Stryphnodendron coriaceum Bentham 1875

5. Stryphnodendron coriaceum Bentham (1875: 373).

— Type: BRAZIL. Minas Gerais. “Fermoso provinciae Minas Geraes”, s.d., Martius 1820 (lectotype M 0218783!, designated here, isolectotypes F!, M!, NY!, MO!)

Trees 2.5–6(–10) m tall, rhytidome thick, grooved, slightly suberous; 1 pair of nectaries present on the branch right below the insertion of the petiole (a nectary at each side), slightly verruciform to depressed. Leaves with (2–)3–4 pair of pinnae, opposite to subopposite; 3–5(–7) pairs of leaflets, opposite to subopposite; petiolar nectaries absent; leaflets (2–)2.5–5(–9) × (0.2–)1.5–4.5(–6) cm, apex usually round, sometimes slightly emarginate, rarely truncate or asymmetrically round, very rarely acute, margin flat, coriaceous, slightly discolor to discolor, glabrous on both surfaces, very rarely sparsely puberule along the midrib on lower surface, unilateral tuft of trichomes on lower surface absent. Inflorescences of simple thyrsi; cymulae of 3–4(–5) spikes; spike with (9–)10–12(–20) cm long; spike prophylls deciduous, rarely late deciduous, 3–4 cm long. Flowers monoclinous, whitish to yellowish, anther gland sessile. Fruit a nucoid legume, strongly curved to spiral, flat-compressed to subturgid, 8–10 × 1.5–1.8(–3) cm, valves coriaceous to woody, light-brown yellowish and ferruginous-pulverulent, glabrescent (Fig. 1C).

Vernacular names: — Barbatimão, Barbatimão do Norte or Barbatimão do Cerrado.

Nomenclatural notes: — Bentham (1875) referred as type of S. coriaceum at least two syntypes, indicated merely by their collection sites (Bahia and Minas Gerais states in Brazil). The author’s comments in this work (Bentham 1875) suggest that it was written simultaneously with Flora brasiliensis, and that the latter was expected to be released first, but it was published only in the following year. In Flora brasiliensis, Bentham (1876) provides more details of the types mentioned in his 1875 work, allowing the association of Martius s.n. and Martius 1820 to the specimens collected in Bahia and Minas Gerais, respectively. The latter was selected as lectotype.

Distribution and habitat: — Stryphnodendron coriaceum occurs in areas of low rainfall and commonly grows on sandy soils, mainly in campo-cerrado, cerrado, cerradão, tabuleiro or caatinga from Northeastern Brazil (Piauí, Maranhão, Ceará and Bahia states), Central-Western (states of Goiás and Tocantins, in the region of Jalapão) and Northern Minas Gerais adjacent to Bahia (Serra da Capivara) and Goiás states. The sample Sampaio 206 is referred to occur in restinga vegetation (Ceará), but was collected in a Botanical Garden and there is no information whether it is a natural or cultivated occurrence. The reference of this species to Pará state refers to a cultivated tree grown from seeds collected in campos cerrados in Maranhão, and Glaziou´s record in Rio de Janeiro (São João da Barra, Glaziou 9753 at P) is uncertain but highly unlikely.

Conservation: —Least Concern (LC) [AOO= 160.000 km 2, EOO= 798,498.836 km 2].

Phenology: — Stryphnodendron coriaceum was collected with flowers from January to April, June and July and in September to November. Specimens with fruits were collected in April and May, and from July to November.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Bahia: Formosa do Rio Preto, ESEC Serra Geral do Tocantins, 5 km L do acampamento da Vila dos Prazeres, 04 October 2018, fl., M.F. Simon 3482 (CEN). Ceará: São Gonçalo do Amarante, Jardim Botânico de São Gonçalo do Amarante, 26 October 2017, V.S. Sampaio et al. 206 (EAC). Maranhão: Carolina, Km 14, estrada vicinal Carolina-Babaçulândia, 20 August 2010, fl., J.B. Pereira 232 (CEN)