Cenostigma is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, placed in subfamily Caesalpinioideae and tribe Caesalpinieae. It comprises 15 species of trees and shrubs native to the tropical Americas, with a range extending from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean south to northwestern Argentina and southern Brazil. The genus was substantially redefined in 2016 by botanists Edeline Gagnon and Gwilym P. Lewis, who transferred many species into Cenostigma from related genera, particularly Caesalpinia.
Morphologically, members of Cenostigma are woody plants — trees or shrubs — bearing the characteristic pinnate leaves and showy, often yellow, flowers typical of the Caesalpinieae tribe. Several species are regionally prominent, including Cenostigma pluviosum (known in Brazil as sibipiruna or false brazilwood), a widely planted ornamental and shade tree in South American cities that is also under investigation for antimalarial properties.
Distribution
Cenostigma is native to the tropical Americas, with a range spanning from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean south to northwestern Argentina and southern Brazil. The genus reaches its highest species diversity in Brazil, particularly in seasonally dry tropical forests and savanna ecosystems such as the Caatinga and Cerrado.
Taxonomy
Cenostigma belongs to family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, tribe Caesalpinieae. The genus was substantially revised in 2016 by Edeline Gagnon and Gwilym P. Lewis (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew), who expanded it from a handful of species to 15 by transferring taxa previously placed in Caesalpinia and other related genera. This revision is reflected in the authority citations: nearly all accepted species bear "E. Gagnon & G. P. Lewis 2016" as the taxonomic authority. Only a few species, such as C. macrophyllum (Tulasne 1843) and C. tocantinum (Ducke 1915), were described under Cenostigma prior to this reorganization.
