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Issue: Vol. 749 No. 1: 25 Mar. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-03-25
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.749.1.5
Page range: 77-86
Abstract views: 0
PDF downloaded: 0

An overlooked new species from the Caatinga: Cenostigma lewisii (Leguminosae)

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 44036-900, Brazil
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 44036-900, Brazil
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 44036-900, Brazil
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia, 44036-900, Brazil
Brazilian flora Catingueira Fabales Northeastern Brazil Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests and Woodlands Eudicots

Abstract

Cenostigma lewisii, a new species from northeastern Brazil, within the Caatinga phytogeographic domain, is here described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Cenostigma microphyllum, with which it is often confused, but can be distinguished by its glabrous leaf buds (vs. pubescent in C. microphyllum), leaves with 3–6(–7) pairs of pinnae + terminal pinna (vs. 7–13 pairs + terminal pinna), median leaflets 6–10(–16) × 4–7(–10) mm (vs. median leaflets 2–5.1 × 1.2–3.3 mm), inflorescences 7.8–18 cm long (vs. 4.2–7.8 cm long), and glabrescent to sparsely velutinous fruits; glands very sparse when present and non-sticky (vs. sparsely pubescent and densely glandular, sticky fruits). Cenostigma lewisii occurs in sandy Caatinga areas along the Tucano-Jatobá biogeographic district, in the states of Bahia and Pernambuco, and is assessed as Least Concern (LC).

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How to Cite

Oliveira, F.G., Santos, F.D.S., Rocha, L. & Queiroz, L.P.D. (2026) An overlooked new species from the Caatinga: Cenostigma lewisii (Leguminosae). Phytotaxa 749 (1): 77–86. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.749.1.5