Senna occidentalis (Linnaeus, 1753) Link, 1831

Jiang, Kai-Wen, 2021, A change in the taxonomic rank of Senna andhrica P. V. Ramana, J. Swamy & M. Ahmed. (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae), Phytotaxa 512 (4), pp. 293-296 : 294

Senna occidentalis (L.) Link var. andhrica (P. V. Ramana, J. Swamy & M. Ahmed.) K. W. Jiang , comb. & stat. nov.

TYPE: — INDIA. Andhra Pradesh, Srikakulam district, Kaviti Mandal, Ramayya Puttiga , 19.0092067°N, 84.6886061°E, 12 m a.s.l., 10 th Oct 2015 . P. V. Ramana & J. Swamy 04340 (holotype: CAL; isotypes: BSID, K, NY).

Basionym: — Senna andhrica P. V. Ramana, J. Swamy & M. Ahmed. (2018: 2) .

Diagnosis: —The variety var. andhrica can be simply distinguished from var. occidentalis by its unifoliolate leaves (vs. paripinnate leave with leaflets 3–5(–6) pairs). It usually bears gynoecia with only one carpel, but sometimes it bears gynoecia with 2–3 carpels (see discussions below).

Distribution and habitat: — Senna occidentalis var. andhrica is currently known from India and Nigeria, and perhaps also distributes in N America based on the note by Britton & Rose (1928). The habitat of the variety is possibly similar to S. occidentalis var. occidentalis : it grows in disturbed and waste places in forest, brush, savanna and riparian environments, in arable and pasture land, on roadsides, about farms and villages, vigorous and abundant in ditches and seasonally moist depressions or on shores ( Irwin & Barneby 1982).

Additional specimens examined:— NIGERIA. Osun state: Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile-Ife , in experimental garden, 11 th Jul 2001, B. O . Daramola s. n., Herbarium Number 13038 ( K) , Oyo state: Igbajo , a planted ornamental, 2 nd May 1981, M. G . Latilo 162 (two sheets at K) , Ogun state: Elekuro, Ibadan , waste ground between houses, Jul 1965, G. N . Herington s. n. ( K) , Ondo state: Owo district, Iyere, in “compound farm area”, 15 th Jun 1979, Olorunfemi et al. OAF 22 (image at K), Akure district , pilot sawmill Aponmu , 18 th Jun 1952, M . Ejiofor FHI 32001 (image at K) , without locality details: 20 th Aug 1907, E. W . Foster 336 ( K) .

Discussions: —As reported in Cassia by Paulino et al. (2014), the phenomenon of polycarpel is possibly unstable in Senna occidentalis , I assume such a mutation can also be observed in S. occidentalis var. occidentalis . By contrast, the phenomenon of unifoliolate leaves is stable at least in examined specimens. Thus here I consider the unifoliolate leaves as the diagnosis of S. occidentalis var. andhrica .