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RUMPHIUS'S HERBARIUM AMBOINENSE 



MUCUNA MINiATA sp. nov. § Citta (?). 



Parrana miniata Rumph. Herb. Amb. 5: 10. 



Amboina, Paso and Roemah tiga, Robinson PL Rumph. Amb. 566 (type), 

 in thickets and forests at low altitudes, locally known as tali or tali-tali. 



Frutex scandens usque ad 15 m altus, inflorescentiis exceptis 

 glaber ; f oliolis firme chartaceis, in siccitate nigricantibus, nitidis, 

 oblongis ad oblongo-ovatis, usque ad 14 cm longis, prominente 

 subcaudato-acuminatis, lateralibus obliquis, basi rotundatis vel 

 obscurissime subcordatis, nervis utrinque circiter 4; inflor- 

 escentiis circiter 20 cm longis, minute adpresse cinereo- 

 pubescentibus atque pilis paucis urentibus instructis, fasciculatis, 

 caulifloris; floribus miniatis, 6 ad 7 cm longis, calycis dentibus 

 prominentibus, inferioribus angustis, 5 ad 7 mm longis. 



A scandent shrub attaining a height of 15 m, glabrous except 

 the inflorescence, deciduous. Branches slender, smooth, terete. 

 Petioles 6 to 8 cm long. Leaflets firmly chartaceous, blackish 

 when dry, shining, 10 to 14 cm long, 5 to 6 cm wide, oblong-ovate 

 to oblong, the terminal one equilateral, lateral ones more or less 

 oblique, apex rather prominently subcaudate-acuminate, acumen 

 1 to 1.5 cm long, blunt, base rounded or shallowly and obscurely 

 cordate; lateral nerves about 4 on each side of the midrib, pro- 

 minent, curved-ascending, obscurely anastomosing, the rachis 

 extended about 2.5 cm beyond the insertion of the lateral leaflets, 

 the petiolules black, 4 to 5 mm long. Plant leafless at time of 

 flowering, the racemes up to 20 cm in length, fascicled on nodules 

 along the trunk or larger branches, appressed cinereous-pubes- 

 cent with short hairs, with a few, longer, yellowish-brown, stiff, 

 stinging hairs intermixed, the indumentum more prominent on 

 the calyx and pedicels than on the rachis. Flowers vermilion, 

 6 to 7 cm long, somewhat curved, their pedicels mostly in pairs, 

 slender, about 2 cm long, spreading. Calyx cup-shaped, the tube 

 about 8 mm long, the teeth rather prominent, the upper one 

 stouter than the others, 3 to 4 mm long, the two lateral ones 

 slenderly acuminate, about 3 mm long, the lower one linear, 5 

 to 7 mm in length. Standard 3.5 cm long, about 2 cm wide, 

 blunt; wings rather strongly falcate, acuminate, up to 6 cm 

 long, about 12 mm wide. Keel slightly longer than the wings, 

 somewhat rostrate, outer margins ciliate in the lower part. 

 Ovary and style hirsute. Fruit unknown. 



This species is well characterized by its glabrous leaves, rather 

 large, crimson flowers, and prominent, slender calyx teeth. It 

 belongs with a group of species found in New Guinea, including 

 Mucuna novo-guineensis Scheff., M. bennettii F. Muell., and M. 

 kraetkei Warb. Scheffer's species has bright orange flowers, 



