Retama

Corynella paucifolia DC. Ann. Sci. Nat. 4: 93. 1825
Robinia domingensis Spreng. Svst. 3: 245. 1826. Corynites domingensis Spreng. Syst. 4-: 280. 1827. Corynites paucifolia Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 173. 1891.
A shrub, 0.5-2 m. high; branches strigose when young; stipules subulate, 5 mm. long, spinescent; leaves 1.5-4 cm. long; rachis strigose, sulcate above; leaflets 4-8, oval or obovate, mucronate, glabrous above, 5—18 mm. long, 3-8 mm. wide, sparingly strigose and glabrate beneath, coriaceous, dark-green above, brownish beneath, reticulate; flowers in fascicles on short axillary branches, appearing before the leaves; pedicels 2-3 cm. long; calyx strigose, the tube 2.5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, the lobes lanceolate, 2 mm. long; corolla purple; banner orbicular, spreading, 8 mm. long; blades of the wings oblong, with a rounded basal auricle; keel-petals lunate, free at the tip, obtuse or acutish, 1 cm. long; style as in the preceding species, but less dilated at the apex; pod 4-5 cm. long, 5-6 mm. wide, glabrous, 8-10-seeded.
Type locality: Santo Domingo. Distribution: Hispaniola and Porto Rico.

Perennial, Shrubs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems 1-2 m tall, Stems greater than 2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules spinose or bristles, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Flowers solitary in axils, or appearing solitary, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.