de Mararé, cerca de Ocumare del Tuy, 3 April 1918, H. Pittier 7820 (US01106212!; isolectotype: VE [digital image!]).

= Lonchocarpus densiflorus var. moritzianus Benth. (1860: 100) . syn. nov. Lectotype (designated here):— COLOMBIA. s.l., 1846, J. Moritz 884 (C!; isolectotype: G [digital image!]).

Bentham (1860) originally described this species as a variety of Lonchocarpus densiflorus Bentham (1839: 437) , although it differs from the habit of the typical variety (which is a lianescent species). The collection ( J. Moritz 884) lacks information about its habit (a tree usually up to 15 m.), which was first mentioned by Pittier (1917). Moreover, the collector number appears to be mistyped as “880” in the protologue because both collections clearly show J. Moritz 884 written on their labels and both are referred as part of the type collection. In addition, Bentham´s handwriting can be recognized in both specimens from the latter. The latin phrase “scripsit Bentham!” written on the G specimen indicates that it is the one that Bentham used to describe this taxon. One specimen of J. Moritz 880, collected in Venezuela, not in Colombia, was found at K and it belongs to another genus of a different subfamily. Pittier (1944) recognized L. pictus Pittier (1923: 26) and L. densiflorus var. moritizianus Benth. (1860: 100) as two different species of trees, distinguished them as belonging to two informal subgenera (mistakenly grouping the second with Lonchocarpus species with geminated flowers) and provided short descriptions for both. A detailed analysis of the type specimens shows that both possess no differences. Although the C and G specimens encompass only broken pieces of inflorescence rachis with loose leaflets and flowers kept in an envelope, this material was sufficient to determine their identity as L. pictus because of the distinctive floral morphology of this species. Particularly, they differ from L. densiflorus , which presents broader wings and keel petals and exceptionally for its membranous, slightly curved staminal tube (instead of rigid, strongly curved). In this regard, these specimens are practically identical to H. Pittier 7820, which also has the characteristic subglobose secondary axis present in all collections, as well as all other collections that we have examined for this taxa. Here, L. densiflorus var. moritzianus is considered a synonym of Deguelia picta .

Distribution and habitat: —This species occurs in Venezuela (Aragua, Bolivar, Mérida and Miranda) and in Colombia (Meta). To date, it is reported for Colombia from the type collection of L. densiflorus var. moritizianus , which lacks accurate geographic information on its label and also from a sterile specimen collected in Meta (H. Garcia Barriga 5114). It is found in gallery and dry forests, within patches of forests near streams surrounded by savannas or in secondary forests.

Vernacular names: —Tocorito, majomo in Venezuela ( Pittier, 1923), barbasco de árbol in Colombia (H. Garcia Barriga 5114).

Representative Specimens Examined: — COLOMBIA. Meta, Cabuyaro , 1 January 1937, H. Garcia Barriga 5114 ( COL) . VENEZUELA. Aragua, between Uberito & S. Juan de los Morros, 21 February 1924, H. Pittier 11474 ( K) ; Bolivar, em la selva de galeria de La Paragua, 25 March 1940, L. Williams 12700 ( K) ; Merida, along Rio Caparo and upstream about 1km up river from dam site, 11 March 1980, R. Liesner & A. González 9389 ( MO) .