Cullen plicata: A rare leguminous plant and its conservation efforts

摘要

Leguminosae, one of the largest families of flowering plants on earth, has about 500 genera and more than 12,000 species of all biotypes i.e. herbs, shrubs and trees. Many of these have bioactive compounds. Examples include Psoralea, Pongamia, Alhagiand Indigofera valued in the indigenous system of medicine for the treatment of leprosy, rheumatism, spasmodic affections of the lungs and kidneys and also used as laxative, diuretic and as a remedy for skin diseases.Cullen Medik is a member of tribe Psoraleeae, all members of which are characterized by delayed development of floral vasculature, the presence of glands and uniovulate ovaries. Cullen is distinguished from the other members of the tribe by discontinuousfloral vasculature and glandular, non-beaked fruits. Field work and a morphometric analysis of the Cullen patens-complex included 20 populations collected throughout the eastern half of Australia [1].Cullen plicata is a sweet smelling under shrub, 30-60 cm high, with pubescent, gland-dotted stems. Stem much branched from base; branches ascending, forming an acute angle with main stem, terete, striate, rough with numerous cicatrices of hardened mucilage, appressedly hairy. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; petioles 1.5-2 cm long, argenteo-canescent, more or less verrucose, grooved; stipules triangular, acute, broad at the base, somewhat falcate, 2-3 mm long, silvery white, strongly nerved, glandular-punctate with a few, golden yellow, round glands, decurrent forming 3, elevated lines on internodes; lateral elevations becoming suddenly curved; leaflets oblanceolate, apex round or subacute or apiculate; veins prominent beneath, impressed above, appressedly hirsute, thickly hairy particularly at base; terminal leaflet the longest, upto 21x6 mm; laterals 11 x 16 mm, all glandular-punctate beneath; margins irregularly sinuate, base acute; petiolules 0.5 mmlong. Flowers in axillary spikes which are upto 12 mm long; rachis prominently veined, solitary or 2-4 together; pedicel upto 1 mm long, hirsute; bracts minute, ovate, acute, sparsely hairy. Calyx 2.5-3 mm long, ribbed and densely covered with white, silvery hairs on the outside; tube 1-1.5 mm long; lobes ovate, triangular, acute; lowest the biggest. Corolla slightly exerted, 4.5-5 x 3.5-4 mm; standard broadly obovate, emarginated; margin sinuate; wings oblique, 5 mm long, oblong, lobes broadly rounded,white with blue apex. Stamens connate at base. Ovary compressed, glabrous; style filiform, compressed curved inwards; stigma minute. Pods 4-4.5 x 2-2.5 mm, ovate, brown, glandular-verrucose, hirsute with white hairs. Seeds one, adherent to the pericarp, smooth. Flowering and fruiting takes place from November to March [2, 3].