Advances in Legume Systematics 14. Classification of Caesalpinioideae. Part 2: Higher-level classification
Author
Bruneau, Anne
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5547-0796
Institut de recherche en biologie vegetale and Departement de Sciences biologiques, Universite de Montreal, 4101 Sherbrooke E., Montreal (QC) H 1 X 2 B 2, Canada
anne.bruneau@umontreal.ca
Author
de Queiroz, Luciano Paganucci
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7436-0939
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Ringelberg, Jens J.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0567-5210
Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland & School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH 8 9 YL, UK
Author
Borges, Leonardo M.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9269-7316
Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Departamento de Botanica, Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, 13565 - 905, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil
Author
Bortoluzzi, Roseli Lopes da Costa
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7445-7244
Programa de Pos-graduacao em Producao Vegetal, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciencias Agroveterinarias, Avenida Luiz de Camoes 2090, 88520 - 000, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Author
Brown, Gillian K.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7940-5435
Queensland Herbarium and Biodiversity Science, Department of Environment and Science, Toowong, Queensland, 4066, Australia
Author
Cardoso, Domingos B. O. S.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7072-2656
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leao 915, 22460 - 030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Biodiversidade e Evolucao (PPGBioEvo), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Bahia (UFBA), Rua Barao de Jeremoabo, s. n., Ondina, 40170 - 115, Salvador, BA, Brazil
Author
Clark, Ruth P.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9974-2933
Accelerated Taxonomy Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW 9 3 AE, UK
Author
Conceicao, Adilva de Souza
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8800-422X
Programa de Pos-graduacao em Diversidade Vegetal, Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Herbario HUNEB, Campus VIII, Rua do Gangorra 503, 48608 - 240, Paulo Afonso, Bahia, Brazil
Author
Cota, Matheus Martins Teixeira
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0654-7501
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Demeulenaere, Else
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1815-3051
Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, 96923, Guam
Author
de Stefano, Rodrigo Duno
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1707-4121
Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A. C. (CICY), Calle 43 No. 130 x 32 y 34, Chuburna de Hidalgo; CP 97205, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Author
Ebinger, John E.
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL 61920, USA
Author
Ferm, Julia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8762-3942
Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, 10691, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Author
Fonseca-Cortes, Andres
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7207-9940
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Gagnon, Edeline
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3212-9688
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road, Guelph (ON) N 1 G 2 W 1, Canada & Chair of Phytopathology, Technical University Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany & Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20 A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH 3 5 LR, UK
Author
Grether, Rosaura
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-665X
Departamento de Biologia, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Apdo. Postal 55 - 535, 09340 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
Author
Guerra, Ethiene
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9495-1717
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Botanica, Av. Bento Goncalves 9500, Bloco IV - Predio 43433, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501 - 970, Brazil
Author
Haston, Elspeth
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9144-2848
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20 A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH 3 5 LR, UK
Author
Herendeen, Patrick S.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2657-8671
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
Author
Hernandez, Hector M.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1741-5515
Departamento de Botanica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Cd. Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
Author
Hopkins, Helen C. F.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4984-8224
Accelerated Taxonomy Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW 9 3 AE, UK
Author
Huamantupa-Chuquimaco, Isau
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4153-5875
Herbario Alwyn Gentry (HAG), Universidad Nacional Amazonica de Madre de Dios (UNAMAD), AV. Jorge Chavez N ° 1160, Madre de Dios, Peru
Author
Hughes, Colin E.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9701-0699
Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland
Author
Ickert-Bond, Stefanie M.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8198-8898
Department of Biology & Wildlife & Herbarium (ALA) at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P. O. Box 756960, Fairbanks AK 99775 - 6960, USA
Author
Iganci, Joao
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5740-3666
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Botanica, Av. Bento Goncalves 9500, Bloco IV - Predio 43433, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501 - 970, Brazil & Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Instituto de Biologia, Campus Universitario Capao do Leao, Passeio Andre Dreyfus, Departamento de Botanica, Predio 21, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 96010 - 900, Brazil
Author
Koenen, Erik J. M.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4825-4339
Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Faculte des Sciences, Campus du Solbosch - CP 160 / 12, Avenue F. D. Roosevelt, 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Author
Lewis, Gwilym P.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2599-4577
Accelerated Taxonomy Department, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW 9 3 AE, UK
Author
de Lima, Haroldo Cavalcante
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2154-670X
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leao 915, 22460 - 030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlantica / INMA-MCTI, Av. Jose Ruschi, 4, Centro, 29650 - 000, Santa Teresa, Espirito Santo, Brazil
Author
de Lima, Alexandre Gibau
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9168-2507
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leao 915, 22460 - 030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Author
Luckow, Melissa
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2543-0516
School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Biology Section, Cornell University, 215 Garden Avenue, Roberts Hall 260, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Author
Marazzi, Brigitte
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3252-5816
Natural History Museum of Canton Ticino, Viale C. Cattaneo 4, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
Author
Maslin, Bruce R.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3039-0973
Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia, 6983, Australia & Singapore Herbarium, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore, Singapore
Author
Morales, Matias
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5540-9725
Instituto de Recursos Biologicos, CIRN-CNIA, INTA. N. Repetto & Los Reseros s. n., Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina & Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290 (C 1425 FQB), Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Author
Morim, Marli Pires
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0872-8429
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leao 915, 22460 - 030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Author
Murphy, Daniel J.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8358-363X
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
Author
O'Donnell, Shawn A.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0731-7425
Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE 1 8 ST, UK
Author
Oliveira, Filipe Gomes
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0244-3262
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Oliveira, Ana Carla da Silva
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7042-5360
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Rando, Juliana Gastaldello
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3714-8231
Programa de Pos-graduacao em Ciencias Ambientais, Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Rua Professor Jose Seabra Lemos 316, 47800 - 021, Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil
Author
Ribeiro, Petala Gomes
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0070-9971
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Ribeiro, Carolina Lima
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9508-2894
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Santos, Felipe da Silva
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1068-0578
Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Av. Transnordestina s / n, Campus, Novo Horizonte. 44036 - 900, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil
Author
Seigler, David S.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5177-5893
Department of Plant Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Author
da Silva, Guilherme Sousa
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4250-0017
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, 13083 - 876, Sao Paulo / SP, Brazil
Author
Simon, Marcelo F.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5732-1716
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria (Embrapa) Recursos Geneticos e Biotecnologia, Parque Estacao Biologica, Caixa Postal 02372, 70770 - 917, Brasilia / DF, Brazil
Author
Soares, Marcos Vinicius Batista
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2660-1771
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Botanica, Av. Bento Goncalves 9500, Bloco IV - Predio 43433, Porto Alegre, RS, 91501 - 970, Brazil
Author
Terra, Vanessa
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5669-1304
Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105 - 900, Santa Maria / RS, Brazil
text
PhytoKeys
2024
2024-04-03
240
1
552
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.240.101716
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.240.101716
1314-2003-240-1
B699D9DE2B435B1093DE3C38C703D430
Senna Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. (ed. 4). 1754.
Figs 22
, 32
, 33
Chamaecassia
Link, Handbuch 2: 139. 1831. Type:
Chamaecassia laevigata
(Willd.) Link [≡
Cassia laevigata
Willd. (=
Senna septemtrionalis
(Viv.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Chamaefistula
(DC. ex Collad.) G. Don, Gen. Hist. 2: 106. 1832. Type:
Chamaefistula corymbosa
(Lam.) G. Don [≡
Cassia corymbosa
Lam. (≡
Senna corymbosa
(Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Adipera
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 129. 1838. Type:
Adipera herbertiana
(Lindl.) Raf. [=
Senna
x
floribunda
(Cav.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby]
Diallobus
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 128. 1838. Type:
Diallobus tora
(L.) Raf. [≡
Cassia tora
L. (≡
Senna tora
(L.) Roxb.)]
Ditremexa
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 127. 1838. Lectotype (designated by Britton and Wilson 1924):
Ditremexa occidentalis
(L.) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia occidentalis
L. (≡
Senna occidentalis
(L.) Link)]
Emelista
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 127. 1838. Type:
Emelista obtusifolia
(L.) Raf. [≡
Cassia obtusifolia
L. (≡
Senna obtusifolia
(L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Herpetica
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 123. 1838. Type:
Herpetica alata
(L.) Raf. [≡
Cassia alata
L. (≡
Senna alata
(L.) Roxb.)]
Isandrina
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 126. 1838. Type:
Isandrina arborescens
Raf. [=
Senna atomaria
(L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby]
Panisia
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 128. 1838. Type:
Panisia biflora
(L.) Raf. [≡
Cassia
Panisia biflora
L., but typus not established, probably either =
Senna pallida
(Vahl) H.S. Irwin & Barneby
sensu lato
or
S. angustisiliqua
(Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby]
Peiranisia
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 127. 1838. Type:
Peiranisia aversiflora
(Herb.) Raf. [≡
Cassia aversiflora
Herb. (≡
Senna aversiflora
(Herb.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Scolodia
Raf., Sylva Tellur.: 128. 1838. Type:
Scolodia viminea
(L.) Raf. [≡
Cassia viminea
L. (≡
Senna viminea
(L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Cassia subg. Senna
(Mill.) Benth., Fl. Bras. 15(2): 83, 96. 1870. Type not cited, but inferred as
Senna alexandrina
Mill.
Chamaesenna
Raf. ex Pittier, Arb. Arbus. Orden Legum.: 130. 1928. Lectotype (designated by
Britton and Rose 1930
):
Chamaesenna reticulata
(Willd.) Pittier [≡
Cassia reticulata
Willd. (≡
Senna reticulata
(Willd.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Cowellocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 251. 1930. Type:
Cowellocassia scleroxyla
(Britton) Britton [≡
Cassia scleroxyla
Britton (=
Senna domingensis
(Spreng.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Earleocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 247. 1930. Type:
Earleocassia roemeriana
(Scheele) Britton [≡
Cassia roemeriana
Scheele (≡
Senna roemeriana
(Scheele) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Echinocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 251. 1930. Type:
Echinocassia aculeata
(Pohl ex Benth.) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia aculeata
Pohl ex Benth. (≡
Senna aculeata
(Pohl ex Benth.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Desmodiocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 244. 1930. Type:
Desmodiocassia villosa
(Mill.) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia villosa
Mill. (≡
Senna villosa
(Mill.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby]
Gaumerocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 252. 1930. Type:
Gaumerocassia peralteana
(Kunth) Britton [≡
Cassia peralteana
Kunth (≡
Senna peralteana
(Kunth) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Leonocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 268. 1930. Type:
Leonocassia stenophylla
(Benth.) Britton [≡
Cassia stenophylla
Benth. (≡
Senna stenophylla
(Benth.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Palmerocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 253. 1930. Type:
Palmerocassia wislizeni
(A. Gray) Britton [≡
Cassia wislizeni
A. Gray (≡
Senna wislizeni
(A. Gray) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Phragmocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 245. 1930. Type:
Phragmocassia skinneri
(Benth.) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia skinneri
Benth. (≡
Senna skinneri
(Benth.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Pseudocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 230. 1930. Lectotype (designated by
Irwin and Barneby 1982
):
Pseudocassia spectabilis
(DC.) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia spectabilis
DC. (≡
Senna spectabilis
(DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Pterocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 243. 1930. Type:
Pterocassia galeottiana
(M. Martens) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia galeottiana
M. Martens (≡
Senna galeottiana
(M. Martens) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Tharpia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 246. 1930. Type:
Tharpia pumilio
(A. Gray) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia pumilio
A. Gray (≡
Senna pumilio
(A. Gray) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Vogelocassia
Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 258. 1930. Type:
Vogelocassia leiophylla
(Vogel) Britton [≡
Cassia leiophylla
Vogel (≡
Senna leiophylla
(Vogel) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Xerocassia
Britton & Rose, N. Amer. Fl. 23: 246. 1930. Type:
Xerocassia armata
(S. Watson) Britton & Rose [≡
Cassia armata
S.Watson (≡
Senna armata
(S. Watson) H.S. Irwin & Barneby)]
Type
.
Senna alexandrina
Mill.
Description.
Trees, treelets, erect or scandent shrubs, subshrubs, vines, rarely aphyllous shrubs with cladode-like branches, unarmed or rarely with spines or prickles.
Stipules
diverse, caducous or persistent, rarely with embedded extrafloral nectary tissue.
Leaves
distichous or spiral, bifoliolate or paripinnate, rarely absent or reduced to a petiolar phyllode; extrafloral nectaries when present, on the petiole and/or on the leaf rachis, sessile or stipitate, the secretory surface convex; leaflets 1-many pairs, opposite.
Inflorescences
racemes or panicles; bract 1, persistent or caducous, bracteoles absent.
Flowers
hypogynous, bilaterally symmetrical or asymmetrical; hypanthium absent; sepals 5, free; petals 5, free, yellow; androecium comprising 3 adaxial staminodes and (4) 6-7 heteromorphic stamens, grouped in 2 sets of 4 median and (0) 2-3 abaxial stamens, rarely all 10 stamens fertile and homomorphic, filaments glabrous, anthers apically poricidal; pollen prolate-spheroidal to prolate, not syncopate; ovary stipitate.
Fruit
an indehiscent legume, a follicle or a legume dehiscing through both margins, linear or oblong, cylindrical, laterally compressed or tetragonal, fleshy or dry.
Seeds
variable in shape and colour.
Chromosome number.
Haploid chromosome numbers
n
= 11, 12, 13, 14 and 28 (
Goldblatt and Johnson 1979
-), but
n
= 14 is the most frequent. A single accession of
S. rugosa
(G.Don) H.S. Irwin & Barneby was found to be tetraploid with
n
= 28 (
Biondo et al. 2005b
), in contrast to
Coleman and Demenezes (1980)
who reported
n
= 14 for this species.
Included species and geographic distribution.
287 species (
LPWG 2022
), most species distributed on the American continent, occurring in tropical, subtropical and (few) temperate areas (
Irwin and Barneby 1982
;
Marazzi et al. 2006
). Some species also distributed in Africa, Oceania and Asia (
Lock 1988
; Du Puy 1995;
Randell 1988
;
Randell and Barlow 1998
; Fig.
33
).
Figure 32.
Examples of
Senna
diversity
A
Senna macranthera
(DC. ex Collad.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby flowering branch (
Lima et al. 422
)
B
Senna alata
(L.) Roxb. flowering branch
C
Senna corifolia
(Benth.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby flowering branch (
Rando et al. 936
)
D
Senna angulata
(Vogel) H.S. Irwin & Barneby fruits
E
Senna multijuga
(Rich.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby mature individual (
Lima 408
)
F
Senna pendula
(Humb.& Bonpl. ex Willd.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby flower (
Lima et al. 435
)
G
Senna spectabilis
(DC.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby flower (unvouchered)
H
Senna rugosa
(G. Don) H.S. Irwin & Barneby leaf with extrafloral nectaries between leaflets (
Lima et al. 538
). Photo credits
A, B, E, F, H
A Lima
C
JG Rando
D
F Logan
G
RT Queiroz https://rubens-plantasdobrasil.blogspot.com/.
Figure 33.
Distribution of
Senna
based on quality-controlled digitised herbarium records. See Suppl. material 1 for the source of occurrence data.
Ecology.
Senna
occurs in a wide range of habitats, including wet forests, seasonally deciduous forests, seasonally semi-deciduous forests, savannas, deserts and also anthropised areas (
Irwin and Barneby 1982
).
Human uses.
Species of
Senna
are used in traditional and conventional medicine, as bee forage for honey, ornamentals and for timber. Seeds are roasted and ground as a coffee substitute (
Miller 1754
;
Lewis 2005a
).
Etymology.
The name
Senna
derives from the Arabic
"sana"
or
"sanna"
which refers to plants with cathartic properties (
Miller 1754
;
Lewis 2005a
).
Notes.
Senna
is morphologically characterised by the paripinnate leaves, extrafloral nectaries present in many species (on leaves, stipules, bracts, and sepals; leaf nectaries with convex secretory surface, the others are embedded and externally not clearly visible), yellow petals, heteromorphic androecium usually with 6-7 fertile stamens (Fig.
22
), indehiscent or dehiscent fruits, and valves not twisted after dehiscence.
Irwin and Barneby (1982)
recognised an infrageneric classification with six sections and 35 series within
Senna
. In the following years, new taxonomic revisions of
Senna
for Australia (
Randell 1988
,
1989
,
1990
) and Asia (
Singh 2001
) recognised new taxa, including three new series, totalling 38 series within
Senna
. Phylogenetic studies based on morphological and molecular data corroborated the monophyly of
Senna
(
Bruneau et al. 2001
;
Herendeen et al. 2003a
;
Marazzi et al. 2006
) although five of the six sections and part of the 38 series were not resolved as monophyletic (
Marazzi et al. 2006
). The only monophyletic section,
Senna sect. Psilorhegma
(Vogel) H.S. Irwin & Barneby, comprises species characterised by having all stamens fertile (i.e., a synapomorphy of this clade).
Phylogenies have consistently retrieved seven strongly supported clades supported by floral morphological features and presence or absence of extrafloral nectaries (
Marazzi et al. 2006
;
Marazzi and Sanderson 2010
). Species of the clade sister to the rest of the genus are characterised by symmetrically bilateral flowers, as also found in one of the more derived clades, in which monosymmetry evolved secondarily, with all other clades characterised by variably weakly or strongly asymmetric (enantiostylous) flowers (
Marazzi and Endress 2008
).
Senna
is outstanding within legumes with respect to its specialisation in pollination mode. This specialisation is expressed especially in the androecium in which the diversity pertains to patterns of heteranthery and anther elaborations, including dehiscence patterns, pointing direction of the pores, and extension of the lateral furrow (
Marazzi et al. 2007
). Indeed, it can be regarded as the genus with the greatest androecial diversity among
Cassieae
. Although extrafloral nectaries are absent in two clades of the tribe, recently described stipular nectaries with the secretory tissue embedded within the tissue are a synapomorphy for another clade (
Marazzi et al. 2013
), and all other species, which are grouped together in a clade, have the well-known specialised leaf nectaries.
Molecular dating analyses (
Marazzi and Sanderson 2010
) indicate that
Senna
originated in the early Eocene and the lineages with specialised extrafloral nectaries evolved in the late Eocene, after the main radiation of ants. These extrafloral nectaries represent a relatively old key innovation in
Senna
, in which the association with ants provides protection to the plants, and may have promoted the colonisation of new habitats appearing with the early uplift of the Andes (
Marazzi et al. 2006
,
2013
;
Marazzi and Sanderson 2010
).
Taxonomic references.
Bortoluzzi et al. (2020)
; Du Puy 1995;
Irwin and Barneby (1982)
;
Lima et al. (2023)
;
Lock (1988)
;
Miller (1754)
;
Queiroz (2009)
;
Randell (1988
,
1989
,
1990
);
Randell and Barlow (1998)
;
Singh (2001)
.