FABACEAE Tribe THERMOPSIDEAE [DRAFT]

野决明族  ye jue ming zu

Wei Zhi[1]; J. Michael Lock[2]

Shrubs or perennial herbs, the latter often with a woody rootstock. Leaves usually 3-foliolate, rarely 1-foliolate, stipulate; stipels absent. Flowers in terminal racemes, strongly papilionoid. Calyx imbricate in bud. Petals 5. Stamens 10 (rarely 9), free (occasionally 2-3 fused to near the apex); anthers all similar. Ovary 1–many-ovulate; upper part of style usually glabrous and upturned. Pod elongated, flattened or globose; seeds oblong-reniform, ellipsoid to discoid; hilum small. Germination hypogeal or epigeal.

Six genera and ca. 50 species: scattered through the mediterranean and temperate parts of North America, the Mediterranean Basin and Central and Northeastern Asia; three genera and 17 species (six endemic) in China.

This tribe, with the exception of the North American Pickeringia, appears to be monophyletic, and lies closest to Euchrestieae and to a Podalyrieae-Crotalarieae-Genisteae clade (see discussion in Lewis et al., 2005).

1a.       Aerial portions of the plant herbaceous, dying back to the rootstock in the winter
                                                                                                                                                             3. Thermopsis

1b.       Aerial portions of the plant woody, persistent.

2a.       Stipules small, subulate, not united; bracteoles 2, positioned just below the calyx  1. Ammopiptanthus

2b.       Stipules prominent, united, soon falling, leaving a prominent circumcaular scar; bracteoles absent           2. Piptanthus

1. AMMOPIPTANTHUS S. H. Cheng, Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 44: 1381. 1959.

沙冬青属  sha dong qing shu

Evergreen shrubs. Leaves digitately 3-or 1-foliolate, stipules subulate, mostly adnate to petiole; leaflets entire, silvery-tomentose. Flowers in short racemes terminating branchlets; bracts small, deciduous, calyx campanulate, 5-toothed, subglabrous; corolla yellow, petals subequal, clawed; stamens 10, filaments free, anthers uniform; ovary stipitate, with several ovules, style glabrous. Pod linear to oblong, flat, dehiscent; seed reniform, compressed, strophiolate.

A single species: China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia.

1. Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Maximowicz ex Komarov) S. H. Cheng, Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 44: 1381. 1959.

沙冬青  sha dong qing

Piptanthus mongolicus Maximowicz ex Komarov, Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 18: 56. 1933;

Ammopiptanthus nanus (Popov) S. H. Cheng, Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 44: 1384. 1959;

P. nanus Popov, Bull. Appl. Bot. Genet. Pl. Breed. 26: 1. 1931.

Evergreen shrubs, 1.5–2 m; bark yellowish brown. Stems terete, weakly ridged, gray-puberulent at first, glabrescent. Leaves 1–3-foliolate; stipules small, triangular, adnate to petiole, silvery-tomentose; petiole 4–15 mm; leaflets rhombic-elliptic, broadly elliptic to broadly ovate, 1.5–4 Χ 0.6–2.4 cm, base broadly cuneate to rotund, apex obtuse, often mucronate, densely silvery-tomentose on both surfaces, lateral veins inconspicuous. Flowers 4–15, in short dense terminal racemes; bracts ovate, 5–6 mm, deciduous; pedicels 1 cm, subglabrous, with 2 bracteoles at the mid-point; calyx 5–7 mm; corolla yellow, 2 cm long, petals long-clawed; ovary stipitate, glabrous. Pod linear-oblong, 3–8 Χ 1–2 cm, flat, apex acute to obtuse, stipe 8–10 mm long, seeds 2–5. Seed round-reniform, 6 mm in diam. Fl. Apr–Jun, fr. May–Aug.

Sand dunes, gravel slopes, terraces beside ravines. W Xinjiang (Ka-shen), Gansu, Nei Mongol, Ningxia [S Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan ].

Two species have been recognized, but the differences between them are of degree only and do not appear to merit recognition of more than one rather variable species. Many species of arid areas vary considerably in their morphology according to water availability, grazing, and season, and this species appears to be no exception.

Add note about A. nanus??

2. PIPTANTHUS D. Don ex Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard. 3: t. 264. 1828.

黄花木属  huang hua mu shu

Shrubs, 1–4 m. leaves digitally 3-foliolate, entire; stipules large, opposite to the petiole, basal two thirds fused and surrounding the stem, leaving a prominent scar when fallen free apical portion acute. Racemes terminal, flowers 2–3 at nodes, in whorls; bracts stipule-like, connected at the base into a sheath, deciduous; bracteoles absent; calyx 5-toothed, the proximal 2 lobes mainly fused with a bifid tip, falling after flowering at the articulation surrounding perigynous line; corolla yellow, petals subequal; stamens free, anthers uniform; ovary stipitate, ovules 2–10. Pod broadly linear, stipitate, thinly coriaceous, compressed, continuous inside; seeds lens-shaped, obliquely ellipsoid, with a minute strophiole.

Two species: Bhutan, China, India, Kashmir, Nepal; two species (one endemic) in China.

1a.       Flower 2.5–3 cm; keel equaling or slightly longer than standard; stems and calyces white-woolly; leaflets yellow-pilose abaxially when young; pod glabrous ....................................................................              1. P. nepalensis

1b.       Flowers 1.8–2.2 cm; keel slightly shorter than standard; leaflets densely tomentose on both surfaces, even when mature; pod rusty-tomentose ..............................................................  2. P. tomentosus

1. Piptanthus nepalensis (Hooker) D. Don ex Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard. 3: t. 264. 1828.

黄花木  huang hua mu

Baptisia nepalensis Hooker, Exot. Fl. 2: 131. 1824;

Piptanthus bicolor Craib, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 60: 228. 1916;

P. bombycinus Marquand, J.Linn.Soc., Bot. 48: 169. 1929;

P. concolor Harrow ex Craib, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 60: 289. 1916;

P. concolor subsp. harrowii Stapf, Curtis’s Bot.Mag. 1931: t. 9234. 1931;

P. concolor subsp. yunnanensis Stapf, Curtis’s Bot.Mag. 1931: t. 9234. 1931;

P. forrestii Craib, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 60: 290. 1916;

P. laburnifolius (D. Don) Stapf, Curtis’s Bot.Mag. 1931: t. 9234. 1931;

P. laburnifolius f. nepalensis Stapf, Curtis’s Bot.Mag 1931: t. 9234. 1931;

P. laburnifolius f. sikkimensis Stapf, Curtis’s Bot. Mag. 1931: t. 9234. 1931;

P. leiocarpus Stapf, Bot. Mag. 154: t. 9234. 1931;

P. leiocarpus var. sericopetalus P. C. Li, Fl. Xizang. 2: 719. 1985;

P. nepalensis f. leiocarpus (Stapf) S. Q. Wei in H. P. Tsui, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 42(2): 392. 1998;

P. nepalensis f. sericopetalus (P. C. Li) S. Q. Wei in H. P. Tsui, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 42(2): 392. 1998;

Thermopsis laburnifolia D.Don, Prod. Flora Nepal. 239. 1825;

Shrubs, 1.5–3 m. stems terete, ridged, white-woolly to appressed-pubescent, glabrescent. Stipules lanceolate to ovate, 7–14 mm; petioles 1–3 cm, with a wide groove adaxially. Leaflets elliptic, oblong-elliptic or linear-ovate, 4–14 Χ 1.5–4 cm, papery, base cuneate, apex acute or acuminate, glabrous or sparsely hairy along the midrib adaxially, dark green, yellow-silky and white-appressed-pubescent abaxially, gradually glabrescent, becoming glaucous, flat on both surfaces, margins sometimes ciliate, lateral veins 6–8 pairs. Racemes terminal, 5–8 cm long, with flowers in 2–7 whorls, axis densely white-woolly,elongating at anthesis; bracts broadly ovate to obovate, 7–12 mm, acute; pedicels 1.5–2.5 cm; calyx campanulate, 1–1.6 cm, white-woolly; corolla bright yellow, 1.8–2.6 cm, standard orbicular to broadly cordate, with 4–6 mm claw, wings shorter, keel equal to or slightly longer than standard, to 2.2 cm.; ovary stipitate, densely sericeous to almost glabrous, 4–10-ovulate. Pod broadly linear, flat, 7–15 Χ 0.9–1.5 cm, stipitate, apex sharply pointed, valves membranous, reticulate, glabrous to very sparsely pubescent. Seed reniform, 4–5 Χ 3–3.5 mm, compressed, brown. Fl. Apr–Jul, fr. Jun–Sep.

Coniferous forest and woodland margins, thickets, meadows; 1600–4000 m. Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.[Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal].

This is a very variable species and several taxa have been distinguished on the basis of variation in the indumentum of the ovary, pod and leaves. Turner (in Brittonia 32: 281–285 (1980)) revised the genus and concluded that variation in these characters was continuous, and that only two taxa should be recognized, and I agree. Even Piptanthus tomentosus could be considered to be a very hairy higher altitude ecotype, but it is here retained as distinct.

2. Piptanthus tomentosus Franchet, Rev. Hortic. 59: 474. 1887.

绒叶黄花木  rong ye huang hua mu

Shrubs, 1–3 m; bark dark brown. Stems terete, ridged, young branchlets tomentose, glabrescent. Stipules broadly ovate, 5–15 mm, tomentose; petiole 1–2 cm, furrowed adaxially; leaflets ovate-elliptic, lanceolate, to obovate-lanceolate, 2.5–8 Χ 1–3 cm, base cuneate, apex acute or obtuse, densely white-silky at first adaxially, the indumentums thinning with age but never completely absent, rusty and gray mixed tomentose-sericeous abaxially. Racemes terminal, elongated, 5–15 cm, internodes 1.5–2 cm, usually 3-whorled; bracts broadly ovate, 1–1.5 cm, acute; pedicels 1.5 cm; calyx 1–1.2 cm, rusty-tomentose; corolla lemon-yellow, 1.8–2.2 cm, standard orbicular or wide cordate, with 6 mm claw, wings short, keel slightly shorter than standard, ovary densely rusty-tomentose, with 5 mm stipe, ovules 4–8. Pod linear, 45–90 Χ 9–10 mm, compressed, apex acute, rusty-tomentose, seeds 2–6. Seed reniform, brown, 5–6 Χ 4–5 mm. Fl. Apr–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep.

* Thickets by woodlands, meadows on slopes; 3000–3800 m. SW Sichuan, W Yunnan.

3. THERMOPSIS R. Brown in W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew., ed. 2, 3: 3. 1811.

野决明属  ye jue ming shu

Perennial herbs. Rhizome creeping, producing annual erect stems, basal stipules joined to form a sheath, thin and scarious, 3-fid. Leaves digitately 3-foliolate, pedicellate, stipules large, leaflike, free. Racemes leaf-opposed or terminal, bracts connate with lateral stipules, becoming 3-or rarely 6-fid, persistent; bracteoles absent; calyx campanulate, or gibbous and bag-like on the proximal side, 5-toothed; corolla yellow, rarely purple, petals clawed; 10 stamens free, ovules 4–22. Pod linear-oblong or ovate, straight or curved, leathery; seed reniform or orbicular, hilum small, white.

Twenty-five species: C and E Asia and North America; 12 species (four endemic) in China.

The genus in China appears to be divisible into three groups. Thermopsis lupinoides and T. chinensis are upright plants with terminal inflorescences, apparently from a single rootstock. Thermopsis lanceolata is an upright plant with terminal inflorescences; there are numerous aerial shoots arising from a sreading rhizome. Thermopsis barbata, T. inflata, T. smithiana and T. alpina are all precociously flowering species in which the inflorescences arise early from the rootstock, before the main leafy shoots appear. Basal buds on the flowering shoot, below the inflorescence, then develop into long leafy shoots completely different in appearance from precociously flowering material.

1a.       Flowers alternate; petioles subequal to stipules; stems more than 50 cm.

2a.       Leaflets 4–8 cm; stipules broadly ovate, obtuse or mucronate; pod inclined extrorse, valves papery, sparsely villous ............................................................................................  1. T. lupinoides

2b.       Leaflets 2–4 cm; stipules lanceolate, acuminate; pods appressed to the stem, valves thinly woody, appressed hirsute ..........................................................................................  2. T. chinensis

1b.       Flowers opposite or verticillate; petioles shorter than stipules; stems less than 30 cm.

3a.       Calyx not gibbous, base tapering, the distal tooth twice the length of the tube; flowers yellow or purple, plant densely villous.

4a.       Flowers purple ...........................................................................................  11. T. barbata

4b.       Flowers yellow ...................................................................................  12. T. gyirongensis

3b.       Calyx gibbous proximally, the distal tooth subequal to the tube; flowers yellow.

5a.       Pod elliptic or narrowly elliptic, inflated; leaflets obovate or broadly obovate; plant usually 7–15(–18) cm.

6a.       Pod stipitate, equal to the calyx-tube, beak exerted from dorsal suture, down-curved, ovules 12–17; seeds reniform; wings narrower than keel; leaflets broadly obovate, apex acute, both sides asymmetric ....................................................................................................................  9. T. inflata

6b.       Pod without stipe, base tapering, apex rounded, mucronate; ovules 3–5; seeds ellipsoid; wings as broad as keel; leaflets obovate to narrowly elliptic, apex rounded ...........  10. T. smithiana

5b.       Pod linear to oblong, compressed; leaflets oblanceolate, oblong, to ovate; plant usually 15–30 cm.

7a.       Leaflets narrowly elliptic or linear, more than 5 times as long as broad; wings much narrower than the keel.

8a.       Leaflets glabrous adaxially, appressed-pubescent abaxially; pod flat, 10–13 mm in width, seeds close to dorsal suture ................................................................................  5. T. turkestanica

8b.       Leaflets appressed-pubescent adaxially, rather densely so abaxially; seeds prominent in the pod, 7–9(–11) mm in width, seeds at central line of valve ………………………………………………………8. T. mongolica

7b.       Leaflets oblanceolate to ovate, length less than 4.5 times width; wings as wide as the keel or a little narrower

9a.       Leaflets plane, 1.5–2.5 times as long as broad, wings and keel subequal in width; ovary with 4–8 ovules; pod flat ...........................................................................................  3. T. alpina

9b.       Leaflets involute along margins, 2.5–4.5 times as long as broad; wings a little narrower than the keel; ovules 10–20; pod prominent with seeds.

10a.     Leaflets to 7.5 cm long; pods with straight sutures ..............................  4. T. lanceolata

10b.     Leaflets less than 4 cm long; pod contracted between seeds.

11a.     Plant appressed-puberulent or tomentose; leaflets narrowly obovate, rounded at the apex; seeds dark green .....................................................................................  6. T. przewalskii

11b.     Plant villous; leaflets linear-oblong, apex acute; seeds black .............  7. T. yushuensis

1. Thermopsis lupinoides (Linnaeus) Link, Enum. Hort. Berol. 1: 401. 1821.

野决明  ye jue ming

Sophora lupinoides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 374. 1753.

Perennial herbs, 50–80 cm. Stems erect, vertically ridged, apical part white-puberulent, basal part glabrescent. Stipules elliptic or ovate, 2–5 Χ 1.5–3 cm, equalling the petioles; leaflets broadly elliptic, 3.5–8 Χ (2–)2.5–3.5(–4.7) cm, base cuneate, apex obtuse or acute, the terminal one rather longer, broadly lanceolate, glabrous adaxially, white-pubescent abaxially. Racemes terminal, 5–18(–25) cm, densely pubescent; flowers alternate, numerous and scattered, bracts lanceolate, 8–15 mm, pedicels 5–10 mm; calyx 10 mm, densely appressed-pubescent; corolla 2–2.5 cm, petals subequal; ovary densely silky, ovules 10–14. Pod linear, 3–9(–12) Χ 0.5–0.8 cm, straight and tapering upwards, spreading, sparsely brown-hairy. Seed reniform, compressed, 3–4 Χ 2–3 mm, dark brown. Fl. May–Aug.

Sandy beaches and flood lands of ravines or marine areas. Heilongjiang, Jilin [Japan, Korea, Russia (Kamchatka, Sakhalin)].

2. Thermopsis chinensis Bentham ex S. Moore, J. Bot. 16: 131. 1878.

霍州油菜  huo zhou you cai

Perennial herbs, 50 cm. Stems erect, ridged, spreading-villous when young, glabrescent, branched, branchlets ascending. Stipules on main stem linear-ovate, longer than petiole; on branches lanceolate, shorter than petiole; leaflets obovate or narrowly obovate, 2–4.5 Χ 0.8–2 cm, base cuneate, apex rounded, mucronate, glabrous adaxially, sparsely villous abaxially. Racemes 10–30 cm, flowers alternate; bracts ovate, 1.2–1.9 cm; calyx 8–13 mm, sparsely puberulent; corolla yellow, 2.4–2.8 cm, petals long-clawed; ovary densely silky, ovules 16–22. Pod linear lanceolate, 5–7 Χ 0.7–0.8 cm, held almost erect and close to stem, thinly woody, beaked, sparsely appressed-yellowish-hirsute, seeds 15–20. Seeds reniform, 2.5 Χ 2 mm, red brown, densely glandular. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Jun–Jul.

Stream banks, waste fields, roadsides. Anhui, Fujian, Hebei, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Zhejiang [Japan].

3. Thermopsis alpina (Pallas) Ledebour, Fl. Altaic. 2: 112. 1830.

高山野决明  gao shan ye jue ming

Sophora alpina Pallas, Sp. Astrag. 121. 1800.

Perennial herbs, 12–30 cm, from a substantial woody rootstock. Stems erect, simple or little branched, white-spreading-villous at least on the nodes. Stipules ovate or broadly lanceolate, 2–3.5 cm, base cuneate or rounded, apex acute; leaflets linear-obovate to ovate, 2–5.5 Χ 0.8–2.5 cm, acute, glabrous or villous along midrib and margins adaxially, usually densely villous abaxially. Racemes terminal, 5–15 cm long, flowers 2–3 verticillate in 2–3 whorls, bracts 10–18 mm, villous; calyx 10–17 mm, slightly gibbous; corolla yellow, 2–2.8 cm, petals long-clawed; ovary 4–8-ovulate, stipe2–5 mm long. . Pod ovate-oblong, 2–5(–6) Χ 1–2 cm, long-cuspidate, clear shiny brown, flat, sparsely white-villous, usually curved downwards, seeds prominent,, 3–4. Seed reniform, brown, 5–6 Χ 3–4 mm, compressed, hilum gray. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Jul–Aug.

Sandy river beaches, alpine tundra, gravel deserts; 2400–4800 m. SW Gansu, Hebei, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia].

4. Thermopsis lanceolata R. Brown in W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew., ed. 2, 3: 3. 1811.

披针叶野决明  pi zhen ye ye jue ming

Thermopsis dahurica Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 186 (1976).

T. sibirica Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 180 (1976).

Perennial herbs. Stems erect, 12–40 cm, ridged, creamy-pubescent. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–3 cm, acuminate; petioles 3–8 mm; leaflets linear-oblong, oblanceolate to linear, 2.5–7.5 Χ 0.5–1.6 cm, glabrous adaxially, appressed puberulent abaxially. Racemes terminal, 6–17 cm, flowers 2–3 verticillate in 2–6 whorls; bracts 8–20 mm, persistent; calyx 1.5–2.2 cm, gibbous, densely hairy; corolla yellow, 2.5–2.8 cm, petals with long claw; ovary densely hairy, with 2–3 mm stipe, ovules 12–20. Pod linear, 5–9 Χ 0.7–1.2 cm, puberulent, beaked, brown, seeds 6–14, at central line of valve. Seed reniform, 3–5 Χ 2.5–3.5 mm, black with grayish waxy, smooth. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Jun–Oct.

Grasslands, ravines, waste fields. Gansu, ?Hebei, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Xizang [Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia].

5. Thermopsis turkestanica Gandoger, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 60: 462. 1913.

新疆野决明  xin jiang ye jue ming

Thermopsis kaxgarica Chang Y. Yang in Acta Bot. Bor. Occid. Sin., 8(1): 55 (1988).

Perennial herbs, 30–50 cm. Stems erect, ridged, branched, appressed-puberulent towards the apex, glabrescent towards the base. Stipules lanceolate, 1.8–3.2(–4) cm; petioles short or sessile; leaflets narrowly lanceolate, (2–)3.5–8 Χ 0.5–1 cm, tapering at both ends, glabrous adaxially, densely puberulent abaxially. Racemes terminal, 4.5–15(–20) cm, flowers in 5–6 whorls; bracts lanceolate; calyx 15–20 mm, slightly gibbous; corolla yellow, 2.3–2.5(–2.8) cm, petals long-clawed; ovary with 2–5 mm stipe, ovules 12–18. Pod linear, 4.5–7 Χ 0.8–1.3 cm, cuspidate, densely white-pubescent, flat; seeds prominent , close to dorsal suture, ventral suture undulate. Seeds ellipsoid, 3.5–4.5 Χ 3–3.5 mm, dark green, opaque, hilum gray. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Jul–Aug.

Slopes, sandy ravine beaches; 1200–1800 m. Xinjiang (Tian Shan) [Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia (Altai), Russia (Siberia), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan].

The illustration in FRPS (42(2): 404, pl. 104: 1–7. 1998) suggests that this is likely to be a synonym of Thermopsis lanceolata.

6. Thermopsis przewalskii Z. V. Czefranova, Bot. Mater. Herb. Bot. Inst. Acad. Sci. URSS. 16: 210. 1954.

青海野决明  qing hai ye jue ming

Thermopsis kuenlunica Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 191 (1976);

T. ladyginii Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 190 (1976);

T. tibetica Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 189 (1976).

Perennial herbs, 10–18(–35) cm. Stems erect, branched, ridged, densely pale yellow appressed-pubescent or tomentose. Stipules lanceolate, 1.7–2.4(–3.2) cm; petioles 3–7 mm; leaflets linear-obovate, 1.7–3.8(–4.2) Χ 0.7–1.2 cm, 2.5–3 times as long as broad, base cuneate, apex rounded, glabrous adaxially, appressed-pubescent abaxially. Racemes terminal, lax, 5–11(–20) cm, basal racemes shorter; flowers in 3–6 whorls, bracts ovate, acute, 1.5–2.2 cm; calyx 1.8–2.1 mm; corolla yellow, 2.2–2.7 cm; ovary 10–18-ovulate,densely hairy, stipe 4–8 mm,. Pod straight, linear, 3.5–5 Χ 0.8–1.5 cm, abruptly contratced into along beak, thinly tomentose, spreading, , contracted between the seeds. Seeds prominent, 6–12, orbicular or rounded, 3.5–4.5 Χ 3–4 mm, dark green; hilum gray. Fl. May–Jul.

* Thickets or grasslands by ravines, valleys, and lakes, often with Thermopsis alpina; 1500–2000(–4600) m. Gansu, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Xizang.

This is probably a synonym of Thermopsis alpina.

7. Thermopsis yushuensis S. Q. Wei, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 4(2): 136. 1984.

玉树野决明  yu shu ye jue ming

Perennial herbs, 5–12 cm. Stems erect, branched, ridged, densely pale yellow-villous. Stipules narrowly ovate, 7–12 mm, acute; petiole 3–4 mm; leaflets narrowly oblong, 14–20 Χ 3–5 mm, base cuneate, apex acute, glabrous adaxially, densely pale yellow-villous abaxially, especially dense on midrib and margins. Racemes lax, terminal, 4–5 cm, with flowers in 2–4 whorls; bracts persistent, ovate, 10–12 mm, acute; calyx 10–13 mm, gibbous; corolla yellow, 2–2.4 cm, petals subequal; ovary white-villous, with 3 mm stipe, ovules 14–16. Pod linear, slightly curved, 5–6.2 Χ 0.7–0.9 cm, ascending, acute with long beak, undulate along ventral suture. . Seeds prominent, close to dorsal suture, suborbicular, 4–4.5 Χ 3–3.5 mm, black; hilum white.

* River banks, ravine beaches; ca. 4200 m. Qinghai.

This is probably a synonym of Thermopsis lanceolata.

8. Thermopsis mongolica Z. V. Czefranova, Bot. Mater. Herb. Bot. Inst. Acad. Sci. URSS. 16: 213. 1954.

蒙古野决明  meng gu ye jue ming

Thermopsis hirsutissima Z. V. Czefranova, in Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. (1970 publ. 1971);

T. saurensis Chang Y. Yang in Acta Bot. Bor.-Occid. Sin., 8(1): 56 (1988);

T. schischkinii Z. V. Czefranova, Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 13: 174 (1976).

Perennial herbs, 20–30(–40) cm. Stems erect, solitary or branched, ridged, white-pubescent. Leaflets linear-lanceolate to linear, 3–7 Χ 0.6–2.2 cm, base cuneate, apex acute, densely white appressed-pubescent on both surfaces, especially dense and also with long hairs abaxially. Racemes lax, terminal, 5–18 cm; bracts narrowly ovate, 1.2–2(–3) cm, acuminate, densely silky; calyx 1.4–2 cm, slightly gibbous; corolla yellow; ovary densely silky, shortly stipitate, ovules 9–14. Pod linear, straight or slightly curved, 4–8 Χ 0.7–1 cm, acute, white-pubescent, spreading horizontally at right angles to the axis, seeds 5–12, at central line of valve, prominent, seeds. Seed reniform, 3.5–4.5 Χ 3–3.5 mm, dark brown, spotted; hilum white. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep.

Prairies, gravel deserts, saline beaches. Gansu, Nei Mongol, N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia (W Siberia)].

This is probably a synonym of Thermopsis lanceolata.

9. Thermopsis inflata Cambessθdes in Jacquemont, Voy. Inde 4(Bot.): 34. 1835–1844.

轮生叶野决明  lun sheng ye ye jue ming

Perennial herbs, 10–20 cm. Stems erect, branched, white. Stipules broadly obovate, acute, 1.5–2.5 cm; petioles 1–3 mm, or leaves sessile; leaflets obovate, 1–2.5 Χ –1.6 cm, base cuneate, asymmetric, apex acute, glabrous adaxially, white-spreading-villous abaxially, especially when young. Racemes lax, 3–10 cm; bracts 1–1.5 cm, petioles 5–7 mm; calyx 16–20 mm, slightly gibbous, white-villous; corolla yellow, 2.5 cm, petals subequal; ovary 12–17-ovulate, linear, with 5–10 mm stipe. Pod broadly ovate, 3–5 Χ 1.8–3 cm, pale brown, inflated, down-curved, base with stipe equal to calyx, apex rounded, with a long beak exerted from the dorsal suture, white-villous, seeds numerous. Seed reniform, 6–7 Χ 4–5 mm, black, smooth. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Jul–Aug.

Gravel meadows by lakes or streams, slopes, alpine rocky cliffs; 4500–5000 m. S Xinjiang, Xizang [Bhutan, NE India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan].

10. Thermopsis smithiana E. Peter, Acta Horti Gothob. 13: 412. 1940.

矮生野决明  ai sheng ye jue ming

Thermopsis alpina (Pallas) Ledebour var. humilis Z. V. Czefranova, Acta Bot. Inst. Acad. Sci. URSS, ser. 1, 12: 37. 1958.

Perennial herbs, 7–12(–15) cm. Stems erect, quadrangular, white-villous, base articulate, with tawny membranous sheath, apex 3–fid, cauline leafy, 2–4 branches. Stipules 10–16 mm; leaflets oblong or obovate, 1.5–2 Χ 0.5–0.7 cm, base tapering, apex obtuse, rarely mucronate, glabrous adaxially, white-villous abaxially. Racemes short, 3–5 cm, flowers 3-verticillate in whorls; bracts broadly ovate, acute; calyx 1.5 cm, slightly gibbous; corolla bright yellow, 2 cm, petals long-clawed; ovary subsessile, 4–5-ovulate, densely hairy. Pod elliptic, oblong, or obovate, 3–6 Χ 1.5–2.5 cm, base tapering, apex obtuse, short beaked, valves membranous, tawny when dry, white-villous, seeds 1–4. Seed ellipsoid, dark scarlet, 6–7 Χ 5 mm. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Jul–Aug.

* Mountain slopes; 3500–4500 m. W Sichuan, Xizang, NW Yunnan.

11. Thermopsis barbata Bentham in Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts. 196. 1839.

紫花野决明  zi hua ye jue ming

Thermopsis atrata Z. V. Czefranova, Bot. Mater. Herb. Bot. Inst. Acad. Sci. URSS 16: 218. 1954.

Perennial herbs, 8–30 cm, densely white or brown villous, with silky sheen, sparsely so in fruit. Stems erect, branched, ridged, leaf-blades at base 4–7 verticillate and connate into a sheath. Stipules leafy; leaflets oblong, lanceolate, to oblanceolate, 1–2(–3) Χ 0.3–0.5 (–1) cm, lateral leaflets unequal, base tapering to narrowly winged petiole, apex acute, densely white-villous on both surfaces. Racemes lax, 4–19 cm, bracts ovate, 1–1.5 cm, base connate into a sheath; calyx 1.4–2(–2.3) cm; corolla deep purple, sometimes become blue when dry, 2.4–2.8 cm, petals subequal; ovary 4–13-ovulate, with 4–8 mm stipe, villous. Pod narrowly elliptic, acute, brown, 2–4.5 Χ 1–1.8 cm. Seed reniform, 7–8 Χ 4–5 mm, convex, yellow brown, hilum white. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep.

Valleys, slopes; 2700–4500 m. Qinghai, W Sichuan, Xinjiang (Tian Shan), Xizang, SW Yunnan [Kashmir, India, Nepal, Pakistan].

12. Thermopsis gyirongensis S. Q. Wei, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 4(2): 138. 1984.

吉隆野决明  ji long ye jue ming

Thermopsis barbata Bentham f. chrysantha P. S. Li in Fl. Xizangica, 2: 725 (1985).

Perennial herbs, 20–30 cm. Stems branched from the base, with woody articulate, 4–9 blades verticillate and connate in sheath, densely tawny villous. Leaflets oblong-lanceolate, 2–3 Χ 0.4–0.8 cm, lateral leaflets unequal, base tapering to narrow-winged petioles, apex acute, glabrous adaxially, tawny villous abaxially, especially on margins. Racemes lax, 8–10 cm, flowers in 2–3 whorls, bracts lanceolate, 1.2–2 cm, 3–6 connate from base; calyx 1.5–1.7 cm; corolla yellow, 2.6–2.8 cm, never becoming blue, keel obviously longer than the standard, ovary with 5–6 mm stipe, ovules 4–5. Mature pod not seen. Fl. Jun.

* Alpine meadows; ca. 3400 m. S Xizang (Gyirong).

The illustration in FRPS (42(2): 410, pl. 106: 10–17. 1998) suggests that this is likely to be a synonym of Thermopsis alpina.


[1] Herbarium, Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, 10 Jiaogong Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, People’s Republic of China.

[2] Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, United Kingdom.