Ticanto elliptifolia (S. J. Li, Z. Y. Chen & D. X. Zhang) R. Clark & Gagnon, 2022

Clark, Ruth P., Jiang, Kai-Wen & Gagnon, Edeline, 2022, Reinstatement of Ticanto (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae) - the final piece in the Caesalpinia group puzzle, PhytoKeys 205, pp. 59-98 : 59

3. Ticanto elliptifolia (S. J. Li, Z. Y. Chen & D. X. Zhang) R. Clark & Gagnon comb. nov.

Basionym.

Caesalpinia elliptifolia S. J. Li, Z. Y. Chen & D. X. Zhang, Nordic J. Bot. 22: 349. 2003.

Type.

China Guangdong, Fengkai, Qixing , alt. 120m, 20 July 2000, Shijin Li 026 (holotype: IBSC!)

Description.

Habit a liana to 15 m. Stems occasionally with scattered, recurved prickles to 2 mm. Stipules caducous. Leaves with 1-2 pairs opposite pinnae; leaf rachis 20-30 cm, leaf rachis and pinnae rachises with recurved prickles; petiolules 2-3 mm; leaflets 2 opposite pairs per pinna, coriaceous, broadly elliptic, base cuneate to rounded, apex rounded, obtuse or acute, 7-13 × 4.5-8 cm, upper surface glabrous, glossy, lower surface with brown hairs especially on midvein; venation anastomosing, finely reticulate. Inflorescence a panicle, supra-axillary or terminal, 15-25 cm, all parts densely hairy; pedicels 8-12 mm, articulated; bracts caducous, lanceolate, 1-3 mm; bracteoles caducous, ca. 1.5 mm. Flowers with a hypanthium, this with brown hairs; calyx lobes ca. 6 × 2 mm, with brown hairs; median petal blade reflexed, claw ca. 3.5 × 1 mm, blade ca. 7 × 6-7 mm, circular patch of brown hairs at base of blade, otherwise glabrous; lateral petals 10-12 × 4-5 mm, claw ca. 1 mm, glabrous; stamen filaments 9-14 mm, the basal ca. ½ tomentose, anthers 2 mm; ovary subsessile, ca. 2 mm long, tomentose, 1- or 2-ovuled; style (2-)7-10 mm, occasionally as short as 2 mm, glabrous; stigma truncate, papillate. Fruit indehiscent, coriaceous, oblong-elliptic to sub-lunate, sub-symmetrical, compressed but slightly inflated when mature, base cuneate, stipe short, apex acute to attenuate, beak ca. 1-5 mm, veins prominent and reticulate, ca. 4.5-5 × 2.2-2.5 cm, lacking a wing. Seeds 1 or 2, brownish black, compressed, sub-circular, ca. 10-15 mm cm in diameter.

Ecology.

Beside ditches, elevation ca. 100 m.

Phenology.

Flowering April, fruiting May-June.

Distribution.

China (Guangdong) (Map 1 ).

Figures

Map 1. Distribution of all species (excluding T. crista).