Salomonia ciliata (Polygalaceae), a new generic plant record from the Kimberley, Western Australia

3 Pages·1995·0.59 MB·

by  K F Kenneally

SALOMONIA CILIATA (POLYGALACEAE), A NEW GENERIC
PLANT RECORD FROM THE KIMBERLEY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
By KEVIN F. KENNEALLY
Science Publications Unit, Corporate Relations Division, Department of Conservation and
Land Management, PO Box 104, Como, Western Australia 6152
ABSTRACT
Salornonia ciliaca (L.) DC. f. ciliata (Polygalaceae), the first member of its genus to
be recorded from Western Australia, is described and illustrated from plant
material collected in the Kimberley. The key to Polygalaceae in the "Flora of the
Kimberley Region" is amended to include this genus.
INTRODUCTION crowded in terminal racemes or spikes.
Sepals 5, unequal, inner 2 larger. Petals
A new generic record Salornonia Lour.
3. Stamens united into a sheath adnate
(Polygalaceae), is reported from the
to base of corolla, anthers 4 or
Kimberley, Western Australia.
5, with a terminal pore. Ovary
Salornonia ciliata L. (DC.) f. ciliata is a
widespread tropical species (van der 2-locular. Capsule membranous,
laterally compressed, loculicidally
Meijden 1984; Koyama 1995),
dehiscent, the margin of each cell
previously known in Australia from
with a double row of 6-10 short or
the Northern Territory and
Queensland. The typical form has long teeth or spines. Seeds orbicular,
laterally flattened, strophiole very
now been collected in the Kimberley
small or absent.
from seasonally wet herbfields
fringing creeks and river systems. In
these situations it is relatively cryptic
Amendment to Family 96
and this may explain how it has been
Polygalaceae in Flora of the Kimberley
overlooked until recently. It can be
Region (Wheeler et al. 1992)
readily identified from species in the
genus Polygala (which it resembles) by 1 Stamens 4-5. Capsule with
the capsule bearing marginal teeth or marginal teeth or spines...
_SALOMONIA
spines.
A recently described form (S. ciliata f. 1 Stamens 8. Capsule with entire
pubescens H. Koyama) from Thailand is margins__ 2
characterized by having long hairs at
2 Keel petal not crested. Seeds
the margins of the leaves.
shortly hairy and with a coma,
without a caruncle__
_COMESPERMA
DESCRIPTION
2 Keel petal crested with
SALOMONIA Lour. appendages. Seeds hairy but
Small erect annual herbs with lacking a coma, with a
aromatic roots. Leaves small, alternate, conspicuous caruncle..
_POLYGALA
shortly petiolate or sessile. Flowers
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Figure 1. Salomonia ciliata A-flowering plant, B-flower, C-lateral view of capsule showing seed.
Drawn from Kenneally 11487
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Salomonia ciliata (L.) DC. forma ciliata servation Codes for Western
Australian Flora: Priority Three -
Polygala ciliata L.; Salomonia oblongifolia Poorly Known Taxa - known from
DC. several populations, at least some of
which are not believed to be under
Slender erect glabrous herb to 34 cm
immediate threat (i.e. not currently
tall; stems ribbed, glabrous. Leaves
scattered, sessile, ovate-oblong, 3-10 endangered).
mm x 1-4 mm, apex obtuse, Etymology. The name Salomonia was
mucronate, margin usually entire, given by Loureiro to honour the
rarely sparsely ciliate. Spikes many- famous Jewish King Salomo, "the first
flowered, at first short and compact, botanist.”
later elongate, terminal. Sepals 1 mm,
green, lanceolate acuminate, 2 small
and one larger; wing sepals obovate. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Corolla cream with pinkish mauve
Members of the 1994 North
tinge, 2 mm long, wing petals shorter
Kimberley LANDSCOPE Expedition
than keel. Anthers 4. monadelphous.
are thanked for their assistance in
Capsule membranous, laterally
compressed, c. 2 mm wide, the searching for, collecting and
margins bordered with a fringe of processing specimens of Salomonia.
The illustration was prepared by
short or long teeth or spines. Seeds
orbicular, black, smooth, strophiole Margaret Pieroni. John Clarkson
very small or absent. (Figure 1) (Queensland Herbarium, Mareeba)
kindly forwarded material of S. ciliata
Specimens examined. WESTERN
for comparison. 1 thank Les Pedley
AUSTRALIA: 82 km N of Beverley
(Queensland Herbarium) for his
Springs Homestead on Munja track,
helpful advice.
16°59'S I25°19'E, 23 December 1992, R.L.
Barrett 420 (PERTH); King Edward
River Crossing on track to Mitchell
REFERENCES
Plateau, 14°03'S 126°12'E, 23 June 1994,
K.F. Kenneally 11467 (PERTH); BEARD, J.S. 1980. A new phyto¬
McDonald Creek on road to geographic map of Western Australia.
Kalumburu, 14°54’S 126°15'E, 25 June Western Australian Herbarium Res.
1994, K.F. Kenneally 11487 (PERTH). Notes No. 3:37-58.
Distribution. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: KOYAMA, HIROSHIGE 1995. A
Gardner Botanical District, Northern revision of the genus Salomonia
Botanical District (Beard 1980); (Polygalaceae). Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus„
AUSTRALIA: NT. and Qld.; WORLD: Tokyo, Ser. B, 21(1) 1-12.
Sri Lanka, Bangla Desh, south and
VAN DER ME1JDEN, R. 1988.
east India, Burma, Japan, Thailand,
Polygalaceae in “Flora Malesiana”
throughout Malesia and extending
10:455-539. (Kluwer Academic
into New Guinea.
Publishers, Dordrecht: Netherlands.)
Ecology. In seasonally wet herbfields
WHEELER, J.R., RYE, B.L., KOCH, B.L.
on sandy or clay soils, often fringing
& WILSON, A.J.G. 1992. “Flora of the
creeks or rivers.
Kimberley Region". (Department of
Flowering period. December-June. Conservation and Land Management,
Conservation status. CALM Con¬ Como: Western Australia.)
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