Difference between revisions of "Macroptilium atropurpureum"

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(References and notes)
(References and notes)
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Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
 
Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
  
Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: [http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu]. Last accessed:   Collectors:   States and Counties:   Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
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Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: [http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu]. Last accessed: February 2016. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson. States and Counties: Florida: Clay, Escambia, Leon, Nassau, Osceola, Putname. Countries: Honduras. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
  
 
Gutteridge, R. C. (1985). "Survival and Regeneration of Four Legumes Oversown into Native Grasslands in Northeast Thailand." Journal of Applied Ecology 22(3): 885-894.
 
Gutteridge, R. C. (1985). "Survival and Regeneration of Four Legumes Oversown into Native Grasslands in Northeast Thailand." Journal of Applied Ecology 22(3): 885-894.
  
 
Morris, J. B. (2010). "Morphological, pheological and reproductive trait analysis for the pasture species, siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)." Tropical Grasslands 44: 266-273.
 
Morris, J. B. (2010). "Morphological, pheological and reproductive trait analysis for the pasture species, siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)." Tropical Grasslands 44: 266-273.

Revision as of 14:05, 9 February 2016

Macroptilium atropurpureum
Macr atro.jpg
Photo by Patricia Howell, Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order: Ericales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Macroptilium
Species: M. atropurpureum
Binomial name
Macroptilium atropurpureum
(Lam.) K. Koch
Macr atro dist.jpg
Natural range of Macroptilium atropurpureum from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Purple bushbean

Taxonomic notes

Description

A perennial species in tropical regions and an annual in subtropical climates. It is a trailing, climbing, twining species with a deep, swollen taproot (Morris 2010).

Distribution

It is a native to tropical continental America, and is distributed through out the tropics [1].

Ecology

Habitat

Habitats include disturbed ruderal areas such as lawns, along railroad beds, and pastures (FSU Herbarium). It has great economic importance in cover crop, forage and prevents soil erosion (Cook et al. 2005). A long, deep taproot and the ability to reduce evapotranspiration by shedding its leaves allows for tolerance of dry conditions[2].

M. atropurpureum can be nodulated by a range of alpha-rhizobial strains, which allow for nitrogen-fixation and allows the plants to thrive in nutrient poor soils. Soil, pH, phosphate, and CaCO3 content and granulation influence the type of rhizobial nodulation that occurs. When M. atropurpureum grows under dry, high temperature conditions, Burkholderia tuberum induces nitrogen fixing nodules (Angus et al. 2013).

Phenology

Flowers and fruits August through October (FSU Herbarium). It has been observed that flowering is initiated in response to the onset of dry periods and shorter days while vegetative growth resumes with the return of moist conditions[3].

In subtropical climates, it displays an annual lifecycle, while in tropical climate is perennial. Perennation of this species has been observed to be associated with survival of the original crowns that develop from seedlings. Individuals that are produced by vegetative reproduction from rooted stolons, are short lived and only survive until the end of the wet season (Gutteridge 1985).

Seed dispersal

Seed bank and germination

Seed reserves are important for individual replacement in subtropical conditions where the species displays an annual lifecycle (Gutteridge 1985).

Fire ecology

Post-fire, plants recover well from crowns or stems if perennial and soil seed reserves if annual [3].

Pollination

The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Macroptilium atropurpureum at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):

Apidae: Apis mellifera

Megachilidae: Megachile georgica

Use by animals

Diseases and parasites

This species is susceptible to a variety of diseases and viruses. Under conditions of high rainfall and high humidity, Rhizoctonia solani causes foliar blight that can reduce leaf yields by 80%; however, plants can recover with a return to dry conditions. Synchytrium phaseoli, false rust, occurs during periods of high humidity. Viruses include mung bean yellow mosaic virus and passionfruit woodiness potyvirus [3].

Conservation and Management

Cultivation and restoration

M. atropurpureum is of economic importance for forage, cover crop and preventing soil erosion (Cook et al. 2005). It has been observed to thrive in light stocking and/or rotational grazing. Regular heavy grazing causes loss of buds, shorter plant growth, reduced seed set, and declining soil seed reserves[3].

Photo Gallery

References and notes

Angus, A. A., A. Lee, et al. (2013). "Nodulation and effective nitrogen fixation of Macroptilium atropurpureum (siratro) by Burkholderia tuberum, a nodulating and plant growth promoting beta-proteobacterium, are influenced by environmental factors." Plant and Soil 369(1): 543-562.

Calles, T., G. P. Lewis, et al. (2015). "Lectotypification of Macroptilium atropurpureum (Leguminosae)." Kew Bulletin 70(1).

Cook, B.G., Pengelly, B.C., Brown, S.D., Donnelly, J.L., EAgles, D.A., Franco, M.A. Hanosn, J., Mullen, B.F., Partridge, I.J. Peters, M., Shultze-Kraft, R. (2005). "Tropical forages: An interactive selection tool." CD-ROM. CSIRO, DPI&F (Queensland), CIAT and ILRI.

Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: February 2016. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson. States and Counties: Florida: Clay, Escambia, Leon, Nassau, Osceola, Putname. Countries: Honduras. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.

Gutteridge, R. C. (1985). "Survival and Regeneration of Four Legumes Oversown into Native Grasslands in Northeast Thailand." Journal of Applied Ecology 22(3): 885-894.

Morris, J. B. (2010). "Morphological, pheological and reproductive trait analysis for the pasture species, siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum)." Tropical Grasslands 44: 266-273.

  1. [[1]] Encyclopedia of Life Accessed: February 10, 2016
  2. [[2]] Feedipedia Accessed: February 10, 2016
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 [[3]] Tropical Forages Accessed: February 10, 2016