Sesbania punicea

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Sesbania punicea
Sesbania punicea, habitus, Moreletakloof NR, a.jpg
Sesbania punicea, loof en bloeiwyses, Moreletakloof NR, c.jpg
Habit and inflorescences in South Africa
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Sesbania
Species:
S. punicea
Binomial name
Sesbania punicea

Sesbania punicea (Spanish gold, rattlebox, or scarlet sesban) is an ornamental shrub with reddish-orange flowers. It has deciduous leaves and grows to a height of 15 feet (4.5 m). This plant has a high demand for water, and thrives in swamps or wet areas. It requires a mildly acidic soil, with a pH between 6.1 and 6.5. [2] [3]

Contents

Distribution

The species is native to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. It has spread to other parts of South America and many coastal southern United States as well as to parts of Africa. Due to its high demand for water, this species is often found on marshy shorelines. It also forms dense thickets and thrives in disturbed areas. [2] [4] [5]

Taxonomy

The genus Sesbania is within the larger family Fabaceae. The Fabaceae are divided into three subfamilies:

The genus Sesbania belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, which has the greatest amount of diversity within the family Fabaceae. The subfamilies Mimosoideae and Faboideae are largely monophyletic, whereas the subfamily Caesalpinioideae is considered paraphyletic. [6]

Habitat and ecology

S. punicea seed Sesbania punicea seed.jpg
S. punicea seed

Flowers appear in late spring and persist until the autumn. In the United States, this species blooms between June and September, in South Africa between November and January. [7] [8]

When the carpellous structures dry out, the seeds drop close to the base of the plant. The seed coats are impermeable, which means they can be dispersed by water. This impermeability is caused by callose. [9] Hence, they are often found near rivers and brooks. This species is also commonly found near roadsides, maybe the seeds were imported with the soil used for construction. This species is shade-tolerant. Seedlings can produce flowers and seeds after three month, although flowering most commonly occurs at two years of age. The plant can survive frost, but not for prolonged periods of time . [8]

Morphology

The deciduous leaves are alternate and compound. Between five and 20 pairs of elliptical leaflets occur on a single stalk. The leaf margins are commonly entire, with little or no serration. Each leaflet is oblong and ends in a pointy tip. The leaves contain stipules that are usually inconspicuous. The flowers and fruits droop at the tips of the stalks. The branches of this shrub are rather thin, and green, but turn a darker red brown when they mature. The bark varies from gray brown to red brown with obvious horizontal lenticels. [7] [10] [11]

Sketch of S. punicea in 1891 Sesbania punicea.jpg
Sketch of S. punicea in 1891
Herbaceous habit of S. punicea Sesbania stems and leaves.jpg
Herbaceous habit of S. punicea

Flowers and fruit

A flower of Wisteria sinensis, Faboideae: Example of flower structure for the subfamily Faboideae (two petals are removed to show the stamens and pistil.) Wisteria sinensis nobackground labels.jpg
A flower of Wisteria sinensis , Faboideae: Example of flower structure for the subfamily Faboideae (two petals are removed to show the stamens and pistil.)

The flowers are shaped like pea flowers, 2–3 cm long, and are commonly red-orange or red-purple. Flowers often form a raceme. Characteristic of the family Fabaceae, this species has five fused sepals and five free petals. The flower always contains ten stamens, sometimes with various combinations of fused filaments. The ovary is superior and the style is often curved. Characteristic of the subfamily Faboideae, these flowers are zygomorphic and have a specialized structure. The upper petal is referred to as the banner, and encapsulates the petals when they are in the bud. The two adjacent flowers, called the wings, overlap the bottom two petals. The bottom petals are often fused at the apex, forming a keel. The flowers appear "showy" because they are most commonly pollinated by insects, who are attracted by these features. [4]

Sesbania punicea fruit or dehiscing seed pods Sesbania punicea fruit.jpeg
Sesbania punicea fruit or dehiscing seed pods
Illustration of placentation of seeds inside the pods of S. punicea Sesbania punicea pod Taub117b.png
Illustration of placentation of seeds inside the pods of S. punicea

The large pea pods are divided into four compartments and appear as if they have shrunk slightly due to drying These fruits are dehiscent and dry out as they become mature. Each fruit can contain between five and ten seeds, which are dispersed when the pod dries out and opens up. On average, a single plant can produce 100-300 pods. The immature pods are a yellow or green. As the season progresses, they turn a darker green, eventually becoming dark brown. Seedpods often stay on the plant far into the winter, and the seeds rattle when shaken by the wind, giving the plant its common name of “rattlebox”. [4] [8] [10] [12]

Usage and economic importance

These plants are used as ornamentals due to their graceful shape and beautiful red flowers. It can easily be grown from seeds, which require scarification in order to germinate. The species has been classified as invasive in many of the southern United States such as Virginia, California, Texas, and Florida. This shrub can often form dense thickets. [7] It is replacing native species of plants in riparian areas, taking food resources away from the local wildlife. [13] In addition, this species contributes to riverbank erosion and flooding. [14] It has been declared a noxious weed and/or seed in the United States in the aquatic, terrestrial, and seed forms. [5]

This plant has no known economic or medicinal uses. Its close relative S. virgata [11] has been used to control soil erosion, rehabilitate disturbed areas, and revitalize riparian habitats. [11] Juice made from the leaves of this plant reduces the response to painful stimulation and inflammatory edema in mice. [11]

Toxicity

Sesbania puniceas contains toxic saponic glycosides. [10] The poison can be dangerous to local birds and mammals. [5] Humans who ingest this plant or its seeds may become very sick and may suffer vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory failure, and death. [10]

Management

The root systems of young S. punicea plants are not very extensive and the soil is loose under waterlogged conditions, so these plants can be removed by hand or simple garden tools. [4] Trees with larger trunks can be cut and treated with glyphosate and/or triclopyr. [4] If they are found in standing water, the stem can be cut to below the water level. Simply flooding the area will not kill them.

Biological controls have also been used to prevent this species from spreading. The South American apionid weevil, Trichapion lativentre , was introduced to South Africa in the late 1970s. This weevil has now dispersed over most of the range of S. punicea. The adult weevils feed on the leaves and lay single eggs in premature flower buds. The larvae then feed on the stamens and carpels of the flower and pupate in the hollow husks of the buds. The weevil has prevented the rapid spread of S. punicea in South Africa. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimosoideae</span> Subfamily of legumes

The Mimosoideae are a traditional subfamily of trees, herbs, lianas, and shrubs in the pea family (Fabaceae) that mostly grow in tropical and subtropical climates. They are typically characterized by having radially symmetric flowers, with petals that are twice divided (valvate) in bud and with numerous showy, prominent stamens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fabaceae</span> Family of legume flowering plants

The Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, are a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants. It includes trees, shrubs, and perennial or annual herbaceous plants, which are easily recognized by their fruit (legume) and their compound, stipulate leaves. The family is widely distributed, and is the third-largest land plant family in number of species, behind only the Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with about 765 genera and nearly 20,000 known species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caesalpinioideae</span> Subfamily of legumes

Caesalpinioideae is a botanical name at the rank of subfamily, placed in the large family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. Its name is formed from the generic name Caesalpinia. It is known also as the peacock flower subfamily. The Caesalpinioideae are mainly trees distributed in the moist tropics, but include such temperate species as the honeylocust and Kentucky coffeetree. It has the following clade-based definition:

The most inclusive crown clade containing Arcoa gonavensisUrb. and Mimosa pudicaL., but not Bobgunnia fistuloides(Harms) J. H. Kirkbr. & Wiersema, Duparquetia orchidaceaBaill., or Poeppigia proceraC.Presl

<i>Crotalaria</i> Genus of legumes

Crotalaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae commonly known as rattlepods. The genus includes over 700 species of herbaceous plants and shrubs. Africa is the continent with the majority of Crotalaria species, which are mainly found in damp grassland, especially in floodplains, depressions and along edges of swamps and rivers, but also in deciduous bush land, roadsides and fields. Some species of Crotalaria are grown as ornamentals. The common name rattlepod or rattlebox is derived from the fact that the seeds become loose in the pod as they mature, and rattle when the pod is shaken. The name derives from the Ancient Greek κρόταλον, meaning "castanet", and is the same root as the name for the rattlesnakes (Crotalus).

<i>Sesbania</i> Genus of aquatic plants

Sesbania is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus found in tribe Sesbanieae. Riverhemp is a common name for plants in this genus. Notable species include the rattlebox, spiny sesbania, and Sesbania sesban, which is used in cooking. Plants of this genus, some of which are aquatic, can be used in alley cropping to increase the soil's nitrogen content. The species of rhizobia responsible for nitrogen fixation in Sesbania rostrata is Azorhizobium caulinodans.

<i>Sesbania drummondii</i> Species of legume

Sesbania drummondii, known as poisonbean, rattlebox and rattlebush, is a medium-sized perennial shrub in the legume family Fabaceae. It is native to the southeastern United States, from Texas east to Florida.

<i>Senna tora</i> Species of flowering plant

Senna tora is a plant species in the family Fabaceae and the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Its name is derived from its Sinhala name tora (තෝර). It grows wild in most of the tropics and is considered a weed in many places. Its native range is in Central America. Its most common English name is sickle senna or sickle wild sensitive-plant. Other common names include sickle pod, tora, coffee pod and foetid cassia. It is often confused with Chinese senna or sickle pod, Senna obtusifolia.

<i>Inga</i> Genus of legumes

Inga is a genus of small tropical, tough-leaved, nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs, subfamily Mimosoideae. Inga's leaves are pinnate, and flowers are generally white. Many of the hundreds of species are used ornamentally.

<i>Baptisia alba</i> Species of legume

Baptisia alba, commonly called white wild indigo or white false indigo, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the bean family Fabaceae. It is native in central and eastern North America, and is typically found in open woodland areas and prairies with tall grasslands.

Sarcodum is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, tribe Wisterieae. Its three species are twining vines growing over shrubs, and are native from southeast mainland China to the Solomon Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papilionaceous flower</span>

Papilionaceous flowers are flowers with the characteristic irregular and butterfly-like corolla found in many, though not all, plants of the species-rich Faboideae subfamily of legumes. Tournefort suggested that the term Flores papilionacei originated with Valerius Cordus, who applied it to the flowers of the bean.

<i>Acacia gunnii</i> Species of plant

Acacia gunnii, commonly known as ploughshare wattle or dog's tooth wattle, is a woody shrub which is endemic to south-eastern Australia found in dry heaths and woodlands. It ranges from Queensland, then New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, South Australia, down to Tasmania. Acacia gunnii grows to up to 1 metre high and has prickly phyllodes which are 4 to 15 mm long. The cream to pale yellow globular flowerheads appear singly in the axils of the phyllodes in June to October, followed by curved or coiled seed pods which are 40 mm long and 4 to 5 mm wide. Acacia gunnii grows up to 1 meter tall and has prickly phyllodes which are 4 to 15mm in length with cream to pale-yellow globular flower heads appearing in phyllode axils in June through to October, followed by curved or coiled seed pods which are 40mm long and 4 to 5 mm wide. The species was first formally described by English botanist George Bentham in the London Journal of Botany in 1842. It occurs in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, and Queensland.

<i>Acanthoscelides</i> Genus of beetles

Acanthoscelides is a genus of bean weevils of the subfamily Bruchinae. They are native to the New World. About one third of them can be found in Mexico.

<i>Whitfordiodendron</i> Genus of legumes

Whitfordiodendron is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, of Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae.

<i>Parkia pendula</i> Species of legume

Parkia pendula is a species of neotropical evergreen tree found throughout Central and South America. It is part of the Parkia genus, a group of flowering plants that are part of the legume family, Fabaceae.

<i>Austrocallerya</i> Genus of flowering plants

Austrocallerya is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the subfamily Faboideae in the family Fabaceae. They are robust, twining woody vines.

<i>Nanhaia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Nanhaia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Fabaceae. Its native range is Southern China to Northern Vietnam.

Sigmoidala is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, first established in 2019. Its only species is Sigmoidala kityana, native to Myanmar, northern Thailand and Laos. It was first described by William Grant Craib in 1927 as Millettia kityana.

Kanburia is a genus of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Thailand. The genus was established in 2019. Kanburia species are twining woody vines.

Serawaia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, first established in 2019. Its only species is Serawaia strobilifera, endemic to Borneo. The species was first described in 1994 as Callerya strobilifera.

References

  1. ↑ Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) & IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Sesbania punicea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T144292947A149031069. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T144292947A149031069.en . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Sesbania punicea Plants Profile" (Document). USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. 31 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "Sesbania punicea". University of Florida, IFAS. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Invasives Database: Sesbania punicea". TexasInvasives.org. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "Sesbania punicea". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  6. ↑ 'The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG).', 2017, A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny , Taxon , vol. = 66 , number = 1 , pages = 44–77 , http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/iapt/tax/2017/00000066/00000001/art00004
  7. 1 2 3 "Sesbania punicea Fact Sheet". VT Forest Biology and Dendrology. VT Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation.
  8. 1 2 3 "Sesbania punicea (Fabaceae)". EPPO. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  9. ↑ Bevilacqua, L. "'Callose' in the impermeable seed coat of Sesbania punicea". Oxford Journals. Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Alice, Russell. "Poisonous Plants of North Carolina". Department of Horticulture Science. North Carolina State University. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Nader de León, Alejandro (25 April 2011). "Uruguay's wildlife and Natural sanctuaries". Blogger.com. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Sesbania punicea, Sesbania tripetii, Daubentonia tripetii". Toptropicals.com - Rare Plants for Home and Garden. TopTropicals.com. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "Sesbania punicea". U.S. Department of the Interior: Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "Sesbania punicea". California Invasive Plant Council. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  15. ↑ Hoffmann, J.H.; Moran, V.C. (1989). "Novel Graphs for Depicting Herbivore Damage on Plants: The Biocontrol of Sesbania punicea (Fabaceae) by an Introduced Weevil". Journal of Applied Ecology. 26 (1): 353–360. Bibcode:1989JApEc..26..353H. doi:10.2307/2403672. JSTOR   2403672.
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