Howard S. Irwin

An ecological discussion of the environmental impact of the highway construction program in the Amazon basin

Abstract Goodland, R.J.A. and Irwin, H.S., 1974. An ecological discussion of the environmental impact of the highway construction program in the Amazon Basin. Landscape Plann., 1: 123–254. Started in 1970, the 6 368 km Transamazonica, the 2 465 km Perimetral Norte and the 1 747 km Cuiaba—Santarem highways lacerating the Amazon jungle are now nearing completion. Large-scale cattle ranching and peasant agriculture by thousands of government-assisted settlers are being officially hastened along these highways. The likely environmental consequences of these activities is discussed. Human ecology and nosogeography. Diseases likely to increase due to increase in vectors; vectors encouraged by construction methods; route planning and known disease foci; effect of settlements, deforestation and agriculture on disease. Malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis and verminoses: relation between indigenous and alloch-thonous human populations; remediation. Amerindians. Lack of information on location and numbers even of already contacted tribes. Tribes to be disturbed by highways; governmental policy and the constitution. Effect of relocation on survival, national parks, disease, sedentary vs nomadic habits, money economy and education. Ecological perceptions and abilities of the Amerindian; their potential role in Amazonia. Deforestation and agriculture. Direct and closed nutrient cycles in tropical wet forest, implications for vegetational management. Methods and degree of extirpation: erosion, laterization, decreased fertility. Pests and weeds competing with crops; adverse effects of fertilizer; lack of dry season or winter. Climatic change. Sustainable agroecosystems; fish, riparian communities, mixed tree plantations and refining methods. Ecological considerations of cattle raising. Fauna and faunation. Unknown, rare and endangered taxa; occurrence, value and preservation, state of knowledge, population equilibria of pests, disease vectors, rodents. Role of faunation in nutrient dynamics. Use of faunation in forest ecosystem harvest and raising of indigenous fauna. Flora and vegetation. Physiognomic types of vegetation; undiscovered species and their characteristics; species extinction by exploitation, regeneration of forest, conservation areas.

Monographic studies in cassia (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae). IV. supplementary notes on section apoucouita Bentham

Supplementing the last revision (Irwin & Rogers, 1967) and reflecting ten years productive exploration in Brazil, these notes present a redefinition of the section, keys to all taxa, some of them newly modified in circumscription or rank, full synonymy, statements of range, and descriptions ofC. aspleniifolia (Espírito Santo),C. eitenorum (MaranhÃo to Bahia, 2 vars.),C. compitalis (s. Bahia) andC. boyanii (Territorio do Roraima), these raising the census of the section from 13 to 15 species.

Notes on the generic status of chamaecrista moench (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)

Review of the history and gross morphology ofChamaecrista, a long controversial segregate fromCassia Linn., reveals behind specious arguments presented in the past a strong theoretical case for generic status; but only in such case that the concept ofChamaecrista be expanded to equivalence with the subgenusLasiorhegma Benth., of which it has been considered a part.

Three new legume species from South America

Three new South American legumes are described:Acosmium cardenasii (Leguminosae: Sophoreae) known only from the type locality, San Ignacio de Velasco, Bolivia;Moldenhauera nitida (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) from the southeastern flanks of the Serra do EspinhaÇo in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil; andSclerolobium prancei (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) known only from the Rio Madeira headwaters, Territory of RondÔnia, Brazil. A key to the Brazilian species ofMoldenhauera is included.

A new species of Senna (Caesalpiniaceae) from coastal northern Bahia, Brazil

Irwin, Howard S. (Clark Garden, 193 I. U. Willets Road, Albertson, NY 11507) and Rupert C. Barneby (New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458-9980). A new species of Senna (Caesalpiniaceae) from coastal northern Bahia, Brazil. Brittonia 37: 192–194. 1985. - Senna (sect. Chamaefistula ser. Laxiflorae) phlebadenia, closely akin to S. australis, but the only known species of the genus with secondary veins of leaflets excurrent into a marginal nectary, is described and illustrated from two collections from the coastal plain of Bahia northeast of Salvador.

Memories of The New York Botanical Garden, 1960–1980

Memories of employment at The New York Botanical Garden between 1960 and 1980 are given.

Two new Brazilian species of Chamaecrista Moench (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)

Chamaecrista (sect.Apoucouita)onusta Irwin & Barneby from coastal Bahia andCh. (sect.Absus)hatschbachii Irwin & Barneby from north-central Minas Gerais are described, figured and systematically characterized. Four new combinations inChamaecrista incidental to the discussion are proposed.

Nomenclatural Notes on Cassia Linnaeus (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)

Arguments are developed in favor of changed names for 4 common American cassias; if accepted,C. tagera auct. (vix Linnaeus) becomesC. kunthiana Chamisso & Schlechtendahl ;C. fasciculata Michaux becomes C.chamaecrhta Linnaeus;C. hispidula Vahl becomesC. tetraphylla Martyn; andC. tetraphylla Desvaux becomesC. desvauxii Colladon.

A new species of Camptosema (Leguminosae: Lotoideae) from the Planalto of Brazil

Camptosema douradense (Leguminosae: Lotoideae) is described. The species is known only from the type locality and its vicinity, the summit of the Serra Dourada near the town of Goiás Velho in the State of Goiás, Brazil.

New endemic species of Harpalyce (Leguminosae: Brongniartieae) from South-Central Brazil with a key to the Brazilian species

Harpalyce parvifolia andH. robusta, endemic species from the Serra do EspinhaÇo, State of Minas Gerais, and Chapada dos Veadeiros, State of Goiás, respectively, are described and included in a new key to the Brazilian members of the genus.