New species and varieties in Sesbania (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Robinieae) from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands Jean-Noël LABAT Laboratoire de Phanérogamie, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, 16 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
[email protected] David J. DU PUY Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, England.
[email protected] ABSTRACT KEYWORDS Morphological characters support the description of a new species and a new ^Leguminosae, variety of Sesbania Adans. from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands: Papi ìoncu^eae, Sesbania madagascariensis Du Puy & Labat and S. bispinosa var. grandiflora Madagascar. Du Puy & Labat. RESUME MOTS CLÉS L'étude des caractères morphologiques permet la description d'une nouvelle Leguminosae, espèce et d'une nouvelle variété de Sesbania de Madagascar et de l'Archipel Papilionoideae, Sesbania, des Comores : Sesbania madagascariensis Du Puy & Labat et 5. bispinosa var. Madagascar. grandiflora Du Puy & Labat. ADANSONIA, sér. 3 • 1997 • 19(1) 93 LabatJ.-N. & Du Puy D.J. Of the 21 genera recognised in the tribe pale brown, the seed chambers 5-6 mm long. Robinieae (Benth.) Hutch. (POLHILL & SOUSA Seeds ca. 3 x 2 X 2 mm, brown. 1981), only Sesbania is native to Madagascar. It is a genus of about 55 species, distributed throu S. bispinosa is widespread in Madagascar, parti ghout the tropics and subtropics, often occurring cularly in western Madagascar and the lower alti in seasonally damp or marshy habitats. The tudes of the Central Plateaux. The type variety genus is represented in Madagascar by 3 native also has a widespread distribution including the species, including 1 endemic species described Comoro Islands, the Mascarenes, E & S Africa, here.