Stylosanthes (Leguminosae, Dalbergieae)of Venezuela

Calles T. © 2010 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. doi:10.3372/wi.40.40211 (available via http://dx.doi.org/)Stylosanthes is a predominantly New World genus of economic importance. After Brazil, Venezuela has the second highest Stylosanthes species richness. However, knowledge about the geographic distribution of most Stylosanthes species in Venezuela is scarce or not documented at all, and there has been no updated taxonomic revision of the genus. For the present revision, about 1000 herbarium specimens from 35 herbaria were examined, including 103 type specimens. Stylosanthes has a wide natural distribution in Venezuela and eleven species occur in the country: S. angustifolia, S. capitata, S. falconensis, S. gracilis, S. guianensis, S. hamata, S. humilis, S. scabra, S. sericeiceps, S. venezuelensis and S. viscosa, three of them being endemic. The present study clarifies the taxonomy of Stylosanthes in Venezuela and provides illustrations and a key to identify the species.