22. Tribe SESBANIEAE [Draft]

田菁族 tian jing zu

Sun Hang (孙航); Bruce Bartholomew

Tribe description see genus.

One genus and ca. 60 species: tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate regions of Africa, America, Asia, and Australia; four species (none endemic) in China.

141. SESBANIA Scopoli, Intr. Hist. Nat. 308. 1777, nom. cons.

田菁属  tian jing shu

Herbs, deciduous shrubs, rarely trees. Stipules small, caducous. Leaves even-pinnate; petiole and rachis often adaxially grooved; stipels small or absent; leaflets numerous, petiolulate; leaflet blades with entire margin. Racemes axillary at apical part of branches; bracts and bracteoles subulate, caducous. Pedicel slender. Calyx broadly campanulate; teeth 5, subequal, rarely nearly 2-labiate. Corolla yellow or with macula, rarely white, red, or dark purple, exserted from calyx, glabrous; standard broad, with 2 calluses on claw; wings falcate-oblong, auriculate; keel curved, abaxial margin connate, auriculate, claw longer than standard claw. Stamens 9+1, diadelphous; anthers homomorphic, dorsifixed, 2-loculed, longitudinally dehiscent, often glabrous. Ovary linear, many ovuled, stipitate. Style slender and curved; stigma small, capitate terminal. Legume often long, linear, and terete, many seeded, trabeculate between seeds, dehiscent at maturity, base with a carpododium, apex beaked. Seeds terete; hilum rounded.

About fifty species: tropical to subtropical worldwide; four species (none endemic) in China.

Add comment re placement [in Robinieae in FRPS]?

Sesbania javanica Miquel, reported in FRPS 40: 234. 1994 from Taiwan, is based on a misidentification of S. cannabiniana (see T. C. Huang & H. Ohashi, Fl. Taiwan ed. 2, 3: 362. 1993).

1a.       Trees; leaflet blades 8–16 mm wide; flowers 7–10 cm, falcately curved in bud; legume 7–8 mm wide      4. S. grandiflora

1b.       Herbs, annual or perennial and suffrutescent; leaflet blades 2–4(–7) mm wide; flowers usually less than 2 cm, not or only slightly falcately curved in bud; legume 2.5–4 mm wide.

2a.       Leaves 20–40-foliolate; leaf rachis 4–10 cm, internode often less than 3 cm, node often gibbous; corolla standard 1.1–1.3 cm ....................................................................................  3. S. sesban

2b.       Leaves 40–80-foliolate; leaf rachis 13–30 cm, internodes often more than 3 cm, node not gibbous; corolla standard 0.9–1 cm.

3a.       Branchlets, leaf rachises, and flower rachises without prickles; leaflet blades adaxially ± villous when young, glabrescent; standard width more than length .............................  1. S. cannabina

3b.       Branchlets, leaf rachises, and flower rachises with ± projected prickles; leaflet blades usually glabrous; standard length more than width .............................................................  2. S. bispinosa

1. Sesbania cannabina (Retzius) Poiret, Encycl. 7: 130. 1806.

田菁  tian jing

Aeschynomene cannabina Retzius, Observ. Bot. 26: 1789.

Herbs, annual, 3–3.5 m tall. Stems green or sometimes brown, smooth, with inconspicuous light greenish stripes, slightly glaucous, basally with many adventitious roots; young branch sparsely appressed villous, glabrescent, with white mucilage when broken. Stipules lanceolate, caducous. Leaves 40–60(–80)-foliolate; rachis 15–25 cm, sparsely appressed villous when young, glabrescent, adaxially grooved; petiolules ca. 1 mm, with sparsely appressed trichomes; stipels subulate, subequal to petiolules or shorter, persistent; leaflet blades opposite or subopposite, linear-oblong, 8–20(–40) Χ 2.5–4(–7) mm, smaller at both ends of rachis than in middle, both surfaces with appressed purplish glands but abaxially denser, abaxially sparsely appressed villous when young but glabrescent, adaxially glabrous, both ends asymmetric, base rounded, apex blunt to truncate and mucronate. Racemes 3–10 cm, 2–6-flowered, lax; peduncle slender, pendulous, sparsely appressed villous; bract linear-lanceolate, caducous. Pedicel slender, pendulous, sparsely appressed villous; bracteoles 2, caducous. Calyx obliquely campanulate, 3–4 mm, glabrous; teeth triangular, with 1–3 appendages between each, inner margin white slender pilose, apex acute. Corolla yellow; standard lamina transversely ovate to suborbicular, 9–10 mm, with a ca. 2 mm claw, base subrounded and with a small pyriform callus, apex retuse to rounded; wings obovate-oblong, ± as long as standard, ca. 3.5 mm wide, with transverse corrugation, base shortly auriculate, middle with dark grayish brown spots; keel triangularly broadly ovate, shorter than wings, as long as wide, with a ca. 4.5 mm claw, apex obtuse. Anthers ovate to oblong. Pistil glabrous; stigma capitate. Legume, long terete, slightly curved, 12–22 cm Χ 2.5–3.5 mm, dehiscent, outside with dark brown stripes, trabeculate between seeds, carpopodium ca. 5 mm, apex acute and with a 5–7(–10) mm beak. Seeds 20–35 per legume, greenish brown, terete, ca. 4 Χ 2–3 mm, glossy; hilum rounded, slightly oblique to one end. Fl. and fr. Jul–Dec. 2n = 24.

Cultivated and sometime naturalized in open wasteland and paddy field margins. Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Nei Mongol, Shandong, Shanxi, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [probably native to Australia and SW Pacific Islands].

Widely cultivated for fibers and often naturalized in Africa, Asia, Australia, Indian Ocean Islands, and Pacific Islands.

2. Sesbania bispinosa (Jacquin) W. Wight, U.S.D.A. Bur. Pl. Industr. Bull. 137: 15. 1909.

刺田菁  ci tian jing

Aeschynomene bispinosa Jacquin, Icon. Pl. Rar. 3: 13. 1793.

Herbs, perennial, suffrutescent, 1–3 m tall. Branches terete, slightly with greenish white striations, often with small sparse flattened prickles. Stipules linear-lanceolate, ca. 7 Χ 1 mm, caducous, glabrous, apex acuminate. Leaves 40–80-foliolate; rachis 13–30 cm, abaxially with sparse prickles, adaxially grooved; stipels acerose, slender; leaflet blades linear-oblong, 10–16 Χ 2–3 mm, both surfaces with dense appressed purplish brown glands and glabrous, abaxially grayish green, adaxially green, base rounded, apex obtuse and with a mucro. Racemes 5–10 cm, 2–6-flowered; peduncle often with prickles; bracts linear-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, caducous, with sparse appressed trichomes. Flowers 0.9–1.2 cm. Pedicel 6–8 mm, gracile; brateoles 2, ovate-lanceolate, caducous, glabrous. Calyx campanulate, ca. 4 mm, glabrous; teeth 5, shortly triangular. Corolla yellow; standard subovate, ca. 1 cm, longer than wide, outside with reddish brown dots, with a triangular callus, base tapering into a claw, apex retuse; wings oblong, with long claw, auriculate at one side; keel long obovate, with a dentiform auricle at base. Stamens 0.9–1.2 cm; anthers obovoid, outer side brown. Pistil linear, as long as stamens; style slender; stigma capitate. Legume dark brown, terete, straight to slightly falcate, 15–22 cm Χ ca. 3 mm, trabeculate, slightly constricted and with a ca. 5 mm separation between seeds, apical beak 1–1.2 cm. Seeds numerous per legeume, subterete, ca. 3 Χ 2 mm; hilum rounded. Fl. and fr. Aug–Dec. 2n = 12, 13, 14.

Moist places on mountain slopes and roadsides; below ca. 2000 m. Chongqing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, SW Sichuan, Yunnan [Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kashmir, Pakistan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, Madagascar, Pacific Ocean Islands].

The original distribution is uncertain as and probably naturalized rather than native in some parts of its current distribution.

3. Sesbania sesban (Linnaeus) Merrell, Philipp. J. Sci., C. 7: 235. 1912.

印度田菁  yin du tian jing

Herbs, perennial, suffrutescent, 2–4 m tall. Branches pubescent, glabrescent, internodes often 0.5–2.5 cm, nodes conspicuously gibbous. Stipules triangular-lanceolate, 3–4 mm, caducous, pubescent. Leaves 20–40-foliolate; petiole and rachis appressed pubescent, more so at petiole base; rachis 4–10 cm; petiolules appressed pubescence; stipels acerose; leaflet blades oblong to linear, 1.3–2.5 cm Χ 3–4(–6) mm, both surfaces with purple black glands, abaxially sparsely appressed pubescence when young but glabrescent, adaxially glabrous or glabrescent, midveins evident on both surfaces, base obliquely rounded, apex rounded to retuse and mucronate. Racemes 4–10-flowered; peduncle 8–10 cm, slender, pubescent, glabrescent; bracts linear-lanceolate, caducous, abaxially sparsely appressed pubescence. Pedicel ca. 8 mm, slender, pubescent when young; bracteoles smaller than bracts, caducous. Calyx campanulate; teeth shortly triangular, inside appressed pubescence to glabrescent. Corolla yellow or calyx and standard purplish black and wings and keel partly purplish black or red; standard transversely elliptic, 1.1–1.3 cm, wider than length, with a 4–5-mm claw, with a ca. 2 mm S-shaped callus, basally decurrent to lamina, widened in middle, and distinct and acuminate to obtuse at apex, base subcordate, apex emarginate; wings oblong, 1–1.2 cm, with a curved ca. 4 mm claw, base inconspicuously auriculate, apex rounded; keel nearly semicircular, 6–8 Χ 5–7 mm, lamina base narrower than apex and with a triangular short auricle, claw ± as long as calyx. Stamen tube 8–10 mm; anthers ellipsoid. Ovary glabrous; style ca. 5 mm, glabrous; stigma globose. Legume contorted when young but straight or slightly curved at maturity, subterete, 15–23(–30) cm Χ 3–4 mm, ca. 5 mm between transverse septa, base often with a marcescent calyx, apex beaked. Seeds 20–40 per legume, subterete, 3–4 Χ ca. 2 mm, slightly compressed; hilum rounded and concave. 2n = 12, 24.

Cultivated and sometimes naturalized in wastelands, roadsides, riversides, mountain slopes, and streamsides; below 300–1300 m. Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [origin uncertain; widely cultivated throughout the tropics].

1a. Corolla yellow; corolla standard callus acuminate at apex ......................................  3a. var. sesban

1b. Calyx and standard purple black, wings and keel partly purple black or red; corolla standard callus blunt at apex ................................................................................................................  3b. var. bicolor

3a. Sesbania sesban var. sesban

印度田菁(原变种)  yin du tian jing (yuan bian zhong)

Aeschynomene sesban Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 714. 1753.

Corolla yellow; corolla standard callus acuminate at apex.

Cultivated and sometimes naturalized in wastelands, roadsides, and riversides; below ca. 300 m. Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan [Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam; SW Asia, N Australia].

Probably native to tropical Asia but its original natural distribution is uncertain due to it being widely naturalized in disturbed habitats.

3b. Sesbania sesban var. bicolor (Wright & Arnott) F. W. Andrew, Fl. Pl. Sudan 2: 232. 1952.

元江田菁  yuan jiang tian jing

Sesbania aegyptiaca Poiret var. bicolor Wight & Arnott, Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 214. 1834.

Calyx and standard purple black, wings and keel partly purple black or red; corolla standard callus blunt at apex.

Mountain slopes, roadsides, and streamsides; 300–1300 m. Naturalized in Yunnan [probably native to India].

4. Sesbania grandiflora (Linnaeus) Persoon, Syn. Pl. 2(2): 316. 1807.

大花田菁  da hua tian jing

Robinia grandiflora Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 722. 1753.

Trees, 4–10 m tall, d.b.h. to 25 cm. Branches terete, leaf scars and stipule scars conspicuous. Stipules obliquely lanceolate, to 8 mm, caducous. Leaves 20–40 cm, 20–60-foliolate; rachis terete, densely appressed pubescent when young, glabrescent; petiolules 1–2 mm; stipels acerose; leaflet blades oblong, 2–5 Χ 0.8–1.6 cm, smaller at both ends of rachis than in middle, both surfaces with or without dense appressed purplish brown glands and appressed villous but glabrescent, secondary veins 7 or 8 on each side of midvein but inconspicuous, base rounded to broadly cuneate, apex obtuse to retuse and with a mucro. Racemes 4–7 cm, pendulous, 2–4-flowered; bract and bracteoles ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 7–10 mm, caducous, both surfaces appressed pubescence. Flowers 7–10 cm, conspicuous falcate-curved in buds. Pedicel 1–2 cm, densely appressed pilose. Calyx green, campanulate, 1.8–2.9 Χ 1.5–2 cm, sometimes with dots, often sub-bilabiate to subtruncate with adaxial 2 teeth connate, outside glabrous except for teeth apex, inside with appressed hairs. Corolla white, pink, or rosy; standard oblong-obovate to broadly ovate, 5–7.5 Χ 3.5–5 cm, reflexed at anthesis, callus absent, claw ca. 1.6 cm, base subcordate, apex retuse; wings falcately long ovate, asymmetric, ca. 5 Χ 2 cm, claw ca. 2 cm, apex obtuse; keel curved, ca. 5 cm,  claw ca. 2 cm, basal abaxial edge lamina connate, apical 1/4–1/3 distinct, apex obtuse. Stamens ca. 9 mm; anthers linear, 4–5 mm, dorsifixed. Pistil linear, ca. 8 cm, compressed, falcate curved, glabrous; ovary stipitate; stigma slightly turgid. Legume linear, slightly curved, nodding, 20–60 cm Χ 7–8 mm, ca. 8 mm thick, dehiscent, carpopodium ca. 5 cm, suture angulate at maturity, apex tapering into a 3–4 cm beak. Seeds reddish brown, ellipsoid to subreniform, ca. 6 Χ 3–4 mm, slightly compressed, turgid, slightly glossy; hilum rounded, retuse. Fl. and fr. Sep–Apr. 2n = 24.

Cultivated in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, and Yunnan [probably native to Indonesia and Malaysia].

Widely cultivated throughout the tropics. The flowers are large and beautiful, and the species is grown as an ornamental. Young leaves and flowers are edible, and the bark is used for medicine.