Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.64.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Berlinia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 7 studied; ca. 18 in genus.
Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 6–40 cm long; 2.5–14 cm wide; 0.5–1.4 cm thick; 2–9 times longer than wide; with deciduous androecial sheath; with deciduous corolla; with deciduous calyx; without orifice formed by curving of fruit or fruit segments; straight to curved; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; oblong, or falcate; with both sutures parallelly curved; not inflated; compressed; without beak; long tapered at apex to tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base to rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit to right angled with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with thickened sutural areas and flange(s) (up to 10 mm wide on each valve, thinner on dorsal margin); wing(s) absent; stipitate to substipitate; with the stipe 6–40 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; apical and down; active; with valves elastically and separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; dark brown, or tan; with surface texture uniform; densely velvety brown pubescent and indurate, or pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; eglandular; without spines; smooth, or not smooth; with elevated features; veined; longitudinally veined relative to fruit length, or reticulately veined (or 1 prominent logitudinal vein giving rise to oblique veination); not tuberculate; scurfy; not exfoliating; without cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp present; surface not veined; 3-layered; without balsamic vesicles; with fibers; without reniform canals; with solid layer over fibers over solid layer; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome, or mottled; tannish brown; with mottling above and below seed chambers; with tan overlay to white overlay; smooth and spongy (smooth below seeds, tan and spongy around seeds); without adhering pieces of testa; subseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 2–5; length oblique to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–2 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; straight. Aril absent.
Seed: 15–70 mm long; 15–60 mm wide; 5–20 mm thick; not overgrown; angular, or not angular; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; ovate to oblong, or quadrangular, or irregular; compressed to flattened; with surface smooth; without visible radicle and cotyledon lobes; without hilar sinus; without umbo on seed faces; without medial ridge on each face. Cuticle not exfoliating; not inflated; not wrinkled. Testa present; without pieces of adhering epicarp; not adhering to endocarp; free from endocarp; dull; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; brown to tan; glabrous; smooth, or not smooth; with elevated features; shagreen; osseous to coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present, or absent; fracture line pattern not indicated. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–12 mm long; with curved outline; elliptic; apical at apex of radicle tip to subapical to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm absent. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces convex; both the same thickness; both more or less of equal length; not folded; margin entire 180 degrees from base of radicle, or not entire 180 degrees from base of radicle (wavy); similar at apex; completely concealing radicle; split over radicle; with lobes; with lobes overlapping; with basal groin formed by lobes, or without basal groin formed by lobes; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; parallel to length of seed; without a joint evident between the radicle and the cotyledons. Radicle differentiated from cotyledon; centered between cotyledons. Plumule well developed; glabrous.
Mackinder (2000) is currently studying this genus. She has concluded that it is monophyletic and that its sister genis is Isoberlinia (1.4.64). Her species count is used.
Fruit and seed: B. acuminata D.C. Solander - top left fruit; B. congolensis (E.G. Baker) Keay - right center partially dehisced fruit; B. craibiana E.G. Baker - bottom right seeds in situ; B. eminii P.H.W. Taubert - top right fruit; B. grandiflora (M.H. Vahl) Hutchinson & Dalziel - bottom left enrolled valve.
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Seed, cotyledon, embryo, and testa: B. coriacea Keay - bottom center seed topography; B. grandiflora (M.H. Vahl) Hutchinson & Dalziel - bottom left center seed topography, center seed; B. spp. - top far left and bottom far left cotyledons split and concealing radicle (above or left) and embryonic axes (below or right), top left center seed, testa SEMs.
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