Date de publication : Icon. Pl. Rar., 3(3):
14.
t. 570. 1786-1793 [03/1789, fide TL-2,
3251 & B.G. Schubert, Contr. Gray Herb. Harvard Univ., 154: [
3-]
18[-
23]. 15/06/1945]. Voir aussi Jacq., Coll. Bot., 2:
358. 1788 [04/1789, fide TL-2,
3253].
Taxonomie : Du Puy, Labat & Schrire (Kew Bull., 48(4):
427-433.
1993) ont montré que
Indigofera spicata Forssk. 1775 et
I. hendecaphylla Jacq. 1789 étaient bien deux espèces distinctes, et que l'espèce largement naturalisée hors Afrique était
I. hendecaphylla:
"During our studies of
Indigofera L. sect
Alternifoliae Harvey (= subsect.
Alternifoliolae
(Harvey) Gillett) in Madagascar and the Comoros, it has become evident
that two separate species have previously been included under
I. spicata
Forssk., sensu lato (Gillett, 1958; Gillett 1971; Polhill 1990). A
review of the material from elsewhere, and field observations in Africa,
have shown that these 2 species are also separable outside Madagascar.
I. hendecaphylla Jacq. (Fig. 1F-K) is the more widespread
species, distributed throughout the Old World tropics and subtropics to
the Pacific Islands.
I spicata Forssk. (Fig. 1A-E), the name
under which both species have formerly been confused, correctly refers
to the more restricted species, confined to Africa, Yemen, Madagascar
and the Mascarenes.
Key to species
Staminal sheath 4-5 mm long,
distinctly exceeding the calyx (Fig. 1K); leaves with 9-11 leaflets, the
leaflets narrowly oblong-elliptic (Fig. 1G, H); keel apex rounded to
obtuse (Fig. 1J) ......................... I. hendecaphylla
Staminal
sheath 3-3-5 mm long, not or hardly exceeding the calyx (Fig. 1E);
leaves with 5-8 leaflets, the leaflets obovate and cuneate in the basal
half (Fig. 1B, C); keel apex acute (Fig. 1D) ..........................
I. spicata
There is considerable variation in both species in Africa,
however, and although these key characters are effective for the
identification of most specimens there exceptions to which more careful
consideration must be given."
Malgré ces clarifications,
I. hendecaphylla continue pourtant d'être largement nommé
I. spicata
Jacq. 1789, y compris dans des flores et traitements récents. En dépit
de cette grande confusion, B.D. Shrire maintient fermement les résultats
publiés en 1993 (com. pers. 30/06/2021)!
Type : "
Indigofera hendecaphylla. Cum praecedente in Guinea crescit. In caldariis nostris floret ab Augusto ad Decembri, quando paucos fructus perficit." [Jacq., Coll. Bot., 2:
358. 1788].
Afrique de l'Ouest ["Guinée"], origine précise et collecteurs inconnus, cultivé sous serre à Vienne, N.J. Jacquin s.n. (HT:
W0007793).
