Dalbergia monetaria L. f.

Perennial, Trees, Shrubs, Vines, twining, climbing, Woody throughout, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves palmately 5-11 foliate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 2, Leaflets 3, Leaflets 5-9, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Inflorescence panicles, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals white, Petals ochroleucous, cream colored, Banner petal suborbicular, broadly rounded, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Keel petals fused on sides or at tip, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehiscent, Fruits winged, carinate, or samaroid, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 1-seeded, Seeds reniform, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Dalbergia monetaria L.f., Suppl. Pl. Syst. Veg. 317. 1781.

Fig. 102. F-I

Synonym: Securidaca volubilis L. pro parte

Liana with pendulous branches, which supports itself on other plants by means of short branches that entangle like tendrils, attaining 10 m or more in length. Stems flexible, cylindrical, up to 10 cm in diameter; bark light brown; branches cylindrical, pubescent on the younger portions. Leaves alternate, 3- to 5-foliolate; leaflets alternate, 5-12 × 3-7 cm, ovate or elliptical, involute, the apex acuminate, the base obtuse or rounded, the margins entire or slightly undulate, revolute; upper surface dark green, shiny, glabrous; lower surface pale green, dull, puberulent, with prominent venation; petiolules thickened, puberulent; rachis puberulent, up to 11 cm long; petioles 1.2-5 cm long, puberulent; stipules minute, ovate, caducous. Inflorescences of short, clustered, axillary racemes. Calyx campanulate, green, 2-3 mm long, puberulent; corolla white, the standard rounded, 5-10 mm long, retuse, unguiculate at the base; the wings and the keel as long as the standard. Legume circular, flattened, 3-4 cm long. Seed one.

Phenology: Flowering from February to October and fruiting from June to March.

Status: Native, rather common.

Selected Specimens Examined: Acevedo-Rdgz., P. 4715; 7174; 7700; 9329; 11384; Britton, N.L. 1528; 2130; 2422; 8094; Gregory 175; Heller, A.A. 208; 979; Little, E.L. 16423; Sargent, F.H. 635; 667; Shafer, J.A. 3377; 3381; 3468; Sintenis, P. 328; 1421; 3898; 4498; 5265; 6293; Stevenson, J.A. 1282.

Seed contains rotenoids and isoflavonoids.

Population

Population Trend