Dermatophyllum
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum
mescal bean
mescal bean, Texas Mountain laurel
erect, twigs densely pubescent or glabrescent.
alternate, odd-pinnate;
stipules present, caducous, linear to deltate;
petiolate, petiole 1–1.5 cm;
leaflets 5–13[–17], alternate to subopposite, stipels minute or absent, linear, blade leathery, margins entire, thickened, surfaces pubescent or glabrescent.
rachis 6–15 cm;
leaflets (5 or)7–11, blades elliptic-obovate or oblong, (2–)2.5–5(–8) × 0.7–3.6 cm, base cuneate, apex rounded to emarginate.
4–15-flowered, dense, 5–10 cm;
bracts linear-lanceolate, apex acute.
2–15[–75]-flowered, terminal or axillary, racemes;
bracts present, caducous;
bracteoles persistent or caducous, 2.
10–15 mm.
papilionaceous;
calyx campanulate (sometimes gibbous), lobes 5, sometimes connate adaxially;
corolla usually purple, blue-purple, lilac, or lavender [violet], rarely white, glabrous;
keel petals usually partly connate;
stamens 10, distinct or connate proximally;
anthers dorsifixed.
ascending to spreading, 10–20 mm;
calyx broadly obconic or turbinate, asymmetric, 8–11 mm;
corolla usually blue-purple, rarely white.
legumes, stipitate, torose to torulose, straight to slightly curved, compressed and oblong, or subglobose to cylindrical, indehiscent, papery, leathery, or woody, appressed-pubescent.
brown, torulose, subglobose to cylidrical, 2–5(–10) × 1–1.5(–2) cm, woody.
1–10, usually red or dull red to reddish brown, rarely orange or yellow, reniform to subglobose, margins angular.
1–4(–8), usually red, rarely orange or yellow, 10–15 mm.
= 9.
= 18.
Dermatophyllum
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum
Species 6 (3 in the flora).
Two other generic names have been used for taxa now placed in Dermatophyllum, in addition to their placement in Sophora: Agastianis Rafinesque and Calia Terán & Berlandier (G. P. Yakovlev 1968). Agastianis is superfluous and an illegitimate substitute for the nomenclaturally rejected name Broussonetia Ortega (1798). Calia is considered a later homonym of Calea Linnaeus (1763, Asteraceae; K. N. Gandhi et al. 2011).
Dermatophyllum is a segregate from Sophora. It is considered distinct from Sophora by its woody habit; thick, leathery leaflets; blue, violet, or white petals; calyx with obvious teeth or lobes; flattened to terete legumes; and geographic range. The distinction is supported by molecular data indicating that Dermatophyllum (as Calia) falls into a separate clade from Styphnolobium and other Sophora species (K. N. Gandhi et al. 2011; G. P. Lewis et al. 2005; R. T. Pennington et al. 2001; M. F. Wojciechowski et al. 2004).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum is widely distributed across the southern half of Texas and extends into southeastern New Mexico.
Flowers of Dermatophyllum secundiflorum have been described as offensively fragrant and have a scent reminiscent of artificial grape flavoring. Their odor can produce headaches and, sometimes, nausea (E. D. Schulz 1928). The flowers are a source of honey (E. H. Graham 1941). The dull red seeds, poisonous to humans and livestock, were used by Amerindian groups for beads (trade items). Powdered and mixed with mescal, the seeds were employed to produce intoxication, delirium, excitement, and a deep sleep of two to three days (J. M. Kingsbury 1964; R. A. Vines 1960). Bactericidal and fungicidal activities have been reported from seed extracts of mescal bean (D. Pérez-Laínez et al. 2008). The slow growing plants are used as ornamentals.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaflet blades (2–)2.5–5(–8) cm; pedicels 10–15 mm; legumes woody, subglobose to cylindrical, torulose. | D. secundiflorum |
1. Leaflet blades 1–2.5(–4) cm; pedicels 2–5 mm; legumes papery to almost leathery, compressed and oblong, torose. | → 2 |
2. Leaflets 5–11, blades lanceolate to elliptic, apices acute, apiculate; floral bracts lance- olate, apices acute. | D. arizonicum |
2. Leaflets 9–13, blades elliptic to ovate, apices rounded, often emarginate, rarely apiculate; floral bracts lanceolate to elliptic, apices acute to rounded, abruptly apiculate. | D. guadalupense |
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