Herbs, perennial, [shrubs or trees], unarmed. Stems erect, villous. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate; stipules present; petiolate; leaflets 3–9, blade margins entire, surfaces pubescent. Inflorescences 2–4-flowered, terminal and axillary, panicles; bracts absent; bracteoles present. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx tubular, lobes 5, abaxial lobes distinct, adaxial connate nearly to apex; corolla orange-yellow; stamens 10, monadelphous; anthers sub-basifixed. Fruits loments, sessile, subterete, abaxial suture sinuate, adaxial suture straight, linear, dehiscent, villous. Seeds 1–3, ovoid, dull. x = 11.

Distribution

Florida, s Mexico, Central America (Guatemala), South America (Venezuela), Africa (Somalia), Indian Ocean Islands (Socotra).

Discussion

Species 7 (1 in the flora).

Torrey and Gray, and all botanists until 1980, described Chapmannia as having both sterile and fertile flowers; C. R. Gunn et al. (1980) have given evidence that all flowers are fertile.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Chapmannia floridana