Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & J.W.Grimes (1996: 94)

Guerra, Ethiéne, Soares, Marcos Vinicius Batista, Morim, Marli Pires & Iganci, João Ricardo Vieira, 2023, Circumscription of Abarema (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoid clade), Phytotaxa 601 (1), pp. 51-60 : 55-56

1. Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & J.W.Grimes (1996: 94)

≡ Mimosa cochliacarpos Gomes (1812: 34) Type:— BRAZIL. habitat in montibus, frequens, ut tratidur, in Brasiliae provinciis S. Paulo, et Minas Geraes; occurrit raro in Rio janeira. (Lectotype: Mem. Acad. Real. Sci. Lisboa: vol. 3, p l: 34–41, t. 4, fig. 3, designated by Iganci & Morim, 2009). Epitype:— BRAZIL. Bahia: Porto Seguro, BR–367, 12 km W de Porto Seguro, 27 Nov. 1979, S. A. Mori, A. M. Carvalho & D. Halloran s.n. (RB 204952!, designated by Iganci & Morim, 2009). ≡ Pithecolobium cochliocarpum (Gomes) Macbr. (1919: 3) .

= Pithecollobium auaremotemo Mart. ( Martius 1837: 115) Type: not found.

= Mimosa vaga Vell. ( Vellozo 1831: tab 13) Type: Flora Fluminensis, vol.11, tab 13!

Fig 3 and additional illustrations in Iganci & Morim (2009).

Shrub or tree (2–) 3–30 m tall. Stipules 0.3–1.5 mm long, caducous. Leaves with (1–) 2–4 (–5) pairs of pinnae; petiole 0.5–6.5 cm long; rachis (1.5–) 5–9 (–18) cm long; foliar nectaries on the rachis 0.5–1 mm diam., and on the pinnae rachillae 0.09–0.8 mm diam. Leaflets 2–6 pairs per pinnae, membranaceous, discolorous when mature, light green on the adaxial surface, dark green on the abaxial surface, obovate to oblanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, sometimes rounded on the young leaflets, the proximal leaflets (0.6–) 1–2 (–3.1) × (0.4–) 0.8–1.5 (–2.1) cm, the distal leaflets (1.2–) 3.5–5.5 (–11.5) × (0.7–) 1.7–3 (–5) cm, the apex acute to acuminate, sometimes rounded on the young leaflets, glabrous, venation usually not prominent, but sometimes with prominent venation on the abaxial surface. Inflorescences peduncle (2.8–) 5–8 (–11) cm long; bracts 0.3–1.10 mm, caducous; bracteoles triangular 0.4 × 0.3 mm, and spatulate 0.35 × 0.12 mm, pubescent. Flowers sessile but a few flowers, generally at the base of some racemes, can have pedicels 0.10–0.40 (–0.88) mm long; calyx 1.2–2.8 mm long; corolla 4.1–7.8 mm long; stamens 9–18.3 mm long, including a staminal tube 3.1–7.5 mm long, this inserted in the corolla; anthers 0.06–0.3 mm long; ovary 0.8–1.7 mm long, glabrous, attenuate at the apex. Legumes (6.3–) 14–25 (–32) × 0.7–2.6 cm, apex rounded. Seeds 4–8.3 × 3.6–7.7 mm, with a smooth testa.

Distribution and habitat: — Abarema cochliacarpos is distributed along the Brazilian coast, from the state of Rio Grande do Norte in the northeast to Rio de Janeiro in the southeast; it occurs in Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. In Bahia, in the Caatinga biome of the Chapada Diamantina it also occurs as an inland form. On the coast it occurs in Atlantic Forest sensu lato, including in: dense ombrophilous forest, semi-deciduous forest and restinga (coastal scrub).

Flowers and fruits information: —Flowers and fruits observed all year long. Flowers mature principally from September to December. Fruits mature principally from January to March.

Conservation status: —The species presents a large Extent of Occurrence (EOO 836,532.918 km ²) and in comparison, a reduced Area of Occurrence (AOO 2,736.000 km²). This difference could be due to distinct collection efforts, a natural fragmented distribution, and/or loss of habitat caused by ongoing exploitation and agricultural expansion. The species was assessed as of Least Concern (LC) by Watkinson (2012). Here, we confirm the assession as LC, according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (2022), as the species was found in protected areas along its distribution. Therefore, we reinforce that the ongoing fragmentation of habitat is a threat to the species.

Notes: —Across its entire geographical range, Abarema cochliacarpos presents morphological variation in some characters, such as plant height, leaves and fruits. In the leaves, even within an individual, it is common to find a remarkable variation of number and size of leaflets. Barneby & Grimes (1996) commented that the fruits in the Northeast populations, as far south as Bahia, are thicker than in the remaining distribution area of the species. Lewis (1987) emphasized the occurrence of two different morphotypes in Bahia state, diagnosable principally by plant height. After detailed analyses of herbarium specimens, a morphometric study, and observation of populations in the field, we confirm that different morphotypes do exist and note that various environmental features are likely influencing the morphological variation observed ( Guerra et al. 2019). We also observed that along the coast the species can be considered a pioneer, in secondary forests.

In the northeast of Brazil, the species is commonly used in local medicine because of the presence of tannins; the stem bark is used in infusions to treat wounds and ulcers ( Dias et al., 2012).

Martius (1837) described Pithecollobium auaremotemo based on Mimosa cochliacarpos Gomes. He used the epithet “auaremotemo”, instead of “cochliacarpos”, following the first mention of the species by Pisonis: “ De Abaremo temo arbore, ejusque facultatibus” ( Pisonis, 1658). Many later studies erroneously cited Martius’s work as the original description of the species. However, combinations based on the Martius binomial should be considered non-validly published names.

Selected material:— BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Armaç„o de Búzios, Rasa, 27.Aug.2004, H. G.Dantas 408 ( ICN, RB); Reserva Tauá, 17.May.2005, R. D.Ribeiro et al. 467 ( ICN, RB); Arraial do Cabo, Ilha de Cabo Frio , vertente N, 22.Nov.2001, C.Farney et al. 4413 ( ICN, K, MBM, RB SPF, US), 01.Sept.2004, R. D.Ribeiro et al. 326 ( RB), no Lageado após o farol velho, 17.Nov.2015, E.Guerra et al. 105, 106 ( ICN), na parte baixa, 17.Nov.2015, E.Guerra et al. 107, 108 ( ICN); Maricá, Ponta do Fund„o, margem da Lagoa da Barra , 03.Apr.1996, M. C. L . Ramos 1112 ( ICN, RB); Nova Iguaçu, Parque Municipal de Nova Iguaçu , estrada da Cachoeira, 4.Sep.2002, M. C. F . Santos et al. 908 ( RB); Rio de Janeiro, Chácara do Guimar „es, Leblon, 10.Oct.1947, O.X.deB.Machado s.n. ( ICN, RB 76099 ); Estrada de acesso ao Corcovado, entrada do Sumaré, 16.Oct.1972, J.Almeida de Jesus 2036 ( ICN, RB); subida para a Pedra da Gávea, 16.Apr.1974, D.Sucre et al. 10702 ( ICN, RB); Parque Nacional da Tijuca, estrada para Corcovado, 22.Sep.1982, H. C.de Lima 1787 ( ICN, RB); Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, seç„o XIV, canteiro A . indivíduo 3077, 28.Sep.1989, V. F . Gonçalves et al. 41 ( ICN, RB); Maciço da Tijuca , 15.Apr.1994, J. M. A . Braga 1138 ( RB); Paquetá, Morro do Parque Ducke , 9.May.1998, R. M . Araújo et al. 260 ( ICN, RB); Floresta da Tijuca, Pedra da Gávea, Pé de Carrasqueira , 09.Mar.2004, R . D.Ribeiro et al. 97 ( ICN, RB); Floresta Nacional da Tijuca, Vista Chinesa , 23.Nov.2015, E . Guerra et al. 109 ( ICN) ;

Figures

FIGURE 3. Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & J.W.Grimes. A. habit; B. fruit; C. non-prominent venation on the leaflets. Photos: Guerra, E.