Entada elephantina (Burch.) S.A. O'Donnell & G.P. Lewis comb. nov.

≡ Elephantorrhiza elephantina (Burch.) Skeels, Bull. Bur. Pl. Industr. U.S.D.A. 176: 29. 1910.

Type.

SOUTH AFRICA. Cape Province, Bechuland Division, Kuruman District, between Matlowing River and Kuru, W.J. Burchell 2410 (holotype: K [K000232273]; isotypes: GH [GH00058379], P [P00418275]) .

Basionym.

Acacia elephantina Burch., Trav. S. Africa 2: 236. 1824.

Description.

Geoxylic suffrutex with erect, annual, herbaceous stems 20-90 cm arising from the woody end of an elongate subterranean axis (Fig. 12A, B). Leaves: petiole 1.3-3.6(-8) cm long, rachis 3.5-13.5(-17.5) long; pinnae 2-4 pairs on lower leaves, 7-17 pairs on upper leaves, 3-9(-10.5) cm long, with (7-)12-45(-55) pairs of leaflets; leaflets (4-)5-10(-15) × (0.3-)0.5-2(-2.5) mm, linear to linear-oblong, apex acute to rarely obtuse, sometimes asymmetric, mucronate, base oblique, lamina glabrous (Fig. 12B, E). Inflorescence: an axillary spiciform raceme usually confined to the lower part of the stem, (2-)4-8(-12) cm long, solitary or grouped, rachises usually glabrous (Fig. 12B-D). Flowers: cream-coloured, yellow or yellowish-white, pedicels 1.5 mm long, articulated near the middle, with minute reddish to reddish-brown glands at the base; calyx campanulate, 1.75 mm long, distinctly toothed, glabrous; petals 2.75-3.75 mm long; stamen filaments 6.5 mm long (Fig. 12D). Fruit: a laterally compressed, straight to slightly curved craspedium, (5-)9.5-15(-21) × 3-5.7 cm, lacking transverse septa between seeds, thus leaving the valves to separate from the replum intact upon ripening, the epicarp exfoliating from the endocarp; umbonate over seeds (Fig. 12E). Seeds: ellipsoid, 18-26 × 13-18 × 6-13 mm.

Distribution.

Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho.

Habitat and ecology.

Grassland and open scrub, sometimes gregarious (Fig. 12A); 1060-1360 m alt.

Note.

Brenan (1970, p. 28) and Ross (1974, p. 250; 1975a, p. 141) noted that leaf characters vary considerably across the range of E. elephantina . Specimens from the western portion of the range tend to have fewer pinnae and leaflets with larger leaflets; those from eastern areas bear more numerous pinnae and leaflets, with smaller leaflets. This variation appears to be continuous, so neither author attempted to subdivide the taxon.