A Taxonomic Revision of Chamaecrista (Caesalpinioideae, Cassieae, Cassiinae) in Southern Africa Author Musandiwa, Liada Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of theWestern Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa Author Magee, Anthony R. Compton Herbarium, South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X 7, Claremont, 7735, Cape Town, South Africa Author Boatwright, James S. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of theWestern Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa jboatwright@uwc.ac.za text Systematic Botany 2022 Basel, Switzerland 2022-12-12 47 4 992 1011 http://dx.doi.org/10.1600/036364422x16674053033831 journal article 57370 10.1600/036364422x16674053033831 aca4cc44-7970-4214-8100-97fa3c87eeb6 8117056 3. CHAMAECRISTA CAPENSIS (Thunb.) E.Mey. , Comm. Pl. Afr. Austr. 1: 158 (1836) ; Brummitt in Fl. Zambesiaca 3(2): 131 (2007) . Cassia capensis Thunb. , Prodr. Pl. Cap. 1: 79 (1794) ; Thunb. in Fl. Cap. ed. Schult. 388 (1823); Vogel in Syn. Gen. Cassiae 64 (1837); Steyaert in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 20: 250 (1950); Gordon-Gray in F.S.A. 16(2): 98 (1977) . TYPE : SOUTH AFRICA . Eastern Cape , Stutterheim (3227), between Loerie and Sundays (Sondags) River [Kunukama River ] (–AD), Thunberg s.n. ( holotype : UPS [ UPSTHUN9935 ]–image!) . Perennial herbs, to 0.6 m high. Stems prostrate, erect to semi-erect, single or multi-stemmed, arising from a woody rootstock, often branched in the upper half, glabrescent or covered with short and/or long greyish or yellow hairs. Leaves paripinnate, 20–50 × 10–25 mm , linear or linear oblong, glabrous or with greyish hairs, slightly tapering distally; stipules, up to 14 mm , base oblique, apex acuminate, narrowly to broadly triangular, surface sub-glabrous or with short and long patent hairs; extrafloral nectaries towards the top of petioles, circular, concave, sub-sessile or attached with short stalk, sometimes lacking; rachis channelled. Leaflets (5)11–24-jugate, 2–10 × 1–3 mm , linear to linear oblong, base rounded to oblique, apex mucronate, margin with long hairs. Inflorescence axillary or supra axillary; flowers, 10–17 × 5–15 mm , (1)2–4 flowered; bract 2–4 mm long, base oblique, apex acuminate; bracteoles 2, glabrous, up to 4 mm long, towards top of pedicels. Pedicels with short curved and long patent hair, at flowering 18–40 mm , at fruiting, 18–45 mm long. Sepals 5, ovate, 6–10 × 2–4 mm , with short and long spreading hairs. Petals 5, bright yellow, 9–17 × 3–10 mm , obovate. Stamens 10, straight or slightly curved, anthers in two series, 5 small 2–4 mm long, 5 large 6–8 mm long, filaments very short, 1 mm long. Ovary up to 7 mm long, slightly curved, glabrous. Pods straight or slightly curved, (20)30–50 × 3–5 mm , flattened, with long or short greyish hairs, densely covered with long hairs when pods are young. Seeds ± 4 × 2 mm , rhomboid, flattened, brownish to blackish. Diagnostic Characters — Chamaecrista capensis shares long pedicels with C. falcata , but is distinguished from that species by its small, circular extrafloral nectaries that are sub-sessile or attached to a short stalk ( Fig. 3B ) (long stalked in C. falcata ), linear to linear oblong leaflets (falcate in C. falcata ), multiple and narrow leaflets (fewer and wider leaflets in C. falcata ), and large flowers (10–17 × 5–15 mm in C. capensis vs. 7–9 × 8–10 mm in C. falcata ). Two varieties are recognised: