Zornia cearensis Huber, Bull. Herb. Boiss. Ser. II.

Zeferino, Laís Couto, Lewis, Gwilym Peter, Pezzini, Flávia Fonseca & Fortuna-Perez, Ana Paula, 2025, A taxonomic synopsis of the genus Zornia J. F. Gmel. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) for the Neotropics, Acta Botanica Brasilica (e 20240197) 39, pp. 1-37 : 11

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.1590/1677-941X-ABB-2024-0197
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7038E90B-FFDC-7923-18D8-FC8C74ACFE59
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Zornia cearensis Huber, Bull. Herb. Boiss. Ser. II.
status

Treatment

Zornia cearensis Huber, Bull. Herb. Boiss. Ser. II. View in CoL 1(3): 307. 1901.

Figs 6 View Figure 6 , S 4 View Figure 4

Type: BRAZIL. Ceará: Fortaleza, 09 September 1897, Huber 21 (holotype G–00370077 ! ; isotype BM–000931681 ! ).

Shrub to ca. 50 cm tall.Stems prostrate, branched, tomentose to glabrous. Leaves with 4 leaflets, petiolate. Leaflets 4–30 × 5–10 mm, oblong to lanceolate, glabrous. Stipules ovate, 4–6 veined. Inflorescences spiciform, axillary, 2.2 cm long. Bracteoles 4–6 × 4–4.5 mm, ovate, 5–7 veined, punctate, glabrous, green. Loment with 4–5 articles; articles 2 × 2 mm, not reticulate-veined, bristle-like trichomes 2 mm long.

Distribution and habitat: Brazil, endemic. It occurs preferentially in sandy soil in the Caatinga and Cerrado vegetation, within the Tropical Dry Forest and Savanna biomes.

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (NT). Zornia cearensis has an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 2,245,044.283 km ², which places it outside the threshold for the threatened category. However, its area of occupancy (AOO) is only 152.000 km ² and it is considered vulnerable in its restricted area of occupancy in the Caatinga and Cerrado vegetation, fragile environments in Brazil known to suffer from anthropization.

Notes: Zornia cearensis and Z. gardneriana are morphologically similar, but Z. cearensis has oblong to lanceolate leaflets (vs. elliptic leaflets in Z. gardneriana ). Also, Z. cearensis has bracteoles with up to 6 veins (vs. up to 13 veins in Z. gardneriana ).

Representative specimens examined: BRAZIL. Bahia: Urandi , 4 April 1992, G.Hatschbach et al.56530 (NY); Ceará: Fortaleza , 29 June 1977, L. Coradin et al. 7848 (UEC); Goiás: Caiaponia, 20 April 1978, G.J. Shepherd et al. 748 5 (UEC); Maranhão: Poconé, 104 km E de Cáceres, 17 May 1985, A. Krapovickas et al. 40105 (K); Mato Grosso do Sul: Aquidauana, saída norte de Aquidauana, junto a um posto de saúde no final do asfalto, 30 October 1986, J.F.M. Valls et al. 10408 (BOTU); Minas Gerais: Entroncamento dos Pastos, 30 March 1985, M. Brandão 11190 (PAMG); Piauí: Campo Maior , 12 June 1995, M.S. Bona Nascimento & M.E.Alencar 1039 (K); São Paulo: São José do Rio Preto, 15 April 1964, Y. Tsuda & Hiroko 11 (RB).