Studies in Neotropical Caesalpinia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae): A New Species from Mexico

Abstract

Small to medium-sized, single or multiple-trunked shrub or tree 310 m tall, DBH up to 20 cm; trunk and main branches crooked, branches knobbly and warted, crown open with a 5-6 m spread; bark greyish-white with a dark green underbark, ornamented with scattered vertical rows of slightly pustular small white lenticels, bark slash creamish. Foliage sparse; leaves bipinnate; stipules caducous; petiole up to 5 cm long, glabrous, sometimes with small sessile or short-stalked glands near its base; pinnae in (1 -) 3 5 pairs plus a terminal pinna; leaflets in (2-)3-4(-5) opposite pairs per pinna, subsessile, + fleshy, bluish green with purplish black punctate glands along the margin, elliptic to suborbicular, apex and base rounded, 1 41 7(2 3) x 0 51 (1 5) cm, glabrous, the midvein evident only on the lower surface, secondary venation, where evident, brochidodromous. Inflorescence a pyramidal raceme (on some branches forming a less showy congested panicle), glabrous; bracts ovate, obtuse, c. 5-6 mm long, glabrous, early-caducous; pedicels up to 2-3 cm long, articulated 4 mm below calyx base, glabrous, expanding in fruit to 2 -7 cm and thickening. Calyx glossy lime-green, glabrous, 1 -3 cm long just prior to anthesis, the lobes 9 mm long, yellow, reflexing when the flower opens, lobe margins ragged due to irregular tearing. Corolla dark pinkish scarlet, the glandular claws margined greenish yellow; standard blade c. 10 x 12 mm, the margin glandular, the base inrolled