Cleome L. (Capparaceae) en el estado Aragua, Venezuela

Abstract

In number of species, Cleome L. is the second largest genus of the family Capparaceae sensu lato(=Cleomaceae sensu stricto)with ca. 150-200 species distributed in tropical and subtropical regions and only few species in the temperate zone. Cleome species from the northern Venezuelan Aragua state, deposited in the herbaria MER, MY,VEN and WIS, and some specimens newly collected, were examined. Eight species of Cleome are registered; of these, C. arborea, C.moritziana, C. pilosa and C. viridiflora are present in the Cordillera de la Costa, particularly in the Serranía del Litoral. The other four species (C. aculeata, C. spinosa, C. gynandra and C. rutidosperma) grow in disturbed and sunny places at lower elevations, between 300 and 500 m asl, with the last two species widespread weedy introductions from the Old World.