Stylosanthes
Stylosanthes | |
---|---|
Stylosanthes hamata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Tribe: | Dalbergieae |
Genus: | Stylosanthes Sw. |
Species | |
See text |
Stylosanthes is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae and contains numerous highly important pasture and forage species. It was recently assigned to the informal monophyletic Pterocarpus clade of the Dalbergieae.[1][2] The common name pencilflower is sometimes used for plants in this genus.[3]
Description
The genus is characterised by trifoliate leaves and small yellow flowers [4] Species may be annual or perennial and morphology varies between species as well as within species in response to grazing pressure. Some species such as S. scabra grow as a low woody shrub to 1.5 m, while others such as S. humilis will grow as a herbaceous shrub but can adopt a prostrate growth form and thrive under high grazing pressure.[5]
Taxonomy and range
Taxonomy of the genus remains unsettled and controversial, with various authors favouring between 25 and 42 species, with at least 40 additional synonyms.
All except two species of the genus are native to the Americas.
Species
The following species are accepted:[11]
- Stylosanthes angustifolia Vogel
- Stylosanthes biflora (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.
- Stylosanthes bracteata Vogel
- Stylosanthes calcicola Small
- Stylosanthes campestris M.B.Ferreira & Sousa Costa
- Stylosanthes capitata Vogel
- Stylosanthes erecta P.Beauv.
- Stylosanthes falconensis Calles & Schultze-Kr.
- Stylosanthes fruticosa (Retz.) Alston
- Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw.
- Stylosanthes hamata (L.) Taub.
- Stylosanthes hippocampoides Mohlenbr.
- Stylosanthes hispida Rich.
- Stylosanthes humilis Kunth
- Stylosanthes ingrata S.F.Blake
- Stylosanthes leiocarpa Vogel
- Stylosanthes linearifolia M.B.Ferreira & Sousa Costa
- Stylosanthes longicarpa Brandão & Sousa Costa
- Stylosanthes longiseta Micheli
- Stylosanthes macrocarpa S.F.Blake
- Stylosanthes macrocephala M.B.Ferreira & Sousa Costa
- Stylosanthes macrosoma S.F.Blake
- Stylosanthes maracajuensis Sousa Costa & Van den Berg
- Stylosanthes mexicana Taub.
- Stylosanthes montevidensis Vogel
- Stylosanthes nervosa J.F.Macbr.
- Stylosanthes quintanarooensis Gama & Dávila
- Stylosanthes recta Vanni
- Stylosanthes rostrata (Burkart) Vanni
- Stylosanthes ruellioides Mart. ex Benth.
- Stylosanthes salina Sousa Costa & Van den Berg
- Stylosanthes scabra Vogel
- Stylosanthes seabrana B.L.Maass & 't Mannetje
- Stylosanthes sericeiceps S.F.Blake
- Stylosanthes suffruticosa Mohlenbr.
- Stylosanthes sympodialis Taub.
- Stylosanthes tuberculata S.F.Blake
- Stylosanthes vallsii Sousa Costa & Van den Berg
- Stylosanthes venezuelensis Calles & Schultze-Kr.
- Stylosanthes viscosa (L.) Sw.
Usage
Species within the genus have many properties that make them valuable forage species. They are capable of nitrogen fixation and are capable of improving soil fertility in addition to providing high protein stock feed.[12] The genus is also noted for its ability to extract phosphorus from soils where it is not available to other species.[13] Seeds are hard and long lived leading to high soil seed banks and rapid recovery following fire or heavy grazing. Seed survives passage through the gut of grazing animals and is dispersed widely in this manner allowing for rapid dispersal.[5] Many species are adapted to hot, dry climates and are drought resistant.[14]
These traits have made the genus the world’s most widely used tropical pasture legume.[14] Stylosanthes has been introduced across the tropical world as a pasture species. Its most important use has been in Australia where over a million hectares of primarily native pasture have been oversown with Stylosanthes species; primarily S. hamata, S. scabra and S. humilis [15] This can lead to a ten-fold increase in productivity, though 2–3 fold increases are normal.[5] Stylosanthes are the most important forage legumes in South America[16] and the most important pasture legumes of tropical India.[17] Stylosanthes are also important forage species in tropical Africa.[5]
Stylosanthes are important green manure species in West and Central Africa, primarily S. guianensis and S. hamata, and species are planted and harvested for commercial leaf meal production for poultry and pig feed in China and India. The genus has also been used as a nitrogen input into low input or organic cropping systems. Species are used as fallow species in Peru, Africa and Australia. S. hamata used for intercropping with grain crops in India and Africa with yield increases up to 25%.[5]
Stylosanthes species have been used for land reclamation, soil stabilization and soil regeneration work because of their drought resistance, ability to restore soil fertility, improve soil physical properties and provide permanent vegetation cover.[17][18][19][20]
Despite their ability to dramatically improve productivity in grazing lands, Stylosanthes can also cause problems. Stylosanthes can dominate pasture at the expense of grass which can lead to problems because the plants provides less protection from
Notes
- 1 2 4 7 8 10 Some sources treat Stylosanthes acuminata, Stylosanthes aurea, Stylosanthes campestris, Stylosanthes gracilis, Stylosanthes grandifolia, and/or Stylosanthes hippocampoides as synonyms of Stylosanthes guianensis.
- 3 Some sources treat Stylosanthes bahiensis as a synonym of Stylosanthes pilosa.
- 5 Some sources treat Stylosanthes cayennensis as a synonym of Stylosanthes hispida.
- 6 15 Some sources treat Stylosanthes figueroae and/or Stylosanthes sundaica as synonyms of Stylosanthes humilis.
- 9 Some sources treat Stylosanthes guineensis as a synonym of Stylosanthes erecta.
- 11 Some sources treat Stylosanthes macrosoma as a synonym of Stylosanthes montevidensis.
- 12 14 16 Some sources treat Stylosanthes nervosa, Stylosanthes suffruticosa, and/or Stylosanthes tuberculata as synonyms of Stylosanthes scabra.
- 13 Some sources treat Stylosanthes subsericea as a synonym of Stylosanthes macrocarpa.
References
- PMID 11250829.
- .
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Stylosanthes". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ISBN 9781930723917. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86320-442-2.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86320-442-2.
- S2CID 28591537.
- PMID 20120482.
- ^ a b Cook B, Pengelly B, Brown S, Donnelly J, Eagles D, Franco A, Hanson J, Mullen B, Partridge I, Peters M, Schultze-Kraft R (2005). "Tropical Forages entry for Stylosanthes". Tropical Forages. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (CSIRO), the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F Queensland), el Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ "Stylosanthes erecta". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ "Stylosanthes Sw". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- Trop Grassl. 31 (5): 494–502.
- ISBN 978-0849323188.
- ^ a b Jones PG, Sawkins MC, Maass BL, Kerridge PC (June 8–19, 1997). GIS and Genetic Diversity—Case Studies in Stylosanthes (PDF). XVIII International Grassland Congress. Winnipeg, Canada. pp. 73–74. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- S2CID 40393183.
- ISBN 978-1-86320-442-2.
- ^ a b Chandra A, Pathak PS, Bhatt RK (2006). "Stylosanthes research in India: Prospects and challenges ahead" (PDF). Curr Sci. 90 (7): 915–921.
- ISBN 978-1-86320-442-2.
- S2CID 19607724.
- Trop Grassl. 31 (5): 467–476.
- doi:10.1071/S97053.