Acacia cornigera (David S. Seigler & John E. Ebinger 1995)
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Ordo: Fabales
Familia: Fabaceae
Genus: Acacia
Name
Acacia cornigera David S. Seigler, 1995 – Wikispecies link – Pensoft Profile
- Acacia cornigera David S. Seigler, 1995, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 82: 125-127.
Type Material
Netherlands the garden of George Clifford, between Haarlem and Leyden Linnaeus Netherlands the garden of George Clifford, between Haarlem and Leyden Linnaeus
Materials Examined
Mexico near La Laguna Verde Schiede, Deppe Mexico near La Laguna Verde Schiede, Deppe Mexico Campeche von Chrismar Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Cuba N coast C. Wright Singapore Engler Singapore Engler Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Costa Rica shore of the Gulf of Nicoya A. Tonduz Mexico Santa Lucrezia, Isthmus of Tehuantepec H. Ross Mexico Santa Lucrezia, Isthmus of Tehuantepec H. Ross Mexico shore of Lake Catemaco, southern Veracruz E. W. Nelson Mexico vicinity of Rascon E. Palmer Mexico vicinity of Rascon E. Palmer Mexico vicinity of Rascon E. Palmer Mexico vicinity of Rascon E. Palmer Mexico vicinity of Rascon E. Palmer
Description
Shrub or small tree to 10 (rarely 15) m tall, young twigs dark gray to reddish brown, lightly to densely puberulent. Stipular spines light to dark brown to sometimes ivory to yellow, glabrous to densely puberulent, smooth, terete to slightly flattened, symmetrical, commonly V-shaped with an angle of 60-150°, straight to slightly reflexed near the apex, 30-100 mm long, 4-10 mm thick near the base. Leaves 40-160 mm long; pinnae 3-14 pairs per leaf, 30-70 mm long, 7-17 mm between pinna pairs; rachis grooved, glabrous to densely puberulent, rachis glands usually absent; petiole grooved, usually puberulent, 5-20 mm long. Petiolar gland (Fig. 1 F) canoe-shaped, usually solitary, glabrous, striate on the sides, apex 1-4 mm long, located near the middle to top of the petiole, sometimes a small tubular gland below. Leaflets 15-40 pairs per pinna, glabrous, oblong, 4-11 mm long, 1.3-2.7 mm wide, 2-3 veins from the base, lateral veins obvious, apex usually mucronate. Inflorescence a densely flowered, cylindrical spike, 20-35 mm long, 8-11 mm thick near the base and narrowing slightly toward the blunt apex, solitary in the leaf axil, or solitary or in clusters of 2-4 in the axil of small spines on short, lateral, usually leafless, axillary branches; peduncles glabrous to lightly puberulent, 5-15 mm long, 2-4 mm thick, thickest just below the inflorescence; involucre usually puberulent, 4-lobed, the lobes spreading, located near the base of the peduncle. Floral bracts peltate, the apex tailed on one side, the stalk 0.7-1.3 mm long. Flowers sessile; calyx shallowly 5-lobed, glabrous to lightly puberulent on the lobes, 1-1.4 mm long; corolla glabrous, pale yellow, 1.1-1.5 mm long, only slightly longer than the calyx. Legume usually straight, mostly terete, 50-90 mm long, 13-18 mm thick, glabrous to minutely puberulent, usually not strongly longitudinally striate, mostly red to maroon, indehiscent, stipe to 10 mm long, the apex narrowing to a spinelike beak 20-50 mm long. Flowering January-July.
Distribution
Distribution. Wet to relatively dry, mostly disturbed habitats at lower elevations from southern Mexico to Costa Rica.
Materials Examined
Belize Mile 42.5 on Northern Hwy., N of Maskall River Dwyer Costa Rica NW of Paloverde, Barbudal Hills Garwood et al. El Salvador Banks of Rio Acelhuate, SE part of San Salvador Carlson Guatemala near Pancajche Standley Guatemala 2 mi. E of Melchor Croat Guatemala near San Jose Standley Guatemala 9 mi. N of Champerico Harmon Mexico 2 mi. E of the border between Mexico (Puente Talisman) on hwy. 2 Janzen Mexico 2 mi. E of the border between Mexico (Puente Talisman) on hwy. 2 Janzen Mexico 2 mi. E of the border between Mexico (Puente Talisman) on hwy. 2 Janzen Mexico S of Alotenango Farm, 7 mi. S of Tiquisate along rd. within 3 mi. of ocean Steyermark Honduras Vegas del Rio Agua, 3 km de Yoro Molina R. Mexico 30 km E of Campeche on hwy. 261 Seigler et al. Mexico 30 km E of Campeche on hwy. 261 Seigler et al. Mexico Ciudad Cuauhtemoc on hwy. 190 Janzen Mexico Ciudad Cuauhtemoc on hwy. 190 Janzen Mexico 1 mi. NW Cuajinicuilapa Johnson Mexico Capilla, N end of lake behind Presa Aleman, W of Tierra Blanca Janzen Mexico Capilla, N end of lake behind Presa Aleman, W of Tierra Blanca Janzen Mexico Capilla, N end of lake behind Presa Aleman, W of Tierra Blanca Janzen Mexico 52 mi. W of jet. of Mexico 307 & 186 on hwy. 186 Seigler et al. Mexico 52 mi. W of jet. of Mexico 307 & 186 on hwy. 186 Seigler et al. Mexico Barrio de San Juan, Tamazunchale Edwards Mexico Barrio de San Juan, Tamazunchale Edwards Mexico Tampico, Rujal rd. Kenoyer Mexico Zacuapan Purpas Mexico Zacuapan Purpas Mexico Izarnal Greenman Nicaragua Laguna de Masaya, a 2 km de la entrada Araquistain, Moreno
Discussion
Acacia cornigera is probably the best known of the ant-acacias. It is easily separated from other ant-acacias by having peltate floral bracts in which the apex is tailed on one side. Also, the presence of canoe-shaped petiolar glands separates this taxon from all ant-acacias except A. mayana and A. sphaerocephala. The presence of obvious secondary venation in the leaflets and the relatively thick cylindrical inflorescences separate this taxon from A. sphaerocephala, while the smaller leaflets and the lack of longitudinal flanges on the stipular spines separate it from A. mayana. Acacia cornigera is a highly variable species that occurs in a wide range of habitats. This morphological diversity has resulted in an extensive synonymy, which is discussed by Rudd (1964). It is the most common of the ant-acacias, and its geographic range is almost as extensive as that of A. collinsii. It is relatively common in riparian and swamp habitats and is the common ant-acacia in fallow fields, pastures, roadsides, and other disturbed sites from sea level to about 1200 m (Janzen, 1967a, b). Some of its present distribution has been caused by the dissemination of seeds by birds, people, and cattle into secondary growth vegetation. The present distribution of this species into the drier parts of the Yucatan peninsula is probably due to introduction by humans, since most collections are from around settlements, cattle corrals, and Indian ruins. It has also become naturalized on the Caribbean islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Cuba, as well as in extreme southern Florida. Beltian body production in Acacia cornigera is typical of that found in ant-acacias that inhabit more open sites. Generally, these bodies are relatively small, 0.5-0.9 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, and are present on more than half of the leaflets. Since individuals of this species are usually occupied by obligate acacia-ants, the Beltian bodies are rarely seen because they are usually "harvested" as soon as the young leaves develop. Of the more than 250 herbarium specimens of this species examined, none tested positive for cyanide production. Also, numerous living specimens have been tested, usually with negative results. Leaves of Acacia cornigera have been reported to contain a ss-glucosidase (Rehr et al., 1973). It appears that the hydrolytic enzyme necessary for the liberation of HCN is present, but the cyanogenic glycoside is absent. Living material from two populations of this species collected near Canas, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, gave a very weak positive test for cyanide (Seigler & Ebinger, 1987). Dried material from these same individuals gave a negative test with and without emulsin. Janzen (1974) reported seeing a single plant of A. cornigera x A. sphaerocephala on the dunes south of Veracruz, Mexico, and suggested that A. cornigera may occasionally hybridize with A. chiapensis. It is also possible that this species may occasionally hybridize with the non-ant-acacia A. pennatula (Ebinger & Seigler, 1992).
Taxon Treatment
- David S. Seigler; John E. Ebinger; 1995: Taxonomic Revision of the Ant-Acacias (Fabaceae, Mimosoideae, Acacia, Series Gummiferae) of the New World, Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 82: 125-127. doi
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