Zornia sericea Moric., Pl. Nouv. Am.

Zeferino, Laís Couto, Lewis, Gwilym Peter, Pezzini, Flávia Fonseca & Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, 2025, A taxonomic synopsis of the genus Zornia J. F. Gmel. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) for the Neotropics, Acta Botanica Brasilica (e 20240197) 39, pp. 1-37 : 30

Zornia sericea Moric., Pl. Nouv. Am. : 126. 1844.

Figs 11 , S 4

Type: BRAZIL. Bahia: Jacobina, 1837, Blanchet 2690 [lectotype G–00370156 !, designated by Fortuna-Perez and De Azevedo (2011); isolectotypes: K–000205436 !, NY–00625245 !, P–02936740 !] .

Zornia latifolia DC., Prod. II : 317. 1825. nom. illeg. non Smith. 1819.

Zornia diphylla var. latifolia Benth. In Mart. Fl. Bras. 15 (1): 81. 1859.

Zornia diphylla subsp. latifolia (DC.) Malme. 1931 . nom. illeg.

Shrub to ca. 60 cm tall. Stems erect, branched, sericeous. Leaves with 2 leaflets, petiolate. Leaflets 7–40 × 3–20 mm, ovate to lanceolate, sericeous. Stipules elliptic, 5–9 veined. Inflorescences spiciform, terminal, 20 cm long. Bracteoles 7–15 × 4–9 mm, lanceolate, 5–9 veined, punctate, sericeous, green. Loment with 3–5 articles; articles 2.5–3 × 2–3 mm; not reticulate-veined, bristle-like trichomes 1.5 mm long.

Distribution and habitat: Bolivia, Brazil. It occurs in sandy soil of Savanna and Tropical Dry Forest.

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (NT). The species has an AOO of 736.000 km ², and mostly occurs mostly occur in Caatinga and Campo rupestre vegetation in Brazil. (EOO= 10,611,720.165 km ²; AOO= 736.000 km ²).

Notes: Zornia sericea can be easily identified by the sericeous indumentum of its stems, leaflets, and bracteoles.

Representative specimen examined: BOLIVIA. La Paz: prov. Sud Yungas, Yanacachi , 27 November 1987, E. Vargas & R. Seidel 1012 (NY). BRAZIL. Bahia: Caeté-Açu, próximo à estrada para Mucugê, Palmeiras , 07 July 2024, R.P. Campos et al. 395 (BOTU); Ceará: Juazeiro do Norte , 25 June 1987, L. Coradin et al. 7795 (UEC); Maranhão: São Raimundo das Mangabeiras , 15 March 1962, G. Eiten & L. Eiten 3665 (NY); Pernambuco: Petrolina , 6 April 1979, L. Coradin et al. 1312 (UEC); Piauí: Demerval Lobão , 25 May 1980, L. Coradin et al. 2612 (UEC).

Figures

Figure 4. Neotropical Zornia fruit morphology showing variation in the loment. It shows the article indumentum and presence or absence of bristle-like trichomes. A. Z. subsessilis B. Z. sericea C. Z. myriadena D. Z. ulei E. Z. bracteata. (Photos A: T.C. Monteiro; B: T.M. de Lima C, D: R.T. Queiroz; E: N. Frade).

Figure 11. ZorniamyriadenaA. Solitaryflower,loment lacking trichomesB. Stemsdecumbent,branched;Zorniasericea C. Inflorescence, bracteoles lanceolate and sericeous D. Fruits E. Shrub in habit. (Photos A, B, C: R.T. Queiroz; D, E: T.M. de Lima).